Battlestar Galactica
1x08 -- Flesh and Bone
[Feel free to quote, link or repost as appropriate, and drop me a line if you spot any errors. - elz]
Roslin is dreaming; she's in a forest, in a white nightgown. We hear footsteps, see soldiers running through the forest around her. In the distance, a man - the Cylon, Leoben - waves his arms and whispers at her.
Leoben
Cylon... Cylon! Cylon!
She runs behind a tree, and he puts a hand over her mouth. The soldiers run past and he moves away. She's watching as he looks up at her and then is yanked away into the distance. She goes to look around the tree, and he's there again in front of her.
Leoben
Laura.
She wakes up with a gasp. A few moments later, she's in the bathroom looking at a bottle of pills when there's a knock on the door.
Roslin
Yes?
Billy
Madam President, are you okay in there?
Roslin
I'm fine, I'm just, it's the side effects from the Chamalla. You know that thing they say, "What's worse, the cancer or the cure?" What do you need?
Billy
Uh, you have an urgent call from the captain of the Geminon Traveler.
Roslin
Can I call him back?
Billy
He says he found a Cylon onboard.
-----
Roslin
They found him in the starboard storage compartment. Looks like he'd been camped there for days.
Adama
They're sure it's a Cylon?
Roslin
The captain identified him by one of the photos we sent out. He's another copy of the man you knew as Leoben Conroy.
Apollo
Where is it now?
Roslin
Aboard the Geminon Traveler locked in a storeroom, under guard. (She looks at a picture of Conroy and has a flashback to her dream.)
Adama
Isolate that ship.
Apollo
Order the C.A.P. To fly escort around the Geminon Traveler and not to approach any other ship in the fleet.
Dualla
Aye, sir. Kat, Galactica...
Adama
I'll send a team over to destroy it immediately.
Roslin
I want this man interrogated first.
Adama
First of all, it's not a him, it's an it. Second, anything it says cannot be trusted. Best thing to do is to destroy it immediately.
Roslin
I'd like to hear what this thing has to say, it might be important.
Adama
Madam President, I've dealt with this model before. It'll fill your head with double-talk and half-baked philosophy and confuse you.
Roslin
Then send someone who won't be easily confused, that's an order, Commander. I want him interrogated.
Adama
Order understood.
-----
Down in the flight deck, Starbuck is working on the Cylon Raider.
Starbuck
You really think it'll give me something?
Adama
No... President disagrees.
Starbuck
Well, you need me to go, I'll shower up and go.
Adama
How's this coming?
Starbuck
We, uh, got the entire avionics package figured out - fire control, navigation, and I think that I am zeroing in on her F.T.L. Drive.
Adama
I did this in a hurry about three weeks ago. It's an after-action report on Leoben. It's a very clever machine. Manipulative, cunning. The only problem with Leoben isn't that he lies, that'd be too easy. It's that he mixes lies with truth. Just remember, he's gonna try to get into your head.
Starbuck
Aw, mom always said there was nothing in there anyway.
Adama
Just be careful. He has an agenda. It's a goal you won't understand until later. Your job is to make sure he doesn't achieve the goal.
Starbuck
Yes, sir.
She looks at the picture of Leoben; the camera zooms in on his eyes.
-----
Credits
-----
Boomer walks around the Raider, trailing her hands along it and humming.
Tyrol
Lieutenant. What's up?
Boomer
Nothing. Just wanted to see if what I told you the other day helped at all.
Tyrol
Yeah, actually, it did. You do treat this thing more like an animal than a machine and it actually works. Where'd you come up with that, anyway? Just pop into your head?
Boomer
I'm a Cylon.
Tyrol
You know, that's not even funny.
Boomer
If I could prove that I wasn't, would that make a difference? You know, between us?
He doesn't react; she walks away.
-----
Pilot
Geminon Traveler/raptor seven-one-niner, inbound. Lt. Thrace aboard, permission to dock.
