Six Degrees of Separation

"Six Degrees of Separation" (credit: Sci-Fi Channel)

Overview

Six physically arrives on the Galactica and accuses Baltar of treachery

Summary

• A week has passed since the events of "You Can't Go Home Again"
• Gaius Baltar is taking the mickey out of Six's belief in God, which quickly escalates into an explosion of anger on his part - and Six vanishes from his head
• Called to CIC, Baltar "finds" her there, and is confronted by Adama, who claims that "Miss Godfrey" has made some disturbing claims against Baltar
• With a shock, Baltar comes to realise that by "Miss Godfrey" is in fact Six, and everytone can see her
• "Miss Godfrey" then produces photographic evidence she claims will show Baltar planting a bomb in the main defence computers on Caprica - a claim he strenuously denies
• The image itself requires several hours of processing to reveal whether it does in fact show Baltar as "Godfrey" claims. Until that time, Adama suspends all work on Baltar's Cylon detector & places an embargo on Baltar leaving the ship - something even Roslin is unwilling to override
• But Roslin herself is far from well - during her call with Baltar, she collapses, causing a fleet-wide scare when Billy orders the flight deck to make a fleet-wide broadcast requesting medical assistance. It transpires that Roslin has been overdoing her cancer medication - but the truth is hidden by a a story that she has the 'flu
• As Gaeta works on enhancing the image, so Baltar becomes more and more desperate for news - even following Gaeta into the Head (lavatory) for news on his progress
• Elsewhere, "Miss Godfrey" meets with Adama in private, and behaves in typical Six fashion - coming on to him
• "Godfrey's" behaviour prompts Adama to order a watch be kept on her movements on the ship
• Elsewhere on the Galactica, Tyrol and Cally are investigating the captured Cylon Raider, using Starbuck's notes, but not making much progress, despite comments to the contrary to Colonel Tigh, who isn't fooled
• Tigh visits Starbuck in sickbay, and despite her efforts not to fall for his reverse psychology, he goads her into getting out of her cot and going to help Tyrol and his crew
• During a meeting with Adama, at which he protests his innocence and tries to get Adama to make "Shelly Godrey" to submit to a test with his Cylon detector, Baltar learns that Adama plans to have the detector dismantled if the photographic evidence points to Baltar's guilt
• During his conversation with Adama, he continues to search the house in his mind, trying to find "his" Six
• Driven to extreme measures as the time required to enhance the image draws to a close, Baltar sets off a fire alarm as a distraction, breaks into the lab where Gaeta has been working and tries to destroy the evidence as it does indeed reveal his face - only to be stopped by Adama and arrested
• Down on the hanger deck, Starbuck joins Lee Adama, Tyrol and Cally in their investigations of the Raider - even to the extent of climbing inside the craft despite her leg injury (You an't Go Home Again
• In the brig, Baltar is visited by Roslin, whom he believes has come to oversee his release. Instead, she is uncharacteristically vindictive, stating she [i]knew[/i] he was a traitor
• As a result of Roslin's visit, Baltar finally sees his only way out is to do what Six has been urging him to do: give himself over to God's will. He gets down on his knees and starts praying
• He repeats his prayer several times, and suddenly "Six" is beside him once more, telling him everything well be all right
• Gaeta enters the brig and throws Baltar into a widl panic: his is convinced he is about to be summarily executed
• Claiming Baltar, Gaeta tells Baltar he is a free man - the photographs delivered by "Sheely Godfrey" have proven to be fakes
• As Baltar is released, Adama learns that "Shelly Godfrey" has literally vanished, her watchers reporting she turned a corner in a corridor, and when they got to it, she had -gone-
• On Colonial One, Roslin holds a press conference publicly exhonorating Baltar
• While acknowledging the act, Baltar meets with Six in his fantasy world, and she points out that he is now next to invincible: he's been through a trial by fire, and no-one would dare accuse him of acting against the fleet again. She then starts stripping as she climbs the stairs to the bedroom
• Following her, Baltar can't help asking her one question: was "Shelly Godfrey" ever really "here"? Her response is a coy smile

On Caprica:

• Helo and Valerii are on the run from Cylon warriors
• As they camp out for the night, Helo confesses he couldn't bear to see anything happen to her
• Hiding a smile of victory, Valerii silences Helo's words with a kiss, and as a thunderstorm threatens, they make love

Review

Re-cap

We open with a re-cap of Baltar’s relationship with Six, in which he states she is a figment of his own mind, before we see him interacting with Six when she was corporeal on Caprica. We then have a brief shot of Helo “rescuing” Valerii on Cylon-occupied Caprica.

