The Fleet is a convoy of ships sheltering the human survivors of the Cylon attack. The Fleet forms the backdrop of the drama of the Re-imagined Series.
"The Fleet" originates as a convoy of about 60 commercial and civilian ships in the space surrounding Caprica. Laura Roslin - with the aid of Sharon Valerii - initiates the clustering of stranded vessels in the aftermath of the Cylon invasion of the Twelve Colonies, thus forming the convoy. Twenty of these ships are abandoned to a squadron of attacking Raiders because they either lack FTL drives, or are damaged, like the sublight Botanical Cruiser and Gemenon Liner 1701. The remaining vessels join battlestar Galactica - the only Colonial warship known to have survived the Cylon attack - in the upper atmosphere of the gas giant Ragnar. From here on, Galactica shoulders the role of the Fleet's protector (Miniseries).
Anastasia Dualla explains in "33" that 53 ships have jumped away from an attacking Cylon baseship, with 10 still reporting trouble with their FTL drives. Adding Galactica to this tally, results in a total number of 64 ships. Saul Tigh's statement in "The Farm" that the 24 ships departing with the Laura Roslin faction represent "almost a third of the fleet", implies that the number of ships in the Fleet is approximately in the mid-70's. By "The Passage", there are likely fewer ships left in the Fleet because of the Cloud Nine destruction (Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II) and the settlement and emergency exodus of New Caprica (Exodus, Part II).
The political and social troubles befalling the Fleet as it wanders through space, serve as a metaphor for all of humanity, since the Fleet literally is what is left of humanity in the television series.
The phrase "the Fleet" functions not only as a signifier for the actual ships of the convoy, but as an indicator of the people on board, and therefore for mankind. Often the term is used to refer to the civilian populations, as opposed to the military personnel of Galactica and Pegasus. Usage of the term "the Fleet" has not gained more than an informal acceptance, as can be seen by President Roslin's continued use of the term President of the Twelve Colonies. This may be interpreted either as an expression of hope that the people of the Fleet will re-establish themselves on a new world, or a psychological inability to accept the Fleet as the only home that humanity will know for a long time.
After three years of searching the Fleet eventually reaches Earth, but are disappointed to find it a devastated wasteland as a result of a nuclear holocaust (Revelations). The fleet leave Earth in search of a new home, with the Rebel Cylon Basestar joining them (Sometimes a Great Notion). By the time of Felix Gaeta's and Tom Zarek's mutiny aboard Galactica (Blood on the Scales), dialogue indicates that the Fleet is down to the very low figure of 35 civilian ships, a surprising loss of about half the initial ships from 33. Most of these losses remain unaccounted for, as very few civilian ships have been seen or heard to be actually lost on screen. Given that the human population has only declined by about one fifth at this point rather than a similar half, this could be a continuity error or retcon, or the remaining ships would have had to nearly double the number of civilians aboard to compensate. It is possible in the context of the dialogue in the episode that the figure of 35 referred only to the number of ships initially loyal to the mutineers.
The Fleet's end.
The Rebel Basestar has now officially joined the Fleet as seen in Someone to Watch Over Me as the Fleet has a new Quorum made out of ship captains and the Rebel Basestar has a representative on the new Quorum, a Six named Sonja.
The Fleet would eventually be abandoned by the Colonials, with their ships guided into the Sun of the new homeworld of the humans. The Rebel baseship was given to the centurions by the Rebel Cylons for them to find their own destiny (Daybreak, Part II)
Tom Zarek is found aboard this ship along with 1,500 prisoners heading toward Caprica for parole hearings. Later the lead ship in Laura Roslin's faction. Also home to former Galactica crewmen and officers from the mutiny.
President Roslin's flagship and seat of the spaceborne Colonial government since the Fall. As of Season 4, the ship also held the Quorum of Twelve until they were killed by Tom Zarek.
This is the last remaining original battlestar dating back to the Cylon War. It is the main protector and flagship of the Fleet, under direct command of William Adama.
Used as a decoy in the Battle for the Tylium Asteroid. Joins Laura Roslin's separatist fleet. Is later part of the so-called defense fleet over New Caprica. Later escorted through the star cluster.
Commanded by Doyle Franks, Prometheus has a reputation as an "off the grid" freighter involved in the black market. Survived New Caprica and captain was a member of the Judges Tribunial for the Baltar Trial.
