Gaeta's Mutiny

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In a covert plan, Tom Zarek, Felix Gaeta, a handful of Marines, civilians and members of the Galactica crew in key positions set in motion their mutiny:

Causes

After the disappointment following the discovery of Earth, Roslin's power as a religious icon diminishes. Admiral Adama, proposes an alliance with the rebel Cylons. Despite the fact that the Quorum of Twelve voted against allowing Cylons into the various ships of the fleet, the Admiral forces them at gunpoint to allow for these upgrades, stating that it was a military decision (The Oath). Zarek attempts to stop the Alliance by making the Tylium ship jump away from the fleet. However, Adama strong arms him into giving up the location of that ship.(A Disquiet Follows My Soul) Gaeta, disgusted with the events of the time talks to Zarek launching the rebellion.

Beginning

Having already felt out those he can trust, Gaeta walks into the Brig and with the help of sympathetic Marines, frees Vice President Zarek and escorts him to the Hanger Deck.
On the hanger deck, Lt. Margaret "Racetrack" Edmondson, convincing the deck crew and assembled civilians that her Raptor is leaking fuel, and that one spark could set off an explosion, orders them all to evacuate the Deck. This in turn allows Zarek unseen to approach the Raptor, but only to be interrupted by Deck Chief Laird. Laird speaks up that the Raptor is on hold for emergency medical transport and not any bogus VIP shuttle. In Gaeta's attempt to try and explain the group out of this unexpected hurdle, Zarek manages to sneak up behind Laird and picking up a wrench, hits him over the head killing him.
When Gaeta reports for duty, Hoshi notices that there is a launch in progress and that he doesn't have any scheduled in the flight log. Gaeta responds that maybe it is an error and that he should look over the flight log for an update by Laird. When he finds none in the flight log, he suggests calling down to the flight deck. Gaeta stops him and points out that there is no Transponder signal and when Tigh questions Gaeta, his response is that it is probably a dradis ghost. The Admiral and XO fall for it and Zarek escapes to Colonial one.
Zarek as a free man once again surprises Lee and the Quorum of 12 when he walks in on their meeting.
In CIC, everything is going according to plan as an alarm sounds indicating a fire on C Deck near the Main Antennas. Adama orders in the DC units, but Gaeta points out that the fire might not be an accident and that they will be in the dark if the antenna array goes down. Adama orders a Marine detail to escort the DC units, thus allowing more Marines to join the mutineers in the forward section of C Deck raiding the small arms locker. Unknown to them is that Kara Thrace has seen all this.
Zarek back aboard Colonial One, convinces Lee who is having trouble getting a hold of his father on Galactica suggesting that his father released him. Lee leaves to prove Zarek wrong, thus leaving the Quorum to Zarek.
In the CIC Gaeta informs Adama and Tigh that they lost communications ship wide as well as back ups.
On the Hanger Deck, Lee is greeted by Marines and Conner who proceed to rough him up and take him hostage. Before they are able to do anything more, Starbuck interrupts and kills the marine pointing a gun at Lee's head then shoots Skulls in the shoulder.
The mutineers begin to systematically take hostage all the Cylons and those they know are friends, lovers or otherwise supporters of the current alliance on Galactica. Among those taken are Caprica-Six, Athena, Helo, their daughter Hera and one of the Final Five Anders and lock them away in the brig. Galen Tyrol, however avoids capture so far.
Hoshi back in the CIC realizes that none of the devices used to scan for carbon monoxide sensors should be going through the roof, but he only reads normal levels. Adama is tired of being blind and sends a crew member to go to C Deck and report back. Once he returns and reports what he has found, Gaeta orders the Marines to take Adama, Tigh, Hoshi and the senior staff into custody.

End

President Roslin and Gaius Baltar manage to escape Galactica on a Raptor to the Cylon baseship. Gaeta tries to have her shot down, but after she identifies herself, Hotdog, apparently not in on the mutiny, hesitates and allows Roslin to make it to the baseship safely despite Narcho's attempts to destroy the Raptor. Tigh and Adama are captured by marines after being knocked out by a stun grenade, Adama having decided to stay behind to try to retake the ship and Tigh supporting him.

Zarek tries to convince the Quorum, but when Sagittaron delegate Jacob Cantrell asks him to leave, apparently supporting Roslin, he has them murdered. The Cylons move their ship further into the Fleet for protection but Gaeta scatters it. Roslin manages to make a broadcast about the mutiny, asking the civilian ships to shut down their FTL drives just before she is jammed again. 10 ships follow her orders. Lee Adama and Kara Thrace, still free, manage to break into the brig and rescue the Cylons and Helo and they join the two in the battle to retake the ship. Anders is seriously wounded and Kara stays behind to get him to Doctor Cottle for medical treatment.

Admiral Adama is tried for various crimes with Gaeta (now a Commander) as the people's representative and Zarek as the judge with Romo Lampkin as Adama's lawyer. He refuses to betray his beliefs and is sentenced to death by firing squad. Meanwhile Tyrol crawls through the ship's vents to an arms locker where he's ambushed by former LSO Aaron Kelly, but Kelly lets him go, his support of the mutiny faltering. The Cylons on the baseship decide to flee, but Roslin manages to convince them to stay and support Adama and calls Galactica to demand Zarek and Gaeta's surrender. Gaeta has a firing squad led by Narcho take Adama to a launch tube to be executed and in an attempt to get her to surrender Zarek claims to Roslin that Tigh was killed escaping and Adama was executed, but this only strengthens her resolve and has the baseship's weapons turned on Galactica.

Gaeta gets confirmation that Adama was executed, but in reality he was rescued by Lee and the released prisoners who take Narcho and the firing squad captive having learned where they were from Kelly out of remorse for joining the mutiny. Kara tries to get Anders to sickbay but struggles on her own, however Lampkin manages to escape, killing a marine with a pen and she convinces him to help her. Adama convinces the firing squad to aid him in recapturing the ship, but Narcho refuses to help as despite his respect for the Admiral, he refuses to help anyone who won't fight the Cylons. Adama stops Tigh from executing Narcho on the spot and instead has Narcho tied up .

Adama, Lee, Tigh, Helo, Athena, Kelly, the marine squad, and a gathering crowd of other loyalists make their way towards the CIC. Gaeta tries to jump, but Tyrol manages to manually disable the FTL drive. Specialist Gage turns Galactica's weapons on the baseship, but Gaeta, realizing he's lost, orders him to stand down and seconds later the Admiral and his men storm CIC and retake it without firing a shot, ending the mutiny. Adama contacts the baseship and gets Roslin and the Cylons to stand down now that he's back in command again. Gaeta later admits to Baltar that he's okay with the fact that he lost. Gaeta and Zarek are later executed by firing squad for their crimes.

It is unknown, so far, what happens to the other mutineers.

Known Participants

Galactica crew

Lieutenant, later Commander Felix Gaeta - Military Leader †
Captain Aaron Kelly - Defected
Lieutenant Noel Allison - In custody
Lieutenant Margaret Edmondson
Lieutenant Hamish McCall
Lieutenant Brendan Costanza
Lieutenant Paolo McKay
Ensign Diana Seelix
Sergeant Allan Nowart
Lance Corporal Maldonaldo †
Specialist Gage - In custody
Specialist Vireem - In custody

Civilians

Tom Zarek - Civilian Leader †
Charlie Connor