Tigh Me Up, Tigh Me Down

Overview

Colonel Tigh's world is turned upside down when his wife arrives on the Galactica - but is she all she professes?

Summary

On Caprica:

Review

THE CYLONS WERE CREATED BY MAN. THEY REBELLED. THEY EVOLVED. THEY LOOK AND FEEL HUMAN. SOME OF THEM ARE PROGRAMMED TO THINK THEY ARE HUMAN. THERE ARE MANY COPIES.

AND THEY HAVE A PLAN

Re-cap

From Flesh and Bone:

Doral on Caprica, “I notice you’re calling her ‘Sharon’ now.”
Six (over shots of Valerii running) “She acts like one of them, thinks like them. She is one of them.”
Doral: “But she’s one of us.”
Valerii, on reaching Helo: “We’ve got to go, now! We’ve got to travel fast. Even faster than before!”

From the Mini-Series: Tigh reclines on his cot in his quarters on Galactica and slowly burns through a photo of his wife with his cigar.

From Flesh and Bone: Roslin, on the radio, talking to Adama “They found him in the starboard storage compartment. He’s another copy of the Cylon you know as Leoben.” Adama: “I’ll send a team over to destroy it…anything it says cannot be trusted.”

From Flesh and Bone: Conoy lunging for Roslin and grabbing her, whispering “Adama is a Cylon.”

Teaser

Fade-in to Galactica’s CIC as the command data screens descend from their recess above the main plot table. Adama is busy with staff, signing forms, checking reports. Above the main bustle of activity, Roslin enters the hi-bay core, passes along a line of manned consoles to a point where she can observe Adama.

Below, Gaeta moves to stand alongside Adama as the screen complete their descent. “Commander, Doctor Baltar’s report,” the Lieutenant hands Adama a file, “And…the President is waiting for you up in the core.”

This seems to surprise Adama for an instant, as he hesitates and then thanks Gaeta. He scans Baltar’s report, then turns to look up at Roslin, a puzzled expression on his face. She self-consciously raises a hand and gives him a little wave, a false smile on her lips. Adama’s lips turn upwards in a smile, but the puzzlement doesn’t leave his eyes as he raises the report in response to the wave. A flicker of annoyance passes over his face as he turns back to the plot table. Above him, Roslin lowers her hand and her expression turns hard, mistrust evident.

Scanning the report again, Adama crosses the CIC to a companionway and climbs up to the core gantry. “Clear the deck,” is his terse order as he reaches Roslin. The officers and personnel manning the consoles rise and move away. “Madame President,” Adama states, his voice carrying a modicum of warmth. “We are the proud owners of the universe’s first bona fide Cylon detector,” he hands her the file. “Well, that is good news,” Roslin replies, warmth also in her tone and her smile this time a little softer. Adama also allows himself a smile, before he looks away briefly, adjusting his glasses, “Yeah,” he agrees, his tone flat in an indication he’s already guessed what is about to happen.

“So when do we begin?” Roslin asks. Adama informs her Baltar would like to begin widespread tests as soon as possible – but there are limitations: he can only test one person at a time, and verification takes “hours”. Roslin absorbs this, but won’t be deflected. “So who’s going to go first?” Adama doesn’t reply; he looks away, sighs and then looks back at her as she gives him a questioning look. “Ah…the tests, right,” his tone is distracted, as if he’s listening to someone else at the same time. “Umm….I think people in sensitive positions should go first.”

“I completely agree,” Roslin states, her tone matter-of-fact. “How about you?”

Adama’s expression doesn’t change. For over a beat as he looks at her. “Excuse me?” he finally asks, eyebrows lifting oh-so-slightly before his face settles back into its bland expression. “If you’re a Cylon…I’d like to know.” Roslin explains without humour, even though she again gives him a small smile.

Adama chuckles, also without humour, “If I’m a Cylon, you’re really screwed,” he retorts, trying to make light of the comment and hide his annoyance at the same time. Roslin tries to keep up the apparent humour in the exchange as she also chuckles, the tension building between them. “Seriously,” she adds, humour gone. “I do think that you should go first.” The line is drawn, “Show everyone in the fleet they can trust the people at the top.”

Again Adama looks away, head tilting Baltar-like, “Well then maybe you should go first,” he counters, looking back at her. Roslin is completely caught by this. She returns his look with a stare, then smiles uncomfortably. Adama allows himself a small smile – possibly having shown her how lack of trust can hurt – “Alright,” he agrees, “I’ll go first.” Roslin nods. “I think that’s good,” she says, smile frozen in place. “I do.” They stare at each other a moment longer, their false smiles giving the appearance of unity, a widening gulf now separating them.

Out among the fleet, two Vipers bear down on Galactica, apparently about to take her on head-on; “Break on my mark,” we hear a voice order, then we’re in Galactica, among a group of off-duty crew and civilians as they occupy an observation lounge area in the warship’s bows and watch as the two Vipers break-off and over fly Galactica. Sitting right at the front of the lounge, almost up against the huge port itself, Billy looks at Dualla as she nestles against him, “They always do that?”

“No, they’re just showing off,” she replies. “They know I’m in here….well, when you date the Special Assistant to the President, word gets out.” Billy holds her a little tighter, running a hand over her thigh. “So this is officially a date?” She stops his hand from its thigh-wandering and moves it back to his own leg. “The jury’s still out,” she tells him, her tone suggesting otherwise.

They return to their seats in the observation lounge and continue to banter, the attraction obvious, as they tease each other about their relative positions. The teasing ends with a kiss and Dualla snuggles closer to Billy. “How is he, by the way,” he asks, resuming the conversation that, during the teasing, had turned to Adama. “The Old Man? He’s fine I guess.” Billy challenges her on this. “He’s been acting kind of funny lately,” Dualla admits, “Seems distracted or something. Been making all these weird calls from his quarters, you know? Super-secret.” Billy tries to reassure her that it’s probably just a security thing. “Doesn’t want me to log the calls, though,” she states, “No trace file. Nothing.” When pressed, she tells Billy it all started “a few days ago,” then realising what she’s been saying, she sit up and looks at him, asking him outright if he is pumping her for information about Adama.

