Nina's Known Universe

Original US Airdate: January 14, 2005



***These articles are full of Spoilers from the entire series to date as aired in the USA...Continue At Your Own Risk--Moreover, the format assumes the reader has seen all of the episodes and specials aired through the first half of season 4, up to and including “Revelations”...

^Borrowed material is duly credited^



Re-Watch the Episode Here First



***



^Time Line^


^Day 10: Galactica’s water tanks damaged by sabotage (Water)



Galactica loses over 60% of her water reserves due to sabotage, forcing the fleet into a crisis and Commander Adama to seek a new supply.





***



Imperial Commentary


It has been known since the end of the miniseries that Boomer-Sharon is a humanoid Cylon. This episode delves into Sharon’s coming to realize or suspect that she may be a Cylon Agent, though she doesn’t really know yet what she is for sure.



No doubt waking from a trance in a store room is disconcerting enough. But add to that being soaking ass wet, no idea how you got there, and evidence that you planned to be there, despite not remembering, in the form of a duffel bag complete with towel, dry flight suit, and oh what’s this? A detonator.





Further investigation leads her to the weapons locker where she finds 6 empty slots. She returns the one from her bag then proceeds to the hanger bay where she takes the Chief aside and tells him what just happened. Greeting Cally with ‘Good Evening’ Vs. ‘Good Morning’ indicates that Boomer lost some time, most likely blacking out when her sleeper program kicked in.




When this episode first aired I argued that the Cylon program was similar enough to human brainwashing that we could not use that as evidence of the cylons not being alive or sentient.



We essentially program our children to behave according to our standards. Abused children become programmed to be submissive or aggressive depending on their psyche. People suffering from mental illness often lose control and do things that they don’t remember and more often than not, regret.



There has been more than one conspiracy theory about our own government and those in other countries, brainwashing soldiers to be mindless killing machines or sleeper assassins to be triggered at a specific time like a post hypnotic suggestion.




After the water tanks burst, Tyrol’s inspection report to Cmdr Adama reveals blast points indicating sabotage. The Master At Arms confirmed there were five detonators missing. Four were used in the water tanks, one was still missing. (The irony…)



Tyrol emphasizes that the Master At Arms stated that due to lax security and bad record keeping…that they may never know who actually took the detonators. We all know of course, but until we actually witness her do something, they are able to leave us a little room for doubt…that maybe she was being set up.



Later before departing Galactica in her Raptor to investigate a possible water source, Boomer and Tyrol discuss the riots that had been breaking out on the cruise ships from the water rationing and the importance of her mission. She then gets very adamant that he believes her that she would not ever do anything to harm the ship or her ship mates. He tries to reassure her that he does.




I realize it had only been 10 days at this point, but really how long does it take before the concept of ‘survival situation’ sinks in? What I don’t get is why they didn’t go on rationing procedure…as soon as they decided to run?



They may have had several years supply but it also takes them several years to find Earth. Moreover, It wasn’t exactly a lush oasis, at least not what we have seen so far. So let’s hope they haven’t been too wasteful, especially after the food shortage that occurred in the episode The Passage, since they may have to live in their ships a bit longer.




While Boomer and Crashdown are doing the H20 sweep of the system they were assigned, Boomer detects water but finds she is unable to tell her ECO. In addition, she has found the missing detonator strapped to her seat and packed with an explosive compound.



As she struggles with her conscious desire to share the great find, her Cylon sleeper program is working {one assumes} to prevent her from assisting the humans by destroying herself before telling the fleet where the water is. We know what her primary program was…get close to and kill the Old Man.



Perhaps there was also a sub routine, a safety net, or fail safe, set up to prevent the sleeper agents from inadvertently aiding the humans against the Cylons. A function clearly absent in the Final Five or perhaps flawed and easily bypassed as Boomer did more than once.



Boomer-Sharon returns to applause and cheers being hailed a hero for finding the water. She had disarmed the detonator and asked Tyrol to check her ejection seat, personally. Tyrol finds the detonator and covers for her telling the Master at Arms he found it during routine maintenance checks.



Boomer is a sleeper Cylon who we have good reason to believe blacks out when her sleeper half takes over. At the end of this episode as Sharon walks down the hall after Tyrol says he took care of it…she has this little half smile…almost as if her sleeper half had taken over for the moment and was gloating about the big dumb lug covering her ass so he could…keep covering her ass. ;)




We also learned in this episode a good deal about the food and water needs of the fleet in addition to how Galactica recycles as well as shares water with those ships in the fleet not equipped for long journeys.



According to Baltar, 45,265 people {the population at the time he ran his calculations} would require at the minimum for ongoing survival – 82 tons of grain - 85 tons of meat - 119 tons of fruit - 304 tons of vegetables and 2.5 million GPs of water – per week.



