Water

File:Bsg-1-02.jpg

"Water" (credit: Sci-Fi Channel)

Overview

The Galactica loses over 60% of her water reserves due to sabotage, forcing the fleet into a crisis and Adama to seek a new supply.

Summary

• Boomer finds herself dripping wet in hr flight suit, sitting in an equipment locker on the hanger deck. She is disoriented, and on opening a duffel bag containing her uniform, she discovers explosives complete with a detonator
• After drying and dressing herself, she goes to a small-arms locker and finds that a further 6 detonators are missing, throwing her into a panic and seeking Tyrol’s help
• Roslin visits Galactica to thank the crew for their hard work in defending the fleet following recent events (33). While she is there, a series of explosions rip through the warship, rupturing her water tanks and spewing her massive reserves of drinking water into space
• An investigation starts into the explosion, and Tyrol is given evidence that explosives may have been used to detonate the tanks. However, covering for Boomer, whom he believes is being framed, he does not reveal this fact to the Board of Inquiry
• Adama orders the Raptors to be flown to the nearest star systems in an attempt to find an alternative source of water
• Boomer locates water, but has problems trying to report the find while a part of her tries to detonate the explosives strapped to her chair
• When she finally makes the report, she and Crashdown return to the Galactica to be greeted like heroes
• Boomer gets Tyrol to check her seat, where he finds the explosives. He later reveals to Boomer he has handed the explosives to the Master-at-Arms, assuring her that this is good, as it puts the Master onto the same lines of investigation they are now pursuing
• On Colonial One, impressed at the way Lee Adama helped her through the pomp of her reception on the Galactica at the start of the episode, Roslin asks him to become a special advisor to her, to help her understand military jargon, etc

On Caprica:

• Valerii and Helo have returned to Valerii's Raptor, to find it crawling with Cylon warriors
• Deciding they cannot us it to escape Caprica, they head off to "find another ship"
• Later, at night, and over a meal and anti-radiation shots, they receive a coded transmission, Valerii prompting Helo into the idea that someone else - probably military - is still alive on the planet

Review

THE CYLONS WERE CREATED BY MAN. THEY REBELLED. THEY EVOLVED. THEY LOOK, AND FEEL, HUMAN. SOME OF THEM ARE PROGRAMMED TO THINK THEY ARE HUMAN. THERE ARE MANY COPIES. AND THEY HAVE A PLAN.

Re-cap

• [[33]: The Olympic Carrier heading towards the fleet with Dualla’s voice-over announcing a radiological alarm. Cut to: CIC and Tigh asking, “Form where?” and Dualla responding, “the Olympic Carrier, sir. They’ve got nukes on board; Adama, on the line to Roslin: “This ship poses a threat to us, we have to eliminate that threat. Cut to: a view of the Olympic Carrier as seen from Lee Adama’s Viper, with Lee stating, “The Cylons will be here any second. If we’re going to do this, let’s just do it,” and Starbuck responding, “It’s a civilian ship.” Cut to Roslin hissing, “Do it!” Then Lee Adama opening fire, and the Olympic Carrier blowing up
• Mini Series: Helo facing Boomer and saying, “Giving up my seat,” to which she replies, “Like Hell!” followed by a shot of Helo standing on Caprica as Boomer in her Raptor lifts-off.
• 33: Six kneeling in front of Helo after kissing him, then arching her back at the sound of gunfire, cutting to Valerii holstering her weapon as a mystified Helo says, “Sharon? What are you doing here?” Valerii ordering, “Look, move it, mister!” as she helps him to his feet.

Teaser

Water is dripping onto the floor, adding to an already sizeable puddle. The camera pans slowly, revealing wet, feminine hands, a soaked flight suit and - finally - the dripping face of Sharon "Boomer" Valerii, sitting trance-like in the locker room she frequently uses to meet with Chief Tyrol. Slowly, she becomes aware of her surroundings, clearly confused. She stands, wringing her hands - and notices a duffle bag on the floor. Opening it reveals a towel and a Colonial uniform bearing the name tag "Sharon Valerii", a name she barely recognises.

She starts to strip out of her wet clothes and reaches for the uniform in the bag - only to jump back as a block of plastique with an electronic detonator is revealed. Fighting to contain her rising confusion and panic, Boomer carefully lifts out the explosive and disarms it, removing the inactive detonator.

Cut to the hanger deck as Boomer - now in uniform and her hair brushed - leaves the locker, the duffle bag over her shoulder. She is intercepted by Cally with a salute, with Boomer returns with a curt, "Good evening." Confused, Cally informs her it is in fact morning - 05:45; news which does little to put Boomer at ease.

