Precipice (Battlestar Galactica)

Infobox Television episode | Title = Precipice


Series = Battlestar Galactica
Caption = Guilty of crimes punishable by death
Season = 3
Episode = 2
Airdate = October 6, 2006
Production = 302
Writer = Ronald D. Moore
Guests =
Director = Sergio Mimica-Gezzan
Episode list = Episode chronology
Prev = Occupation
Next = Exodus, Part 1

"Precipice" is the second episode of the third season from the science fiction television series "Battlestar Galactica". It aired immediately following the first episode, "Occupation" on October 6, 2006.

Plot

In response to the suicide bombings, the Cylons order a crackdown against the human insurgency. Laura Roslin and Colonel Tigh argue of the legitimacy of the continued suicide bombings. Chief Tyrol is also uneasy about this tactic, but Tigh refuses to abandon it.

Back in Starbuck's apartment, Leoben Conoy reveals a startling secret to Kara. He arrives home with a little girl and introduces her as Kacey. He then tells Kara, Kacey is their daughter; born from one of her eggs removed from her while she was at the hospital on Caprica and fertilized by Leoben himself. Kara stares at the child in silent dismay as Leoben leaves the apartment. Kara is left alone with her child.

Elsewhere, the crackdown against the insurgency begins, with the hated NCP taking part in night arrests. Amongst those detained are Specialist Cally (now Chief Tyrol's wife and mother of his child, Nicholas Tyrol), Laura Roslin, and Colonial Vice President Tom Zarek. In a brief discussion with Roslin, Zarek tells her that he has been detained for approximately four months, since Galactica and the fleet made their retreat, for refusing to help Baltar collaborate with the Cylons. He also confronts Roslin about her involvement in election irregularities (seen in "Lay Down Your Burdens"), confirming his suspicions but admitting in hindsight that settling on New Caprica was a mistake.

Tyrol, absolutely beside himself with the capture of his wife, seeks aid from Felix Gaeta to try and find out about her. Tyrol thinks that Gaeta is a cylon-collaborator, and is unaware that Gaeta is actually the secret source that has been passing him information about the Cylons' movements.

Jammer is now distinctly uneasy about his own role in the NCP, telling Tyrol that some NCP members might be "in over their heads," but does not reveal his own NCP membership to Tyrol.

Cylon Brother Cavil coerces Ellen Tigh into aiding the Cylons by threatening that if she doesn't, this time Saul would lose more than an eye. Cavil demands that she find out where Tigh is holding the next Resistance meeting. The Resistance has been planning a military operation with the fleet and is in the process of deciding where they should rendezvous with the fleet's marines. After Anders, Tyrol, and Tigh memorize the details of the operation, Tigh reaches to burn all the documents they have concerning its planning, but Ellen offers to help him do the job. However, instead of burning the rendezvous map, Ellen slips it in her jacket.

Meanwhile, back in Starbuck's "apartment-cell", Starbuck remains alone with her child. She sits depressed on the stairs while the child plays alone and calls her "mommy". Dismayed, Starbuck leaves and escapes into the bathroom. Soon, she hears a peculiar thump. Entering the living room to investigate she finds Kacey lying motionless at the bottom of the staircase, a pool of blood seeping out of her head. Kara is distraught over the unresponsive child. Starbuck and Leoben are then in a hospital room with Kacey lying on a bed, her head wrapped in bandages. While Starbuck is speaking of her guilt, Kacey returns to consciousness and seems to be recovering. In relief, Kara holds Leoben's hand, who notices.

Back on "Galactica", Admiral Adama and Apollo are at odds with how to proceed. Adama wants to return to rescue those on New Caprica, but Apollo thinks they should concentrate on protecting the remaining fleet. Sharon Agathon reveals to Adama that Centurions are not fully sentient, and lack the ability to distinguish between individual members of any humanoid Cylon subtype. So, a Centurion will not be able to distinguish Sharon from any other "Number Eight". This is intentional in that the humanoid Cylons were concerned about the Centurions gaining self awareness and possibly revolting. Adama releases Sharon from her cell and commissions her as a Colonial officer. He then sends her back to New Caprica to be a liaison officer with the resistance, much to Colonel Tigh's disgust.

Meanwhile, Gaius Baltar is held at gunpoint and forced to order the execution of 200 of the insurgency's suspected leaders and collaborators. Caprica Six tries to intercede on Baltar's behalf, but is promptly shot in the head by Cylon Aaron Doral.

Sharon and Anders successfully meet each other at the designated location. Sharon hears Cylon Centurions approaching and makes the quick decision to run for cover. The Centurions ambush the group, killing some of the resistance members.

Simultaneously, a group of human detainees are being transported to unspecified location by the Cylons and the NCP. The convoy includes Roslin, Cally and Zarek. The convoy stops so that the prisoners can "stretch their legs". Jammer, still masked in his NCP uniform, leads Cally away from the rest of the prisoners, cuts her restraints, and tells her to run away as quickly as she can. As she runs for her life, a group of Centurions appears and begins to approach the prisoners. The NCP, mildly frightened by the appearance of the Centurions, move into action and begin escaping in their trucks. As the screen fades to black, the sound of gunfire is heard as Cally makes her escape.

Trivia

* The ending scene of prisoners being let out of trucks is inspired by a similar scene at the end of "The Great Escape". [ [http://www.scifi.com/battlestar/downloads/podcast/season03/ Podcast] by Ron Moore for 301-302, timemark 1:26:00]

Awards

This episode has been nominated for "Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series" for the 2007 Emmy Awards.cite web|title = Primetime Awards|url = http://www.emmys.tv/awards/2007pt/nominations.php?action=search_db|publisher = Academy of Television Arts and Sciences|accessdate = 2007-07-18]

Notes and references

External links

* at the Battlestar Wiki