The water shortage crisis continues to affect everyone. Colonel TIGH can no longer fight his need for alcohol to cope with his problems. He reports for duty to find encouraging news: TYROL and CALLY have found an ice moon with plenty of water beneath the surface. Tyrol estimates that they will need at least 1,000 men to drill for the water.
COMMANDER ADAMA and President LAURA ROSLIN discuss possibilities with LEE ADAMA and BILLY. Adama proposes that they draft a thousand prisoners from the jail ship the ASTRAL QUEEN to work on the ice moon. Laura is unsure, but Lee (now employed by Laura as a consultant) agrees with his father for once: the prisoners will, in all likelihood, be happy to get out of their cells. Laura insists they are given some credit for this work toward their eventual release.
Lee, Billy, Cally and DUALLA are sent to the Astral Queen to present the work offer to the prisoners. On board, they are shocked to learn that the prisoners are united behind one man: PETER ZAREK, a former, infamous freedom fighter with a violent reputation. 20 years ago, Zarek led the Sagittarius Uprising fighting for exploited workers. Zarek declines their offer.
Billy, Dually, Lee and Cally argue about Zarek. Though he was a freedom fighter, some see him as a terrorist as he was allegedly involved with bombings and willing to let some civilian casualties occur in the interest of his greater cause. But, they realize they have to negotiate through Zarek to get the prisoners to mine the water.
On Caprica, HELO and "SHARON" wander the city, obliviously watched from above by the Cylons: LEOBEN and NUMBER SIX.
As Lee meets with Peter Zarek in his cell, a prison guard named SEABORNE gives a signal that sets off a prisoner rebellion. Within a matter of moments, all the prisoners escape from their cells and take Lee, Cally, and Dualla and Billy hostage.
Adama confronts BALTAR - he asked the doctor to develop a Cylon detector many months ago and the doctor still hasn't shown him anything. Baltar is anxious about this questioning. Number Six shows up to manipulate the doctor into using Adam's request to try to secure a nuclear warhead. Adama tells Baltar he will get him the warhead.
In Zarek's cell, Zarek and Lee talk. Zarek contacts the Galactica and issues his demands: 1. the immediate resignation of President Laura Roslin, 2. free and open elections to choose a new leadership, and 3. a new government that represents all of the people.
Kara is appointed to lead a team of pilots on a rescue mission to shoot Zarek and free the hostages. She takes off with a blessing from Tigh, who usually dislikes Kara for her reckless nature and attitude.
Adama contacts Zarek to give him a final chance to give up. Zarek doesn't take it. Lee realizes that a violent shootout between the prisoners and the government is just what Zarek wants; it would be good for his cause of instituting a new government; the bloodbath will almost definitely claim one of Lee's men as casualties and that will look bad to everyone. Lee accuses Zarek of wanting to stay in the public eye after his notoriety has started to fade.
As Kara's team begins their invasion, chaos breaks out across the Astral Queen: a prisoner named MASON attacks Cally, but Lee pulls a gun and kills Mason. Lee then pulls his gun on Zarek. He tells him that if Zarek convinces the prisoners to help them mine the water, then Lee will see to it that the government holds a free election. Zarek agrees.
When he returns Gallactica, Adama and Laura question Lee's claim that they will hold an election. Lee says that, technically, Laura's term is about to run out anyways and he was just stating the truth - the government is due for another election.
Although Laura is angry in the meeting, privately she reveals her secret to Lee - that she is suffering from fairly advanced cancer.
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