[kingfish]

OPERATING ROOM - ALL - As Adama lies anesthetized, Salik works intently, the others assisting. Salik: "Another few centons is all we need." THE BRIDGE - TIGH AND OMEGA watching the rising temperature gauges. Tigh: (into radio) "Hurry, Apollo! An extra micron could make the difference!" EXT. HULL - APOLLO AND STARBUCK - They've finished setting the charges. Apollo: (into radio) "That's it, Colonel. We're heading for the detonator!" They start to move off. INT. STORAGE COMPARTMENT - Boxey and Boomer at the open vent. Athena joins them. All three are perspiring heavily and coughing. They share a life mask with Boxey getting the most. Boxey: "We're waiting for Muffit, Athena. He won't let us down." She embraces him. She looks toward one of the doors. HER POINT OF VIEW - The seal is smoking and beginning to fall away. INT. AIR DUCT - MUFFIT runnng, pulling his precious cargo of life masks. EXT. HULL - APOLLO AND STARBUCK - SLOW MOTION - Making their way toward the detonator at the hatch, they approach one of the charges they set earlier. A blue laser beam slices the void, striking close to the nearby charge, sending up a shower of sparks! They turn and look! THEIR POINT OF VIEW - A Cylon fighter, lasers blazing, boring right in! SHEBA'S COCKPIT - Apollo: (from radio) "Sheba! He's coming in fast!" She follows the attacking Cylon, lines it up and blows it up in a dazzling explosion! Sheba: "Not faster than me!" ANOTHER CYLON FIGHTER boring in for the kill. EXT. HULL - CLOSE ON APOLLO AND STARBUCK as they reach the small push-button detonator. Apollo picks it up, ready to fire when: Sheba's Voice: (from radio) "Another Cylon coming, Apollo! I can't line him up!" Apollo and Starbuck look up. SHEBA'S COCKPIT - Ahead of her, a Cylon fighter weaves back and forth as it heads for the Galactica. Sheba is firing near-misses. CYLON COCKPIT illuminated by flashes of the near-misses. Centurion: "Prepare for oblivion." EXT. HULL - CLOSE ON APOLLO AND STARBUCK as they watch the Cylon fighter approach. Sheba's Voice: (from radio) "He's gonna ram!" Starbuck: "Maybe you can get him with the explosion!" Apollo: "If I time it just right. (into radio) Break off, Sheba. That's an order." SHEBA'S COCKPIT - INTERCUT - Sheba: "All right, Captain. I hope you know what you're doing." She pulls up and away from the weaving Cylon fighter.

STORAGE COMPARTMENT - Everyone waiting for the end. The coughing is continuous as the few life masks are passed around. ANGLE - BOXEY, ATHENA, AND BOOMER - Between coughing, we hear a faint barking. Boxey is the only one who hears it. He looks up, alert. Boxey: "Muffit! I hear Muffit!" Another bark, closer! Athena and Boomer hear it now!" ANGLE - THE VENT as Muffit appears, sits and barks! Boxey hugs him happily. ANGLE - ALL - The group looks, begins to come to life. Muffit runs out and the life-mask conainers trail out after. Boomer: "Life masks! Pass them around!" The people eagerly take the containers. Boxey starts putting one on the critically inured young crewman. Boomer opens the metal box on Muffit's collar, extracts the note during: Athena: "They'll save us from the smoke but not from the fire." ANGLE ON THE DOORS - Small flames beginning to spurt in! EXT. HULL - APOLLO AND STARBUCK as they wait, Apollo's hand on the detonator. The tension is almost unbearable! Apollo: "Another few microns...." CYLON COCKPIT - The Galactica rushing up! STORAGE COMPARTMENT - Some have life masks on, others are donning them. Boomer is reading the note. He reacts! Boomer: (urgently) "Put 'em on and take cover! They're gonna blow the hull!" The rest quickly put theirs on. Athena checks Boxey's. Everyone tries to find some cover from the explosion. OPERATING ROOM - Salik slowly straightens up, looks wearily at the others for a beat, then: Salik: "It's all over. (beat) He'll be okay." Evrerybody breaks into happy grins. THE BRIDGE - Tigh: (into radio) "Apollo, we're out of time!" DOOR TO GENERATOR COMPARTMENT blows in in a rush of flame! DOOR TO SOLIUM STORAGE blows in in a rush of flame! EXT. HULL - APOLLO AND STARBUCK watching the approaching Cylon! Apollo: "Now!" He presses the detonator button! GALACTICA AND CYLON FIGHTER - The first explosion blows the Cylon fighter to atoms! Another charge explodes almost immediately. CORRIDOR OUTSIDE THE GENERATOR ROOM - A huge explosion further down the corridor and the flames die. CORRIDOR OUTSIDE SOLIUM STORAGE - An explosion in an adjacent corridor and the flames die. STORAGE COMPARTMENT - Everyone covers their heads as an explosion rocks them. (Note: If possible, show smoke running out around seal of door by reversing film). INT. BURNING PORT LANDING BAY - A huge explosion and the flames die. GALACTICA - From space, we see the gaping hole and watch the flames die.

