A Disquiet Follows My Soul

A Disquiet Follows My Soul is an episode of the TV series, Battlestar Galactica, and aired during the show's fourth season. The Region 1 DVD release of Season 4.5 includes an extended version of this episode. This was the first episode directed by Ron D. Moore.
==Plot==
=== Teaser ===
The episode begins by following Admiral William Adama through his morning routine, getting dressed signing documents and reading poetry. He appears very distressed and discontented and makes his way to CIC.
In sickbay, Col. Saul Tigh and Caprica Six watch their baby on an ultrasound medical imaging device. Six mentions that previously, intra-Cylon procreation has never been successful, and that this baby is the saviour of the Cylon race, since it means survival without resurrection ships. Meanwhile, Lt. Felix Gaeta waits to be treated, and complains about how the Cylons don't have to wait and are getting better treatment than he is. Paramedic Layne Ishay is unable to help Gaeta, and moves over to treaty Nicolas Tyrol who is urinating blood.
On Colonial One, a press conference is held to address the current situation with Earth and the fleet's upcoming plans. The press seems to be more concerned about rumors of the alliance with the rebel Cylons. The press asks if Tigh, Chief Galen Tyrol and Ensign Samuel Anders will still remain in the Colonial Fleet. The Admiral, Apollo "Apollo" Adama and Acting President Tom Zarek ignore these questions. When asked about the identity of a fifth Cylon, Apollo trips up and reports that "she" is dead, revealing to them the government and military are fully aware of the identity. After the press conference, Adama and Apollo argue with Zarek, who opposes the planned official alliance with the Cylons, stating that in the time that he is the Acting President, such an alliance will not happen. Zarek makes an underhand threat of consequences should the alliance take place, with Adama assuring he will be held responsible should anything happen.
=== Act 1 ===
A meeting is held at Adama's office to discuss the benefits a Cylon-Colonial alliance would bring. Galen Tyrol believes it is possible for the FTL drives of each ship in the fleet to be modified with Cylon technology which would, conservatively, improve their navigation capabilities threefold. Apollo warns that as civilian ships are to be upgraded, it will require the permission of the captains of each ship, something unlikely to succeed in the current political climate though. He and Karl Agathon have hopes it will pass with spin focusing on their faster chances of finding a habitable world to settle on, though the requirement that the more experienced Cylon crews handle the upgrading makes it difficult. On behalf of the Rebel Basestar crew, Tyrol requests that citizenship be extended to the fleet's Cylon population as an assurance of mutual cooperation, which Gaeta draws the line at. Adama hears out their thoughts, and considers proposing it to President Laura Roslin.
Tyrol returns to sickbay to check-in on Nicky's condition, which Cottle has diagnosed as renal failure. When Tyrol offers a blood transfusion, Ishay lets slip that there is more than enough blood to help him, but Cottle tries to pass it off as confusion much to her irritation. Finally, he gives in and tells Tyrol the truth -- Cally had a fling with another man before marrying Tyrol and took a paternity test after ruling out an abortion.
Apollo talks with Adama about Roslin, who's refusal to take calls is slowing down the alliance debate. Adama decides to personally phone Roslin to get an answer, but she ignores it while throwing out her medication.
=== Act 2 ===
Adama meets with Roslin in person, but she is more interested in doing aerobics than discussing the alliance. As he leaves, Marines cross down the hallway with a prisoner.
In the mess, Gaeta confronts Lt. Kara Thrace, accusing her of collaboration with the Cylons owing to her involvement in the now discredited Circle. Starbuck dismisses it all as Gaeta making everything about himself and his leg, even as he floats the idea that Samuel Anders was directly responsible for the genocide on Caprica. When Starbuck leaves, Gaeta has the hatch looked to discuss his "reckoning" with the crew.
In a Quorum of Twelve meeting, Zarek declares the Roslin administration to be a sham over its failed promise of Earth which he insists was a deliberate fraud to maintain power. Zarek continues by asserting the proposals for a Cylon alliance are unethical and Cylon crews can only be allowed on board civilian ships with permission of its crew. All delegates but Apollo vote in support.
=== Act 3 ===
The following day, Roslin jogs along a corridor, having skipped her Doloxan treatment. Adama leaves his office after an urgent phone call and confronts her, having already heard of her refusal from Cottle. He warns her to look after her health while she can as Zarek is poised to take over. Having lost her faith, she no longer cares of being the "Dying Leader" and wants to enjoy her final days. 
Dr. Gaius Baltar holds a gathering where he expresses anger at God for abandoning them and demands He beg them for forgiveness. His calls resonate with his followers, he begin jeering God. While there, Tyrol spots Hot Dog looking at him and, recognising he is Nicky's father, starts beating him as the crowd egg them on.
In CIC the officers go over recent developments after the Quorum vote. Ten ships have refused the maintenance officer while another twelve are ignoring Galactica. Adama declares the FTL drives to be a matter of defence and therefore do not answer to Zarek. Lt. Hoshi reports in that the tylium ship Hitei Kan has mutinied after killing two Marines and a Cylon worker. Athena flies out with a Marine team with orders to commandeer the vessel. Galactica intercepts a wireless communication between the ship's new commander and Zarek, where he offers his support and their right to self-defence. The ship jumps away before the Marines can board, leaving the fleet without tylium resupply.