Leaving the hanger deck, she makes her way through the Galactica to a small arms store to which she has coded access. Here she checks a case of detonators and finds half of them missing. Panic threatens to overtake her, "Oh my God! Oh my God! Oh my God! Where are the rest of them?" she mutters, trying to contain her fear.

Cut to five shots of detonators identical to the one she found in the bag - but all of them active. The camera pulls back to reveal the Galactica, shepherding her wards through space.

Acts

Following the opening titles, Colonel Tigh is desperately trying to find the sash for his dress uniform as the intercom repeatedly informs him that Colonial One is due aboard in 30 minutes and the honour detail should "report" - a reminder Tigh doesn't take too kindly. Finding the sash, he also finds a bottle of booze. Using his fingers he works out he has five shots left in the bottle.

Elsewhere on the ship, Lee Adama is also dressing for the arrival of Colonial One, and suffering flashbacks to the Olympic Carrier incident. As he meets with his father, he admits he can't stop thinking about the incident. Adama responds that, under the circumstances, the Olympic Carrier is "ancient history" and should be left to the historians to judge. Lee counters by asking whether or not they have a responsibility - an obligation as leaders - to question their actions and ensure that all decisions are the right decisions. Adama informs him simply that they all did what had to be done, and that all that is required of a man is to take responsibility for his actions - right or wrong - and to accept and live with the consequences.

As Adama and his son talk, Colonial One arrives aboard Galactica, and Roslin prepares to face the formal reception she knows Adama will have arranged. "I won't have to go through this every time I have to step aboard that ship?" she asks Billy. "It's protocol," he responds, and Roslin confirms that, "The military do love their protocol," leaving Billy with the opinion that, were she to ask, he's sure Adama would be willing to drop the formalities - but she insists Adama should be allowed to sound the trumpets. Acknowledging the need to use politics, Roslin changes the subject of the conversation to that of her dress - and the fact that she now has only three formal outfits to last the rest of her life. Billy tries to reassure her that she looks "fine," prompting a girlish response that he really doesn't know women - thus revealing their developing friendship.

Once aboard the Galactica, Roslin addresses the crew in CIC, informing them that the entire fleet is effectively in their debt, and that she is proud to serve as their president. Following a round of polite applause, it is announced that a vessel - the Virgon Express - is coming alongside for water transfer operations.

As the Virgon Express arrives, Boomer takes Tyrol to his equipment bay, both of them talking tech, but fooling no-one; their relationship is pretty much a public secret among Tyrol's crew.

In CIC, Adama explains to Roslin that, as the Galactica's water recycling facilities are almost 100% efficient, she is able to trade recycled water with other vessels and take-on their used water for recycling and reuse.

In the equipment locker, Tyrol is trying to reassure Boomer, "Whatever it is...whatever it is, we'll take care of it, right?" he states, holding her hands. He asks her to tell him what's wrong. Boomer blurts out her problem: six detonators are missing from the small arms store on deck 15 - news that completely knocks all of the assurance out of Tyrol.

In CIC Tigh reports that they are ready to extend the water booms for the Virgon Express. Leaving Roslin, Adama joins Tigh, admitting that he feels like tour guide. Tigh responds that as an ex-teacher, Roslin is probably finding the whole thing educational, giving Adama pause for thought. Across CIC, ostensibly observing the docking / tanking operation with the Virgon Express, Roslin confides in Lee Adama that she thinks Adama probably considers her a complete idiot. Lee disagrees.

In the equipment bay, Tyrol insists Boomer must inform the Master-at-Arms, but she refuses, admitting that she is convinced that if she does, everyone will think she took the detonators - again stunning Tyrol into speechlessness.

Back in CIC, Billy attempts to strike up a conversation with Dualla, but his attempt misfires, leaving him admitting to himself that he really doesn't understand women. Across the room, Lee explains his father's actions to Roslin in terms of Adama making a gesture - trying to help Roslin "feel like the President" by according all the pomp and protocol he usually tries to avoid. The revelation clearly causes Roslin to start revaluating her opinion of Adama.

As tanking operations with the Virgon Express commence, Tyrol is trying to come up with a rational explanation for what has happened with Boomer, and latches on to the idea that someone is trying to set her up; that she must have been drugged or manipulated. His thinking doesn't reassure Boomer, who is convinced that if they report anything, people are going to be convinced she is a Cylon agent. Her outburst almost causes a further disagreement between them; one that is prevented by explosions echoing through the ship.

