“The Oath” is episode thirteen of season four of the new Battlestar Galactica.
Colonel Tigh arrives at the admiral’s quarters and reports that more civilian ships are refusing to let Cylons onboard. Adama wants Apollo called and told to get the Quorum in line or they can share Zarek’s cell. Tigh is distracted when President Roslin comes out and then continues. Given the mood towards the Cylons, the admiral might not want him taking point.
In the previous episode, “A Disquiet Follows My Soul”, Gaeta had gone to see Zarek in his cell. Now he’s back and Zarek is released. Some of Gaeta’s supporters are heading to the small arms locker. Gaeta and Zarek discuss the Quorum; Zarek says isolate them for a few hours and they’ll come around. Then there’s Apollo. Gaeta suggests Zarek push Apollo’s buttons, given he’s good at that.
The president tells Adama that Tigh is right; the fleet was never comfortable with a blanket Cylon amnesty. She agrees that Apollo can handle himself, as can the admiral. But she’s not getting dragged back in. Then nearly gets involved anyway, giving advice as Adama leaves.
Gaeta arrives on the hanger deck and gives the nod to Racetrack, who claims there’s a fuel leak and the deck needs evacuating. After everyone leaves, Zarek is brought to be smuggled off on a Raptor but Laird wants this confirming. Zarek ends up killing him as Jeanne watches.
Tigh fills in Adama as he arrives in CIC. Gaeta arrives afterwards, and another notices Zarek’s Raptor leave., Gaeta ends up claiming it’s a DRADIS ghost.
Apollo is telling the Quorum that the Cylon FTL drives are essential when Zarek arrives and takes over.
Anders is playing pyramid and Seelix is watching. She wonders why he never came on to her. Maybe it’s a Cylon thing, his programming. And Anders is grabbed from behind, black bagged and beaten.
In CIC, a fire is reported near the antenna. Gaeta says if they lose the wireless, they will lose comms across the entire fleet. It might not be an accident. A marine fireteam is ordered to accompany the fire control party and C Deck is ordered to be evacuated. Starbuck is in the pilot’s ready room when the evacuation order is announced. She tries talking to Narcho, who reacts badly, saying that no-one even knows what she is anymore. Starbuck sees civilians heading somewhere and follows, seeing them being armed. She returns to the ready room and grabs her own weapons then contacts CIC. Which is Gaeta. He hangs up on her.
Apollo calls CIC to speak to his father about Zarek, but Gaeta again answers. Zarek finds Apollo after the call, and pushes his buttons, suggesting that the admiral is getting rid of democracy again. Apollo ends up leaving for Galactica.
In CIC, Gaeta claims that all comms are down. Apollo arrives on the hanger deck in a Raptor and is ambushed when he leaves. A marine is holding a gun to his head and looks to be about to shoot when Starbuck shoots and kills the marine instead. Then shoots Skulls, though not fatally. She also offers to shoot Racetrack and Connor if they aren’t allowed to leave. They are.
Gaeta’s position in CIC means he can mislead everyone as to what’s going on until it’s too late and his forces seize much of Galactica, including CIC. Gun battles are going on all over the ship, between people who used to be friends, and things are getting very messy. The story continues in the next episode, “Blood on the Scales”.