This kind of thing makes the whole story look half-baked. Obviously, the sickness which incapacitates these pilots is a device which the entire story's sense of jeopardy rests on. But that still doesn't explain why they got away with skipping their decontamination process. It's one thing to recruit shuttle pilots to fly Vipers, another to recruit cadets who've never flown a shuttle. One would think Serina could've said something about having flying hours back on Caprica, but this is yet another missed opportunity that makes the show look half-finished.
Some fans grouse about seeing stars in the abyss.
This really wasn't a problem. The blackness was sufficient to get the message across, while those few stars showed the edges of the abyss. The Cylon outpost looked like a miniature. It would've been different if they would've superimposed the images of tiny Cylon warriors guarding the encampment's periphery on foot, a la Gamoray. Some may not buy into Lucifer's appearance, but this is one Cylon effect that looked perfect for the show.