Teaser

From this we fade-in to a long shot of the Colonial fleet travelling in deep space, and the camera rapidly zooms in on the Galactica before we close right up on the warship and passing through her hull, arriving at an extreme close-up of an unblinking brown eye, staring at us, and we hear Baltar state, not a little sarcastically, “I don’t see the hand of God in here.” The picture cuts to micro-organisms as seen through a high-powered microscope as Baltar’s voice continues, “Could I be looking in the wrong place?”

The angle shifts again to show Baltar looking down the barrel of the microscope. “Let me see, proteins? Yes. Haemoglobins? Yes. Divine digits? Ummm…uh,” he looks up from the microscope, “No, sorry.” He then states that if God exists, then surely he should be able to find some sign of God in the samples, “Especially as there are some fraking many of them!”

Across the lab table, “Six” idly thumbs through a magazine. “What is it that drives you to blasphemy, Giaus? The need to tempt fate?”

“Boredom, actually,” he replies, before stating he’s been so bound up in his work, he’s developed his own religion – the Church of the Mystic Cylon Detector. Crossing to him, “Six” asks if he has finished – and suddenly we’re in the bedroom of his home on Caprica, the two of them sitting on the bed as “Six” tries to get Baltar to accept God, to gain the “peace and love” she has. Baltar is more interested in unzipping her dress, but “Six” stops him.

“He has a plan for us,” she informs Baltar. “How do you know it is a ‘he’?” Baltar challenges, angering Six, who pushes him down onto the bed, breaking his hold on her as she informs him there is only one true God. She gets off the bed and walks away from it. “Are you, ah, running a glitch in the programme or something?” an annoyed Baltar asks, rising behind her, “Because you keep saying the same thing over and over again….” He pleads with her – that he has accepted her God, that her God is big enough for everyone but – and at this point he is leading her back to the bed – can’t the two of them do something a little more – elevating – than repeating the discussion.

Six is adamant Baltar must accept God at a personal level, insisting that he accepts God’s eternal love. This brings a near-hysterical outburst from Baltar as he gets up from the bed, which ends with him telling her, “What you are doing, darling is boring me to death with your superstitious drivel, your metaphysical nonsense…” As his tirade continues his back towards her, Six rises from the bed, her hands held in an attitude of surrender, and she walks out of the bedroom.

Still staring out of the window, Baltar continues his attack on her for a beat before turning mid-sentence and realising she has gone. For a moment he is confused, then he catches his argument as he strides confidently to the door, “That Cylons are, in the final analysis little more than toasters,” and he opens the bedroom door expecting to she her on the stairwell outside the room – but it is empty, prompting him to lower his voice as he concludes, almost satisfied, “With great-looking legs.”

Closing the bedroom door, he turns petulant. “It’s my fantasy. See if I care,” he sits on the bed, and decides to conjure up someone else – perhaps a brunette. He is rewarded by knocking at the door. Standing, he reaches for the door handle, “Maybe we can dispense with foreplay. Get right down…”

And we’re back aboard Galactica as Dualla opens the door to Baltar’s lab, angry confusion written on her face. “What did you say?!” she demands, forcing Baltar back into reality and a hasty excuse that he was talking to himself – something Dualla clearly doubts. She informs Baltar that the Commander would like to see him in the CIC.

We cut to CIC as Baltar strolls in, cocky and confident. Adama, Gaeta, Tigh and – Six, now dressed in a part business suit – stand near the plot table. Seeing her, Baltar lowers his tone, “Ah! There you are,” he says to her as he reaches her. “Very nice. Blouse not unbuttoned?” This earns him a very loud and firm, “Excuse me?!” from her. “Just a thought,” he adds, turning away from her, apparently pleased he’s unsettled her as he looks at Adama and continues smoothly, “You wanted to see me, Commander?”

Adama informs him that “Miss Godfrey” his brought some disturbing accusations to his attention, and that Baltar should have the right of answering them in person. Puzzlement replaces Baltar’s cockiness. “Um, ah, thank you,” he replies. He looks back at “Six” and then around CIC, “And she is...?”

“She’s standing right there.” Tigh growls, nodding in “Six’s” direction. “I’m right here,” “Six” adds, her tone laden with disgust. Baltar dismisses her with a look, “Yes, of course you are,” he replies quietly. He looks back at Adama, a questioning expression on his face. “Ummm?”

“Doctor,” Gaeta interrupts, causing Baltar to look at him. “This is Miss Godfrey.” He indicates “Six”. Baltar looks at her, his face a riot of emotions as he also angles glances towards Tigh and Gaeta. He clears his throat. “All of you can see her,” he mumbles as a matter of fact. Then he catches himself and repeats, with a grin and voice laden with bravado. “You can all see her!”

