“The Son Also Rises” is episode eighteen of season three of the new Battlestar Galactica.
In the previous episode, “Maelstrom”, Starbuck died. Adama is looking through her file, which has quite a few disciplinary notices. On Colonial One, the president is drawing the names of ship captains from a bowl for Gaius Baltar’s tribunal; she pauses on getting the last. Anders is on the flight deck, standing on a Viper and drinking whilst flipping a coin. Apollo has Starbuck’s photo to put on the wall where she asked, but he tucks it into his pocket when Racetrack arrives. He returns to the flightdeck and joins Anders on the Viper. Anders ends up falling off and Apollo tells him no, Starbuck’s death isn’t a trick.
Two Vipers are on approach and in CIC Colonel Tigh says he never thought he’s miss Starbuck talking. Gaeta agrees. Adama joins them and Tigh calls the admiral ‘Your Honour.’ He’s one of five captains picked to serve on Baltar’s tribunal.
Racetrack is complaining about flying Gaius’s lawyer around as he comes up behind her. Another asks why Baltar gets a trial; everyone knows he’s guilty. Cally tells him that even Baltar is entitled to justice. The lawyer gets in to the back of the Raptor and Racetrack is up front when there’s an explosion in the back. The lawyer is now dead.
President Roslin gives a press conference on Colonial One, accompanied by Adama and Tigh. She’s confident they will replace Gaius Baltar’s defence attorney shortly. They will not allow terrorism to alter the framework of the legal system.
Apollo is briefing the pilots; he makes a mistake and Helo corrects him. Apollo says they’ll be running double shifts of CAP and Athena will be exclusively doing shuttle runs. Racetrack tells her not to forget to check under her seat. Apollo accidentally calls Racetrack Starbuck.
On Colonial One, Roslin and Adama are speaking to a man, Romo Lampkin (Mark Sheppard), asking him why he wants to represent Gaius Baltar. For fame and glory. Adama asks why Lampkin thinks he can handle it. Because he was born for this. And he has a pulse. A cat jumps on the desk; Lampkin says he was his wife’s. The cat doesn’t scratch and bite like she did. Lampkin despises the cat as much as Roslin does having to hire him.
Adama tells Apollo he is to handle Lampkin’s security detail. Yes, he’s being grounded. No, he isn’t fine. Because Adama isn’t. Helo will take over as CAG.
Apollo takes Lampkin to his quarters. Lampkin wants to see his client. Not in the cell, where half the ship listens. Or in an interrogation room. In Apollo’s quarters, before they’re wired for sound like here. Lampkin has a right to consult his client in private. Whoever cares the most wins. It says so in a book Lampkin has, written by Joseph Adama. Lampkin wants to see his client, Apollo doesn’t care, Lampkin wins. Lampkin says Apollo looks like his grandfather. Lampkin hated him. He taught him everything he knows.
Elsewhere, another bomb is being made.
Gaius is escorted to see Lampkin; Apollo is still there. Lampkin says Apollo has signed confidentiality papers. Gaius says the only think his lawyer dead, other than die, was smuggle out his papers. He asks for paper and is given a pad. Gaius asks Lampkin if he will get a fair trial. Doubtful, and Gaius has hardly been helping. But keep up with the writing; it keeps them all guessing. Gaius says Caprica Six can be used to destroy him. He wants Lampkin to see her and talk to her.
Afterwards, Lampkin wants Apollo to fly him to Colonial One. He needs papers and with Apollo with him he might get them. They end up heading to the flight deck, but there’s a bomb on the Raptor. Lampkin’s cat gets out as the door is closing and Chief Tyrol goes looking for it. And finds the bomb.
Adama isn’t happy and is probably concerned that Apollo nearly got blown up. Someone definitely doesn’t want Gaius to get legal representation. And Lampkin is an unusual person.