Battlestar Galactica s01e08 Episode Script

Flesh and Bone

NARRATOR: Previously on Battlestar Galactica: [Dramatic instrumental music.]
ADAMA: Doral! When this body dies, my consciousness will be transferred to another one.
The Cylons have the ability to mimic human form.
They look like us now.
This man has been identified as a Cylon agent.
- You sleep, I watch.
- No.
You're the one who needs sleep.
You were lucky that you didn't lapse into a coma.
The time is going to come when you won't be able to hide what you're going through.
[Ominous instrumental music.]
[Rumbling.]
[Whispering.]
[Whispering continues.]
[Roslin panting.]
[Ominous instrumental music intensifies.]
Laura.
[Gasping.]
[Sombre instrumental music.]
[Knocking on door.]
ROSLIN: Yes? Madam President, are you okay in there? I'm fine, it's just the side effects from the Chamalla.
ROSLIN: You know that thing they say, "What's worse? The cancer or the cure?" What do you need? You have an urgent call from the Captain of the Gemenon Traveller.
ROSLIN: Can I call him back? BILLY: He says he found a Cylon on board.
[Tense instrumental music.]
ROSLIN: They found him in the starboard storage compartment.
ROSLIN: Looked like he'd been camped here for days.
ADAMA: Are they 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.
Where is it now? Aboard the Gemenon Traveller, locked in a storeroom, under guard.
Isolate that ship.
Order the CAP to fly escort around the Gemenon Traveller.
And not to approach any other ship in the fleet.
Aye, sir.
Kat, Galactica, fly close 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 destroy it immediately.
I'd like to hear what this thing has to say.
It might be important.
Madam President, I've dealt with this model before.
ADAMA: lt'll fill your head with doubletalk, half-baked philosophy and confuse you.
Then send someone who won't be easily confused.
That's an order, Commander.
ROSLIN: I want him interrogated.
Order understood.
STARBUCK: Think it'll give me something? ADAMA: No.
ADAMA: President disagrees.
You need me to go, I'll shower up and go.
How's this coming? We got the entire avionics package figured out.
Fire control, navigation and I think that I am zeroing in on her FTL drive.
I did this in a hurry about three weeks ago.
It's my after-action report on Leoben.
It's a very clever machine.
Manipulative, cunning.
The only problem with Leoben isn't that he lies.
That would be too easy.
It's that he mixes lies with truth.
Just remember, he's gonna try to get into your head.
My mum always said there was nothing in there anyway.
[Starbuck laughs.]
[Whispering.]
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.
Yes, sir.
[Solemn instrumental music.]
[Theme music.]
[Boomer humming.]
[Suspenseful instrumental music.]
TYROL: Lieutenant.
- What's up? - Nothing.
Just wanted to see if what I told you the other day helped at all? Yeah.
Actually it did.
You do treat this thing more like an animal than a machine and it actually works.
TYROL: Where did you come up with that anyway? Just pop into your head? - I'm a Cylon.
- You know, that's not even funny.
If I could prove that I wasn't would that make a difference? You know, between us? [Sombre instrumental music.]
PILOT: Gemenon Traveller, Raptor seven-one-niner inbound with 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: No, you cut him open, there's blood, guts the whole thing.
It's sweating.
Well, I'll be.
Look at that.
God, they go through a lot of trouble to imitate people.
CAPTAIN: Why do you think they do that? STARBUCK: I don't care why.
STARBUCK: But the fact that these things sweat now that's interesting.
[Suspenseful instrumental music.]
[Door bangs shut.]
STARBUCK: Sleeping? Praying.
I don't think the Gods answer the prayers of toasters.
God answers everyone's prayers.
- How many Cylons are there in the fleet? - We haven't been properly introduced.
I'm Leoben.
STARBUCK: How many Cylons in the fleet? LEOBEN: I have no idea.
[Chains rattling.]
What's your name? How long have you been hiding aboard this ship? Am I not allowed to know your name? STARBUCK: Why were you hiding here? LEOBEN: I had a mission to perform.
Listen, it's a small thing.
Can you just tell me who you are? Tell me about your mission and I'll think about it.
- My mission was to conduct sabotage.
- What kind of sabotage? God, you stink.
Can I 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.
Okay.