Basestar of the Rebel Cylons that joins the Fleet as part of an alliance against Cavil's forces, later officially joining the Fleet after the Quorum of Twelve is dissolved and the Quorum of Ships' Captains is created.
A medical ship similarly named and visually similar to the Original Seriesship of the same name is seen in Season 4 and "The Plan". It is not mentioned on either Colonial One or Galactica's tally boards in "Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II".
Arguably the easiest identifiable civilian ship due to its large ring. It is severely damaged during the Battle of the Ionian Nebula, and is repaired en route to Earth. It is considered the hub of all civilian activity and rest-and-recreation in the Fleet, assuming the same role that Cloud 9 had before its destruction by Gina Inviere.
Unless otherwise mentioned, the following ships are only listed on the voting tally board in "Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II".[1] Many of these ships are mentioned or featured again, as the production generated a master list for reference.
Name
Notes
Adrasteia
In Greek mythology, Adrasteia (also spelled Adrastia, Adrastea, Adrestea, and Adastreia) was a nymph who was charged by Rhea to raise the infant Zeus in secret to protect him from his father Cronus (Krónos) in the Dictaean cave.
Amduatey
The ship is named after the Ancient EgyptianAmduat, which literally means "That Which is in the Afterworld". It was an important funeral text usually inscribed in the tombs of pharoahs. The Amduat told the story of the sun god Ra, who set in the evening and traveled through the underworld at night, only to rise again in the morning. It was understood that the dead pharaoh was taking the same journey, through the underworld, only to rise again with Ra as an immortal in the morning.
Aether
In Greek mythology, Aether is one of the Protogenos (first-born). He is the personification of the "upper sky," space, and heaven, and the elemental god of the "Bright, Glowing, Upper Air." He is the pure upper air that the gods breathe, as opposed to regular air, the gloomy lower air of the Earth, which mortals breathe.
Argo Navis
Captained by Simpson Markson, who is selected to be a judge at Gaius Baltar's trial [2]. Argo Navis was a large southern constellation representing the Argo, the ship used by Jason and the Argonauts in Greek mythology.
The Azimenarius is noted on the whiteboard voting tracker on Colonial One, but is not on the master voting tally board on Galactica in "Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II".
Named for the god of the north wind in Greek mythology. Boreas is noted on the whiteboard voting tracker on Colonial One, but is absent from the master tally board on Galactica in "Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II".
Breton
On the voting tally boards on both Colonial One and Galactica in "Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II".
Named for the daughter of King Priam and Queen Hecuba of Troy who had the power of prophecy, but was cursed so that no one believed her.
Coba
Coba is noted on the master tally board on Galactica, but not on the whiteboard voting tracker on Colonial One in "Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II".
Clymene
Several women and deities in Greek myth are named Clymene. Clymene is noted on the whiteboard voting tracker on Colonial One, but is absent from the master tally board on Galactica in "Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II".
Dahshur
Dahshur is noted on the master tally board on Galactica, but not on the whiteboard voting tracker on Colonial One in "Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II".
Diomedes
Presumably named for the ancient hero of the Trojan War of the same name. Diomedes is noted on the master tally board on Galactica, but not on the whiteboard voting tracker on Colonial One in "Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II".
Embla Brokk
The name Embla Brokk may be derived from the names of two figures in Norse mythology: Embla, the first woman, and Brokkr, a dwarf who helped create Draupnir (a magical ring) and Mjolnir (Thor's hammer). Embla Brokk is noted on the master tally board on Galactica, but not on the whiteboard voting tracker on Colonial One in "Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II".
A ship on which Lieutenant (later Captain) Louanne "Kat" Katraine apparently has some "buddies" (Final Cut).
Indications are that "Freighter 212" is merely the hull number for the ship, as this name is not written on either tally boards during the election in "Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II".
Galatea
Probably named for a main character in the Greek myth of Pygmalion. Pygmalion, a sculptor, creates a statue of a woman, which is so beautiful that he falls in love with it, and the gods reward him by bringing her (Galatea) to life.
On the voting tally boards on both Colonial One and Galactica in "Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II".
Kiya
Kiya is noted on the master tally board on Galactica, but not on the whiteboard voting tracker on Colonial One in "Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II".
McConnell
Commander Fisk made runs to this ship in order to build up a stock pile of supplies for the black market (Black Market). The ship is on neither Colonial One nor Galactica's tally boards in "Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II".
Mutem Wia
Mutem Wia is noted on the master tally board on Galactica, but not on the whiteboard voting tracker on Colonial One in "Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II".
