Baltar's Escape

"Baltar's Escape" is an episode of the original Battlestar Galactica television series.

Plot

Apollo and Starbuck shuttle Adama to the Prison Barge to question their recently captured Eastern Alliance leader, Commandant Leiter, who explains that the Alliance's actions are based on 'the law of nature'. Adama is intrigued by Leiter's story but the interrogation is soon interrupted by Security Chief Reese under orders from the Council, much to the dismay of Apollo and Starbuck. Meanwhile, Baltar devises an escape plan with the wary Borellian Nomen and plots to take control of the Galactica. There, the Council gives Adama the Star of Kobol to honor him of his services but Adama suspects it meant retirement. Siress Tinia, a representative, informs that the Council is taking back control of the Fleet and that Tinia would assist Adama on the bridge from this centon forward.

Back at the Prison Barge, an escape ensues. The Borellians have already knocked out the security guards and released Baltar as well as the officers of the Eastern Alliance. Lieutenants Boomer and Sheba are ordered by Adama to transfer the Eastern Alliance from the Prison Barge to the Galactica to meet with the Council of Twelve for an unarmed peace envoy via shuttle, where they get irritated by the presence of two 'Blackshirts'. In retaliation, Boomer screws around with the shuttle to teach the security guards a lesson. When the shuttle gets there, however, not all goes as planned, as Baltar and other escapees hijack the shuttle.

At the bridge, Colonel Tigh is increasingly uncomfortable around Tinia, who does not want any warriors in the launch bay when the Alliance arrives. Tigh decides to go to the Officer's Club, where he informs Apollo and Starbuck of their current situation while ordering two rounds of grog. The shuttle arrives at the launch bay, where the Council stands ready to greet them with open arms. However, it was all but a ruse, as the representatives find themselves captured by the Enforcers as Baltar and the Nomen head their way to the bridge. The four never make it and retreat back to the shuttle following their crossfire with Apollo and Starbuck, who then inform the bridge what had just happened.

Baltar then opens the channel to the bridge and demands Adama a ransom: A release from the Fleet in his Cylon Raider. If the demands are not met, every hostage will be killed in the shuttle, staring with Lieutenant Boomer. Apollo and Starbuck have only one centar to help Doctor Wilker rebuild the two Cylons that were captured along with Baltar but then they discover a way to thwart Baltar's plan after a Cylon accidentally smashes a control panel to a scanner that Doctor Wilker orders him to turn on. Meanwhile, Adama offers surrender to Baltar in exchange for one more centar. Both Tigh and Tinia protest, and the latter decides to go along as she is just another council representative.

However, Adama plans to have the Warriors attack the hijackers in order to release the hostages. The plan is revised by Tigh, who orders the shuttle to be launched at once under Apollo's request. Both the Nomen and the Enforcers escape in their craft, but when one of the Cylons in Baltar's captured Cylon Raider destroys the launch button, it allows a brief moment of disorientation for Baltar, allowing Apollo and Starbuck to recapture him, revealing it was all the Cylon's idea. Tigh is back in the Officer's Club sitting with Apollo, Starbuck, Sheba and Boomer when Adama suddenly shows up holding arms with Tinia, causing Tigh to order a round of grog while the other warriors laugh.

Adama's Notes

"Since the return of our warriors with the prisoners from the Alliance of the planet Terra, the fleet has been in a state of constant confusion. If this Terra is in fact the planet Earth it is we seek, our flight across the universe may have been in vain. For we will have eluded the Cylons only to be faced by an equally oppressive human enemy. As usual of late, the council, led by Sire Domra, is in total opposition to me. They wish to release the prisoners and to have an unarmed peace envoy with them to their outpost on Lunar Seven. I am afraid that the council is bent on repeating the mistakes that led to the destruction of our colonies at the hands of the Cylons. I am determined that shall not happen again so long as I am in command. In the meantime, I have ordered the fleet to full alert and taken a shuttle to the prison barge to interrogate personally the Eastern Alliance Enforcers."

Continuity

• For some reason, Adama's computerized log recorder transcribes "Lunar Seven" as "Luna Seven" in this episode.

Cast

• Lieutenant Starbuck — Dirk Benedict
• Colonel Tigh — Terry Carter
• Count Baltar — John Colicos
• Dr. Wilker — John Dullaghan
• Commander Adama — Lorne Greene
• Captain Apollo — Richard Hatch
• Lieutenant Boomer — Herb Jefferson, Jr.
• Lieutenant Athena — Maren Jensen
• Lieutenant Sheba — Anne Lockhart
• Cassiopeia — Laurette Spang
• Sergeant Jolly — Tony Swartz

External links

• Baltar's Escape at the Battlestar Wiki