“Home: Part 1” is episode six of season two of the new Battlestar Galactica.
In the previous episode, “The Farm”, almost a third of the fleet jumped out with President Roslin, far more than Commander Adama expected. Dualla and Tigh are briefing him on what’s gone; he doesn’t care about the people, only the ships.
On the Astral Queen in Kobol orbit some are asking how Apollo can be trusted, as he’s Adama’s son. Roslin tells them that if it wasn’t for Apollo, she’d still be in a cell. They move on to Galactica and how to defend themselves if it arrives. Apollo tells them it’s suicide; if Galactica wants to take them down, they can’t stop it. Roslin stays that when Starbuck returns with the Arrow of Apollo, they will be able to find Earth. Apollo warns them there are likely still Cylons on Kobol and Elosha says the scriptures say some will die down there.
Meier enters and tells Zarek something. Zarek leaves and, when Apollo and Roslin find him, he and Meier are looking at an unknown target too large to be the Cylon Raider Starbuck left in. Meier wants to shoot it down. A decision hasn’t been made when finally Starbuck hails them.
Apollo kisses Starbuck when she boards; a rather unusual way of greeting one of your officers. Starbuck starts saying that there’s something she needs to tell him when Caprica Boomer enters. Things degenerate; Apollo pulls a gun on Boomer, Helo pulls one on Apollo and more point guns at Helo.
Roslin tells them to lower their weapons. Helo asks Apollo if they should do what the nice lady says. Apollo tells him Roslin is the president and yes, they’re going to obey her. Once guns are lowered, though, Roslin orders Boomer be put out the airlock. Apollo explains that the other Boomer shot his father – Starbuck missed a few catastrophes. Boomer says she knows how to find the Tomb of Athena as Starbuck reve3als she has the arrow. Roslin decides to spare Boomer so she can talk to her.
Tigh and Adama are looking at potential replacements for the CAG. Tigh says none of them are Apollo. Lt Birch arrives; Adama has already chosen a new CAG. Tigh, afterwards, doesn’t seem impressed with the choice, though he will back it.
Adama holds a press conference, reading a prepared statement, then opening for questions. It doesn’t go that well and Adama is threatening to put reporters in holding cells when Tigh leads him away. Adama asks Tigh to remind him not to do that again; Tigh replies that it looked easy when Roslin did it. Gaius is musing to Number Six as they pass; Boomer told him that there were eight Cylons still in the fleet and now he’s regretting not asking for names, as he sees them everywhere.
Roslin is speaking to Caprica Boomer, who says she loves Helo and carries his child. Roslin isn’t taking such claims seriously. Boomer replies that she’s there because she chose to be. Even if the tomb is found, and a map to Earth, the price will be too high. Roslin is sure Boomer is in contact with the Cylons on the surface. Boomer tells her it doesn’t work that way. She can show them the path to the tomb, but she doesn’t know how long it is or where it will lead. But they need to move quickly.
Roslin tells the others that she told Boomer that Helo would be put out of the airlock as a Cylon conspirator if Boomer didn’t help them get the map. It doesn’t matter if it’s true; Boomer believed it. And Roslin says that Boomer didn’t have to save Starbuck and Helo; the president thinks Boomer is telling the truth about one thing. That she thinks she’s in love with Helo and it’s real to her. Roslin will use that.
Tigh’s concerns about Birch prove to be well-founded; he is not up to the task of CAG. On the Astral Queen, Zarek doesn’t believe in the religious stuff any more than Adama does, but he sees it as being useful to his own goals.
The story continues in “Home: Part 2”.