Litmus (Battlestar Galactica)

Infobox Television episode
Title = Litmus


Caption = Adama terminates the inquiry
Series = Battlestar Galactica
Season = 1
Episode = 6
Airdate = UK: November 22, 2004
US: February 11, 2005
Production = 106
Writer = Jeff Vlaming
Director = Rod Hardy
Guests =
Episode list = Episode chronology
Prev = You Can't Go Home Again
Next = Six Degrees of Separation

"Litmus" is an episode of the reimagined "Battlestar Galactica" television series.

Plot

Survivor Count: 47,958

Aboard "Galactica", Commander Adama and Col. Tigh narrowly avoid being killed in a suicide bombing by a Cylon copy of Aaron Doral. The agent came aboard with a group of civilians and somehow acquired explosives from a small arms locker, killing a marine guard in the process. His task was made easier as "Galactica" security had not been informed that Cylons can look human now.

After the explosion, Adama orders a wide-ranging independent tribunal to examine this and other recent breaches of security, even though President Roslin has reservations regarding how these tribunals can get out of hand. The "Galactica" master at arms Sergeant Hadrian is given the authority to conduct the inquiry as she sees fit.

Both Adama and the President also reluctantly decide to inform a shocked fleet that some Cylons have human appearance. Roslin appears before news cameras with pictures of Doral and Leoben Conoy (a Cylon agent Adama discovered back on Ragnar Anchorage).

Elsewhere, "Galactica"-Boomer and Chief Tyrol continue their illicit relationship in secret, despite Tigh's order in the previous episode to end it, and are in fact together in a secluded area of "Galactica" when the bombing occurs.

Meanwhile, on Caprica, Helo searches for Caprica-Boomer who disappeared after the Cylon attack. She is actually safe, secretly meeting nearby with copies of the Cylon agents Number Six and Number Five. Number Five's comments suggest that there is a plan to have Helo fall in love with Caprica-Boomer. If Helo departs without searching for Caprica-Boomer, he will show that he does not love her and will be killed. Helo begins to flee, alone, but he changes his mind and turns around to begin searching for Caprica-Boomer. The Cylons arrange for him to find her, which he does, and rescues her -- destroying a Cylon Centurion in the process.

Back at the fleet, Dr. Baltar pays Lt. Starbuck a visit in the infirmary where she is recovering from her crash. Not in the mood for his company, Starbuck muses that the Cylon bomber might have been after his "secret detector project," since the attack occurred near his lab. This shocks Baltar. In his mind, Baltar demands from Number Six to know why the Cylons are after him and his project when it was her idea to make the detector. Number Six points out that the Cylons don't know about her and Baltar, and that they operate independent of her.

Meanwhile, the tribunal has discovered that a security hatchway was carelessly left open, giving the bomber access to the explosives he used. The inquiry finds reason to suspect many members of the crew. Chief Tyrol and "Galactica"-Boomer fall under suspicion when it is discovered that Boomer used that very hatchway on her way to a secret tryst with Tyrol. Eventually, even Commander Adama himself is challenged for his lax security measures and allowance of poor discipline amongst the crew.

At this point, Adama terminates the inquiry saying that it has become a "witch-hunt." As he moves to leave the tribunal witness chair Sergeant Hadrian instructs the Corporal of the Guard to restrain the commander. After a moment's consideration he refuses to do so and instead follows Adama's instructions to remove Sergeant Hadrian to her quarters. This definitively ends the inquiry.

The President announces to the fleet the results of the inquiry. One of Tyrol's men is stripped of rank and put in the brig after admitting to negligence in leaving open the crucial hatch to the small arms locker. Adama and Tyrol both know that this crewman lied in order to try and cover for Tyrol during the inquiry. Tyrol cannot tolerate this outcome and tells "Galactica"-Boomer that their relationship is officially over. He will not cover for her any more, especially not at the expense of the people under his command. Tyrol asks Sharon directly if she left the suspect security hatchway open. She walks away without answering.

External links

* at the Battlestar Wiki