Six Degrees of SeparationBattlestar Galactica Part 2

In Part one of this story arc we saw how the Cylon agent, Number Six, a humanoid, made out to be an employee of a rival computer corporation and used her beauty and charm to seduce the brilliant scientist, Dr Baltar into slipping her computer secrets from his defense work. This ultimately led to the destruction of most of humanity. Troubled mentally by his fear of anyone discovering his betrayal and the guilt that he feels over his unwitting role in this genocide, Baltar continued to be haunted by visions of Number Six, with whom he converses often. Interestingly, the 7th episode of the first season of the Battlestar Galactica TV series, was named Six Degrees of Separation. It begins with a somewhat frustrated and bored Baltar working in the lab talking in his mind to his seductress lover Number Six. He points out the absence of God in the cell samples before him. "What is it that drives you to blasphemy, Gaius? A need to tempt fate?" asked Six.... She continues spouting her usual religious Cylon rhetoric "if you would give yourself over to God's will, you'd find peace in his love like I have. He has a plan for us." Baltar imagines he's in the bedroom of his house on Caprica, and wants to have virtual sex with her, but she keeps bringing up God. "You running a glitch in the program or something? Because you say the same thing over and over again," he replies. "It's important that you form a personal relationship with God. Only you can give yourself over to God's eternal love," replied Six. His arguing with Six over his lack of faith in God and his mocking of her belief in God quickly escalates into an explosion of anger on his part. Baltar has had enough and tells her enough is enough. "No, what you are doing, darling, is boring me to death with your superstitious drivel, your, your metaphysical nonsense. Which, to be fair to you, actually appeals to the half-educated dullards that make up most of human society but which, I hasten to add, no rational, intelligent free-thinking human being truly believes. Which leads me to the inescapable conclusion that Cylons are, in the final, that Cylons are, in the final analysis little more than toasters, with great-looking legs."
	At this point Six vanishes from Baltar's head and disappears. He is awakened from his dream-like state by a knock on his door. It's Lieutenant Anastasia Dualla (played by Kandyse McClure), and she has been ordered to bring him to see Commander Adama (Edward James Olmos) in the CIC (the Galactica's Combat Information Center).
At the CIC Baltar sees Six but tries to pretend that he does not see her. However he quickly comes to realise that she is not a vision in his mind as everyone else can see her and is presented to him as Shelly Godfrey [God Free, intersting choice of name, isn't it], a civilian from another ship. "Miss Godfrey has brought some very disturbing accusations to my attention. I think you should have the chance to answer them in person," says Commander Adama. Godfrey then states her case. "You're the one who let the Cylons into the defence mainframe. You've betrayed your entire race. You're the man responsible for the holocaust, and I'm here to see you exposed, and sentenced to death as the traitor you really are." "I've never seen this woman before in my life," replies Baltar. "I'm not surprised you don't remember me, I was just a lowly systems analyst at the defence ministry. Dr. Amarak was my associate... Dr. Amarak told me he had evidence that Dr Baltar was involved in the sneak attack. He was trying to reach the President and give her the information when he was killed." "Well, it's a pity he's no longer with us," replied Baltar. "How convenient we only have your word for that," he added. "There's also this," replied Godfrey as she held up a computer disc. "It's I.D. coded. Colonial Defense Ministry," she added. "Dr. Amarak gave the disc to me before he died. Amarak gave the disc to me for safekeeping. On the disc is a photo. It was captured from the security camera in the defence mainframe on Caprica. It shows the Doctor entering the mainframe without permission the day before the attack. As you can see, the man in the photo is carrying an explosive device. Just before the Cylon attack, the entire defence mainframe was destroyed by this device." "Honestly, that is not me. I wasn't there, it's somebody else... I'm not the man in the photograph," pleads Dr. Baltar. "I see a man, same height, same build, but that's a long way from proof, Miss Godfrey," replied the Commander. "I agree Commander but look here, in the faceplate of the computer terminal is the reflection of the man's face. With the right equipment, the image could be enlarged and sharpened. We could see his face," she explained. Commander Adama puts Lieutenant Felix Gaeta (played by Alessandro Juliani) in charge of the investigation to analyse the disc. Gaeta tells Adama that it will take ten hours to decode the disc and will answer the question as to who's lying. Commander Adama suspends Baltar's security status and work in the lab until the matter is resolved. So we have the brilliant scientist Dr. Baltar accused of treason and under house arrest until the evidence against him is analysed. Six Degrees of Separation, Battlestar Galactica will be concluded in Part 3. Credits: Lieutenant Anastasia Dualla Image source: Wikipedia