At that point a door at the rear of the observation lounge opens and we see a member of the crew with a clipboard. “Time’s up!” he announces – and a crowd of hopefuls stand behind him, waiting for the privacy the lounge offers. Billy tries to reassure Dualla that he’s not pumping her at all, but she doesn’t believe him. “I’m just asking a couple of questions,” he insists. “Well, I hope you like the answers,” she replies, kissing him again, “Because they’re the last ones,” she kisses him again, “You’re going to get – for a while.” Then she gets up.

Back on Colonial One, Roslin challenges Billy directly, “What did you find out?” Billy repeats what Dualla had said, that Adama is “not himself.” Roslin agrees, stating Adama was unfocused and distracted in the CIC. Billy tells her about the scrambled, unrecorded wireless calls. Seeing the look on her face, he reads her thoughts all too clearly and follows-up on the information with a robust defence of the Commander, pointing out that none of what he has learnt is damning evidence: the calls could be security-related, and the odd behaviour could be down to exhaustion, stress, and paranoia. “You’re right,” Roslin cuts him off. “It could be any of those things. But what if it’s not?” For a moment Billy looks at her, the expression of near-paranoia on her own face, and he leans closer to her. “Madame President. With all due respect, I cannot believe that we are actually entertaining the idea that Commander Adama has been somehow replaced by a Cylon duplicate.” The words cause Roslin to lower her head, when she looks up, she is almost in tears. “Oh my gods, Billy. I hope you’re right,” she admits, before turning her back on him.

In his cabin on Galactica, Adama sits in silence, apparently lost in thought, lips pursed as if waging an internal battle, and we fade to the opening titles.

Acts

Following the titles we are in Baltar’s lab, and a somewhat unkempt Doctor is seated at his desk. “Is suicide really a sin?” He asks his voice devoid of emotion. “A mortal one, I’m afraid,” Six replies, off-camera. “But it’s not that bad, is it Gaius?” We see her hands toying with a test tube, nothing more.

“Forty-seven thousand, nine hundred and five people in the fleet,” he whispers. “That’s forty-seven thousand, nine hundred and five blood samples,” his voice hardens. “Eleven hours to test each one for Cylon indicators…”

“Well. That’ll take a while,” “Six” agrees.

“Twenty-one thousand…nine hundred….and fifty-six days,” Baltar confirms. “Sixty-point-one-five-three-four years,” Six adds, helpfully. Ignoring the classical music playing in the background, Baltar gives a sarcastic roll of the head. “Well, let’s figure in a few hours for sleep here and there,” he decides, tone also sarcastic. “We’ll call it an even sixty-one shall we?”

“Sure,” Six agrees.

“I’d prefer to kill myself.” Baltar states, his tone rational. He pauses a moment, gives a lopsided shrug and turns his attention to the first test tube of blood standing in the first of racks of test tubes. He eyes it sourly as he lifts it from the rack. “Commander Adama!” he adds, his tone now clipped, “Are you a Cylon?” He replaces the test tube and lowers his head into his hands as they rest on the desk. “Tune in tomorrow,” he whimpers.

“It’s hard being a genius,” Six sympathises. “Yes,” Baltar agrees, sitting up, his tone petulant as he turns his attention to his notes. “There should be some perks,” Six adds. “Yes,” Baltar agrees, even more petulant. He works for a moment longer, and then sits up suddenly, face twisting into a wicked smile as he gives odd glances to where we assume Six is sitting. First his clipboard and then his pen are tossed over his shoulders as he turns his chair to "face" her. As the camera downs down below the level of the test tube laden table, we see him rise from the lab chair and watch as his legs do and odd little prancing shuffle around the table to where Six’s legs can be seen. Holding her from behind, we she him start to lift her dresses as their breathing becomes heavier…as the dress rises to the tops of her thighs, the camera rising with it until the edge of the table blocks our view, and their breathing becomes his breathing, coupled with odd laughter, as we see the door to the lab open and Starbuck hobbles in.

She pauses in the doorway as we hear Baltar’s ragged breathing mixed with odd laughter. She looks in his direction, he expression suggesting that she’s far from surprised at finding Baltar. We cut to Baltar himself as he is seated at his lab table, one hand under the table as he becomes aware of her presence, eyes snapping open before her turns his head to look at her. “Lieutenant Thrace!” We catch a shot of Starbuck from over Baltar’s left arm. Her eyes are clearly on the fact that his right hand is hidden under the table as her expression doesn’t shift. “Its, ah, good to see you,” Baltar continues. “I was just, ah, keeping up the old exercises….” He starts to bounce up and down on the lab chair, before making a play of flexing his arms, bringing his right hand up from under the table as he gives her a sideways glance. He quickly rotates the chair so his back is towards her. “That should, ah, do me,” he adds, putting in a quick knee-bend as he stands up, almost as if he is pulling up his trousers, “Oh I feel a lot better,” he quips, the words belying his pretence at normality. He keeps her back towards her as he continues to fumble, the motions those of a man hurriedly doing up his trousers. “What brings you to the lab at this time of the night?”

Starbuck watches the performance before looking away, her eyes rolling. “It’s the middle of the afternoon,” she points out. “Yeah, 'course it is,” Baltar replies, not missing a beat. Turning back to face her. “Crazy workload. I totally, totally lose track of time,” he turns back towards her. “So, um, what can I do for you?”

“You can zip up your fly,” Starbuck Deadpans, her tone heavy with disgust. We get a long shot of Baltar, the white of his shirt sticking out of his open fly. He moves quickly to correct this, no longer trying to hide anything. “So, err?” he prompts. Thrace holds out a finger. “My blood test?” Baltar nods sagely. “Good, very good,” and she shakes her head, private thoughts concerning Baltar obviously confirmed.

