Colonial One
| Colonial One | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
| Race: | Colonial | ||
| Type: | Civilian | ||
| FTL: | Yes | ||
| Propulsion: | 2 x sublight engines, 4 x commercial-rated FTL drive pods, manouvering thrusters. | ||
| Crew: | Unknown | ||
| Capacity: | (approx) 100-150 standard - up to 500 under emergency conditions | ||
| CO: | {{{co}}} | ||
| XO: | {{{xo}}} | ||
| Role: | Presidential transport | ||
| Weapons: | {{{weapons}}} | ||
| Armaments: | {{{arm}}} | ||
| Defenses: | {{{def}}} | ||
| Aircraft: | {{{aircraft}}} | ||
| Aviation facilities: | {{{facilities}}} | ||
| Fate: | {{{status}}} | ||
| Emblem: | [[Image:{{{patch}}}|175px|Ship's patch]] | ||
| Other Images: | Gallery | ||
| Length: | 277 feet | ||
| Width: | 49 feet | ||
| Height: | 72 feet | ||
| Weight: | {{{weight}}} | ||
| Wingspan: | {{{wingspan}}} | ||
| Other: | {{{otherdi}}} | ||
| Cost: | {{{construction}}} | ||
| Construction Time: | {{{construction}}} | ||
| Hull Size: | {{{hull size}}} | ||
| Hull: | {{{hull}}} | ||
| FTL Cooldown: | {{{ftl cooldown}}} turns | ||
| Speed: | {{{speed}}} m/s | ||
| Turn Rate: | {{{turn rate}}}°/turn | ||
| Armor Total: | {{{armor total}}} | ||
| Armor Left: | {{{armor left}}} | ||
| Armor Right: | {{{armor right}}} | ||
| Armor Front: | {{{armor front}}} | ||
| Armor Rear: | {{{armor rear}}} | ||
| Armor Top: | {{{armor top}}} | ||
| Armor Bottom: | {{{armor bottom}}} | ||
| DRADIS Range: | {{{dradis range}}} m | ||
| Processing Power: | {{{processing power}}} | ||
| Munition Slots: | {{{munitions}}} | ||
| Munition Cooldown Period: | {{{munition cooldown}}} turns | ||
| Squadron Slots: | {{{squadrons}}} | ||
| Squadron Size: | {{{squadron size}}} | ||
| Special Abilities: | {{{special abilities}}} | ||
| Additional Information | |||
Colonial One is the passenger liner starship on which President Laura Roslin resides and where she sets up her new seat of government in the refugee fleet led by the battlestar Galactica.
Background
The Colonial Government chartered an Intersun starliner, designated Colonial Heavy 798, for ferrying Secretary of Education Laura Roslin, and her staff and members of the Colonial press to and from the decommissioning ceremonies for the battlestar Galactica. Colonial Heavy 798 arrives and docks with Galactica a few hours before the ceremonies. After the ceremonies, the transport begins its return to Caprica with Captain Lee Adama escorting the starliner in his father's old Viper.
Approximately 3 hours from Caprica, the Cylon attack commences. Colonial Heavy 798 and Colonial press members hear of news that Caprica has been nuked along with three other Colonies. Secretary Roslin, as the highest goverment official on board, takes charge of the situation by setting up Colonial Heavy 798 for long term use. Shortly after this news, a single Raider attacks Colonial Heavy 798. Lee Adama is able to decoy a missile that targets the starliner and shoots it down. His Viper is damaged in the process, but Colonial Heavy 798 recovers the Viper into its cargo bay (Miniseries).
Case Orange
A special automated government broadcast prompts Laura Roslin to send her government ID number to locate surviving officials. With no other Colonial government officials apparently left alive, Laura Roslin is quickly sworn-in as the new President of the Colonies on board[1], and Colonial Heavy 798 is re-named Colonial One, in recognition of its status in transporting the President.
Rescue Operations
With nowhere else to go, Colonial One engages in rescue missions under the direct orders of the new President. Colonial One locates and gather other civilian vessels marooned in space around the vicinity of Caprica. During their rescues, Colonial One receives a message from Galactica: Regroup at Ragnar Anchorage. Roslin attempts to countermand Commander Adama, ordering his battlestar to aid in rescue operations instead, despite the presence of Adama's son onboard. Before minds can be made up, another Raider launches nuclear missiles at the small gathering of disabled ships where Colonial One is assisting. Lee Adama saves the day once more using Galactica's old EMP coils to disable the missiles and fool the Cylons once more. Afterwards, Colonial One leaves with the rest of the FTL capable ships to Ragnar Anchorage moments before a larger Cylon Raider group shows up, destroying several sublight spacecraft unable to leave the vicinity.
Post-Miniseries
While this ordinary starliner probably lacks many of the facilities and systems the original Colonial One would have boasted, President Roslin has nevertheless made it her base of operations, thus helping to keep her civilian administration physically distinct from William Adama's military leadership. The ship secruity is handled by the Presidential security service, which is independent of the military leadership.
Size
Colonial One is small enough to fit inside the flight pod of both Galactica and Pegasus (Water). This makes either one of these two ships a "safe haven" and also reducing contact with outsiders who would otherwise have the chance to make a move on the important visitors that frequently board Colonial One.
Configuration
The ship's normal passenger capacity has been reduced to accommodate the offices and cabins required by government personnel. Civilian passengers on Colonial One reside in converted sections of the liner.
A large main cabin aboard the ship provides seating accommodation for dignitaries and press alike, while forward of this are small, more personal quarters reserved for ministers and their guests. Despite its conversion for government use, Colonial One retains its own docking bay, large enough to take a Colonial shuttle, and also boasts a cargo hold big enough to house a Viper-sized craft (Miniseries).
Election
After the Colonial election to determine the next elected successor to the presidency, Roslin's vice-president, Gaius Baltar, wins the election and now uses Colonial One as his base of operations for his administration.
Landing Mode: On
When New Caprica is settled, Colonial One is one of the few ships to land permanently on the planet, touching down on a hilltop overlooking the settlement on the planet. A year after his election, President Baltar has all but done away with the modesty of Roslin's office on the ship. He remakes it to resemble his old house on Caprica, replacing Roslin's simple desk with an extravagant wood desk, her office chair with a decorated leather seat, her back office with an apparent harem and the population-count white board with a picture of himself.
Cinematic Trivia
- The cockpit of Colonial One is a redressed original Space Shuttle Orbiter cockpit simulator. The current Orbiter fleet have since been refurbished with newer cockpits.
- The ship is always seen flying next to Galactica either for best protection or convenience when the President needed to board. (Cinematically, having the two ships close in a shot also played well to the challenges in the separation of civilian and military authority.)
- The passenger area of the ship is modeled after the interior of the Pan Am Clipper Orion space shuttle seen ferrying Dr. Floyd into orbit in the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey.
- The ship was intentionally painted in the color scheme of the real world Air Force One to evoke more of that "real world" feel from the series.
- Half way through season one, the Colonial One CG model was updated and the seal of the President of the Twelve Colonies was added to the dorsal "hump" at the bow of the ship. The reuse of stock footage from early in season one and the Miniseries, however causes the seal to continually appear and disappear at random intervals.
- Colonial One's cargo bay, as seen in the Miniseries, was actually the car deck of a BC Ferries V Class car and passenger ferry.
References
- ↑ U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson was quickly sworn-in on Air Force One, the Presidential air transport, immediately after President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas in November 1963. Roslin's swearing-in scene in the Miniseries was deliberately staged to mirror this event.