Man
Roger, seven-one-niner, permission granted.
Captain
Really does look like a person.
Starbuck
Yeah.
Captain
Must be all full of wires inside.
Starbuck
Nah, you cut 'em open there's blood, guts, the whole thing. It's sweating.
Captain
Well, I'll be. Look at that. Gods, they go through a lot of trouble to imitate people. Why do you think they do that?
Starbuck
I don't care why. But the fact that these things sweat... now, that's interesting.
She knocks on the door, and the guard lets her in.
Starbuck
Sleeping?
Leoben
Praying.
Starbuck
I don't think the gods answer the prayers of toasters.
Leoben
God answers everyone's prayers.
Starbuck
How many Cylons are there in the fleet?
Leoben
We haven't been properly introduced. (He tries to hold his hands out, but they're chained.) I'm Leoben.
Starbuck
How many Cylons are there in the fleet?
Leoben
I have no idea. What's your name?
Starbuck
How long have you been hiding aboard this ship?
Leoben
Am I not allowed to know your name?
Starbuck
Why were you hiding aboard this ship?
Leoben
I had a mission to perform. Listen, it's a small thing can you just tell me who you are?
Starbuck
Tell me about your mission and I'll think about it.
Leoben
My mission was to conduct sabotage.
Starbuck
What kind of sabotage?
Leoben
God, you stink. Can we get some air in here? Between you and the humidity...
Starbuck
I am not here to play games with you. You said you wanted to cooperate. Either start talking or we are done.
Leoben
Okay. But... I really wanna know your name.
Starbuck
(Getting up to leave)
Open.
Leoben
Are you Lt. Starbuck? (She freezes. He laughs.) Yes, you are. I knew it... I was right, I was right. I saw it, I've seen it...
Starbuck
Happy now?
Leoben
It all makes sense now, doesn't it? Now we can talk, now we can talk about a lot of things.
Starbuck
(She comes back, sits down)
Like what?
Leoben
I planted a nuclear warhead aboard one of your ships. It's set to go off at 18:30 hours.
Starbuck
Where?
Leoben
Not ready to give that up yet.
Starbuck
You're lying, there's no warhead.
Leoben
You can't take the chance, Starbuck. Your military training dictates you take it to your masters and let them decide.
Starbuck
Maybe my training wasn't so good. Maybe I push you out the airlock and tell 'em you never said a word.
Leoben
(As she walks out the door)
Now who's lying? These things happen for a reason, don't they? I'm looking forward to spending a little bit more time with you, Starbuck we have a lot to talk about! It's gonna be fun.
-----
Adama, Roslin and Starbuck are talking on the phone.
Adama
Put the R.A.D. Team on alert immediately - Dee! - And sweep Galactica for any kind of radiological devices.
Tigh
Right.
Adama
Contact all the captains in the fleet. Tell them to do radiological sweeps of their ships but emphasize this is just a precaution. I don't wanna alarm anyone until we know for sure.
Dualla
Yes, sir.
Roslin
Well, we'll know for sure in 8 hours and 40 minutes. Lt. Thrace, did he say anything else?
Starbuck
No. Well, he uh-- he guessed my callsign. Seemed really happy when he found out who I was.
Adama
He's playing with your mind. He's been stowed away for weeks aboard the fleet. 50 ways he could have heard the word "Starbuck" on a wireless set.
Starbuck
That's what I figured, sir.
Roslin
Any idea what he wants, Lieutenant?
Starbuck
Not yet. Says he's looking forward to spending time with me, though.
Adama
Don't take any chances, Starbuck.
Starbuck
Yes, sir.
-----
Leoben
You believe in the gods, don't you? Lords of Kobol and all that?
Starbuck
Why should I tell you?
Leoben
Come on, it's not a trick question, I just wanna see how much I got right. So you pray to Artemis and Aphrodite?
Starbuck
Where's the warhead?
Leoben
I was right. See, our faiths are similar but I look to one God, not to many.