But I really wanna know your name.
STARBUCK: Open.
Are you Lt.
Starbuck? [Tense instrumental music.]
[Leoben laughs.]
Yes, you are.
I knew [Laughing continues.]
LEOBEN: I was right.
I was right.
I saw it.
I've seen it.
- Happy now? - It all makes sense now.
Doesn't it? LEOBEN: Now we can talk.
Now we can talk about a lot of things.
Like what? I planted a nuclear warhead aboard one of your ships.
It's set to go off at 1830 hours.
[Tense instrumental music intensifies.]
Where? I'm not ready to give that up yet.
You're lying.
There's no warhead.
You can't take the chance, Starbuck.
Your military training dictates you take it to your masters and let them decide.
Maybe my training wasn't so good.
Maybe I push you out the air lock, and tell them you never said a word.
Now, who's lying.
These things happen for a reason, don't they? I'm looking forward to spending more time with you.
We have a lot to talk about.
It's gonna be fun.
Put the Red Team on alert immediately.
Dee? And sweep Galactica for any kind of radiological devices.
Right.
Contact all the captains in the fleet.
ADAMA: Have them do radiological sweeps of their ships.
ADAMA: But emphasize that this is just a precaution.
ADAMA: I don't wanna alarm anyone until we're sure.
Yes, sir.
Well, we'll know for sure in 8 hours and 40 minutes.
Lt.
Thrace, did he say anything else? No.
He guessed my call sign.
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.
Fifty ways he could've heard the word "Starbuck" on a wireless set.
That's what I figured, sir.
ROSLIN: Any idea what he wants? Not yet.
Says he's looking forward to spending some time with me, though.
Don't take any chances, Starbuck.
Yes, sir.
You believe in the Gods, don't you? Lords of Kobol, and all that? STARBUCK: Why should I tell you? It's not a trick question.
I wanted to see how much I got right.
So you pray to Artemis, Aphrodite? STARBUCK: Where's the warhead? I was right.
See, our faiths are similar, but I look to one God, not to many.
I don't give a damn about what you believe.
To know the face of God, is to know madness.
[lntense instrumental music.]
I see the universe.
I see the patterns.
LEOBEN: 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 thing through till the end.
[Door opens.]
[Starbuck clears throat.]
What is the most basic article of faith? LEOBEN: This is not all that we are.
[Starbuck exhales.]
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, 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.
This is worse than Galactica.
And I didn't think that was possible.
And what was that? Swimming in streams or something? Do you mind? LEOBEN: Thank you.
[Sighing.]
Starving.
Haven't eaten in days.
Kind of bad programming, isn't it? I mean, why bother with hunger? - Part of being human.
- You're not human.
How's your lunch? You know how it is.
When you're starving, anything tastes good.
[Leoben exclaims.]
[Tense instrumental music.]
[Grunting.]
Did that hurt? Yeah, that hurt.
STARBUCK: Machines shouldn't feel pain shouldn't bleed shouldn't sweat.
Sweat.
That's funny.
That's good.
See, a smart Cylon would turn off the old pain software about now.
But I don't think you're so smart.
Maybe I'll turn it off and you won't even know.
STARBUCK: 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're about to receive is by telling me exactly what I wanna know.
Just like a human would.
I knew this about you.
You're everything I thought you would be.
But it won't work.
I won't tell you anything.
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.
Let the games begin.
Hi.
[Soft instrumental music.]
[Door opening.]
Well, look what the cat dragged in.
BALTAR: Lt.
Valerii.
It's an unexpected visit.
BALTAR: You look wonderful.
[Door bangs shut.]
BOOMER: I need your help.
BALTAR: Anything I can do.
Anything at all.
Wonder why they call her "Boomer"? I heard you were working on a test to tell the difference between Cylons and humans.
Bingo.
I can't really talk about that at the moment.
You wouldn't help settle a bet for me, would you? BALTAR: Why do they call you "Boomer"? If you're working on a Cylon detector, do you think I could be in the first batch? You know, to be tested? - What's her rush? - What's your rush? BALTAR: I'm not sure it would be appropriate to show favouritism if indeed I am working on anything at all.
I saved your life back on Caprica.
My co-pilot gave up his seat for you.
I brought you back to Galactica, to safety.
