No FTL adoption means you Stay behind

Television, Movies Games and Books BSG-2003
#1

There have been great arguments both for for and against the actions of Zarek and Adama, Military vs. Quorum, etc. and it is quite easy to see the perspective of both sides in this fleet division.
On Adama’s side however, his actions do not come across as a way to “hold on to power” as Zarek would claim, instead Adama truly appears to see this FTL adoption to all fleet vehicles as a strict military call that is safety protocol. Now one can argue where do these “military actions” stop, or that every ship in the fleet has the right to make its own decision on this matter, This was Zarek’s best line of argument until he drew first blood by killing a deckhand with a wrench in “the Oath” to officially start the process in motion… As a result, we now see Zarek’s true colors (so does Gaeta who now knows at that moment that he has made a mistake in aligning with Zarek but cannot turn back)
The title of this episode is so appropriate in the sense of not only pertaining to Lee’s oath to his father, duties to the Quorum, having it both ways as stated by Zarek, but more importantly the writer’s focus of how Adama specifically addresses the death of the bridge officer who was shot and “died defending his uniform”. This is a sign that Adama’s convictions are from the heart and he (at least) believes his actions are necessary for the good of the fleet.
While Zarek may have some relevant insight into the drawbacks of some of the military decisions, his methods in seeing his cause to its end are frightfully wrong and from season one we had seen enough signs to know that if he ever obtained power no good would come of it…At the end of the day he is a terrorist in a suit that is crafty enough to manipulate a moral delemna to achieve an end. (Sorry MR. Hatch; great interview from a great actor but by this episode the writer’s have painted the character into this corner)

A simpler solution to this FTL problem might have been:
Adama to all ships: "Do you want the FTL drive technology?
If your answer is NO , once those ships that have made the conversion have been refitted, the Fleet will be making several jumps to some potential new locations… I am sorry to say that if your ship cannot keep up with us then you may lose our protection and may be left behind!! "

(now Adama may have never let this idea come about as his true goal was to protect every ship in the fleet but maybe that would have been a better way to solve the situation… ITs your choice not to take FTL, but then accept the consequences.

Something like this could occur once this situation is “over” (as it never truly will be or we wouldn’t have a Middle East situation today which goes back to the Crusades)
Rather than execute the humans who caused this mess, leave them behind without the cylon FTL in a couple of ships while the fleet jumps away.

Thanks for reading

#2

RJMDRUM:

I like your solution. I don’t know how likely a military mind would come to it, but I do think given that option, he’d not only get the jump drives in place, but get bonus points for involving the ‘fleet’ in the decision.

I wish I had a better handle on what a typical passenger on one of these tag-along ships knows about anything that’s been happening. You’d almost think a non-Galactica-based mutiny might have happened by now.

#3

:slight_smile:

One would think that even on a ship by ship basis, there still has to be a “captian” or “pilot” placed in charge of that vehicle even if it is a garbage scow…If we put ourselves in the position of the individual in control of running that particular garbage scowm I doubt we would not want to be left behind. I would “volunteer” for the FTL drive conversion AFTER seeing how such operations occurred on other ships… IF the process went smoothly on the first 50 ships then that should be a sign that my ship shouldn’t see any problem and we can assign people to monitor that solution.
I understand all the civil “right to choose” arguments here but at the same time we are talking about the extinction of the species if we make the wrong move , its not like we are voting against a tax hike, more like voting on wheher or not we can avoid Cavil and keep our suppiles up, etc.

Thanks for reading…

#4

This doesn’t address the issue of whether to incorporate the tech or not - but what if the Cylon FTL tech and Colonial ships don’t mix? What if that explains the jagged gash in Adama’s quarters (from the Troof series) and why Galactica is beginning to break up?

#5

Did SCi-Fi take off the clues site?
I cannot seem to find it now…
I wanted to replay that scene…
When Adama started popping pills and I saw that scene I must have been blind not to notice the jagged gash… I was looking at it as him starting to possibly hear the watchtower song!!! Thanks for clearing up the misinterpretation
Does anyone have that site link available??
Thanks for reading

#6

exactly I mean you lay it out for them, and say if you choose to keep the cylon FTL’s off your ships, well that your legal rigth. but it will probably come back to bite you later on. in general they would have conceded. and no need for a civil war. instead he sent marines with guns to force it… sigh

edited cause i had another thought about FTL’s … never mind its blindingly obvious.

#7

Possibility; I note that you mentioned it before.
Perhaps a ship will incorporate the new FTL, give it a try and Poof!

And I hope that ship is not the Galactica.

#8

Maybe Cylon FTL tech merely causes Colonial ships to “wear out” faster. I know they travel in a vacuum, but what’s a little scientific license between friends? If one were to modify the propulsion plant of a 100,000 dwt tanker to increase its speed threefold - so doing would work havoc with the hull.

What I am wondering is - do they incorporate the tech, which allows them to travel further in search of “home” - but the trade off is the ships do not last? The journey has to come to an “end”, because the ships have had it. And we also get rid of a certain number of the ships without one big walapalooza battle,

#9

IF the FTL conversion doesn’t work and is causing the Galactica to rip up then the consequences are astronomical not only with not trusting the rebel cylons or each other but also with the security of the fleet no all but wiped out. Imagine of the Galctica were lost and the only thing left protectign the fleet was the basestar?
might be an interesting and deadly way to go.

Thanks for reading

#10

What if all the ships were to incorporate it - with the same positive and negative results? Except for the Basestar, of course - but it’ll probably go out in a battle scene with other Basestars.

Lots of recriminations for those who pushed the idea? Not necessarily - if the tech enables them to travel far enough to find a suitable home.

Just a thought. One way of another Galactica’s hull integrity is going to figure into the story line.

I cannot find the “troof” clues either - but they have to be out there somewhere. Have not tried Battlestar Wiki - the ultimate source of all knowledge.

#11

I found a link which leads back to the clues site
http://www.scifi.com/battlestar/youwillknowthetruth/index.php?pageid=10