82 tons of grain per week divided by the total population is 3.62 lbs of grain per person per week or 8.28 oz per day. Grains include pasta, bread, anything flour based. 85 tons of meat = 3.75 lbs per person/wk or 8.5 oz per day. 119 tons of fruit = 12 oz per person per day. 304 tons of vegetables = 30.7 oz per person per day.



2.5 million GPs of water. They never say what a GP is. 2.5 million per week for the entire population = 55.23 GPs per person per week = 7.89 GPs per day per person. If GPs are similar to gallons, the amount seems high for a ration, perhaps that is typical unrestricted use. 1 gallon to drink the rest for showers, laundry, toilets, recreation, plants or pets.



The amount of vegetables is understandably higher as veggies lack the sugar content that fruit has to offer any real calories without quantity. Moreover, veggies and whole grains are the key sources of fiber…something you really need if you want your flight suit to stay comfy…so you need to eat a lot. Grains and meats have the highest calorie content. Fruit has the highest sugar.



Storage would also be an issue. Its not as if they have a “Wal-Mart” ship or a “Local Butcher” ship. It’s also highly unlikely they have the means for livestock considering the additional grain needed to feed that livestock.[1]



During the season 3 episode, The Passage, we learned that most of the fleets protein comes from processed algae, and it is also most likely fortified with many vitamins, minerals, fats, amino acids, sugar and fiber compounds, creating a balance of nutrition while taking up minimal space needed for bodies and non perishables. The Colonial equivalent to Military Rations or MREs.



No doubt the pleasure vessels had a certain amount of supplies typical for a space fairing hotel. Booze, clothes, finery, these things would have been prized on the Black Market as well, being the most reliable currency at the time.




While Cmdr Adama is busy explaining the way water is recycled and shared with other ships to President Roslin, the Virgon express is lining up to dock with Galactica. They will give Galactica their used water and then be refilled with fresh recycled water from the Galactica’s tanks.



A moment into the exercise several alarms go off as Gaeta announces a hull breach. The helmsman is ordered to back away from the Virgon express after all connection lines are severed. Every water tank on the Galactica’s port side was ruptured, venting more than half the Galactica’s water supply into space.



Tyrol takes a team of knuckle draggers in EVA suits for a walk in the empty tanks. 10 million GPs lost. Over 16,000 people, 1/3 of the fleet, depend on the Galactica for water. Emergency rations must be instituted on all affected ships. Fear of rioting is discussed and later comes to pass.



Gaeta’s initial theory was that the hull was weakened in the last nuclear attack by the cylons and the internal pressure caused the rupture but Tyrol’s team later revealed the explosive sabotage.



The team in CIC has scanned the nearby systems and discovered 5 within range that have the potential for water. If they don’t find a source of water soon, 1/3 of the fleet will be without water after a weeks time.




Adama clears the room and Roslin asks who all knows about the skin jobs looking human. Then they ask Baltar about screening the fleet for Cylon Agents.



He spaces out to play with head six and makes an interesting comment – “every woman is beautiful, and has certain feminine charms which are hers and hers alone.” Outwardly he is babbling with many large words about his reasons for not having a Cylon Detector yet. Adama interrupts Baltar and offers him space, resources and help in the form of Gaeta, much to Baltar’s chagrin.




Baltar cuts in on a card game with Kara and the gang to ditch Gaeta who is too giddy for the doctor. Gaeta rambles on about college noting that he studied bio engineering.



After winning several hands, the last drawing applause, Baltar offers Kara a hand rolled Fumarella cigarette – one of the last in the whole universe. Yes, he was flirting, and yes, she was impressed.




Roslin and Adama continue getting chummier by the day. It’s only been 10 days now since they first locked horns over running from the Cylons. Now she is in his quarters, where they discuss books and the fact that rioting broke out on some cruise ship as soon as the ration order came down.



Adama gives her a mystery story as a gift stating you should never lend a book. Their discussion then turns to the riots and Roslin requests that Adama handle it as he has the only armed and trained forces. Adama is right to be leery about making the military into a police force – stating that the military is supposed to fight the enemy, while the police are supposed to protect the people.



When the military become the police, the people become the enemy. Roslin assures him, that she will not let that happen…she then repeats it….with a tone similar to a warning. She was also correct, they had to maintain some kind of order, keep the peace. Moreover, for now the military is the only trained force.




Lee has a vivid flashback and seems to still be struggling with destroying the Olympic carrier. Cmdr Adama tries to instruct lee on keeping a military perspective.