SHEBA'S COCKPIT - Sheba: "Couldn't have done better myself, Captain! THE BRIDGE - TIGH - In b.g., Omega and other crewman happily thump each other on the back as they watch the temperature gauges. Tigh: (into radio) "You did it, Apollo! You and Starbuck did it!" No response. Tigh is alarmed. Tigh: "Apollo!... Starbuck!..." EXT. HULL - APOLLO AND STARBUCK - Their adrenaline has stopped pumping. Apollo sags, thinking of what has happened to his family. Tigh's Voice: (from radio) "...Are you all right?" Starbuck: "We're in one piece, Colonel. (looking at Apollo) Any word on Apollo's family?" Tigh: "Yes, His father wants to see him." Both Apollo and Starbuck brighten. FADE OUT - END OF ACT FOUR - FADE IN - LIFE CENTER short time later. Adama, fully awake, is in a life pod. Apollo arrives. They look at each other with mixed emotions... each grateful that the other has survived, yet sharing the grief of what they believe to be a horrible loss. Apollo: (choked) "Father, Athena and Boxey..." Adama: (interrupting) "I know. I wish it had been me, instead." Athena's Voice: "We're glad it wasn't anyone." ANGLE - INCLUDING ATHENA AND BOXEY - Apollo and Adama can't believe their eyes! Spechless, Apollo embraces both of them as Adama gazes up at them. Adama: (to himself) "Dear God, thank you." ANGLE - SALIK AND INJURED CREWMAN - Salik examines the badly injured young crewman as other survivors are being attended to in the b.g. Salik: "You're gonna be okay, son. But if someone hadn't given you constant care, you wouldn't be here now." ANGLE - CASSIOPEA AND BOOMER as she treats his burned hand. Cassiopea: "I heard that if it wasn't for you, no one would've made it." Boomer: "I just did what had to be done." Starbuck enters the shot. Starbuck: "Don't be so modest, Boomer. When you're a hero, you gotta act like it. Take me blowing the hull for instance." Boomer gives Cassiopea a conspiratorial look. They both smile. Boomer: "Blowing the hull? Couldn't be as tough as hot-linking a sealed bulkhead door. Do you know anything about hovermobiles?" Starbuck looks at him, puzzled, then: Starbuck: "Just that the only thing easier to hot-link is a sealed bulkhead door." Apollo grins. Boomer does too. ANGLE - ADAMA, APOLLO, ATHENA, AND BOXEY - As Boxey disengages from his father's embrace, he looks at the tears in Apollo's eyes. Boxey: "Why are you crying, Dad?" Apollo: "I... I guess I got smoke in my eyes." Boxeylooks in on Adama's tear-streaked face. Boxey: "You got smoke in your eyes, too, Grandpa?" Adama: (smiling) "No, Boxey. (beat) I'm crying because in my entire life, I've never been as happy as I am at this moment." Boxey grins. He understands. THE END