Starbuck
I don't give a damn what you believe.
Leoben
To know the face of God is to know madness. I see the universe. I see the patterns. I see the foreshadowing that precedes every moment of every day. It's all there, I see it and you don't. And I have a surprise for you. I have something to tell you about the future.
Starbuck
Is that so?
Leoben
It is. But we have to see this through to the end. (The door opens. A guard brings Starbuck a tray of food, and she takes her jacket off and starts to eat.) What is the most basic article of faith? This is not all that we are. See, the difference between you and me is, I know what that means and you don't. I know that I'm more than this body, more than this consciousness. A part of me swims in the stream, but in truth, I'm standing on the shore; the current never takes me downstream.
Starbuck
This is worse than Galactica and I didn't think that was possible. What was that, "swimmin' in streams" or something?
Leoben
You mind?
Starbuck
Mm.
Leoben
(She passes him the tray of food, he eats rapidly)
Thank you. Starving, haven't eaten in days.
Starbuck
Kinda bad programming, isn't it? I mean, why bother with hunger?
Leoben
Part of being human.
Starbuck
You're not human. How's your lunch?
Leoben
You know how it is. When you're starving, anything tastes good.
She nods at the guard, who hits him in the head.
Leoben
Oh!
Starbuck
Did that hurt?
Leoben
Yeah, it hurt.
Starbuck
Machines shouldn't feel pain. Shouldn't bleed, shouldn't sweat.
Leoben
Sweat, that's funny, that's good.
Starbuck
See, now, a smart Cylon would turn off the ol' pain software about now. But I don't think you're so smart.
Leoben
Maybe I'll turn it off and you won't even know.
Starbuck
Hmm. (The guard hits him again.) Here's your dilemma, turn off the pain, you feel better but that makes you a machine, not a person. You see, human beings can't turn off their pain. Human beings have to suffer and cry and scream and endure because they have no choice. So the only way you can avoid the pain you are about to receive is by telling me exactly what I wanna know. Just like a human would.
Leoben
I knew this about you. You're everything I thought you would be. But it won't work, I won't tell you anything.
Starbuck
Maybe not. But then you'll know, deep down, that I beat you. That a human being beat you. And that you are truly no greater than we are. You're just a bunch of machines, after all.
Leoben
Let the games begin.
-----
Six
Hi. (Baltar's in his lab, and she's rubbing his shoulders. The door opens.) Ah, look what the cat dragged in.
Baltar
Lt. Valerii... it's an unexpected visit. You look wonderful.
Boomer
I need your help.
Baltar
Anything I can do. Anything at all.
Six
Wonder why they call her "Boomer"?
Boomer
I heard you're working on a test to tell the difference between Cylons and humans?
Six
Bingo.
Baltar
I can't really talk about that, at the moment. You wouldn't help settle a bet for me, would you? Now, why do they call you "boomer"?
Boomer
If you're working on a Cylon detector, do you think I could be in the first batch? You know, to be tested?
Six
What's her rush?
Baltar
What's your rush? I'm not sure it'd be appropriate to show favoritism if, indeed, I'm working on anything at all.
Boomer
I saved your life back on Caprica. My co-pilot gave up a seat for you. And I brought you back to Galactica, to safety. You wouldn't even be here if it wasn't for me. You owe me.
Six
(Clapping) She shoots, she scores.
Baltar
I suppose there's some small truth to that.
Boomer
So can you test me or not?
Six
I think you should do it. Results will be quite intriguing.
Baltar
The technology for Cylon detection is not quite ready for full-scale implementation. But I could use a beta test subject.
-----
And meanwhile, on Caprica...
Caption: Karl C. Agathon, Call Sign: Helo, 25th Day on Caprica.
He's sleeping; Boomer's stroking his neck. In another part of the forest, Six and Doral are waiting at a swingset.
Six
Sharon's late.
Doral
Half an hour. I notice you're calling her "Sharon" now.