Elsewhere on the ship, Tigh is in his cabin, head in hands as he contemplates the remaining couple of fingers in his bottle of booze. A cup sits on the desk next to him and he unscrews the bottle top, licking his lips – then pours the last of the booze into the waste bin at the side of the desk before dropping the bottle in after it. “Well at least I did that much,” he growls to no-one in particular.

He opens the desk drawer and produces a crumpled photograph of his wife, most of the face burned away from where he’d used a cigar on it in the mini. He turns the picture over and over, looking first at it, then at the scribbled inscription on the back. Finally he crumples it up – probably not for the first time – and drops it into the bin as well.

In CIC scanners pick-up an enemy contact: a Raider! Gaeta orders Condition One as Dualla calls Lee Adama out on CAP, vectoring him onto the Raider and giving him clearance to open fire. Out in space, Apollo is already on it, the Raider popped out of a jump directly in front of him and his wingman. Even so – it is proving a hard target to hit.

Tigh enters CIC at the run, Gaeta confirming they have a single Raider, probably a recon mission, and that Lee and Beehive are already on it. Tigh wants to know where Adama is. “He’s not aboard, sir.” Dualla reports – a comment that knocks Tigh completely off-guard. She goes on to inform him that Adama left in a Raptor “about an hour ago – with no flight plan.” This confuses Tigh even more, but he has to give attention to the Raider, which Apollo and Beehive are still trying to destroy. Apollo finally goes head-to-head with the Raider, taking out the Raider’s guns – and the Raider promptly makes and FTL jump.

Annoyed and confused, Tigh guesses the Cylon is probably contacting every Cylon basestar within range and reporting their position. He orders Gaeta to ready the fleet for an emergency jump - they’ll rendezvous at the standby co-ordinates. As Gaeta is about to give the order, he gets another sensor contact – another Raider. Apollo and Beehive are ordered to intercept. For his part, Apollo reports it is the same Raider, but acting erratically. As he closes the range, the Raider jumps again.

Seconds later they have another contact – a single Raider, which jumps away again, only to reappear in an earlier position. “Looks like he’s jumping around in circles,” Gaeta reports. “Wounded bird can’t fly home,” Tigh replies in satisfaction. When Apollo reports they have a final fix on the Raider, which has jumped away from the fleet, but is no-longer trying to get away, and that he and Beehive can intercept it in 3 minutes, Tigh orders them not to shoot down the Raider. He then orders a Raptor launched (despite the fact the Galactica’s combat display just showed the Raider jumping in close proximity to Raptor 43 outside of the fleet perimeter!), in order to “suck in every piece of intel” they can gather about the Raptor.

As Dualla relays the order to the hanger bay, she gets a call from Adama’s Raptor, requesting permission to enter the landing pattern. Giving his permission for the Raptor to do so, Tigh orders the fleet to Condition Two and heads out of the CIC, giving over command to Gaeta as he leaves.

Down in the hanger bay, Adama’s Raptor is manoeuvred into a parking area as the Commander himself powers-down shipboard systems as the side door opens. We catch the flash of a red skirt and shapely leg from just inside the Raptor as Adama climbs out of the pilot’s seat and makes his way aft. Tigh is standing out in the hanger bay. “Permission to come aboard, sir?” Adama requests formally. “Granted,” is Tigh’s rough reply. “Mind telling me where the hell you’ve been?”

“Colonel Tigh,” Adama states, still on the Raptor. “Allow me to present your wife,” and he helps the seated woman to her feet: it is indeed Mrs. Saul Tigh….

As this revelation is made, we leap to CYLON-OCCUPIED CAPRICA, and Karl C. Agathon’s 28th day on the run. It is night in the city, and Cylons are everywhere – troops of warriors on the ground, Raiders in the air – all on the hunt. But Helo and Valerii aren’t on the ground – they’re under it, running through the city’s storm drains. Helo is confused: the Cylons have never sent an entire army after him. Valerii, possibly speaking before she thinks, responds that the Cylons are hunting him – they’re hunting her. “Why you?” Helo challenges – his tone not entirely surprised. Valerii claims she overheard some things while she was being held “captive”; that she heard about a major Cylon base at Delphi. “At Delphi?” Helo repeats, “The bastards!” Valerii suggests it’s the best place for them to get a ship and get off Caprica – and we leave them running down the storm drain, flashlights bobbing.

On Galactica a telephone purrs. A hand picks it up. “Doctor Gaius Baltar, Department of Cylon Detection,” a somewhat frivolous Baltar answers. “How may I direct your call?”

“You’re in a good mood,” Roslin’s voice states, sobering him immediately. He makes his apologies, pointing out they haven’t spoken “in ages”. Roslin ignores this and orders Baltar to call her the moment that Adama’s Cylon test has been run. Baltar is confused: Adama has pulled his own test – he has ordered the sample belonging to a woman – Ellen – a sample without a surname which Adama himself dropped off. The news stuns Roslin. She orders Baltar to resume testing Adama’s blood sample immediately, and hangs up on him.

In his quarters, Tigh is going through an emotional reunion. His wife claims she can’t remember much of the last few weeks – only that she was at the airport at Picon, where she was “buying a ticket home,” when the Cylons attacked; everything from that point on is just “dreams” she claims, until “a few days ago,” when she woke up on the Rising Star to be informed she had been knocked out during the attack, but someone had put her aboard the last flight out from the planet – a saviour she never knew.

Out in space, Vipers are running alongside the Raider, and data is being transmitted back to Galactica. Looking at the displays, Starbuck stands with Adama and Tyrol, both of them informing Adama that the Raider is returning excellent intel that is helping them understand the FTL systems on the Raider they’ve already captured. Even so – they still can’t figure out why it is here, or why it can’t get away. Adama orders them to give him an update the minute they get the FTL data they need. “Let’s not let this thing linger out there longer than we have to,” he receives a nod from Starbuck as Lee, newly-returned from his stint on CAP, arrives. “You wanted to see me, sir?”