You wouldn't even be here if it wasn't for me.
You owe me.
She shoots.
She scores.
BALTAR: I suppose there's some small truth to that.
So can you test me or not? 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.
Sharon's late.
Half an hour.
I notice you're calling her Sharon now.
Yeah, I choose to think of her as one of them.
Because you dislike her? Because in the scheme of things, we are as we do.
She acts like one of them, thinks like them.
She is one of them.
But she's one of us.
It would be best to remember that.
- We had sex.
- Congratulations.
NO.
6: Does he love you? BOOMER: I think so.
No.
6: Has he said it? BOOMER: Not directly.
Then you're just guessing.
Stay in your current location.
We're setting up a cabin for you nearby.
Food, water, electricity.
All the comforts.
Shouldn't be too hard to convince him to stay and start a life together.
NO.
6: If not, kill him.
Can you handle that? [Tense instrumental music.]
We made it this far, we'll make it all the way.
Something happened to you, I wouldn't know how to deal with it.
Caprica.
[Thunder clapping.]
DORAL: If he flees, he dies.
NO.
6: Does he love you? Helo.
HELO: Hey, what's going on? BOOMER: Come on.
We gotta go.
Now.
I saw Cylons.
They're heading this way.
We got to travel fast, even faster than before.
- Why? What's different? - Everything.
Just trust me.
I do.
[Panting.]
[Leoben groaning.]
Now, if you were human you'd be just about ready to start offering up some false information about the location of the nuke.
STARBUCK: Some tiny thing that may get you a reward and spare you some of this.
But then I keep forgetting you're not human.
STARBUCK: You're a machine.
I am more than you could ever imagine.
[Panting.]
I am God.
I'm sorry.
You're God? [Laughing mockingly.]
Wow.
Nice to meet you.
That's good.
We'll give you a couple of minutes with that.
It's funny, isn't it? We're all God, Starbuck.
All of us.
I see the love that binds all living things together.
Love? You don't even know what the word means.
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.
The Gods had nothing to do with it.
We created you.
Us.
It was a stupid, fracked up decision, and we have paid for it.
You slaughtered my entire civilisation.
That is sin.
That is evil.
And you are evil.
[Sombre instrumental music.]
Am I? LEOBEN: I see the truths that float past you in the stream.
STARBUCK: You have a real thing about rivers and streams, don't you? I think we should indulge you in your obsession.
Do you realise 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 has taken me to describe it to you.
Then why don't you? It's not the time.
[Dramatic instrumental music.]
GUARD: He's loose! [Starbuck gasping.]
I have a surprise for you.
You fracked up, pal.
Now the gloves come off.
[Suspenseful instrumental music.]
Combat, Col.
Tigh.
ADAMA: How's the search going for the nuke? Nothing so far.
ADAMA: How much time remaining? TIGH: 2 hours, 9 minutes.
Spread out the fleet.
No ship more than 500 clicks from any other ship.
- lf there's a nuke, let's limit the damage.
- Aye, sir.
No.
Do it.
[Leoben gurgling.]
[Solemn instrumental music.]
STARBUCK: Leave him.
GUARD: Sir? [Leoben gasping and choking.]
Tell me where the warhead is otherwise you're gonna drown in that bucket.
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.
Something like that.
No, exactly like that.
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? [Leoben coughing.]
STARBUCK: Tell me where the warhead is.
This is not your path, Starbuck.
You have a different destiny.
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? STARBUCK: It's your chance to find out if you're really God or just a bunch of circuits with a bad haircut.
I'm not afraid of dying.
Someone's programmed you with a fairytale of God, and streams, and life ever after.
But somewhere in that hard drive 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.
" [Climactic instrumental music.]
[Gasping and choking.]
[Panting.]
I have a soul.
I see patterns.
I know you.
You're damaged.
You were born to a woman who believed suffering was good for the soul, so you suffered.
[Panting.]
Your life is a testament to pain.
Injuries.
Accidents.
Some inflicted upon others, others inflicted upon yourself.
It surrounds you like a bubble.
But it's not real, it's just It's just something she put in your head.
It's something that you wanna believe because it means you're the problem, not the world that you live in.
You wanna believe it because it means that you're bad luck.
You're like a cancer that needs to be removed.