Six
Yeah, well, I choose to think of her as one of them.
Doral
Because you dislike her?
Six
Because in the scheme of things, we are as we do. She acts like one of 'em, thinks like them... she is one of them.
Doral
But she's one of us. It would be best to remember that.
Boomer finally shows up.
Boomer
We had sex.
Doral
Congratulations.
Six
Does he love you?
Boomer
I think so.
Six
Has he said it?
Boomer
Not directly.
Six
Then you're just guessing.
Doral
Stay in your current location. We're setting up a cabin for you nearby, food, water, electricity, all the comforts.
Six
Shouldn't be too hard to convince him to stay and start a life together. If not, kill him. Can you handle that?
Boomer runs back through the forest to Helo, flashing back on everything that's happened to the two of them on Caprica.
[We've made it this far, we're gonna make it all the way. / If something happened to you, I wouldn't know how to deal with it. / Caprica... yes! / If he flees, he dies. / Does he love you?]
Boomer
Helo... Helo !
Helo
Hey, hey, what's going on?
Boomer
We gotta go, now. I saw the Cylons, they're headed this way. We gotta travel fast, even faster than before.
Helo
Why? What's different?
Boomer
Everything. Just trust me.
Helo
I do.
-----
Starbuck
Now, if you were human, you'd be just about ready to start offering up some false information about the location of the nuke. Some tiny thing that might get you a reward and maybe spare you a few minutes of this. But then I keep forgetting, you're not human. You're a machine.
Leoben
I am more than you could ever imagine. I am God.
Starbuck
(Stifles laugh)
I'm sorry, you're god? Wow... nice to meet ya. That's good, that's good. We'll give you a couple of minutes for that.
Leoben
It's funny, isn't it? We're all God, Starbuck, all of us. I see the love that binds all living things together.
Starbuck
Love? You don't even know what the word means.
Leoben
I know that God loved you more than all other living creatures and you repaid his divine love with sin, with hate, corruption, evil. So then he decided to create the Cylons.
Starbuck
The gods had nothing to do with it. We created you... us. It was a stupid, fraked-up decision and we have paid for it. You slaughtered my entire civilization! That is sin! That is evil, and you are evil.
Leoben
Am I? (He touches a cut on his face, rubs the blood on the table.) I see the truths that float past you in the stream.
Starbuck
You got a real thing about rivers and streams, don't you? I think we should indulge you in your obsession. (She nods at the guards, who leave the room.)
Leoben
Do you realize I could kill you before they came back in the room? I could get to my feet, rip your skull from your spinal column, crash through that door, kill the guard in less time than it's taking me to describe it to you?
Starbuck
Then why don't you?
Leoben
It's not the time. (She rolls her eyes and smiles. He breaks his chains, tosses over the table and pins her to the wall with a hand at her throat.) I have a surprise for you. (Guards come through from the other direction and pull him off.)
Starbuck
You fraked up, pal. Now the gloves come off.
-----
Adama is down in the morgue, or what passes for the morgue. He pulls out the body of the first Leoben model and uncovers his face. Then he picks up the phone and calls the CIC.
Tigh
Combat, Col. Tigh.
Adama
How's the search going for the nuke?
Tigh
Nothing so far.
Adama
How much time remaining?
Tigh
Two hours, nine minutes.
Adama
Spread out the fleet. No ship more than 500 clicks from any other ship. If there's a nuke, let's limit the damage.
Tigh
Aye, sir.
Adama looks at Leoben, his fingers tightening on the phone.
Adama
(To the body.)
No.
-----
In the interrogation room, the guards carry in a large bucket of water.
Starbuck
Do it. (They plunge Leoben's head into the water. He gurgles and thrashes.) Leave him.
Guard
(As Leoben stops moving.)
Sir?
Starbuck
(Signalling them to let him up.)
Tell me where the warhead is. Otherwise you're gonna drown in that bucket.
