"Fire in Space" is the twelfth episode of Battlestar Galactica. It premiered on December 17, 1978.
In syndication and on streaming, "Fire in Space" is sometimes listed as the fourteenth episode of the season. This happens when the series premiere episode, "Saga of a Star World", is split into three episodes.
Plot[]
Act 1[]
The episode opens with Athena and Boxey relaxing in Galactica's Rejuvenation Center. Although Blue Squadron is scheduled to be on alert, Boomer has taken time off for a break and meets up with the two to give Boxey a present. While they are there, Cylon Raiders are detected and Blue Squadron is sent out to respond. Colonel Tigh believes them to be a Squadron sent by a Basestar they evaded ten centons ago. It soon becomes clear that this is a strike force numbering one hundred, and supporting to Basestars. The reserve Viper squadrons are sent out, and Galactica's internal compartments are sealed off to prevent the spread of fire or loss of air in decompression. This results in all twenty people in the Rejuvenation Center, including Boomer, being sealed inside.
Engaging with the Raiders, Apollo reports his bewilderment that the raiders aren't returning fire. Two succeed in flying straight past Blue Squadron, and they realize too late that this is a suicide run. Both are laden with explosives, with the first colliding head-on and causing severe damage to the bridge. A second crashes inside the port flight pod, the explosion being so powerful it causes severe damage, even in the reinforced areas. As a result of the attacks, the Galactica is in disarray. Commander Adama is barely conscious and is taken to the Life Center for emergency heart surgery, leaving Colonel Tigh in charge.
Act 2[]
The Rejuvenation Center is cut off from the rest of the ship due to a fire in the corridor, and some of the crewmembers inside are badly hurt. The damage to the ship itself has cut off internal communications and "deep scanning", and the Viper pilots must therefore report any damages in-flight.
The Galactica's firefighters do what they can against the fires, but the control room where Boroton-based equipment is located has been destroyed. Though it is quickly understood that the dire nature the people in the Rejuvenation Center are in, Colonel Tigh will not risk the crucial containment efforts near the ship's crucial systems, or it will either lose power or be destroyed entirely. Apollo lands his Viper and visits his father in the Life Center; Dr. Salik refuses to operate on Adama as the fire is close to the ship's power stabilizers. When he returns to the bridge, Apollo is informed of Boxey, Athena and Boomer's situation and argues with Tigh over their survival. Though he is unable to convince him to spare firefighters or that they even have a chance of escaping on their own, Tigh concedes to Apollo's alternative proposal of modifying the Vipers to fire Boroton into the port landing bay to fight the fire, timed simultaneously with the firefighters' own duties.
Within the Rejuvenation Center, Boomer finds that the bulkhead was warped by the explosion, leaving escape impossible. With smoke entering the room, he begins hotwiring a control panel to gain access to the adjacent Storage Compartment 3, which the twenty all hide in. Inside, Athena finds that there are only five life masks to share around. Looking to escape into the vents, he burns his hand on the panel. Only Muffit can crawl around the vents, and is sent to the bridge with a note.
On their run, Apollo; Starbuck and Sheba each fire two payloads of Boroton into the port landing pod, but all three ultimately fail and the fire reignites each time. The firefighters meanwhile are forced to change to new equipment when their megapressure pump is damaged.
Act 3[]
An explosion in the Energiser #2 room takes out power to the ship, and it is forced to run on emergency power. Tigh goes to see Adama, who tells him to decompress the affected parts of the ship, now well aware there is a serious risk of killing his daughter and grandson in the process. Apollo and Starbuck begin planting charges while in EVA suits.
The fire continues to spread despite the firefighters' efforts, with fire outside of the Life Center as Dr. Salik is forced to operate. Muffit arrives at the bridge and is given a supply of life masks to return, but time is short as the Solinum is exceeding safe temperatures and could ignite any moment.
Act 4[]
Muffit returns to Boomer with a note warning of the operation on the ship's hole, and the crew in the compartment take cover as the explosion kills the fire. Adama is welcomed by his family after the surgery, and a damaged Muffit is recovered, having rescued a firefighter before the decompression.
Production[]