The Beta Pirates

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"The Beta Pirates" An unproduced script for the Original Series
Writer(s)	Leslie Stevens
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Production No.	85274
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	The Beta Pirates
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Athena, Boxey and Muffit are captured, sold at a slave auction, end up in a Cylon prison—only to be rescued by Skyler (Apollo's original name), Starbuck and a pirate with a "heart of gold".

Summary

Act 1

• Adama, Skyler, and Athena attempt to keep the Fleet in formation, utilizing a navigational computer known as a "black box." In retort to Skyler's suggestion that the Fleet slow to accommodate the short-range vessels, Adama refuses for fear that the Cylons would pick up their wake and orders Skyler to repeat the Standing Order: "Any vessel separated from the main group will be considered lost."
• In a compartment, Boxey hears Skyler issue the Standing Order and tells Muffit that the worst thing that one can do is to get separated.
• After suddenly being jostled, Adama orders that the ship be stabilized and orders that they'd be secure against heavy turbulence. They determine that the were struck by barrier wave and that they'll continue encountering them should they bear on the same heading towards the boundary of the Beta Triangle.
• As Athena goes in search of information for the Triangle, Skyler reports that the forcewave cracked the Gemini freighter's port engine. Adama and Skyler get in touch with Domian, second mate of the freighter. The freighter is in bad shape, with 7 workers left alive (3 on the bridge, 4 in the engine hold), the heat shield is cracked and the starboard engine is nearly red-lining. Adama orders the Domian to cut the engine should it red-line.
• Boxey and Muffit make their way to the bridge, where Athena comforts an otherwise inquisitive Boxey.
• Adama refuses to risk the Fleet to save the freighter and orders the Fleet to set course for the edge of the Triangle. When Adama notes that the area is "infested with pirates," Skyler offers to take a salvage tug to rescue the freighter's crew. Adama refuses on the grounds that the mission needs a systems analyst and he is not on the duty roster. Skyler reminds his father that Athena is the next qualified specialist on the roster; Adama notes that he doesn't make exceptions, instructing Skyler to give her the best pilot they have: Starbuck.
• In the launch bay, Starbuck and Boomer go over the checklist for the salvage tug. As Starbuck laments over why he was chosen to pilot the weaponless tug, Boxey and Muffit hide waiting for their chance to stowaway.
• With the Warriors distracted by Skyler's arrival, Boxey and Muffit stowaway as Skyler sees Starbuck and Athena off.
• After the tug leaves Galactica, a Cylon sentinel buoy discovers Galactica as she passes and transmits this signal to the Cylon fleet.
• Count Baltar is brought before the Imperious Leader, who believes the craft they've detected is Galactica. The Imperious Leader tells Baltar to lead an elite Cylon death-force to search and destroy Galactica. The Imperious Leader offers to spare Baltar's life, as they would need a leader for a small colony of humans they wish to use for slave labor. At the slightest hint of disobedience, two of the Leader's centurions have orders to kill Baltar; "A typical Cylon bargan," observes Baltar.
• On Galactica, Adama relays his order to the Fleet via Skyler to follow Galactica as they penetrate the boundary of the Triangle.
• Aboard the salvage tug, now away from Galactica, Athena and Starbuck discover Boxey and Muffit. Much to their dismay, they're stuck with these stowaways as they lose contact with Galactica.
• The tug docks with the Gemini freighter, and are greeted by Domian and a small crew; Domian voices his displeasure at the appearance of Boxey and Muffit, who are told by Starbuck to stay out of their way. The Fix-it bots begin working on repairing the ship, even though Domian notes that the ship's core burned out and that they have a quarter-milliton before the ship's engines hit critical mass and destroy the ship.
• As the ship undergoes repair, combat ships cobbled together out of parts fire upon the freighter. They succeed in separating the salvage tug from the freighter, and the main ship (with a Dragonid insigna) docks with the freighter; these are the pirates who prey on damaged ships near the Beta Triangle.
• Domian orders his crew to repel the borders, while Boxey and Muffit are hidden away by Athena.
• The Dragonid Raiders, lead by Xanon (accompanied by Mono, Probo, Amir and Ramo) quickly dispatch Domian and his crew. Starbuck manages to stun Mono in the firefight before being incapacitated himself.
• Xanon orders the ship to be stripped of anything comprised of gold. Mono, however, discovers Athena and the crew fights over her, despite Xanon's original protests; Xanon saves Athena's life by dispensing with Amir (who was about to kill Xanon) and ordering them to bring Athena to his chambers. Mono does so.
• After reaching for gold in a tool compartment, Probo discovers Muffit (who bites Probo) hidden away in a tool compartment with Boxey.

Notes

• In the opening monologue by Adama, Earth is likened to "a land of Zion."
• The Cylons depicted in this script are organic. The Cylon Centurions are noted to have black armor.
• This script uses the title "Count" for Baltar's station.

Guest characters

• Domian
• Xanon

External Links

• Review of the Beta Pirates script - Battlestar Zone

Original Series definition: a title of nobility (e.g. Count Iblis)