Leoben
I can't drown, I can't die.
Starbuck
Right, Commander Adama mentioned that how, if your body dies, your consciousness is downloaded or transferred into another body or something like that?
Leoben
No, exactly like that.
Starbuck
But, you see, I've been thinking. Why is a Cylon willing to talk at all? Why does he care if we destroy his body? Won't he just transfer away and laugh at all of us and our stupid human ideas? (Back into the bucket.) Tell me where the warhead is.
Leoben
(Coughing.)
This is not your path, Starbuck. You have a different destiny.
Starbuck
Don't interrupt me. You see, I'm gonna dazzle you with my poor human brain. You see, I think that you're afraid. You're afraid that we're a long way from home. What if you don't transfer all the way back? What if, when you die here, you really die? It's your chance to find out if you're really god or just a bunch of circuits with a bad haircut.
Leoben
I'm not afraid of dying.
Starbuck
Somebody's programmed you with a fairy tale of god and streams and life ever after but, somewhere in that hard drive that you call a brain is a beeping message: "Error, error, does not compute. I don't have a soul, I have software. If I die, I'm gone." (They dunk him again.)
Leoben
I have a soul. I see patterns. I know you, you're damaged. You were born to a woman who believes that suffering was good for the soul, so you suffered. Life is a testament to pain, injuries, accidents. Some inflicted upon others, some inflicted upon yourself. Surrounds you like a bubble but it's not... real it's just-- that's just something she put into your head. It's something that you wanna believe 'cause it means that you're the problem, not the world that you live in. You wanna believe it because... it means that you're bad luck. Like a cancer that needs to be removed. Because you hear her voice every day and you want her to be right.
Starbuck
Start again.
-----
Baltar
Now, we just pop this in the slot and wait for the result. Green, you're a normal human being. Red, you're an evil Cylon. Should take a couple of minutes. So, uh, tell me, are you from Aerilon? Slight trace of an accent there...
Boomer
What? Uh, no-- Troy.
Baltar
Troy. Troy-- tell me, why is that familiar?
Boomer
Mining settlement? The accident.
Baltar
The explosion, right. That was tragic. Your family...
Boomer
Died with the rest.
Baltar
I'm very sorry.
Six
It's a lie. Congratulations, Doctor, you've just uncovered your very first Cylon. (The screen is flashing red.) Now here's an interesting moment in the life of Gaius Baltar. What will he do?
Boomer
Is everything okay?
Baltar
Yeah, yeah... I'm just interpolating the results.
Six
Question is, what will she do if you expose her? Thank you, or kill you?
Boomer
I thought it was just green or red.
Baltar
Well, it's a little more complicated than that, actually.
Six
She probably doesn't know. Probably thinks she's just another little girl from Troy whose entire background vanished in a mysterious accident. Should be interesting to see how she responds when you tell her the truth. I'm guessing her Cylon side will take over and break your neck before you can give away her secret. Let's find out.
Baltar
Congratulations, it's green! It's very bright green. You're not Cylon!
Boomer
Really?
Baltar
100% human and-- and very, very bright green, as well.
Boomer
For a second I was... worried what you were gonna say.
Baltar
Were you?
Boomer
Yeah.
Baltar
Well-- well, there's nothing to be worried about anymore. Yeah, you couldn't be more human if you tried.
Boomer
Well, thanks.
Baltar
Any time.
-----
Roslin is dreaming again. She sees herself brushing her hair in a mirror, and Leoben appears next to her.
Leoben
I have something to tell you.
She wakes up with a gasp.
Roslin
How long before this supposed bomb goes off?
Billy
Less than an hour.
Roslin
I want you to get me a shuttle, I'm going to the Geminon Traveler, I want to see the Cylon myself.
Billy
Madam President, you need to recon--
Roslin
Don't even start. I don't wanna discuss this, I've made my decision.
Billy
Not until I get you a security detail.
-----
They're holding Leoben underwater again.