As decompression alarms sound, the crew in CIC react, and an exterior shot of the Galactica reveals she is venting massive amounts of liquid. In CIC, the worst is confirmed: her portside tanks have been ruptured and she is venting her water reserves.

Damage Control parties are scrambled, lead by Tyrol, supported by Boomer aboard her Raptor, providing additional light with her beacons for the team from outside the smashed tanks. Elsewhere, the command crew, together with Roslin and Doctor Baltar meet. Gaeta reports that the situation is bad: 60% of Galactica's water reserves have been lost. Adama orders emergency rationing on ship - but the problem is the 1/3 of the fleet - 16,000 people – is reliant on Galactica to recycle their water.

Roslin asks Gaeta what he thinks caused the destruction of the water tank. Gaeta hesitates, and then suggests that the tank walls were weakened by the nuke which struck Galactica during the original Cylon attack, and the walls of the tank collapsed. Roslin does not seem convinced. Adama cuts off further questioning of Gaeta by informing everyone that he has ordered a survey of nearby star systems for signs of potential water sources.

Back in the wrecked tanks, Cally comes across a piece of debris that appears to have been burnt in an explosion. She hands it to Tyrol. Realising what he is holding, he recognises that the explosions were due to charges being placed in the tanks.

In the command briefing, Tigh confirms that there are five planetary systems within the Galactica's jump radius which may have water-bearing planets. Adama orders an immediate recon of all five systems using Galactica's Raptors. Baltar then reports the findings of a supply study he's undertaken, which essentially shows the fleet now to be critically short of water.

While this is going on, we cut to CYLON-OCCUPIED CAPRICA. "Valerii" and Helo have returned to her Raptor (or quite possibly a reasonable facsimile thereof) only to find the Cylons have "found" it first. Helo is at a loss on what to do, but Valerii appears determined to get the Raptor and "get back to the ship".

Aboard the Galactica, Tyrol gives a Damage Control report to Adama and the command crew, confirming the fact that the portside tanks were sabotage and that a detonator is still missing. At the end of the report, Adama dismisses everyone except his most senior command crew, Roslin and Baltar from the briefing. It is apparent that a Cylon agent is on the Galactica. Roslin asks how many people actually know that the Cylons can replicate humans - rather than hearing the rumours. The number is surprisingly small. She and Adama agree it must stay that way, and she asks Baltar about his screening operation to check Galactica's entire crew for possible infiltrators.

Caught in a fantasy about "lying" to women, as Six apparently sits in his "Jacuzzi", Baltar is reluctantly drawn back to the real world by Adama pressing the question: what is happening with the screening of the Galactica's crew? Baltar starts stalling - almost gibbering as he struggles to give reasons why the screening is posing "significant problems". Adama cuts through the excuses by stating that what Baltar is really saying is that he needs help in order to make large-scale screenings possible. Baltar immediately agrees, only to realise his mistake and try to correct himself as Six voices his concern: having "someone snooping around, watching your every move?" She teases him that it might be a woman. Before Baltar can adequately voice his objections, Adama informs him he is assigning Lt. Gaeta to assist him.

Baltar tries to get around this by expressing the need for secrecy - but Roslin cuts him off, confirming the need for secrecy is paramount, and that as such, the security of the ship - their very survival, perhaps - hinges on Baltar. This prompts "Six" to tease him further, "Humanity's very survival rests in your hands. Now if only you had an actual Cylon detector..."

On the hanger deck, Lee Adama gives Boomer a final briefing on her mission to seek out water on the nearby planets. As he leaves, Tyrol speaks to her and informs her one-one is suspicious of her. In turn, she is defensive: absolutely convinced she had nothing to do with the sabotage, and tries to get Tyrol to agree. Aware that they are being watched, they end the intense conversation with a salute.

Back in Adam’s quarters, he and Roslin continue to explore their new-found respect for each other through a brief discussion on modern literature.

As this conversation unfolds, Baltar seeks to escape Gaeta's "assistance" by insisting he joins one of Starbuck's card games - a somewhat odd thing to do considering the fact Adama has ordered him to get to work on uncovering possible Cylon insurgents. Despite this, Gaeta doesn't object and both Baltar and Starbuck engage in the game, and a little electricity builds between them.

