A political news show reports that ships are preparing for a U.N.-style meeting of all the ship's delegates to be held on the yearly holiday of "Colonial Day." The council of delegates will be made up of 12 survivors from the 12 different former colonies. The Astral Queen announces that their representative will be Tom Zarek, the controversial populist terrorist whose violent protests landed him in prison for two years making President Laura and the commanding officers of the Galactica nervous.
Caprica appoints Baltar as its delegate: he's popular, charismatic and has a reputation for having saved the fleet from disaster before. Kara is put in charge of security for the event, which will be held on a vacation destination called "Cloud Nine." She pays particular attention to Zarek and his cronies, Grimes and Valance, who are clearly planning something nefarious.
At a preliminary meeting, Zarek speaks before all of the delegates and explains that he believes it to be unfair if there is no Vice President as a second-in-command to Laura Roslin. A number of the delegates agree; one steps forward to nominate Zarek. Laura and company are cornered; Zarek is right, but they declare that it should be an official election, following the traditional process.
Laura consults with an old advisor friend of hers, the intelligent & respected William Gray. She tells Gray she has breast cancer; if Zarek wins the election and she dies, he will become President. She pleads with Gray to enter the race. He reluctantly agrees. In a bar, Kara and Lee engage Zarek's cronies, led by Grimes, in a violent fight. The brawl is about to turn fatal when Lee manages to kick a handgun away from Valance.
On Caprica, Helo and Cylon Sharon plan their escape from the planet. Sharon contemplates telling Helo her secrets: that she is, in fact, a Cylon and is pregnant with his child. Kara and Lee interrogate Valance, trying to get him to admit to a plot to harm the President. He insists he has no idea what they are talking about.
Gray goes to Laura to say he is dropping out of the race. Laura is devastated, but Gray explains that Zarek has unearthed a dark secret about Gray; back on Caprica he had a long-term affair with his secretary. If he were to run, it would become public and his family would be devastated. He has no choice but to drop out.
On the news political talk show, Gaius Baltar makes a particularly showy appearance as the Caprica representative, wining over the hosts and viewers and with his candour and humour on political issues. Laura watches the show and decides she will ask Baltar to run for Vice President. Baltar accepts the nomination by telephone while engaged in a threesome with Number Six and another colonial delegate in a hot tub.
Someone has leaked to the press the rumour of a plot to assassinate Laura, spearheaded by Zarek. Zarek's popularity in the polls dips. Baltar narrowly wins the election by one point. Laura then reveals to Adama that it was she who leaked the rumour to the press, saying "politics are a lot like war."
As Helo and Sharon try to make their escape from Caprica, there is a shootout between Helo, Cylon Sharon and the other Cylons. During the fray, Helo sees another version of Sharon and comes to the horrifying conclusion that she must be a Cylon. He flees, leaving his love behind.
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