Ordering Tyrol and Starbuck away, Adama steps up to his son, “Do you have dinner plans?” The question is not what Lee was expecting. He looks at the data display from the Raider, then at Adama. “What?”

“Come on,” Adama walks out of CIC, expecting his son to follow.

In Tigh’s cabin, Ellen is full of apology for the things she said and did to him. Tigh cuts her off before she completely breaks down, “It’s in the past. All in the past.” She asks if they can start over, and he agrees and they kiss as the telephone buzzes. She asks him to forget it, but he replies he can’t: he’s on duty. “XO,” he announces, picking up the telephone. “Now?” he barks, frowning, “Understood. Tell her – alright! Tell her I’m on my way.”

“Girlfriend?” Ellen asks in a flash of annoyance, as he replaces the handset. He laughs, “Official business,” he adjusts his uniform, smartening himself up. She tries to make light of the situation – something that has clear echoes from their past – and he apologises, promising to get back as soon as he can. She grasps the front of his uniform tunic. “I’ll be here,” she purrs, “Waiting,” and he repeats his promise before leaving.

On Colonial One Tigh stands before the President’s desk. “You want to be very, very, careful with what you just said,” he warns. “You are talking about a man I owe my life to many times over. I know these are uncertain times and this has been a difficult transition for you…”

“Excuse me, Colonel,” Roslin interrupts, tone gentle. “I do appreciate how difficult this is for you to hear, believe me,” her tone hardens, “But I would advise you right now not to say anything that you will regret.” Tigh hesitates a moment and resumes the seat he had apparently been occupying before we joined the exchange, glancing at an uncomfortable-looking Billy Keikeya who is sitting in the neighbouring chair.

“I need to know if you have seen anything suspicious about his recent behaviour.” Tigh claims he has not. Roslin challenges this, pointing out Adama left the Galactica without telling anyone where he was going at the precise moment a Cylon Raider showed up and started acting strangely.

Tigh cuts her off: “I know exactly where he was.” Roslin’s response is a sceptical, “You do?” Tigh allows himself a satisfied look, “He was picking up my wife.” The comment knocks a lot of the wind out of Roslin’s sails. “Your wife?” she repeats. “Turn out she’s been unconscious aboard the Rising Star ever since the attack,” Tigh confirms. “Oh my gods,” Roslin replies, voice empty of any genuine feeling as she tries to make a recovery, her politician’s smile flashing, “That’s fantastic, that’s amazing.” I don’t believe she’s really your wife the unspoken comment. “Yes it is,” Tigh confirms, “When Ellen stepped off that shuttle I thought I was going to pass out.”

Roslin’s recovery falters, her expression frozen. “Ellen? Your wife’s name is Ellen?” Tigh confirms it is. Her tone caught between outright disbelief and concern that she has indeed blundered, Roslin continues to hide behind her politician’s smile. “I’d very much like to meet your wife….Colonel.”

We cut to Baltar as he receives new Presidential orders, “Resume the tests on Ellen.” He confirms it will be no trouble at all, and replaces the telephone handset, his face creased in bewilderment which almost screams, as if I haven’t got enough to do without being buggered about like this!

Back on Galactica, Tigh returns to his quarters to find his wife now wearing a slinky black dress (lucky her rescuer had the forethought to rescue her luggage as well?). She also has a bottle of Ambrosia. She pours them a glass each “for a little celebration,” and drinks hers. Tigh battles with his demon and his lust before downing his own glass, which is quickly refilled, Ellen’s giggles and actions strongly suggestive that she was responsible for his drink problem long before she left him.

Later, in Adama’s cabin, they are still drinking as they take dinner with the Adamas and Roslin, with Ellen stating that the majority of people on the Rising Star are optimistic about the future, a comment which brings her a sarcasm-loaded, “That’s good to hear,” from Roslin, which provokes Ellen into adding, “Well, there are a few people who still might wonder if a kindergarten teacher is really the right person to be president. But that’s just a tiny, tiny minority.” Laying things on thick, despite Roslin’s muttered, “Wonderful, wonderful,” Ellen turns to Adama and Lee, claiming everyone is so “truly, truly grateful to all of you on Galactica. You literally are our saviours.” When Tigh tries to play down the comment, it is evident it is not only his wife who is drunk.

Ellen then asks Lee for another glass of Ambrosia, openly flirting with him across the table and asking after Zak. Commenting that Lee takes after his mother, she wagers that Zak must be the image of his father. Adama informs her that Zak passed away a couple of years ago. She apologies, dripping sincerity, commenting on the fact that there has been so much death and suffering that it can be overwhelming – while under the table her foot loses its shoe and starts rubbing up and down Lee’s calf – much to his discomfort.

“The Captain of the Rising Star was a little puzzled as to how you got on board his ship,” Adama comments, cutting through Ellen’s saccharine words. “Oh, I know!” she replies, almost as if she has been expecting the question and has rehearsed her answer. “I know some thoughtful soul just rescued me from an almost certain death and, um,” her foot still rubbing against an increasingly-uncomfortable Lee, “Put me on the last flight out of Picon.” Roslin beams at this. “How lucky for us all!” The comment is lost on Tigh, who beams back at her. “The strange thing is,” Adama states, cutting through all pretence at conversation, “No-one can remember giving you any medical assistance until about a week ago.”

Again Ellen doesn’t deny it, sliding further down her chair and claiming it is a “miracle” she is alive as her foot finds Lee’s groin, causing him to leap from the table in shock, then cover himself by saying he should start clearing the table. His sudden reaction serves to completely deflect the conversation – both Roslin and Adama confused by his actions. Ellen uses the opening to turn the conversation to another subject, as she lays her hand on Adama’s arm. “So Bill, the question on everyone’s mind,” she glances up as Apollo clears her plate, “And I do mean everyone is…where’s Earth and when do we get there?”