=== Act 4 ===
Living up to his warning, Adama responds to the Hitei Kan mutiny by ordering Athena to Colonial One with orders Zarek be detained and, if uncooperative, executed. 
Tyrol brings Hot Dog over to sickbay, where he is made to watch over Nicky while he goes to the bar.
In Galactica's brig, Adama hands over a dossier, claiming it to contain wireless logs that prove Zarek frequently accepted bribes in his time as Vice President. Knowing Zarek would accept execution if he can spin it as martyrdom, Adama threatens to release the information should he refuse to reveal Hitei Kan's location. Zarek quickly gives in, afraid of his anti-corruption image being ruined. While leaving he hands the dossier over to Tigh, who is confused why there is a dossier of "laundry reports", implying Adama never had the evidence. Athena's Raptor is given the coordinates, and the crew of the ship are detained.
Following the capture, Gaeta meets with Zarek. Zarek promises that there will be consequences to what has happened, and Gaeta agrees, stating that in his opinion everything is going wrong, and that there has to be someone to make it right again. He asks Zarek whether he is that man, to which he affirms, but that he needs Gaeta as a partner.
Adama lies in bed with Roslin, having received a call about the capture of the ship. They accept the capture but shrug it off, preferring to separate their work and private life.
==Cast==
*Edward James Olmos as Rear Admiral William Adama
*Mary McDonnell as Laura Roslin
*Jamie Bamber as Commander Lee "Apollo" Adama
*James Callis as President of the Twelve Colonies Gaius Baltar
*Tricia Helfer as 
**Caprica Six
**Messenger Six
*Grace Park as 
**Lieutenant Sharon "Boomer" Valerii
**Sharon Agathon
**Number Eight
*Michael Hogan as Colonel Saul Tigh
*Aaron Douglas as Chief Petty Officer Galen Tyrol
*Tahmoh Penikett as Captain Karl "Helo" Agathon
*Alessandro Juliani as Lieutenant Felix Gaeta
*Richard Hatch as Tom Zarek
*Donnelly Rhodes as Major Sherman Cottle
*Bodie Olmos as Brendan "Hot Dog" Costanza
*Keegan Connor Tracy as Jeanne
*Kerry Norton as Medic Layne Ishay
*Brad Dryborough as Lieutenant Louis Hoshi
*Christina Schild as Playa Palacios
*Biski Gugushe as Sekou Hamilton
*Lara Gilchrist as Paulla Schaffer
*Finn R. Devitt as Nicolas Tyrol
*Don Thompson as Specialist 3rd Class Anthony Figurski
*Donna Soares as Gemenon Delegate
*Andrew McIlroy as Jacob Cantrell
*Judith Maxie as Picon Delegate
*Marilyn Norry as Reza Chronides
*Veena Sood as Quorum Delegate
==Appearances==
===Characters===
*Lee "Apollo" Adama
*William Adama
*Karl "Helo" Agathon
*Gaius Baltar
*Anastasia Dualla
*Felix Gaeta
*Calandra Henderson
*Number Eight
**Sharon "Boomer" Valerii
**Sharon Agathon
*Number Six
**Messenger Six
*Laura Roslin
*Saul Tigh
*Kara "Starbuck" Thrace
*Galen Tyrol
===Locations===
*The Fleet
===Species===
*Cylon
**Centurion
**Humanoid Cylon
**Raider
*Human
===Technology===
*FTL
*Wireless
===Vehicles and vessels===
*Basestar
*Colonial One
*Galactica
*Raider
*Raptor
*Viper
===Organizations===
*Colonial Fleet
*Colonial Government
*Colonial Marine Corps
==Production==
===Writing===
After Tyrol was decided to be a Cylon, the nature of Nicky had to be addressed by the writers for Season 4. As Hera was built up as such a unique individual, there being two hybrids made her less special in the mythology. Consequently, Hot Dog was made the real father to explain away this problem.
===Directing===
The opening sequence was largely unscripted, owing to Edward James Olmos frequently reading books placed on the shelf of the set. By total randomness, the page of the book he picked was that of "There is a Languor of the Life" by Emily Dickinson. Moore felt the poem matched the episode's themes, and left it in. The scene with the meeting in Adama's office did similar, showing Olmos ad-lib Adama's daily routine to give a slice-of-life. Adama was scripted to pick up litter, but the lack of pockets in the uniforms made it impossible to hold them. For this sequence, Olsmos' costume was modified; being the only one to have pockets, Moore found he was much happier to do the work.
During the press conference sequence, Moore allowed ad-libbing to better illustrate how everyone was being kept in the dark. Rather than ignore the question about the fifth Cylon's identity, Jamie Bamber had Apollo address the question an accidentally reveal the sex. Consequently, the next sequence has Adama focus on talking to Zarek as if he were not there.
The sickbay scene with Nicky and Tyrol was one of the more problematic scenes to shoot as the child actor was crying a lot. Trick camera work was used to have him away from his parents as little as possible.
Moore found Richard Hatch great to work with, as he made sure to memorise his lines before the line readings.
===Editing===
A number of scenes were cut out for time, including an entire hangar deck sequence with Adama heading down to complain about ten Vipers being down for maintenance at once, blaming it on too much sick leave.
==Sources==
==External links==
*Archived podcast
4.12