“She’s standing right next to you,” Tigh nods, his voice suggestive that he is ready to certify Baltar, who begins to grasp that not only is all not as it seems, but also that he may well be in deep doo-doo. “Something wrong?” Adama asks, as Baltar bobs his head up and down, trying to come to terms with everything, and we’re treated to a montage flashback: Six throwing Baltar onto the bed in the mini; “Six” from “Litmus” warning Baltar not to make her angry, “Six” from “33” telling him he has a serious problem, and finally a cut from the mini as the shockwave of the nuclear explosion strikes Baltar’s home.

Then we’re back in the present as Baltar recovers himself, stating he is “pleased if slightly puzzled” to make Miss Godrey’s acquaintance. As he says this, he gives her a look which clearly says, “What the frak is going on here?” as he tries to shake her hand. Her reaction is anything but what he expects as she tells him to keep his hands off her, and then accuses him publicly of being the traitor who lead to the holocaust and that she’s on the Galactica to expose him and see that he is sentenced to death – all of which has Baltar physically backing away from her until he bumps into Adama. They exchange a glance and Baltar looks back at “Miss Godrey”, his look one of poison – which is met by a look of superiority and with a final angle on his eyes, as the scene fades to the opening titles.

Acts

At the end of the titles, the camera fades back in on Baltar’s eyes as he stares at “Miss Godrey”, before Adama draws him back, stating she has made some startling accusations. Baltar counters that he has never seen her before in his life. She claims to have been only a lowly analyst at the defence ministry, “an associate of Doctor Ammarak,” (33). Tigh goes on to say that she claims Baltar let the Cylons into the defence mainframe and sold-out the entire human race. “Miss Godfrey” claims that Ammarak knew of Baltar’s treachery and was trying to reach the President when he was killed (he was apparently one of the passengers aboard the Olympic Carrier in 33).

Baltar challenges her on this, stating that it is convenient that Ammarak is dead, only leaving her to make her accusations – but he stops short of making any counter-claim (that she is a Cylon). She then produces alleged photographic evidence of Baltar planting a bomb in the defence mainframe – but the image is of someone who looks – from the back – like Baltar. Adama states that while the figure is undoubtedly the same height and build as Baltar, that in itself is insufficient proof. “Godfrey” then points out that the face of the saboteur can be made out – with computer enhancement – as it is reflected in one of the panels on the front of the mainframe. Gaeta states that it will take him around 24 hours to sufficiently clean-up the image and get a good rendition of the face. Adama orders him to report when he has a sharpened image. He then informs Baltar that all work on the Cylon detector is suspended, and that his security clearance is revoked. “Godfrey” then gives Baltar what comes close to a look of satisfaction at his discomfiture.

Down in the hanger bay, Cally is sitting before the Cylon Raider, reading Starbuck’s report on how she flew the Raider. “She said the engine power-up sequence began by squeezing something that looked like a red ligament with blue veins on the right side, coming out of a sac of gooey fluid shaped like a dog!”

Up inside the Raider, Tyrol is bellying his way through the Raider’s biomass. “Are you kidding me?!” he calls. “This whole thing is a mess of veins and ligaments and sacs of goo!” He curses Starbuck as Cally continues reading instructions from outside as Tigh approaches. She jumps to attention as she realises the Colonel is there. “The Chief’s inside?” he asks. Gaining an affirmative, he calls out, asking Tyrol how things are going. This shakes Tyrol out of his mantra concerning Thrace, and causes him to lie – badly. “I’m getting there, sir. Haven’t quite figured out all the tricks. But I’m getting there,” he claims, his expression revealing he has less than the foggiest of notions of where “there” might actually be.

In sickbay, Starbuck is trying to get back on her feet – not a little reluctantly – with a barely sympathetic Lee Adama and Doctor Cottle watching her. Her leg braced, she tries to stand and then tries to uses the crutches Lee has just teased her with – but quickly retreats to the bed, demanding happy pills. The Doc refuses, leaving her to stew.

Elsewhere, Baltar is on the intercom to Roslin, who expresses her shock at his predicament. He pleads with her to left him back onto Colonial One until the matter is resolved. She refuses – Baltar is now on a list of people barred from intra-fleet travel. As she converses with him, we see Roslin accept a glass of water from Billy, her hand clearly shaking. Baltar continues his pleading, begging to be allowed off the Galactica and “this Shelly Godfrey woman.” As he pleads, we enter his head as he searches his home on Caprica, looking for Six. He then finally makes his claim that “Godfrey” is a Cylon. When this brokers silence as a response, we cut to Colonial One, to find Billy tending Roslin, who has collapsed across her desk. Without thinking, he uses the squawk box on her desk to call for medical assistance – inadvertently broadcasting the fact that the President has collapsed to the entire fleet. Baltar is left hanging on the line….