Adama responds that the information is classified. Ellen tries to blow him off for using “that word again”, and ignores her husband’s plea to leave Adama alone, claiming that an XO’s wife deserves some privileges and that, “we’re all family here.” This time Roslin intervenes, reminding her – if she actually knew – that Cylons look like humans now. Ellen admits she knew that. Roslin points the news has only been out a few days. Reacting as if she has fallen into a verbal trap, Ellen tries to convince Adama that the news has travelled fast. For his part, her points out that anyone could be a Cylon. Silence falls around the table, all eyes on Ellen, who has frozen. Seconds pass. Then, “BOO!” she shouts, causing everyone to jump, and giving her and Tigh a laugh. Responding to the apparent joke, Adama calls the evening to a close.

As the party breaks up, Adama speaks with Tigh while Ellen admits she’s lost one of her shoes. As it is on Lee’s side of the table, he picks it up and helps her to balance on one leg as she puts it back on. As she does so, she fondles his rear. On the way out she stumbles into her husband, then pauses, before returning to the table. Without even turning her head, Roslin knows what she is after, and holds out the bottle of Ambrosia. Seeing them out of the cabin, Adama closes the door.

“You actually think that woman is a Cylon?” Roslin challenges. Sitting down heavily, Lee admits, “Well, if she’s not, then we’re all in a lot of trouble.”

As Tigh and Ellen stagger back towards his cabin, Adama reveals some of the truth behind Ellen Tigh – that she slept with more than half the fleet while Tigh was in space. Lee asks why Tigh stayed married to her, and Roslin replies it is because he loves her deeply. “Blindly,” Adama corrects, stating she used to bring the worst out in Tigh – his self-destructive elements. “Used to?” Lee questions, causing all three of them to freeze, lost in thought, before they resume clearing the table.

Back on Caprica, Helo and Valerii are still in the storm drains – but now knee deep in water and Helo is finding it hard going. Asking Valerii to slow down, he stumbles and falls face-first into the water. Turning over, he floats, gasping for air, unsure of where he is, helpless until Valerii pulls him out of the water and onto a ledge. She uses a ladder up to an inspection manhole to risk and look out at street level. Warriors are everywhere, prompting her to return to Helo with the news that then must run on. Still recovering, he asks her why she isn’t tired like him. “Adrenaline,” she replies, telling him she’s not going to let either of them die, and they start out once more.

On Galactica Tigh and Ellen are still trying to get back to Tigh’s cabin, Tigh assuring his wife that he’ll get them home. “Right,” Ellen slurs, “Just like Bill getting us to Earth!” Tigh tells her not to start on “Bill” as they pass a scaffold where repairs are being made in the corridor. Ellen climbs it suddenly and turns to face her husband, throwing her legs over his shoulders and trapping his head between her thighs, all the time crying out that Adama doesn’t have the slightest idea where Earth is. Laughing at her apparent games, Tigh is caught between trying to silence her and play along with her until they are interrupted by Baltar, apparently out on a midnight stroll. “Colonel.” His greeting freezing the Tighs.

As the Colonel moves to extricate himself from his wife’s thighs and sit he on one of the boards of the scaffold, Baltar moves forward to introduce himself to Ellen. “I don’t believe we’ve had the pleasure. I’m Doctor Gaius…” “Baltar. I know exactly who you are.” Ellen breathes lustfully, confusing Baltar. “And the pleasure is all mine.”

“Six” appears from behind Baltar’s head – her head almost seeming to grow out of his, Beeblebox-like. “Something here, isn’t there?” she states, tone and expression hard. Ellen points out that Baltar is still holding her hand. “That’s funny,” Baltar replies, “I thought you were still holding on to mine.” It is left to Tigh to break the handshake, a warning glance going to Baltar, whom we see in profile and “Six” warns, “You should be watching her,” before she slowly steps back, her head appearing to merge back “into” Baltar’s.

Despite her husband’s presence, Ellen asks Baltar for a nightcap. “I’d love to,” he agrees as the ship’s intercom chimes and a voice orders him to the laboratory as Adama is waiting for him. “But I can’t,” he grits, as “Six” continues to stare at Ellen. “Another time, perhaps,” he finishes, a little more pleasantly. “Count on it,” Ellen confirms.

After Baltar has gone, Tigh isn’t happy. “I thought you said we were starting over,” he growls. Ellen tries to convince him they are, that she was just flirting. She tries to get him to take a drink, but he refuses. She takes one herself and tries to kiss him – a move that also fails. She then tries to claim that in the middle of dinner, Adama came on to her under the table, putting his hand on her leg. Tigh still refuses to be drawn, so she plays another card, claiming Adama came “to see her” on the Rising Star, claiming he’d come into her room while she pretended to be asleep, sit with her – then “touch her”. When Tigh calls her a lair, she displays considerable anger, shoving him away and telling him she’ll prove it. Suddenly sober, she sets off down the corridor, demanding Tigh follow her.

In Baltar’s lab, the good Doctor is a tad annoyed – as is Adama, who wants the results of Ellen’s test, which should be ready given he delivered her blood sample to Baltar that morning. Baltar reports that the test is running late as he has had to start and stop it twice. “Twice?” Lee and Adama repeat. “My fault! Long story!” Roslin cuts in, possibly hoping to avoid a row between Adama and Baltar. Adama rounds on her. “Your fault?” he repeats. “Yes I probably should’ve mentioned that,” Baltar adds, dropping her further in it. “No you probably shouldn’t have,” Roslin corrects. “Did you tell him to stop running Ellen’s test?” Adama demands of her. She admits she did – that she had some concerns. Adama wants to know what concerns.

Now on the defensive, Roslin points out that Adama’s behaviour of late has been a little odd, a comment that for once breaks through the Commander’s stoicism and his surprise is plainly evident. “My behaviour? What? You think I’m a Cylon… me?” Roslin worsens the situation by revealing she’s aware that Adama has been making unlogged calls – prompting him to challenge her as to whether she has been spying on him on his own ship.