In Adama's quarters, Roslin reveals that water rationing is now leading to rioting aboard a cruise ship, and she requests Adama provide military personnel to provide policing efforts. Adama resists, stating there is a reason for separating the military and the police, "One fights the enemy of the state, the other serves and protects the people. When the military becomes both, then the enemies of the state tend to become the people." Roslin acknowledges the complexity of the issues and assures Adama she will not let that happen. In return, he agrees to send troops to the ship where the rioting has broken out.

Engaged on their survey of nearby star systems, Boomer and Crashdown commence a run across what appears to be a moon of a large gas giant. As Crashdown suggests they name the worldlet after someone he once knew, Boomer is distracted, her eyes falling to a package of explosive, complete with armed detonator fixed to the side of her flight seat.

At the card game, a cocky Baltar commiserates with the losing players, leaving just three people in the game - himself, Starbuck and an unnamed crewman. When he raises the stakes, Baltar finds himself challenged by Starbuck while the third player folds. A short byplay ensues between them, concerning humiliation, embarrassment and Starbuck's "rough play" before Baltar forces a call on the cards held - revealing that, despite his banter and denial, he has the better hand - stunning Starbuck as she realises she has been played. By way of a piece offering, Baltar hands her one of his last cigarillos, and for a moment, a strong chemistry is evident between them.

In CIC Dualla confirms that 4 out of the five Raptors currently patrolling the local star systems have all reported negative results in the hunt for water, leaving just Boomer and Crashdown. Tigh asks what will happen if they fail to find water, and Adama states the fleet will jump to another sector and start again.

Out in space, Boomer and Crashdown are still surveying moons. Crashdown’s scope reads negative; "Five moon-sized zeros," he comments. Up front, Boomer confirms she has nothing on her scope - despite the fact her screens are displaying "H2O Positive - Multiple Contacts" as a result of the current scans. Even as she looks at the scopes, it is evident she can't actually see what they are reporting, and she is confused - almost as if she "sees" a negative report being displayed, but somehow knows it is wrong.

Crashdown challenges her to say what's on her mind, she replies, "I don't know. I just get this...feeling..." She decides to run the last sweep again. As they do so, Crashdown confirms a negative return and asks Boomer if she is seeing the same - but she can't answer as she stares at her screens, which still display the "H2O Positive" message. She finally admits, "I'm having trouble saying it," causing Crashdown to look at her in concern as she continues to stare at her screens. As she does so, her hand drops to the explosive package at her side, fingers edging towards the detonator. "I think...I see..." she struggles to say what she wants to say and her fingers start tapping the detonator. Finally, she achieves a breakthrough, announcing she has a positive contact, and her hand moves away from the detonator as Crashdown moves to her and confirms her findings. He's so delighted he totally misses her near-collapse in response to her internal battle.

The find is reported to Galactica, causing a celebratory round of cheering and on the Raptor, Boomer deactivates the detonator, her eyes wide in fear.

Meanwhile, back on Caprica, at night, Valerii administers a further anti-radiation dose for herself while (a much better-looking) Helo prepares a meal. Helo wants to know why she came back, and she admits she just "couldn't leave him behind." Their conversation is interrupted by a sudden burst of an encrypted signal on their hand-held radio: it seems someone else is alive and transmitting encrypted messages on Caprica. There is a moment of unrestrained join between them, which ends in a near kiss - and immediate embarrassment on both sides. Helo breaks the silence by stating all they have to do now is find whoever was transmitting.

Back on Galactica, the whole flight crew is on hand to congratulate Boomer and Crashdown as they return. Amidst the celebrations, Boomer asks Tyrol to take a look at her flight seat. He goes to assign Cally, but Boomer insists he do it himself. Confused, Tyrol returns to the Raptor and examines the seat - revealing the primed explosive and the detonator, now switched off.

Tag

Some time later, Lee meets with Roslin aboard Colonial One, where she informs him she is aware that he is suffering over the firing on the Olympic Carrier. She admits she is having problems in having given the order. Lee tries his father's line that a man must accept responsibility for his actions. Then Roslin reveals a little history about former President Adar and a problem he faced on one of the colonies. A bridge built between them, she then requests that Lee takes the post as her military advisor - not to advisor her on military decisions, but to help her understand how the military mind works. And, "He can still keep his job at the C.A.G."

"It's pronounced 'CAG'," Lee informs her. Roslin nods and agrees that that is precisely the reason she needs help in understanding the military - and that Lee's first task should be to inform his father of his new role.

In the equipment locker, Tyrol informs Boomer that the explosive has been taken care of - he's given it to the Master-at-Arms. He overcomes Boomer's shock by telling her he told the Master that he found the explosive during routine maintenance, and that by doing things this way, it doesn’t put Boomer under any suspicion. He hugs her, telling her he’s not going to let anything happen to her, and they part, the camera remaining on Boomer as she marches down a corridor, her face an expressionless mask.