We cut to Billy’s first press conference, as he is hammered with questions on Roslin’s condition. He confirms she’s alive, but as the press become more rabid, he’s forced to retreat to the more private section of the ship, claiming she may have a bout of stomach ‘flu. Curtains are drawn across the walkway, ending the conference.

In her private quarters – such as they are – Roslin is admonished by the Cottle. She has taken 3 times the required dosage of pills to treat her cancer. “Three times the dosage. Must then work three times as fast, right?” he states. “Everybody wants to be their own doctor. You are lucky you didn’t lapse into a coma. You can’t cure cancer by overdose.”

Billy arrives and apologies for his precipitous action in calling for help before securing the line. Roslin dismisses the error, but makes it clear she must be on her feet and capable of making a statement to the press by the end of the day. The doctor offers to give her a shot – even though she won’t like it. He also points out that there’s going to come a time when Roslin can’t hide what she’s suffering from from as Roslin rolls up her sleeve. Taking the drugs from his bag, the doc stops her, “It’s not that kind of a shot,” he growls, producing a syringe with a very long needle.

In Adama’s quarters, the Commander is interviewing “Miss Godfrey”. As he hands her a drink and sits beside her, he is quite candid. “Baltar’s correct about the convenience of it all. Ammarak just happens to bring you the key piece of evidence just before he dies. Godfrey|Six then tries to convince Adama that Ammarak was paranoid and gave her the disk with the photograph before getting her off of the Olympic Carrier as he was convinced it had been infiltrated by Cylons. Adama presses her about her relationship with Ammarak. She at first claims that they were friends – an explanation Adama doubts. She then admits they were in love, and turns on the water works. When this fails to move Adama, she moves on him in typical Six style, trying to engage his hormones, stating how lonely she is, how lonely he must be, “When the thought of another body next to yours seems like something out of a dream…” and she concludes with a kiss to Adama’s lips – which he doesn’t return.

Anger and something else beyond suspicion light Adama’s eyes as he rises after the kiss, and we cut to a short time later, when he is on the ‘phone to Tigh, instructing him, “Do not, under any circumstances, allow Shelly Godfrey to leave this ship. Put her under surveillance – discretely. I want to know everybody she’d talked to, everywhere she’s been.”

With that, we go – to CYLON-OCCUPIED CAPRICA, and day 24 of Karl C. Agathon’s sojourn there. He and Valerii are on the run – literally, as they try to escape two Cylon warriors who appear to be chasing them – but just not fast enough to catch them.

Back on Galactica, Gaeta is still working on enhancing the image produced by “Shelly Godrey”. Feeling the strain, he takes a break and heads for the Head. Locking himself in a cubicle, he has barely sat down when Baltar enters. There follows one of the best understated comedic elements yet seen in Galactica – a whispered conversation between Baltar and Gaeta, initially conducted with the camera at deck level, peering under the doors of the cubicles, before cutting to shots of them seated in each cubicle, and seen through the narrow gap between the door and door frame as Baltar tries to pump Gaeta on his progress with the image. After several embarrassed starts to the conversation, Baltar asks, “So how is it going over there?” a question that prompts Gaeta’s eyebrows to vanish into his hairline. “In the LAB! I mean in the lab!” Baltar hisses, realising his faux-pas.

Baltar tries to get Gaeta to let him into the lab to help with the work. They argue in hushed tones, but break off as someone else enters – and we see a pair of heeled feet enter, an attaché case in hand. As the new arrival enters another cubicle, Gaeta uses the distraction to maked his escape, fairly dashing from his cubicle, still dressing himself. He is at the door as Baltar bolts from his cubicle. “Wait a minute! Where are you going?” the increasingly desperate Baltar calls after Gaeta’s departing back, “You forgot to wash your hands!”

Left in the Head, Baltar turns his attention to whoever entered, and realises it is Godfrey|Six. He forces open her cubicle door, startling her. While she tries to resist, she doesn’t seem strong enough to prevent him forcing the door open and trapping her in the cubicle as he demands answers. “Are you out of your mind?!” she demands. “It’s funny that. I ask myself that question every day,” he replies. He tells her outright that she’s lying and that she knows full well he didn’t plant any bomb at the defence ministry. She counters that she knows no such thing, and again tries to push him out of the cubicle, but doesn’t seem able to summon the strength. He accuses her of being a Cylon copy – not the woman in his head or Shelly Godfrey. She responds to the accusation by telling him to get out. He steps back as she slams the cubicle door shut. “Struck a nerve have I?” He demands, anger venting, “Which I find rather impossible to believe. You think this is over? This is not over! You have not heard the last! No more Mr. Nice Giaus!” He breaks off from the rant, and it dawns on him he’s not alone: a pilot has entered the head during his tirade and is now standing behind him. Turning, Baltar looks at him nervously. “Women,” he whispers.

