Editing Astral Queen

{{Ship Data
| image= Bsg-astral-1.jpg
| italic=y
| race= Colonial
| co = [[Wilkens]] (displaced) /<br> [[Tom Zarek]] (last known after prisoner takeover)
| xo= [[Meier]] (last known after prisoner takeover)
| type= Civilian
| ftl= Yes
| cap= ~ 1,500
| role= Prisoner transport <BR> Fleet incarceration
| status= Scuttled, circa 4 ACH
}}

'''''Astral Queen''''' is a [[FTL]]-capable former starliner in [[The Fleet (RDM)|the surviving Fleet of Colonial ships]]. Prior to the [[Fall of the Twelve Colonies]], the ship was converted for use as a prisoner transport vessel, and carried 1,500<ref name=":0" /> male prisoners to pardon hearings on [[Caprica (RDM)|Caprica]] and made its way into [[The Fleet (TRS)|the Fleet]].  

==Life in the Fleet==

===Dangerous Cargo===
[[File:TRS - Bastille Day - Astral Queen Cell Block.jpg|thumb|''Astral Queen''<nowiki/>'s cell block {{TRS|Bastille Day}}.]]
[[File:Bsg-1-03.jpg|thumb|{{callsign|Lee Adama}} gives [[Tom Zarek]] a choice {{TRS|Bastille Day}}.]]
At the time of the Cylon attack, the vessel was carrying 1,500<ref name=":0">In the [[Miniseries]] the count was given as 500 and later retconned and increased to 1,500.</ref> male prisoners to their pardon hearings on {{RDM|Caprica}}. ''Astral Queen''{{'|s}} commanding officer, [[Wilkens]], was unsure what to do with the prisoners, and came close to abandoning them. The prisoners are spared when President [[Laura Roslin]] threatens to abandon the ship completely in response to Wilkins' threat {{TRS|Miniseries|Bastille Day}}.



Following sabotage aboard the battlestar ''{{RDM|Galactica}}'' that destroys the majority of the Fleet's water reserves {{TRS|Water}}, ''Astral Queen''{{'|s}} prisoners are enlisted to mine ice from a [[Ice moon|planetoid]] to replenish the Fleet's supply. However, the prisoners, led by [[Tom Zarek]], stage a break-out and hijacking of the ship.

The situation is resolved jointly by a [[Colonial Marine Corps|Marine]] assault from ''Galactica'' and by Captain {{callsign|Lee Adama}}, agreeing to the core of Zarek's demands: that free and fair elections for a new president are held within the Fleet at the end of Laura Roslin's term - some seven months from the date of the revolt on ''Astral Queen''. In return for his surrender and the assistance of the prisoners in obtaining the much-needed water ice for the Fleet, Lee Adama leaves Zarek and his men in control of ''Astral Queen'', much to the chagrin of both President Roslin and Commander [[William Adama]] {{TRS|Bastille Day}}.

=== Political Maneuvers ===
[[File:Home Pt 1 - Promo 1.jpg|thumb|[[Quorum of Twelve (TRS)|Quorum of Twelve]] leaders and [[Laura Roslin]] discuss their options after separating from [[The Fleet (TRS)|the Fleet]] {{TRS|Home, Part I}}]]
''Astral Queen''<nowiki/>'s denizens begin to lend services to other ships in the Fleet, as [[Marshall Bagot]] notes when casting his vote for Zarek as Roslin's vice president {{TRS|Colonial Day}}.

Later, when Roslin's presidency is terminated by Adama, Roslin and her cohorts flee ''Galactica'' to hide among various ships within the Fleet {{TRS|Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part II|Fragged}}, ending up on ''Astral Queen''. ''Queen'' becomes the ''de facto'' command vessel of a splinter fleet comprising of ships supporting the [[Laura Roslin faction]], and they jump to [[Kobol (RDM)|Kobol]] after the return of {{callsign|Starbuck}} and the [[Arrow of Apollo]] {{TRS|The Farm|Home, Part I}}. The remaining Fleet reunites with the separatists after Adama and Roslin reconcile their differences, departing Kobol with new knowledge as to [[Earth (RDM)|Earth]]'s location {{TRS|Home, Part II}}.

