Astral Queen

Astral Queen
Race:	Colonial
Type:	Civilian
FTL:	Yes
Propulsion:
Crew:
Capacity:	~ 1,500
CO:	Wilkens (displaced) / Tom Zarek (last known after prisoner takeover)
XO:	Meier (last known after prisoner takeover)
Role:	Prisoner transport Fleet incarceration
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Fate:	Scuttled, circa 4 ACH
Emblem:	[[Image:{{{patch}}}|175px|Ship's patch]]
Other Images:	Gallery
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Game Information
Cost:	{{{construction}}}
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Hull:	{{{hull}}}
Mobility
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Armor Sum
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Armament
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Munition Slots:	{{{munitions}}}
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Additional Information

Astral Queen is a FTL-capable former starliner in 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 male prisoners to pardon hearings on Caprica and made its way into the Fleet.

Life in the Fleet

Dangerous Cargo

Astral Queen's cell block ^{(TRS: "Bastille Day")}.

Lee Adama gives Tom Zarek a choice ^{(TRS: "Bastille Day")}.

At the time of the Cylon attack, the vessel was carrying 1,500 male prisoners to their pardon hearings on 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 Galactica that destroys the majority of the Fleet's water reserves ^{(TRS: "Water")}, Astral Queen's prisoners are enlisted to mine ice from a 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 Marine assault from Galactica and by Captain 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

Quorum of Twelve leaders and Laura Roslin discuss their options after separating from the Fleet ^{(TRS: "Home, Part I")}

Astral Queen'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 after the return of Kara Thrace 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'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 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, 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 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. They are later offered their freedom in exchange for participating in the rescue of Hera Agathon during the attack on the Cylon Colony ^{(TRS: "Daybreak, Part I")}.

Earth

Following the discovery of 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 star ^{(TRS: "Daybreak, Part II")}.

Crew

Post-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 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 the transport mentioned in the original Star Trek episode "The Conscience of the King."