Down on the hanger bay, Boomer approaches the Cylon Raider, hesitating as she sees Tyrol sitting under the nose of the craft, grossed in his work. As he swears at the craft, she asks if it is a good time to talk to him – she is carrying what appears to be a folded form of some description. “Guess you’re having problems?” she asks. “I just can’t get this thing to work,” Tyrol states, his back to her.

Boomer turns to the wing of the Raider, and caresses it, “It’s not really a thing you know,” she states flatly, slowly walking along the leading edge of the wing, still caressing it, “It’s probably a Cylon itself.” She crosses to the nose of the craft and starts touching that, running her fingertips over it in much the same manner in which Six is given to feeling things, her tone still reverential, causing Tyrol to give her a spooked look. “More of an animal, maybe, than the human models. Maybe they genetically designed it for a task – to be a fighter,” he tone is now almost seductive. “You can’t treat it like a thing and expect it to…respond. You have to treat it like…a pet…”

A seriously weirded-out Tyrol watches her from under the Cylon as she pulls herself back from the Raider. “At least….that’s my guesss,” she finishes lamely. “Your guess?” Tyrol challenges flatly. “That’s right, my guess,” she replies, not a little self-consciously. Bravado kicks-in. “Something else you want to say?” Tyrol gives a slow shake of the head, still sitting in weird street, “No.” he replies, causing Boomer to turn and walk off, disappointment evident in her retreat. Tyrol watches her go, still looking decidedly spooked, then his eyes rove back and forth across the underside of the Raider, as he no doubt replays her words about it being a creature…

In sickbay, Tigh strolls in to Starbuck's ward. “Lieutenant. I heard you were supposed to be up on your feet by now?” What follows is a not entirely friendly exchange in which Thrace accuses him of trying to use reverse psychology on her to get her out of the cot, together with the lure of working on the Raider. Tigh grins at this. “I really don’t care what you think, Lieutenant. All I know is that every day you spend in that bed is another day I have my opinion of you confirmed….As you were.” He strolls back out of sickbay, leaving Thrace stewing, and no doubt caught in the very trap of reverse psychology she thought she could avoid.

In Adama’s cabin, Baltar is revealing his thoughts on “Godfrey”, stating his belief that she is a Cylon and should be locked up. As he speaks, in his mind he continues to search for his “Six” through the various rooms of his sprawling house back on Caprica. He tells Adama that the Cylon detector is almost ready – all that’s needed is a few tweaks. Then all he needs is a sample of “Godfrey’s” tissue and he can prove his claim. Adama refuses, telling Baltar he can’t give him access to his equipment. Baltar suggests letting him instruct Gaeta how to make the adjustments and carry out the test. Adama again refuses: if the image reveals Baltar’s face, every piece of equipment in his lab – including the detector – will be dismantled and quarantined; every person he has met in the fleet questioned and investigated. “The president believes I’m innocent,” Baltar states. “The president hopes you are innocent,” Adama corrects. “And so do I. Because if you’re not, then you’ve made fools of both of us. And I don’t like to be made a fool of.”

“And I don’t like being accused of participating in the genocide of the human race,” Baltar hisses in reply, genuine anger apparent, “Based solely on the word of a woman whom I have already indicated to you may well be a Cylon agent.” In difference to his outer anger, inside, Baltar begs his Six for help – stating he’ll do anything. To Adama, he continues, “I did not conspire with the Cylons. I’m an innocent man who is being convicted in the court of public opinion without trial.” With that he leaves Adama’s cabin, strolling back through Galactica, anger lending itself to his stride, but as he passes crew and becomes more and more aware of their looks, his stride becomes less confident, and his demeanour more nervous.

In the lab, Gaeta is growing increasingly fatigued, but is drawing closer to a completed enhanced image – and image the resolves itself into the face of one Gaius Baltar. In the corridor outside, Baltar strolls by, and we see a fire alarm pull on the bulkhead. In the lab, Gaeta continues to stare at the image on his screen in disbelief as the intercom sounds a fire alert, ordering all crew to their Damage Control stations. Gaeta leaves the lab, and the guards outside run for their assigned DC posts. In CIC the command crew seek to locate the fire on their boards, while back at the lab, Baltar slips in and is horrified to see his face on the screen. Panicking, he tries everything to get rid of the image, using a keyboard to try and erase the image from the disk, before getting increasingly more desperate, pulling powers leads out of boxes, hitting optical drives…

In CIC it is confirmed that there is no fire – but the alarm was tripped from a station near the lab – Adama and Tigh head for it, security in tow, they arrive just as Baltar, all other options expended, is about to smash the screen bearing his image with a chair. He is arrested and led off to the brig, shouting for an attorney.

