A large group (at least 134 people) of Caprican refugees[1] from cities near Caprica City[2] flee from the devastating nuclear bombing of the colony's major cities and population centers.
Many of the refugees are still wearing their sleepwear. A few managed to find time to gather a few personal items, such as paintings, books, and some baggage. Most of the frightened people, however, try to escape the destruction of their world with only the clothes on their back. Among the group is an attaché case-carrying Gaius Baltar, who, unknown to everyone else, has more knowledge of the attack on the Colonies that he would care to admit.
When the group sees a Raptor land nearby, they move to it quickly and beg to escape from Caprica. One man tries to bribe his way onto the Raptor.
Raptor 312, crewed by Lts. Karl "Helo" Agathon and Sharon "Boomer" Valerii, is far too small to carry everyone. Four children, including Boxey, are allowed aboard without debate.
With room remaining for only three adults, Valerii creates a lottery by ripping up pages from the Raptor flight manual. One older woman is selected (off-screen). A second young woman with ticket #127, Giana, is selected. As ticket #47 is announced, an old woman asks Baltar (himself having ticket #188[3]) to help her read her ticket, explaining that her reading glasses are missing, forgetful that they rest on her head. While Baltar considers switching his number with her #47 to get aboard, Agathon recognizes Baltar and asks him to approach. A paranoid Baltar denies any wrong-doing and escorts the old woman to the front of the crowd.
Baltar is allowed to board the Raptor when Agathon gives up his seat, believing that Baltar's intellect will be far more needed for the survival of mankind than his own. Agathon, injured from the Raptor's evasion of two Raider missiles, carries a medkit with him.
The Raptor leaves with its maximum load of passengers, but a desperate man leaps atop the Raptor's wing, trying to gain access. After several warnings, Agathon is forced to shoot the man off the ship, killing him.[4]
Agathon eventually separates from the stranded refugees. He manages to stay alive and eventually escapes Caprica to rejoin Galactica.
With the substantial nuclear bombing of the planet and the lingering radioactive fallout, the remaining refugees eventually die from radiation poisoning (TRS: "Miniseries, Night 1").[5]
References
- ↑ This is a Battlestar Wiki descriptive term.
- ↑ Baltar's house is obliterated by the shockwave from the nuclear weapon hitting Caprica City. Moreover, Number Six moves between the house and the city within a few hours. Therefore, the refugees can't be too far from the city.
- ↑ On page 101 of the final Miniseries shooting script, Baltar's slip of paper reads "188".
- ↑ On page 103 of the Miniseries shooting script, it explicitly notes that "Helo SHOOTS HIM DEAD" (sic).
- ↑ The fate of the refugees is confirmed in a narrative by Laura Roslin in the special program, Battlestar Galactica: The Story So Far.