Episode Report Card Strega: A+ | 7 USERS: A+ YOU GRADE IT Sex, Drugs, And New Age Music
By Strega | Season 1 | Episode 12 | Aired on 2005.03.25
Starbuck stands in front of the Prez's desk. She looks worried as she says, "You can't be serious." The Prez goes through the "All of this has happened before" thing, and how Leoben said that Kobol would lead them to Earth. The Prez asks if Starbuck believes in the gods. Starbuck stiffly says, "Not that it's any of your business, but yes, I believe." The Prez says that in that case, Starbuck must believe in "the cycle of time." She elaborates for the benefit of the audience: "We are all playing our parts in a story that is told again, and again, and again, throughout eternity." Starbuck says she was raised to believe that, but insists, "That doesn't mean that my part in the story is to go off on some crazy-ass mission against orders." Hee. "Crazy-ass." The Prez pauses and asks if she can tell Starbuck what her own role is. Starbuck looks bored but waits. The Prez drops her cancer bomb, and explains that she'll be dead in six months. She adds that she's only told three people, and swears Starbuck to secrecy. Starbuck starts to ask, "Are you saying that you're --" The Prez interrupts and goes over the part of the scriptures about the dying leader. She tells Starbuck, "If you go back to Caprica and bring me the arrow, I will show us the way." Starbuck points out that this is crazy. The Prez agrees, but says that it could also be true. The Prez insists, "It may be our only chance -- our only chance -- to find Earth." Starbuck snaps that Adama knows where Earth is. The Prez inhales deeply and stands up, then leans over the desk to say, "Commander Adama has no idea where Earth is; he never did. He made it up in order to give people hope." Starbuck makes a worried face and then says that the Prez is lying. The Prez very quickly replies, "Go ask him." Starbuck says that she will, and exits. The Prez stares into space sadly, probably thinking, "My life expectancy is going to decrease drastically when Adama finds out what I just did."
Starbuck and Adama are on the catwalk over the flight deck, watching as the Raider is prepared. Starbuck explains that she's going to do a flight test of the autopilot and navigation before they head for Kobol. Then she says she has a question for him: "How much longer 'til we reach Earth?" Adama meets her eyes and then looks away before hedging that "it's hard to say." She oh-so-casually presses him without any luck, and finally asks if they're getting closer. Adama says, "I'm sure we are," and a little asterisk appears over his head that leads Starbuck to a footnote reading, "In the sense that I have no idea." He wishes her luck and exits. Starbuck stares after him grumpily.