Back in the hanger bay, Tyrol and Cally have been joined by Apollo as they try to figure out the Raider. They pause as Thrace arrives, crutches and all. “Shut up. All of you,” she instructs. “Not one single word from any of you, okay?” She the proceed to help try to understand the Raider – even though this means crawling back up inside in an attempt to locate the “controls” she used to fly it. She does gain a reaction out of it as she presses a foot on an organ of some description and the Raider comes to life, vibrating and rumbling in its harness. Crouching in front of the ship, Apollo gives a wry order. “Don’t shoot anything…”

In the brig, Baltar is visited by Roslin. He thinks she is there to order his release. She isn’t. “Here’s where we are, Doctor: if anyone can be a Cylon, and its hard to tell us apart, then we only have one thing left to trust: our instincts; our feelings. And the moment they told me it was your face in the photo, I knew I believed it. I believe you were involved in the attack – somehow – I feel it.”

In response, Baltar again shows his strength of will as he replies, equally levelly, “You’ll forgive me, Madame President, if I don’t wish to be executed based solely on your….gut feeling.”

Back on Caprica, Helo and Valerii are getting ready for the night. Helo is going to take the first watch despite Valerii’s protests. He admits that he couldn’t stand to see anything happen to her. Confessions follow, and despite a looming thunderstorm, his confession leads her into a small, hidden smile of victory before she kisses him – and he returns it. As they make love in the storm on Caprica, Boomer on Galactica returns to her crib and opens her locker to find the word “CYLON” written across the door-mounted mirror, and the frenzy with which she tries to clean it is matched by the frenzy of Valerii’s coupling with Helo.

In the brig, Baltar’s resolve fades after Roslin leaves, and he finally collapses, kneeling in prayer at the side of his cot, begging for God’s intervention, and promising to follow God’s divine will and dedicate his life to that purpose. The prayer is repeated several times, Baltar caught between resolve and tears before “Six” appears beside him, hushing his tears. “I’m here now. All will be well,” she informs him. “It will be as God wants it to be.”

At the moment, Gaeta enters and Baltar is convined he is about to be executed, and demands that he is at least tried. But Gaeta has arrived with the news that Baltar is free. The image was a fake – but the markers showing it had been manipulated weren’t revealed until the image was fully enhanced. Fortunately, Gaeta re-ran the security checks. “I just knew that you could never have anything to do with that attack…you’re not that kind of man.” As they leave the brig, he adds, referring to the photo-manipulation, “Once the photos were fully resolved, it was almost too easy. Like she wanted to be found out.”

Elsewhere, Adama is not so happy: “Shelly Godfrey” has vanished. He berates Tigh, who had been ordered to keep her under surveillance. “I had two marines tailing her,” Tigh replies, not giving ground. “They say they went around a corner and she was gone.” They enter CIC and Dualla reports that all ships have be contacted and there is no sign of Shelly Godfrey. “That’s unacceptable,” Adama counters. “She was here. She was right here. This woman existed. She didn’t just vanish. Have them check again….every ship – including this one.” As he gives the order, he picks up the glasses “Shelly Godfrey” had been wearing, apparently discarded on the plot table. “She didn’t just vanish,” he states flatly.

Tag

On Colonial One, Roslin holds a press conference exonerating Baltar from all accusations made against and giving her public support from, welcoming him back as a “scientist, a leader and a friend.” The comment is followed by a handshake and professional smile – which Baltar hardly returns, his expression firm. But as he turns to face the ovation from the press, his ego rises in response.

In his head, back on Caprica with Six as she points out, “You’re a hero. You’re even more popular and powerful than ever before. You’ve had your trial by fire, so now they truly believe in you. Hard for anyone to accuse you of treason again.” She turns and climbs the stairs towards the bedroom. “Was that the plan all along?” Baltar asks. “Build me up in the public mind by first tearing me down?” “Six” responds by beckoning him to follow her. “Right,” he replies. “Who am I to question the plans of almighty God?” He follows her up the stairs as she starts to strip.

But as he starts up the stairs behind her, he can’t help himself, “Just one small practical question: Shelly. Shelly Godfrey. Was there ever really a woman called Shelly Godfrey? Did she ever actually exist? Was she ever really….here?”

Rather than reply, “Six” drops her dress and continues up to the door of the bedroom. Watching her, lust in his eyes, Baltar rushes up the remaining stairs, unzipping his flies, “God’s will be done!” he whispers, and we get a last look at “Six” as she enters the bedroom, looking over her shoulder, a knowing look in her eye.

And the camera zooms back out from Galactica, passing back out through the fleet and into space before fading to the credits.