It is left to Baltar to cut through the argument in his most subtle manner, pointing out they are in a laboratory full of hazardous material and, pointing to his Cylon detector, “and that’s a thermo-nuclear bomb for frak’s sake…”

Standing in the middle of it, Apollo looks from Adama to Roslin, frowning. “Whaddaya mean…un-unlogged calls, mysterious trips? What’s going on?” Adama admits that he wanted to get to the Rising Star and back without Tigh knowing, that whether Ellen Tigh is a Cylon or not, she is nothing but trouble – a comment which attracts Baltar’s attention. Adama further admits he wanted to keep her away from Tigh as long as he could, but at the end of the day, he brought her to Galactica because she is Tigh’s wife, and he couldn’t refuse her access to her husband without causing suspicion. The door opens behind them, as Adama concludes, “And because I wanted her close to me.”

“I told you,” Ellen states to a stunned Tigh as they stand in the doorway, “I told you he wanted me.”

“Oh, lovely,” Baltar mutters. “What the hell is going on?” Tigh demands. “You have been secretly visiting my wife?!”

“No!” Adama retorts, “Yes! But it’s complicated!” Pouncing, Ellen claims Adama has been after her for years, a comment that earns her a sharp, “What?!” from Adama. She then tries to goad Tigh and Adama into a fight – right in the room where all the blood samples are on open display. Roslin orders her to shut up as Adama moves to talk to Tigh. Ellen states Roslin doesn’t tell her what to do, and suddenly there are two fights threatening, with Lee and Baltar trying to calm things.

It is Adama who cuts through the yelling, admitting he was scared Ellen was a Cylon and so he brought her blood over to Galactica to have it tested. “That’s why you cancelled your test!” Tigh states. “How’d you know about that?” Adama asks, once more confused. Tigh looks at Roslin. “You didn’t tell me he was testing my wife!” Double-taking between Tigh and Roslin, Adama leans in towards his XO. “You met with the President?”

“Yes!” Tigh growls. “She thought you might be a Cylon!” They glare at each other for over and second, then simultaneously turn their heads to stare at Roslin. “I know,” Adama states after they hold the look for a further beat, and Roslin meets it levelly.

And *ping* at that moment the intercom chimes and Greta’s voice is heard calling Adama, Tigh and Apollo to the CIC.

Out in space, the erratic Raider has suddenly decided to stop being erratic as the shield over its red sensor slides open. Adama, Tigh and Apollo arrive in CIC, Adama asking Gaeta for a status update. The Lieutenant confirms the Raider smoothed out its flight plan 2 minutes before. Checking the screens Apollo comments that it seems to be under control. “But he’s not jumping for home,” Adama observes.

Tigh asks if there have been any transmissions from the Raider. Gaeta confirms there has been, but that it was probably just another distress call. Adama crosses to where Thrace and Tyrol have been monitoring the data from the Raider, surprising Tigh, who quickly recovers. He looks at Apollo. “Launch the alert fighters,” Apollo hesitates a moment, then lift a telephone handset, ordering the alert Vipers launched.

At the Raider monitoring station, Thrace admits she now believes the Raider has been playing with them, trying to gain intel of its own. Adama orders the fighters escorting the Raider to destroy it – but the Raider accelerates rapidly, gaining a lead on the Vipers which can’t be closed as it heads towards the fleet and then towards Galactica herself as she launches her alert fighters.

Without weapons, the Raider makes a bow-on approach at the Galactica¬ – heading directly towards the observation deck seen at the top of the episode. The alert Vipers reach the Raider before it can strike, eliminating it.

As they do so, Adama asks Lee if he launched the alert fighters. Lee informs him it was the XO’s call. Adama looks across the plot table at Tigh. “Had a hunch,” Tigh states with a small wink. “Good call,” Adama praises.

As they leave CIC, Tigh stops Adama, “One question!” “Because I was worried,” Adama replies before the question is asked. “That she might be a Cylon,” Tigh adds. “And if she wasn’t,” Adama admits. “I know how you feel about her, Sol. She’s been a negative force in your life, and I’m sorry about that but it’s the truth.” Tigh admits that maybe she was – but everything – including himself and Ellen – were different back then. Adama stops him. “I’ve grown accustomed to seeing you with the cup in your hand.” Tigh’s anger increases at this. “So I had a couple of drinks tonight! I was celebrating! I think I deserved it!” Adama cuts him off, “Yes you did. Launching those fighters on a hunch…you saved our ship.” Tigh looks down to see Adama is holding out his right hand. Shaking it, Tigh’s anger evaporates. “Just doing my job.” Adama hold on to his hand, “You do your job good. That’s why I need you, Sol. That and we’re friends and I don’t want anything coming between that. Not even Ellen.” Obtaining a promise that it won’t, Adama turns and leaves.

On Caprica, Doral and Six walk along a deserted road towards an underpass, Doral commenting that they’ve searched everywhere for Valerii and Helo. He wants to know how they slipped through the net. Six replies that Valerii loves Helo now, that she can’t live without him, and that her passion is making her more resourceful. Doral gives her a mocking look, “It bothers you, doesn’t it? It bothers you to know that you never experienced it.” Six tries to laugh this off, but her smile is more of a grimace. She accuses Helo of being “pathetic” in his reaction after they took Valerii away from him. Doral’s look becomes more sorrowful as he admits he can’t helping wondering what it would be like to feel that intensely, and Six herself, looking away from him, fights tears. “Even in his anguish he seemed…so alive,” Doral adds, as Six makes a physical effort to control her emotions as they reach the bottom of the ramp and join a horde of waiting warriors.