It is still not clear to me why they all feel such regret, over the O.C. – other than a generalized guilt for having to take any life for any reason. I suppose it could be more likely regret that they had no choice or no time to find another way…rather than actually thinking they were wrong and the ship was not really a threat.



Near the end of this episode Lee discusses his feelings about the O.C. with President Roslin. Lee quoted his father by saying that you have to take responsibility for your decisions and not second guess them.



Roslin adds that while there are things that must be stated publicly, as leaders they must learn from their mistakes. She keeps a piece of paper in her pocket with the name Olympic carrier written across it as a way to remind her to not forget.



She then asks Lee to help her with the military – like how Adama didn’t really like all the fussy stuff and was just doing it as a gesture to her position. She went on to tell Lee that he could help her and still keep his job at the C…A…G…LMAO!




Down on Caprica – the Centurions are all over Sharon’s raptor – but of course this is a setup. Helo was teasing her about sending a pilot to do an ECOs job. She then instructs him to follow her lead as they travel toward the city. Later in the dark they are eating rations in the rain by a small fire. They share a moment while discussing moss and twigs. Seconds later they are both elated after hearing a colonial signal on the radio.



Up until after Athena-Sharon gets pregnant, she is working for the Cylons and all her moves thus far have been to save his life, endear herself to him and keep their adrenaline up, assuring the likelihood of his falling in love with her. People are always falling in love during survival situations. Aren’t they?



Of course the Cylons got lucky – or had inside information on Helo that he already had a crush on Sharon so all they did was fan the flames and give him the opportunity to act on his feelings.




Apparently Colonial one can land on Galactica. This didn’t occur very often. At first I thought it was for security – with the cylons still in hot pursuit, it may have been deemed too risky to transport the President by shuttle. It is also possible that the majority of persons on board colonial one wanted to be present for the “tour” making a landing the most efficient method.



Later in the series as less and less politics takes place on Galactica, Roslin typically travels by shuttle or raptor. Protocol for the arrival of the President of 12 colonies calls for full dress uniform, announcements, pomp and circumstance.



Neither Cmdr Adama nor President Roslin has any love for the frills, yet both perceive that the other does. Until Lee points out that the Cmdr was only making a gesture, to make her feel presidential, but honestly could do with out all the falderal. Laura was noticeably touched and softened her attitude toward Cmdr Adama a great deal.




Colonel Tigh is noticeably frustrated trying to find dress clothes for the Presidents arrival. We see him measure off the remains of a bottle of whiskey. This was before the still method was perfected by the Chief after they join up with the Pegasus in Season 2. It is still made clear from the start that he is an alcoholic and struggles with it everyday. This of course will effect his duties later on.




One last note, Billy really was bad with women. First observed by President Roslin when he told her she looked “nice” in 1 of her only 3 outfits, and then later by himself in the CIC.



The poor boy can’t even squeeze out a compliment without sounding like a big hayseed. “I shuurr does like yer hare miss Dee…its reeel puurrty and stuff…{blush}”.



Insecure and adorable…like candy to The Mistress…xoxox


Thanks for Reading!!

~99



***



^Additional^ notes copied from Battlestar Wiki regarding this episode - read the rest here.



# As promised at the show's outset, basic logistics and supply issues are a major concern on the series that the characters have to address.



[1] * Some viewers may think that 600-odd tons of food a week is a lot of consumables to have available and wonder where it all comes from. However, the Fleet comprises many ships, apparently including many supply ships with such supplies like the Gideon.



# The violent water ejection from Galactica is mostly accurate. Presuming that the water tanks on Galactica were under some pressure (Baltar's comment that a human could not withstand the pressures within the tank corroborates this), the water would leave the ship in the manner shown. Water in a vacuum and in the absolute cold of space will both freeze and boil. The resulting ice crystals will then quickly sublimate (attain a vapor state directly from a solid state). In the episode, the water appears to sublimate instantly (See source from NASA).



# Water is an excellent radiation shield, in particular for neutron radiation, possibly explaining why the water tanks are placed on the outside of the hull.




# Moore discusses putting Sharon Valerii's and Chief Tyrol's relationship in jeopardy:



* At the start of the season, I intended to reveal things very slowly – Sharon was going to realize something was wrong over a longer period of time, and her relationship with Tyrol was going to be very solid. But when I got into "Water" I decided to speed things up by putting Sharon and her relationship with Tyrol in a crisis immediately.



***




# In the next episode, Bastille Day, imprisoned terrorist Tom Zarek stages a prison break on the Astral Queen. Given the perfect opportunity when Lee Adama and several other members of Galactica's crew including Billy from Colonial One visit the prisoners to enlist their assistance as a labor force to do the ice mining from the moon they found with frozen potable water.



Thanks For Reading!!



~99



***