Starbuck
Enough! For frak's sake, let him breathe. (Leoben coughs as they sit him up in a chair.) You're sick. You're not a person, you're a machine that's enjoying its own pain.
Leoben
All this has happened before, and all of it will happen again.
Starbuck
Don't quote scripture. You don't have the right to use those words.
Leoben
You kneel before idols and ask for guidance and you can't see that your destiny's already been written. Each of us plays a role, each time a different role. Maybe the last time, I was the interrogator and you were the prisoner. The players change, the story remains the same. And this time... this time, your role is to deliver my soul unto God. Do it for me. It's your destiny, and mine. And I told you I had a surprise for you. Are you ready? You're gonna find Kobol, birthplace of us all. Kobol will lead you to Earth. This is my gift to you, Kara.
The door opens; Roslin walks in.
Roslin
What the hell is going on here?
-----
Roslin
What exactly is it that you are doing here?
Starbuck
It's a machine, sir. There's no limit to the tactics I can use.
Roslin
And where's the warhead?
Starbuck
I don't know.
Roslin
You don't know. You've spent the last eight hours torturing this man... this machine, whatever it is. And you don't have a single piece of information to show for it.
Starbuck
He thinks he can see the future. Says he knows our destiny, our fate. He says we're gonna find Kobol and that it's gonna lead us to Earth.
Roslin
Clean him up, there's not much time.
Starbuck
Yes, sir.
-----
Roslin
Do you know who I am?
Leoben
Yes.
Roslin
I apologize for what you've been through. Take his restraints off. Do it.
Leoben
Thank you.
Roslin
I can do more. I can guarantee your safety, I can order your release. We are running out of time, we have only four minutes left until your bomb goes off. I've come here to tell you that this conflict between our peoples does not have to continue. It can stop right here with us. We have to trust each other. Trust me. I think you know you can. Tell me what I need to know and you will live.
Leoben
The warhead doesn't exist. I made it up. The lieutenant was right, I was too far out. I didn't wanna die, so when I got caught I made up a story to buy some time.
Roslin
I see. Thank you for the truth.
Leoben
Thank you, Madam President. Don't be too hard on Kara, she was just doing her job, the military... they teach you to dehumanize people.
Roslin
I'll take that into consideration. (He lunges at her.) No! Stand down!
Leoben
Laura, I have something to tell you. Adama is a Cylon. (He lets go and moves away. Roslin reels back, disoriented.)
Starbuck
Are you all right?
Roslin
I'm fine. The bomb?
Starbuck
Nothing.
Roslin
Put him out the airlock.
Starbuck
What? You can't do that, not after he told you the truth.
Roslin
Yes, I can. And I will. Lieutenant, look at me. You've lost perspective. During the time I've allowed him to remain alive and captive on this ship, he has caused our entire fleet to spread out, defenseless. He puts insidious ideas in our minds, more lethal than any warhead. He creates fear. But you're right, he is a machine and you don't keep a deadly machine around when it kills your people and threatens your future, you get rid of it. (Leoben holds his hand up against the glass.)
Starbuck
He's not afraid to die. He's just afraid that his soul won't make it to god. (She puts her hand against the glass, alongside his. The alarms blare and the outer doors open. Leoben looks at Roslin and then gets pulled out into space. It's the same scene she saw in her dream.)
-----
Starbuck is cleaning up at her locker. When she's alone, she takes out two statuettes wrapped in fabric.
Starbuck
Lords of Kobol, hear my prayer. I don't know if he had a soul or not but, if he did, take care of it.
-----
Roslin and Adama are sitting together, having a drink (of water).
Adama
Hell of a risk you took today.
Roslin
Something I had to do.
Adama
Care to tell me why?
Roslin
President Adar once said that the interesting thing about being a president is that you don't have to explain yourself to anyone.
He smiles at her; she looks pensive.
Adama
Something wrong?
Roslin
No... nothing at all.
-- end of episode --