“Green,” Baltar announces on Galactica to a waiting Tigh, Ellen and Adama. “Green everyone,” he repeats, including Lee and Roslin in the announcement. “Mrs. Tigh is definitely human.” Adama turns to Ellen Tigh. “No hard feelings, I hope Ellen,” he asks, offering her his hand. “I completely understand,” she replies, hugging him, head on his chest. “But let’s be sure and test you next. Doctor?” Baltar nods, “My pleasure.” Getting a look from Adama, he corrects himself, “My job.” Ellen moves to hug Adama with her arms around his shoulders, her lips to his ear. “You don’t want to frak with me, Bill,” she states. “Try to remember that.”

Adama returns the hug, refusing to let her go when she tries to separate from him. “Don’t frak with me either Ellen,” he whispers in reply.

At his chair, Baltar looks down at “Six”. “If only they knew everyone passes these days,” she purrs, on her knees in front of him. “Well it’s so much simpler that way,” he replies, “No muss, no fuss.” His eyes track up as “Six” sits on his lap, her arms around his neck. “So,” she asks. “What did her test really say?” We see Ellen, Adama and Tigh talking before returning to Baltar. “Well. I’ll never tell,” he replies with a smile before they kiss.

As the camera pulls back we see Adama, Tigh and Ellen on one side of the table full of blood samples, all engaged in conversation, and Lee Adama and Roslin on the other, also conversing. Between them sits Baltar, swinging his chair back and forth, hands in his lap, a contented smile on his face as he stares up at the ceiling….and we fade out.

--Colonial Archivist 20:41, 6 Jan 2005 (EST)

Analysis

Once again, an immensely powerful character story, which survives a potentially damaging cliché in the tribunal: how many times have we seen this situation - the over-zealous prosecuting investigator / officer / lawyer who’s motives either go further than the need to get to the truth, or become so bound up with the letter of the law, he or she loses sight of the spirit of the law? As Hadrian persued her investigation, it seemed "Litmus" was heading in the same direction.

However, While Sergeant Hadrian does turn out to be a somewhat clichéd prosecutor, it’s not down to melodramatics or poor writing. Rather, it is very evident that Messrs Moore and Eick opted to tread this path quite deliberately into order to avoid playing all of their cards at once – as the context of the investigation into Boomer and Tyrol could so easily have done – and instead use the inquiry as window dressing, allowing the deeper truths to be revealed elsewhere and with greater effect - such as in Starbuck down in sickbay being the only one to hit on what might be the actual intention of the attack.

Like (Act of Contrition), it is the rich layering and interweaving of individual storylines within this segment, coupled with the developing complexities of the dynamics between the various players that lifts it from the realm of the potentially hum-drum to create some of the finest drama seen on television.

Nowhere else is the interweaving better demonstrated than in the way the two major thrusts of the story – the investigation on Galactica, and Helo’s situation on Caprica – are brought together as a seamless whole: a clever period of testing that reveals so much about the Cylons without actually telling us very much at all.

In the fleet – to use Tigh’s words – the cat is most certainly out of the bag. The people now know Cylons can perfectly imitate humans – but will this help or hinder the Colonials in their struggle to survive? Will it really make moving among the humans that much harder for the Cylons? The manipulation of paranoia is a powerful tool, and while the admission by Roslin may help increase levels of caution and alertness throughout the fleet, it leaves open the door for further, more subtle manipulations on the part of the Cylons.

When considering this, it is interesting to note how BSG really does embody the principal of cause and effect: just as in real life, every action and reaction, every decision and counter-decision, has a consequence. We’ve seen this played out beautifully in (Act of Contrition) and (You Can’t Go Home Again at the individual character level. Now, in “Litmus”, followed as it is by Six Degrees of Separation we may well be seeing it played out in terms of the story arc as a whole. The human leaders have admitted there are humanoid Cylons, the Cylons respond by resuming their attempts to prevent Baltar creating his “Cylon detector” by mounting an open assault on his credibility, rather than “merely” trying to blow him up.

And what of the Cylons themselves? Clearly, those that remain in among the people of the fleet consider Baltar’s detector a threat – but what about their compatriots on Caprica? That Helo is being put to the test is clear - but from Doral's comments, it is also clear that the test will also be a trial for Valerii. Taken together with earlier comments and actions on the part of the Cylons on Caprica, it is now almost certain they are hoping Valerii and Helo will mate.

"Litmus" also reveals how "huamn" Cylons have become. Six is clearly jealous of Valerii's role in the scheme of things - and she clearly takes great delight in administering Valerii's beating. But, was the vindictiveness of the beating purely due to Six's jealousy of another of her kind playing the role of the honey trap – or could her savagery be a form of “payback” for what happened to her “sister” when Valerii first “rescued” Helo? Either way, the scene again demonstrates the humanoid Cylons are not responding to some form of script or programming per se.

Returning to the Galactica herself, one of the joys of this episode is seeing Aaron Douglas flex his acting muscle. While all the characters – and the actors behind them – are uniformly strong in this episode (even the clichéd Sergeant Hadrian), it is Douglas who gets most of the centre spotlight – and Tyrol gets a good deal of very natural support from other characters (Cally, Socinus and their booze-making buddy) to round him out in the eyes of the viewer.

Throughout the episode, Douglas plays his character with the right mix of strength, stubbornness, confusion, concern, respect, parental care and deep affection. In many ways he demonstrates that, after Adama, he is perhaps the most respected member of the Galactica’s crew. While the scene with the bootleg still was clearly contrived to further establish Tyrol’s standing in the eyes of his crew, it is played so well it works. Indeed, coupled with his reaction after the fire in the hanger pod during the mini, the “still scene” very much reinforces what we already know about Tyrol, so much so that the flag (“this guy is cool, his people will back him when he’s in trouble”) is only quietly waved in the background.

During his interrogation, Douglas is even more subtle in his approach. Taking a leaf from Olmos’ book, he lets his facial expression do his talking for him, conveying the depth of Tyrol’s concern, resentment, suspicion (of both Hadrian and Valerii as Hadrian’s questions raise issues in his mind), anger and confusion.