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

Questions

• Is Baltar's Six in communication with her "sisters" in the fleet?
• Where did "Shelly Godfrey" go after her "disappearance"?
• If she is still on the Galactica, is Boomer unwittingly helping her?
• Will Baltar forgive Roslin for her condemnation of him?
• Even if he completes his Cylon detector, will any results it gives be trustworthy?

Analysis

This is potentially the most powerful story yet to come out of the BSG fold, and James Callis – with due respect to Edward James Olmos – establishes himself as one of the prime reasons to watch the show. This is his episode, and he proves that he is not only every inch Olmos’ equal – albeit through vastly different means – but that his long shadow very much leaves the rest of the cast in darkness.

From start to finish, even knowing that ultimately, Baltar’s ego and sexual moirés did lead to the downfall of Colonial civilisation - that he is essentially a traitor, however unwittingly, one cannot help but root for his safe passage through the episode. Confidence, arrogance, pathos, fear, desperation, relief, confusion, hope, anger, disbelief – such is the range of emotions demonstrated by Baltar in this segment; some of them occurring so rapidly one after the other, that Callis seems to express them simultaneously.

As Six states during the epilogue, this is Baltar’s trial by fire – and the repercussions could be felt for some time to come. Who would dare accuse him of treason now? Even if her doubt – her gut instinct – is genuine, Roslin is going to have a hard time assailing Baltar’s new-found confidence and belief in himself. Adama is also caught between a rock and a hard place; any denial of resources for Baltar’s research could easily lead to he who was once branded traitor to make that claim of others in the name of protecting them all. In making his situation a matter of public debate, Roslin has potentially saddled herself with a new hero – as the standing ovation Baltar received from the press corps tends to demonstrate – and a potentially new political power. With elections only a few months off, and Tom Zarek’s return to the public stage mere weeks away (real time, in “Colonial Day”), Roslin may yet rue the day she made her uncharacteristic – and unwarranted, in some respects – personal attack on Baltar while he was in the brig.

"Shelly Godfrey" herself is the clearest indication yet that Baltar's Six is not only an implant in Baltar's head - but that "she" is in direct contact with other Cylons scattered within the fleet, and they are working in concert with one another in order to fully subvert Baltar to their will. Why?

The idea that "Shelly Godfrey" is a humano-Cylon working to genuinely trying prevent Baltar finalising his Cylon detector would make her arrival on the Galactica at the precise moment Six vanishes from Baltar’s head pushes coincidence to the limits of credibility.

Plus – if “Shelly Godfrey” was an attempt to stop the Cylon detector being completed, why was her evidence so clearly falsified? As Gaeta himself states: “Once the photos were fully resolved, it was almost too easy, like she wanted to be found out.” If “photographic evidence” can be manufactured by the Cylons, why not go for something that would genuinely condemn Baltar and which would be next to impossible for him to honestly deny: evidence that he allowed his Command Navigation Program to be tampered with?

No, the entire aim of "Shelly Godfrey's" arrival on the Galactica is to bring Baltar to that point in his life where his only salvation is to seek God's forgiveness and allow "Him" into his life. This is why her arrival is preceded by Six "vanishing" from Baltar's mind - thus leaving him without any form of inner support; and why "Shelly Godfrey" apparently "disappears" from the Galactica almost as soon as Baltar begs for God's forgiveness.

Taken together, these events all point to the fact that Six and her corporeal "sister" ("Godfrey") are in contact with one another. The Cylons within the fleet know that they cannot prevent Baltar from developing his detector indefinitely. Doing so would cause him to lose far too much credibility with Adama and Roslin - and possibly result in them assigning the work to someone else to complete. Better to have the device in the hands of a man they can influence.

This is why Six reacted with such anger when Baltar attempted to withdraw from the work when pressed by Adama (Bastille Day) - and gave him just enough clues for him to realise how his detector might work. Now, with the detector nearing completion, the Cylons must control its use - and the best way to control its use is to control the man responsible for it.

Thus, the entire episode is engineered to achieve the two goals they desire: Baltar is moved closer to their influence through his acceptance of "God", and they ensure he can be manipulated and managed where the detector itself is concerned.

So, if this is the case - and Baltar's Six is indeed in contact with her corporeal "sister" (and possibly other humano-Cylons in the fleet) what does it mean for the the series? The most obvious answer to this question is that the Cylons are clearly in control of events, whether or not they are precisely aware of the fleet's location. They are in a position to manipulate individuals and events within the fleet, and thus move things towards the ultimate goal of their plan.

Thus, Six Degrees of Separation - as in the "game" upon which it is based - begins to map the lines that interconnect the various elements of the story. And the idea of interconnectedness is exemplified elsewhere in the segment – most noticeably around Valerii / Boomer. And on Caprica, the interconnectedness is entirely physical as she and Helo pretty much get it on – thus passing another milestone in the Cylon’s plan - pointing the finger ever more clearly towards the subjects of procreation and love.