Odysseus
Named for the hero in Greek mythology who fought in the Trojan War and was the subject of Homer's epic The Odyssey.
Persephone
Persephone is noted on the master tally board on Galactica, but not on the whiteboard voting tracker on Colonial One in "Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II". Persephone is the daughter of the goddess Demeter. She is forced to marry the god of the underworld, Hades, but Demeter works out a compromise where Persephone is allowed to return to the world of the living for a portion of the year.
Presumed to have jumped away with the FTL-capable ships in the Miniseries
Picon Princess
On the voting tally boards on both Colonial One and Galactica in "Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II".
Rhadamanthys
On the voting tally boards on both Colonial One and Galactica in "Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II".
Salpica
In the extended cut of "Unfinished Business", the Salpica is mentioned as the ship Samuel Anders lives on after the escape from New Caprica and before moving permanently to Galactica.
Sargon
May be named after either Sargon I or Sargon II, ancient Assyrian kings on Earth. Seen only on the voting tally boards in "Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II".
Scorpia Traveller
After disembarking from the Scorpia Traveller, a copy of the humanoid Cylon Aaron Doral evades security checkpoints, nearly succeeding in the assassination of William Adama in a suicide bombing (Litmus). The ship is not on either tally board in "Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II".
Swordfish
On the voting tally boards on both Colonial One and Galactica in "Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II".
Tarbadek
On the voting tally boards on both Colonial One and Galactica in "Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II".
Tauranian Traveller
Mentioned in a deleted scene in "33". Later, its name is on the voting tally boards on both Colonial One and Galactica in "Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II".
Tora Bashiri
"Tora bashiri" is Japanese for "tiger's run." It is a term used in Iaido, a Japanese martial art. The ship's name is on the voting tally boards on both Colonial One and Galactica in "Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II".
Vena Capa
Vena Capa is on the master tally board on Galactica, but not on the whiteboard voting tracker on Colonial One in "Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II".
Virga
Virga is on the voting tally boards on both Colonial One and Galactica in "Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II".
Ziusudra
On the voting tally boards on both Colonial One and Galactica in "Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II".
Note: All remaining Fleet ships with the exception of the Rebel Basestar are destroyed in "Daybreak, Part II" when they are flown into the Sol system's star.
A sublight-only vessel that is destroyed by the Cylons after the Fall, before Roslin's fleet rendezvous with Galactica at Ragnar. An FTL-equipped vessel of the same type remains in the Fleet.
Designed to mimic the environment of a habitable planet, Cloud Nine became the meeting place for the first Quorum of Twelve after the Fall. It is later home to legalized prostitution (Black Market) and Demand Peace (Epiphanies). The ship is destroyed by a nuclear warhead detonated by Gina Inviere, resulting in the destruction of at least three other ships.
Initially, it appears that the production did not have a master list of ships in the first season, as evidenced by the numerical discrepancies to the later retconned numbers in Season 2. The following is a list of ships that have been mentioned in deleted scenes exclusively.
Name
Notes
Coronis
Coronis is mentioned in a deleted scene in "Litmus", as a ship carrying people who are unhappy about being last in food ration distribution. However, it is not present on either the master tally board on Galactica or the whiteboard tracker on Colonial One in "Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II". As Coronis has not been mentioned in any canonical capacity, it is considered totally abandoned by the producers .
In Greek mythology Coronis is the name of several figures.
A few points of information are available concerning the demographics of the Fleet. In "33", before the destruction of the Olympic Carrier, there are 5,251 survivors from Sagittaron and 49,998 total survivors. In "Home, Part I", the Laura Roslin faction leaves the Fleet with 18,000 individuals, of which 9,500 ware Gemenese and 6,250 were Capricans. At that time the total population of the Fleet is 47,857.
This information is sparse, but it gives a general idea of the population breakdown of the Fleet if a few assumptions are made for the sake of argument.
Note that Gemenon and Caprica have more citizens in the Roslin faction alone than Sagittaron has in the entire Fleet. The Twelve Colonies are clearly not represented in equal proportion.
Before the destruction of the Olympic Carrier, Sagittaron natives make up 10.50% of the Fleet. Solely for the purpose of argument, it is assumed that the Olympic Carrier's population breakdown was identical to the rest of the Fleet's and that Sagittaron continues to make up 10.50% of the Fleet's total population.
The figures from the Roslin faction can be interpreted in several ways:
ASSUMPTION 1: All Gemenese and Capricans jump to Kobol with the Roslin faction.
