Episode Report Card Strega: A | 8 USERS: A YOU GRADE IT The Starcrossed
By Strega | Season 1 | Episode 8 | Aired on 2005.02.25
The door opens as a soldier brings in a tray of food and sets it down in front of Starbuck before taking position behind Leoben. What's nice is, most of this scene is a series of close-ups, so it's easy to forget that the solider is there after a minute. Starbuck takes off her jacket and thirstily gulps down the water. Leoben says that the most basic article of faith is, "This is not all that we are." He says he knows that he's not just his body, and Starbuck doesn't. Oh, it's like Sheckley's Immortality, Inc.. Sort of. Starbuck stuffs her face with salad and watches Leoben natter on in the blank way you do when you can't find the remote and wind up watching some sitcom for half an hour until a good show comes on. Leoben says, "A part of me swims in the stream, but in truth, I'm standing on the shore. The current never takes me downstream." Starbuck, still chewing, mumbles, "This is worse than Galactica, and I didn't think that was possible." She slides the tray to one side and apologetically asks Leoben what he was saying. Heh. Leoben asks, "You mind?" and reaches out for the tray, but his cuffs keep him from getting it. Starbuck gulps down the rest of her water and moves the tray toward Leoben with a smirk. He thanks her and digs into the salad, explaining that he hasn't eaten in days. Starbuck asks why he's programmed to feel hunger. He says, "Part of being human." Starbuck grumps, "You're not human." Leoben inhales the salad, and Starbuck, looking past him, asks how it is. Leoben says, "When you're starving, anything tastes good." Starbuck nods curtly, and not to Leoben. Leoben looks confused for a second, until the soldier clocks him with the butt of his gun. Leoben gasps and then reaches back experimentally to feel the blood on the back of his head. Starbuck sounds amused if she asks if that hurt. Leoben says that it did. She says that machines shouldn't feel pain, and adds, "A smart Cylon would turn off the ol' pain software about now." She doesn't think he will, though. Leoben says he might do it without her knowing. Starbuck smirks, and nods to the solider. Leoben gets clobbered. Starbuck explains that turning off the pain would prove that Leoben is a machine. "Human beings have to suffer and cry and scream and endure because they have no choice." She says the only way Leoben can avoid pain is to answer her questions. Leoben says that he won't talk. Starbuck confusingly insists that if he doesn't talk, she wins. I think she means that if Leoben can resist pain that a human being can't, that also proves that he's not human. Leoben smiles slightly and says, "Let the games begin." Starbuck nods at the soldier. Whammo.