===New Caprica===
After the colonization of [[New Caprica]], ''Astral Queen'' lands on the outskirts of [[New Caprica City]] next to ''[[Colonial One]]''. The vessel spends several months to a year on the planet exposed to the elements, which corrodes its hull. After the Cylons arrive on New Caprica, the ship is placed behind a locked gate along with other grounded Colonial ships, and its launch key is confiscated by the occupying Cylon authority {{TRS|Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II|Exodus, Part I}}. 

After ''Galactica'' and ''Pegasus'' [[Battle of New Caprica|return to evacuate the fleeing civilians]], ''Astral Queen'' gathers as many humans as possible before lifting off and jumping to a pre-determined rendezvous point, re-joining the Fleet {{TRS|Exodus, Part II}}.

===The Road To Earth and Other Events===
The ship is successfully guided across a vast stellar cluster, after its passengers are temporarily relocated to ''Galactica'' {{TRS|The Passage}}. 

Several months later, when the Fleet jumps to the [[Ionian nebula]], ''Astral Queen'' loses power and is hit by a Cylon missile in the ensuing [[Battle of the Ionian Nebula|battle]], but is able to flee after the Cylons make a sudden retreat. The minimal damage sustained is repaired {{TRS|Crossroads, Part II|He That Believeth in Me}}.

===Gaeta's Mutiny===
During a [[Gaeta's Mutiny|thwarted mutiny attempt]] led by Lieutenant [[Felix Gaeta]] and Vice President Tom Zarek, the crew of ''Astral Queen'' attempt to hail ''Colonial One'' to determine why communications from ''Galactica'' have gone dark. ''Astral Queen'' joins a handful of other Fleet ships siding with the mutiny, and nearly abandons those that are still loyal to Laura Roslin and William Adama when the mutiny is put down {{TRS|The Oath}}. 

After the mutineers are subdued, they are incarcerated on ''Astral Queen''.<ref>Confirmed in the "[[Deadlock]]" [[Podcast:Deadlock|podcast]].</ref> They are later offered their freedom in exchange for participating in the rescue of [[Hera Agathon]] during the [[Battle of The Colony|attack on the Cylon Colony]] {{TRS|Daybreak, Part I}}.

===Earth===
Following the discovery of [[Earth (RDM)|a new world to call their own]], ''Astral Queen'' orbits the planet alongside ''Galactica'' as its passengers and crew permanently abandon the ship. ''Astral Queen'' and the rest of the Fleet are scuttled by [[Samuel Anders]] when he remotely pilots them into the planet's [[Sol|star]] {{TRS|Daybreak, Part II}}.

<div style="clear:both;"></div>

== Crew ==

=== Post-[[Fall of the Twelve Colonies|Fall]] ===
* [[Seaborne]]
* [[Starke]]
* [[Wilkens]]

=== Post-Zarek Revolt ===

* [[Tom Zarek]]
* [[Meier]]

== Notes ==
*The ship is equipped with at least one "flare," launched upward from some point amidships and on the dorsal section {{TRS|The Farm}}.
*The design and function of ''Astral Queen'' is an acknowledgment of the {{TOS|Battlestar Galactica|Original Series}}' [[Prison Barge]].
*In the home video release commentary for "[[Bastille Day]]":
**[[Ronald D. Moore]] and [[David Eick]] say that in hindsight they feel that ''Astral Queen'' was a very poor choice of name for a prison ship, and they now wish they had used a different name.
**''Astral Queen'' is named for [[MemoryAlpha:Astral Queen|the transport]] mentioned in the original ''[[Memoryalpha:Star Trek: The Original Series|Star Trek]]'' episode "[[Memoryalpha:The Conscience of the King|The Conscience of the King]]."

==References==
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[[Category:Colonial]]
[[Category:Colonial Craft]]
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[[de:Astral Queen]]
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