Caprica: 6,250 persons (13%)
Gemenon: 9,500 persons (20%)
Sagittaron: 5,026 persons (11%)
Others: 27,081 (57%)
ASSUMPTION 2: All Gemenese jump to Kobol with the Roslin faction, lured by the "religion card", but the Caprican portion of the Roslin faction is representative of the Fleet.
Caprica: 28,204 persons (59%)
Gemenon: 9,500 persons (20%)
Sagittaron: 5,026 persons (11%)
Others: 5,127 persons (11%)
ASSUMPTION 3: Caprican and Gemenese portions of the Roslin faction are representative of the Fleet.
Caprica: 16,617 persons (35%)
Gemenon: 25,258 persons (53%)
Sagittaron: 5,026 persons (11%)
Others: 956 (2%)
Although it is plausible that the Caprican population is substantially larger than the other Colonies, as Colonial Heavy 798 is in the vicinity when the attack begins, and is the nucleus around which the Fleet rallies, it is unlikely that the populations of each colony are grossly unequal, or else the Quorum of Twelve would be a very poor system of government. The likeliest scenario is therefore somewhere in between assumptions 1 and 2, with nearly all of the Gemenon population (drawn by the "religion card") and a large portion of the Caprican population leaving with Roslin.
Alternatively, it is possible that the population of the Colonies are grossly unequal. Although the structure of the Quorum of Twelve appears to maintain at least a fiction that the Colonies are roughly equal, next to nothing is known about how the governmental system of the Colonies was established or how it evolved over time. Indeed, the United States Senate, for example, by design expressly assumes that the various states constituting it are 'equal' even though this is clearly not the case in terms of their respective populations. Furthermore, the fact that a system of government is 'poor' or else not representatively proportional does not mean it cannot actually be implemented and even survive for long periods of time.
As for the population distribution, the population of several ships is known: Galactica (2,693 as of "Water"), the Olympic Carrier (1,345 as of "33"), Astral Queen (1,500 as of "Bastille Day", retconned up from 500 in the Miniseries) and Pyxis (600 when destroyed in "He That Believeth In Me"). There are 176 civilians in the cargo hold of Colonial One in "Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part II". The Fleet is stated at about 75 ships in "Resistance", retconned up from 40 in the Miniseries.
Going by the 75 ship count, the remaining ships besides Galactica and the Astral Queen each carry about 600 persons on average.
The 23 ships that leave with the Laura Roslin faction, apart from the Astral Queen, would have an average population of about 720 persons per ship.
The Fleet's population has declined by about 8,000 since the above.
Unofficially, many viewers refer to the Fleet as the "RTF"; "Rag Tag Fleet", or more fully, "RTFF." These nicknames come from the term "Rag Tag Fugitive Fleet," a name used in the opening credits voice over of the Original Series (performed by series creator Lorne Greene), describing the civilian refugee fleet.
In the Miniseries, astute viewers may recognize three spacecraft with notable resemblances of ships from other SF universes. The first two of these ships aren't considered a canonical part of the series or the Fleet, but their appearance adds a bit of humor and pays homage to other notable science fiction and their creative staff.
Serenity, the central ship from the TV series Firefly and the motion picture Serenity, appears briefly in the sky outside the window of a doctor's office where viewers first see Laura Roslin. The ship does not appear in the Fleet.
The original USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) from the original Star Trek TV series makes a cameo in the last shot of the Fleet as Elosha chants a prayer in the memorial service near the end of the Miniseries. Look to the upper right corner for the ship in a still frame. All Season 1 opening credits use this shot, so Enterprise makes a very quick appearance with each of the first 13 episodes (This is best viewed from the Season 1 DVD set).
The ill-fated Botanical Cruiser in the Miniseries was added in homage to the Agro Ship from the Original Series, which in turn were the re-used models from the SF film Silent Running, a Universal/MCA movie that special effects guru John Dykstra worked on a few years prior. At least one FTL-capable version of this ship survives and exists in the Fleet (The Passage).
↑Note that the tally board in question contains inaccuracies regarding the number of votes, and thus should not be used to determine the population aboard each vessel.
↑The name and the ship are noted in the script for "The Son Also Rises", but not mentioned on screen.
↑Technically, "Razor" is the last time the ship is seen, but the events of that DVD movie occur in Season 2, whereas "Exodus" is set in Season 3.
Re-imagined Series definition: the process of using the FTL engines to make an near-instantaneous apparent faster-than-light transport of a ship from one point in space to another