But where Douglas shines the most is in his epilogue scene with Edward James Olmos. Here we have a further reverberation of another of BSG’s motifs: you reap what you sow. Tyrol goes to Adama to plead the case for Socinus, convinced he can persuade Adama – a man with whom he has a long-standing bond – to release the young Specialist. Instead, he’s confronted with the brutal truth: while he may be liked and respected by his crew, Tyrol’s own example of constantly slipping off to rendezvous with Boomer has undermined discipline on his decks: his actions have encouraged those under his command to do very much as he does: slip away when the urge calls. So what if Socinus wasn’t off getting laid by a senior officer? His dereliction of duty resulted – as far as Adama is concerned - in the deaths of four men.

And this is where we see the other edge of the sword: Tyrol knows full well that Boomer used the same accessway as Socinus; she may have been just as responsible for leaving the hatch comb open as the Specialist. But to admit as much to Adama would do as much harm as good: it may secure Socinus’ release - but it would bring the full weight of Adama’s suspicion down on Boomer. And without further proof, it is evident this is not something Tyrol is willing to risk – for now. But the wheels are turning: as evidenced in his final question to Boomer.

Through Adama’s firm words, the depths of Tyrol’s own involvement in, and responsibility for, events aboard Galactica become clear to the Chief, and Aaron Douglas conveys this again through a masterful use of non-verbal communication that equals the pain and betrayal behind Adama’s glasses. Bravo!

Edward James Olmos also reinforces his stature as the central figure in this series. In closing down Hadrian’s inquisition, Adama again demonstrates his strength of character, that he can command words as effectively the men and women under his authority. It is his physical presence, coupled with the quiet voice of authority that brings the investigation to a close without the need for any overt show of command or position on his part.

The other player that deserves extra special mention in this episode is again James Callis. One cannot help but further admire him in his portrayal of Gaius Baltar – and full marks to the director of this segment for some beautiful use of the camera. Baltar may only be on-screen for around 5 minutes – but what a five minutes! Starting with his obvious attempt at flirting with Starbuck, Callis’ performance as Baltar is stunning. From sexual cockiness through to concern, worry and then panic at the thought the Cylons were after him, Baltar runs his own gamut of emotions – and draws the audience along with him. But what really marks out Baltar’s appearance on-screen is the marvellous use of the camera as Baltar converses with “Six”. As they move down a corridor on Galactica, we see them walking hand-in-hand, “Six” chiding and teasing him. As the camera tracks them, they momentarily pass from view as the camera pans. In a flawless cut, “Six” and Baltar, hand-in-hand pass for view, their conversation continuing unbroken – but only Callis comes back into frame, walking down the corridor, holding his hand out, as if Baltar is still holding “Six’s” hand – with Callis continuing a now one-sided conversation – to the confusion of those he passes in the corridor.

Equally effective is the manner in which “Six’s” assault on Baltar is shown: we see her pin him to the wall, warning him, Banner-eque, “You wouldn’t like me when I’m angry…”; we see them kiss – and then we get a shot of Baltar, backed up against a bulkhead, almost as if he’s trying to vanish into the metal, head cocked over at an angle – being watched by a security guard.

This brings us almost full circle, back to the propulsive force behind this episode: the bombing of the Galactica. If indeed Doral’s real target was Baltar, then the question must be asked as to how the Cylons knew he was working on a detector? While scuttlebutt about Baltar’s work seems to be bubbling through the Galactica, it’s hard to accept that the same scuttlebutt has spread throughout the fleet. That would tend to leave only one of two possibilities:

There is either another, yet to be revealed Cylon agent on the Galactica; or
Boomer – already revealed to be aware of Baltar’s work in “Act” – is in communication with other Cylons in the fleet, and alerted them to the “threat”, possibly without realising it

Notes

Some 24 hours have passed since the events of “You Can’t…”
We now know there was at least one additional Doral in the fleet
Underground activities are beginning to take place on Galactica – as shown by the creation of the still
Baltar’s “Six” comes clean and reveals she is not in contact with the Cylons. Doesn’t mean that she is not a chip in his head – just that she’s not communication with them – and may not wish to contact them were she, in actual fact, turn out to be a chip
Adama’s father was a civil liberties lawyer on Caprica
Adama has a hobby: constructing large models of sailing vessels
Baltar is now actively working on his Cylon detector. Does this mean he now has the nuke “Six” had him request? Given he was obtaining Roslin’s authorisation in “You Can’t…”, one would tend to say “yes”
The Cylons definitely have no plans to let Helo leave Caprica – yet
Civilians appear to routinely pass through the Galactica

Noteworthy Dialogue

Adama, to Sergeant Hadrian and her Board of Inquiry:

Adama You’ve lost your way, Sergeant. You’ve lost site of the purpose of the law: to protect its citizens, not persecute them. Whatever we are, whatever’s left of us – we’re better than that. Now these proceedings are closed. You’ll be transported back to your ships and we appreciate you help. Board Chair This is an independent Board. you have no power to close our enquiries. AdamaThis is a witch-hunt. I will not have it aboard my ship.

Adama to Tyrol, after Socinus has been incarcerated:

AdamaWhat I can’t do is I can’t let someone who wears this uniform get up on the witness stand and lie under oath. And that’s what your man did. He either lied the first time or he lied the second time. And it doesn’t matter. He’s guilty, and he’ll pay the price. You? You’ll pay a different price. You’ll have to walk out on that hanger every day knowing that one of your men is in the brig because you couldn’t keep your flies zipped. You are the most experienced non-commissioned officer we have left. You keep my planes flying. I need my planes to fly.

Official Statements

Statistics

Guest Stars

Writing & Direction

Written by Jeff Vlaming
Directed by Rod Hardy

Production Notes

Series 1 (2004 / 2005)
Production Number: 1.06
Airdate Order: 6 (of 13)

First Run Air Dates & Releases

UK Airdate: 22 Novenber 2004 (Sky One)
US Airdate: (Sci-Fi Channel)
DVD Release: N/A