'Colonial Day' Story Code: '111' by Carla Robinson

Speaking from the prison ship Astral Queen, the charismatic Tom Zadek announces that the people of Sagitaron have elected him as their new representative on the Council. The news comes as a shock to President Rosen, who sees the ex-convict as a dangerous threat to the stability of the fleet’s political structure. A meeting of the Council is called, to be held on the yearly holiday of 'Colonial Day', in the beautiful gardens of the agriculture ship Cloud 9, and Apollo and Starbuck are put in charge of security. The event is a media circus, but President Rosen plays the ceremony with great skill, treating Zadek with the greatest courtesy for the benefit of the cameras. However, as soon the President convenes the meeting Zadek challenges her authority, interrupting the proceedings by insisting that the first item on the agenda be the nominations for the election of a new Vice-President. Influenced by Number 6, Baltar, the representative for Caprica, immediately seconds the motion, giving the President no choice but to pass the motion – enabling the Virgon representative to propose Zadek as an ideal candidate. Tensions between the attendees begins to rise, and it is not long before Apollo and Starbuck are caught up in a bar fight with two of Zadek’s followers; however, during the scuffle a bystander’s briefcase is overturned, revealing a handgun hidden inside; Starbuck quickly overpowers the owner, Valance, and takes the man into custody. While the President tries to find a candidate of her own to become her new Vice President a more worrying issue is raised: has Zarek employed an assassin to murder the President in order to ensure his rise to power?

Edward James Olmos (Commander William Adama), Mary McDonnell (Laura Roslin), Katee Sackhoff (Lieutenant Kara 'Starbuck' Thrace), Jamie Bamber (Captain Lee 'Apollo' Adama), James Callis (Doctor Gaius Baltar), Tricia Helfer (Number 6), Callum Keith Rennie (Leoben Conoy), Grace Park (Lieutenant J.G. Sharon 'Boomer' Valerii), Michael Hogan (Colonel Saul Tigh), Aaron Douglas (Chief Petty Officer Tyrol), Tahmoh Penikett (Lieutenant Karl 'Helo' Agathon), Kandyse McClure (Petty officer 2nd Dualla), Paul Campbell (Billy Keikeya), Alessandro Juliani (Lieutenant Gaeta), Richard Hatch (Tom Zarek), Kate Vernon (Ellen Tigh), Robert Wisden (Wallace Gray), David Kaye (James McManus), Alex Zahara (Valance), Patrick Gallagher (TBC), Malcolm Stewart (TBC), Nicki Clyne (Crewman Specialist Cally), Cailin Stadnyk (Enisgn Davis), Christina Schild (PLaya Palacious), Biski Gugushe (Sekon Hamilton), James Ashcroft (Spectator #1), Patricia Idlette (Sarah Porter), Mario Battista (Gardener)

Directed by Jonas Pate
Produced by Harvey Frand
Co-Executive Producer Toni Graphia
Executive Producers Ronald D. Moore and David Eick
Consulting Producer Glen A. Larson

TX (UK - Sky One):
10th January 2005 @ 8.00 pm

Notes:
*Featuring Commander Adama, Colonel Tigh, Captain Apollo, Lieutenant Starbuck, Lieutenant Boomer and Laura Roslin