Because you hear her voice every day.
And you want her to be right.
Start again.
[Tense instrumental music.]
BALTAR: Now, we just pop this in the slot and wait for the results.
Green, you're a normal human being.
Red, you're an evil Cylon.
[Chuckling.]
Should take a couple of minutes.
So tell me, are you from Aerilon? There's a slight trace of an accent there.
BOOMER: What? No.
Troy.
BALTAR: Troy.
Tell me, why is that familiar? Mining settlement.
The accident.
BALTAR: The explosion.
Right.
That was tragic.
BALTAR: Your family? BOOMER: They died with the rest.
I'm very sorry.
[Beeping.]
It's a lie.
[Tense instrumental music.]
Congratulations, Doctor.
You've just uncovered your very first Cylon.
Now, here's an interesting moment in the life of Gaius Baltar.
What will he do? - Is everything okay? - Yeah.
Yeah, I'm just interpolating the results.
The question is, what will she do if you expose her? Thank you or kill you? I thought it was just green or red.
Well, it's a little more complicated than that.
She probably doesn't know.
She probably thinks she's just another 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.
Congratulations, it's green.
It's very bright green.
- You're not a Cylon.
- Really? For a second, I was worried what you were gonna say.
BALTAR: Were you? BOOMER: Yeah.
Well, there's nothing to be worried about anymore.
[Stammering.]
You couldn't be more human if you tried.
- Well, thanks.
- Anytime.
I have something to tell you.
How long before this supposed bomb goes off? Less than an hour.
Get me a shuttle.
I'm going to the Gemenon Traveller.
I want to see the Cylon myself.
BILLY: Madam President, you need to ROSLIN: Don't even start.
I don't wanna discuss this.
I've made my decision.
Not until I get you a security detail.
Enough.
For frack's sake, let him breathe.
[Leoben coughing.]
You're really sick.
You're not a person.
You're a machine that's enjoying its own pain.
All this has happened before.
And all of it will happen again.
Don't quote scripture.
You don't have the right to use those words.
You kneel before idols and ask for guidance.
But you can't see that your destiny's already been written.
LEOBEN: 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 to God.
Do it for me.
LEOBEN: It's your destiny and mine.
[Sombre instrumental music.]
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.
[Climactic instrumental music.]
ROSLIN: What the hell is going on here? What exactly is it that you are doing here? It's a machine, sir.
- There's no limit to the tactics I can use.
- And where's the warhead? STARBUCK: I don't know.
ROSLIN: You don't know? ROSLIN: You spent the last eight hours torturing this man.
This machine.
ROSLIN: Whatever it is.
And you don't have a single piece of information to show for it.
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.
Clean him up.
There's not much time.
Yes, sir.
[Suspenseful instrumental music.]
ROSLIN: Do you know who I am? LEOBEN: Yes.
I apologise for what you've been through.
ROSLIN: Take his restraints off.
Do it.
Thank you.
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.
ROSLIN: 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.
ROSLIN: I think you know you can.
Tell me what I need to know, and you will live.
The warhead doesn't exist.
I made it up.
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.
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 dehumanise people.
I'll take that into consideration.
No, stand down.
[Tense instrumental music.]
Laura, I have something to tell you.
[Whispering.]
Adama is a Cylon.
Yeah.
[Sinister instrumental music.]
- Are you all right? - I'm fine.
- The bomb? - Nothing.
- Put him out the airlock.
- What? - You can't do that.
Not after he told you - Yes, I can.
And I will.
Lieutenant, look at me.
You've lost perspective.
During the time I have allowed him to remain alive and captive on this ship he has caused our entire fleet to spread out defenceless.
He puts insidious ideas in our minds.
More lethal than any warhead.
He creates fear.
But you're right.
He's 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.
[lntense instrumental music.]
He's not afraid to die.
He's just afraid that his soul won't make it to God.
[Sympathetic instrumental music.]
[Alarm sounding.]
[Solemn instrumental music.]
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.
Hell of a risk you took today.
Something I had to do.
Care to tell me why? President Adar once said that the interesting thing about being a President is that you don't have to explain yourself to anyone.
[Tense instrumental music.]
Something wrong? No.
Nothing at all.
[lntense instrumental music.]
[Theme music.]

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