“Bastille Day” is episode three of season one of the new Battlestar Galactica.
The fleet is in orbit around the water-bearing planetoid discovered in the previous episode, “Water”. Colonel Tigh gets up and fortifies himself with some alcohol before heading to a meeting with Chief Tyrol, Cally and some others. Tigh is very cheerful about discovering the water; Cally and Tyrol realise he’s been drinking. Cally took some samples; the water underneath the ice is salt. The ice, however, is pure. It will need melting before transportation though. The chief ideally needs a thousand men to do the job. Tigh asks where they are going to get them from.
Commander Adama, Apollo, President Roslin and Billy are talking about where. They have a thousand prisoners on the Astral Queen sentenced to hard labour and the commander says that’s what this is. Apollo says the ship they are on isn’t designed for long term incarceration and they’ve been stuck in cells for weeks. They might be happy to get out. Roslin will only take volunteers; Apollo suggests offering incentives, points towards release. The commander isn’t happy about convicts being let loose. Apollo says they were on their way to Caprica for parole hearings; that implies they might be ready for release.
The president tells Apollo to go ahead and wants Billy to ensure there are no hardened criminals accidentally released. Adama wants a representative from Galactica to report to him directly as a security liaison. Billy suggests Dualla. The commander also wants someone from the ground crew. Roslin is leaving when Billy reminds her about a doctor. She asks Adama if there’s a doctor on Galactica. It’s not urgent but she’d like to see him.
After the meeting, things are a bit frosty between the commander and his son. Adama has nothing to say to the personal representative of the president. Nor to Galactica‘s lead pilot. Apollo needs to decide which side he’s on. Apollo didn’t know they were picking sides. According to the commander, after Apollo leaves, that’s because Apollo hasn’t picked one.
On the Astral Queen, Apollo speaks to the prisoners, extolling the idea, asking anyone who wants to, to step out of their cell. Only one does. And he says the offer is declined. Billy recognises him as does Dualla.
They explain to the others that this is Tom Zarek (played by Richard Hatch, who played Apollo in the original Battlestar Galactica). Billy says he’s a freedom fighter and prisoner of conscience; his colony, Sagittaron, was taken advantage of buy the other 11 colonies. Dualla, who is also from Sagittaron, considers Zarek a terrorist. Cally tells them if they aren’t getting help here, they need to move on. Apollo decides to speak to Zarek.
Whilst Apollo is telling Zarek he read his book, even though it was banned, the guard leaves and other prisoners start tapping out a code. The guard knocks down another and frees the prisoners. They take the ship’s control room with the guard and Apollo tries fighting, but is heavily outnumbered.
Starbuck is giving a very unusual briefing to the other pilots as Tigh watches. He isn’t impressed with her briefing; she can smell alcohol on him. Tigh is looking for Boomer.
Gaius Baltar is being quizzed by Adama on his Cylon detector, as it’s taking longer than expected. Adama bluntly asks Gaius if he has a detector and he says no, he doesn’t think he’s the man for the job, he’s not cut out for this. Number 6 is yelling at Gaius as Adama tells him he’s unfortunately the last man they have for the job. Number 6 coaches Gaius in what to say. Which is to ask for a nuclear warhead. Gaius continues explaining why after Number 6 – who is only part of his brain (probably) – stops. Adama agrees to let him have one of the five left.
Zarek has a whole list of demands that he wants. Predominately for the current government to be deposed and a new one elected into place. Galactica is going to storm the Astral Queen first. Things could get very messy. Starbuck and Tigh actually end up agreeing on something at one point. Tigh confronts Boomer about her affair with Chief Tyrol and tells her to stop it. The whole ship knows, but whilst they were being decommissioned it didn’t matter. Everyone got away with things. Including Tigh, though he doesn’t state that.
On Caprica, Helo and Caprica Boomer are exploring an empty city. Helo says everyone is either dead or fled. They need to find a hospital and get some anti-radiation medication. Number 6 and Aaron Doral are watching Caprica Boomer’s performance from above.