--Colonial Archivist 12:35, 6 Jan 2005 (EST)

Questions

• Is Boomer completely unaware of her "Cylon" personality, which apparently planted the explosives?
• If so, why did she "wake up" before her Cylon persona had completely covered its tracks (i.e. got out of the wet clothes, got her back to her bunk, etc., so she'd be completely unaware of her outing to the water tanks)?
• Is the radio message picked-up by Helo on Caprica genuine, for a Cylon fake, designed to keep him on the planet?
• 600-odd tonnes of food a week is a lot of consumables to have available. Where is it all coming from?
• Do the Colonials have food recycling capabilities to match their water recycling capabilities?
• Why do the Cylons want to keep Helo on Caprica

Analysis

“Water” builds nicely on the events of 33 while adding new drama of its own, revealing more about the central characters while at the same time avoiding the “reset” button: three days on from the Olympic Carrier incident, and the repercussions are still being felt by Lee Adama and Laura Roslin. At the same time Roslin seeks to find a balance in her relationship with Adama, who is also willing to try and move beyond the tension that marked their initial relationship during the fleet’s initial flight from the Cylons: the presentation of the book being something of a peace offering.

But the focus of this episode is obviously “Boomer” Valerii, and raises some interesting questions around her.

It has already been established that some Cylons may not even know they are Cylons until they are “activated” (as stated by Six in the mini-series). “Water” sees a new wrinkle added: that the Cylon “personality” within a humano-Cylon can be active without the apparent knowledge of the “human” personality. Boomers “waking up” scene and subsequent reactions demonstrate that her human persona has no idea of what is going on. Her confusion is genuine and complete, right down to the fact that she has lost track of time (wishing Cally a “good evening”, only for Cally to tell her it is early morning).

However, while this is interesting in itself, it actually masks an even more interesting question: why did Boomer “wake up” while still sopping wet and hiding in the equipment locker? If her Cylon personality wished to remain hidden, why did it not stay in control until she had dried herself off, stowed the duffel bag and the explosives and returned to her bunk? That she finds herself in such a state would tend to suggest that her Cylon personality is not in full control when conscious. Could it be that Valerii’s “programming” as a human is a little too strong, and that there is some kind of internal struggle going on inside her?

If this is the case, then might the same conflict overcome her “sister” on Caprica? If so, there is potential for whatever the Cylons have in mind for Helo to go awry.

The episode also reveals a little more about the Galactica’s capabilities: the fact that her water recycling systems are around 100% efficient - so much so that she can operate for years without needing to take on fresh water supplies, and she's more than able to recycle water on behalf of a third of the other vessels in the fleet - thus supplying an additional 16,000 people with fresh water. While this is interesting in itself, that the production crew tackle such a vital requirement as water so early on in the series is highly suggestive that they do not intend to forget that some 45,000 people are going to require a lot of food and drink. Given the fact that this episode highlights the food requirements – some 590 tonnes a week - would tend to indicate this is an issue that will be dealt with at some point in the future. It’s hard to imagine the fleet can supply this much food to its people indefinitely.

Overall, another outstanding episode - lead by a very strong "A" storyline involving Boomer and the water sabotage, but with more than enough scope to provide insight into the characters and their developing relationships without bogging down the action. Not even Tigh's tightrope walk with alcoholism is forgotten, thanks to his discovery of his five fingers of booze. And it is nice to see Galactica still continues to carry the scars for her first run-in with the Cylons back in the mini - the outer skin of the forward end of her portside flight pod is still something of a mess.

--Colonial Archivist 12:35, 6 Jan 2005 (EST)

Notes

• BSG stands for “Battle Star Group” – and the Galactica was a part of Group 75
• The Galactica has an outstanding capability to recycle water supplies
• Galactica has at least 5 Raptors on board
• The Cylons have stood down from their attacks of 33.

Statistics

Guest Stars

• Nicki Clyne as Cally

Writing & Direction

• Written by Ronald D. Moore
• Directed by Marita Grabiak

Production Notes

• Series: 1 (2004 / 2005)
• Production Number: 1.02
• Airdate Order: 2 (of 13)

First Run Air Dates & Releases

• UK Airdate: Date: 25 October 2005 (Sky One)
• US Airdate: Date: 21 January 2005 (Sci-Fi Channel)
• DVD Release: Date