After a tragic accident onboard the Galactica kills 20 pilots, Adama orders Kara to train some new fighter pilots. Kara, however, is still overwhelmed with guilt for allowing Adama's son Zak - whom she was madly in love with -- to pass her flight class many years ago, even though he wasn't competent to fly. On his first mission those years ago, Zak died in flight.
Lee, Kara, and Adama are in the process of planning a surprise party to honour Flat Top's 1000th landing as a viper pilot. As they prepare some decorations to greet him at the landing zone, a labourer working nearby accidentally discharges a drone missile, causing an enormous explosion.
Lee addresses the population of Galactica. The explosion has killed 20 pilots - more than half of the entire air force. As Lee speaks, Kara slips into a flashback to a talk with Adama about the funeral of his son Zak.
After Sgt. Hadrian confirms the accident was caused by a discharged drone, he confronts Sharon Tyrol and says that they still need to discuss the explosion that triggered the water crisis. Tyrol is nervous; she's still not sure how the missing explosives are linked to her.
Adama orders Kara to train new pilots. Kara's reluctant & becomes distressed. She slips into another flashback, where she tells Lee that the death of his brother Zak was her fault. She was Zak's flying instructor. He was not a good pilot, but after Kara fell in love with him, she let her feelings cloud her judgement and passed him. Shortly thereafter, he was killed in flight. The guilt has subsumed her ever since. But she has never told Adama the truth. Lee knows, but he also keeps it a secret.
President Laura visits Dr. Cottle, who tells her that her cancer is very advanced and offers various treatments. Laura wants to first try some "alternative treatments," specifically an herbal remedy called Chamala Extract. The doctor is deeply cynical.
Kara meets her new flight trainees, civilian volunteers with limited experience: COSTANZA (22), PERRY (25), and KATRAINE (29). They begin the training, but struggle to keep up with Kara's incredibly demanding lesson plan. At the end of the day, Kara fires all of the trainees, saying they would be dangerous behind the controls of a viper. Lee confronts Kara and accuses her of letting her guilt about Zak overpower her responsibility to train the new pilots.
On Cylon-occupied Caprica, Sharon-the-Cylon and Helo find an abandoned diner stocked with emergency supplies.
Adama doesn't understand why Kara fired all of the trainees. Lee lets it slip that she has guilt issues about Zak. Adama orders Kara to report to him at once. At first Kara is guarded and defensive with Adama but finally tells him the truth - she and Zak were engaged to be married, and she passed him in flight school even though she knew he wasn't capable. When he died, she blamed herself. Adama is livid and kicks Kara out.
Kara is back training the kids she had kicked out the day before. She seems more open to the idea now that she got her secret off of her chest. In the middle of a training exercise, though, Cylons discover the Galactica and begin an attack. Kara orders her trainees to fly their vipers back to the home base, and she takes off on her own to try to take on the Cyclons by herself. She manages to direct her trainees home safely, but then Kara is fired upon and hit.
|