On Galactica, Boomer’s interconnectedness with other Cylons is palpably demonstrated in her reactions to the captured Raider. Watching the sensual response she exhibits as she touches and describes the Raider, one cannot help but wonder how much longer she can be treated without considerable suspicion. The events of Water, her involvement in events surrounding Litmus - Tyrol at the very least must be more than a little concerned at what she might actually be; indeed, going on the spooked look he gives her as she comes close to foreplay with the Raider, he must be questioning her sanity, if nothing else.

What is interesting in these two story elements is they way they mesh together while effectively moving in opposite directions: as Valerii on Caprica moves towards fulfilment of her mission with Helo, possibly achieving more than her original creation / formation could have aspired to – a human / Cylon relationship born of love and respect, rather than of lust and ego, as was the case with Baltar / Six; Boomer on Galactica is beginning to spiral out of control: she has had at least one “black out” that she knows of, in which Galactica’s water supply was crippled; she’s almost blown herself up; she’s been accused of collusion with the Cylons; she’s broken up with her lover, come close to a near-orgasmic experience with a Cylon device – and now someone is accusing her directly of being a Cylon. Contrast the way in which Valerii’s coupling with Helo on Caprica played out against Boomer’s desperation in her bunk room – a very powerful counterpoint.

One other character is worthy of mention in this episode – Alessandro Juliani (Lieutenant Gaeta). So far he’s had little chance to shine, but in this episode, shine he does, providing exactly the right amount of emotional support for Baltar – while also providing us with one of the most subtle moments of humour witnessed in television. The scene in the lavatory must be watched to be appreciated – especially Gaeta’s feet, which speak more clearly than any of the whispered conversation shared with Baltar, and the results are a joy to watch – as is the continued conversation with the camera peeking into each of the cubicles.

Overall, a cleverly-constructed episode that is as entertaining as it is intriguing, thanks to the aforementioned lavatory scene between Baltar and Gaeta, which loses none of its power with repeated watching.

Notes

• A week has passed since “Litmus”
• Boomer is accidentally revealing more and more of her Cylon nature
• Helo has passed another test on Caprica; he’s now actively bonking Valerii
• Gaeta admires Baltar and may be his one true friend on the Galactica
• Baltar appears very close to completing his Cylon detector
• Cylon Raiders may well be purpose-bred, semi-intelligent bio-machines
• The Colonials use QWERTY keyboards

Noteworthy Dialogue

Baltar to Adama, confronting the accusation that he may be a traitor

Baltar: And I don’t like being accused of participating in the genocide of the human race based solely on the word of a woman whom I have already indicated to you may well be a Cylon agent...I did not conspire with the Cylons. I’m an innocent man who is being convicted in the court of public opinion without trial.

Kara's Recovery in the Sick Bay

Kara Thrace is about to start walking after recovering from her knee injury, sustained in "You Can't Go Home Again". Doctor Cottle and Lee Adama are present.

Lee: C'mon Starbuck, you can do it.
(Kara gets out of bed, using it as a support.)
Lee (mockingly): Ah, that smarts. (walks over to Kara on crutches) That smarts. But I. Don't. Care.
Kara: You don't care?
Lee: I don't care. Because your pain is my entertainment. (hands crutches over to Kara) Your Crutches of Death, sir. Use them wisely.
Kara: Shut up.
Doctor Cottle: It's going to hurt like hell, but it's supposed to.
Kara: (wryly) Thanks doc.
(Kara starts out, slowly)
Lee: No pain, no gain. No cliche left unturned as, as Kara Thrace returns to the world of the walking. Can she do it or will she fall on her ass?
Kara: I swear to the Gods that I'm going to beat the crap out of both of you as soon as I get better... (pauses, retreats) No, I can't.
Lee: Yes you can. You did it.
Kara: No I can't. I can't. I can't.
Cottle: You're not going to get better lying on your back.
Kara: (getting on the bed) Oh, frak off.
Lee: We'll just take a break for five minutes.
Kara: I don't want to do it again. I want a pill. Now. Please.
Cottle: Sorry, but we're weining you off the magic pills starting today. Besides, I need them for myself. (ambles off)

Statistics

Guest Stars

• Donnelly Rhodes as Doctor Cottle
• Nicki Clyne as Cally
• Christina Schild as Playa Kohn
• Biski Gugushe as Eick

Writing & Direction

• Written by Michael Angeli
• Directed by Robert Young

Production Notes

• Series 1 (2004 / 2005)
• Production Number: 1.07
• Airdate Order: 7 (of 13)

First Run Air Dates & Releases

• UK Airdate: 29 November 2004 (Sky One)
• US Airdate: (Sci-Fi Channel)
• DVD Release: N/A

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