The fleet has found a source of water, but who will take on the difficult and dangerous job of mining it from the icy planet? Commander Adama and President Roslin send Lee to the Astral Queen, a prisoner transport ship, with an offer for its inmates: Volunteer for this mission and earn "freedom points".

President Roslin's fears that Commander Adama is a Cylon are stoked when she learns he's making secret wireless calls to other ships. Then, to make things worse, a single Cylon raider appears near the Galactica and begins acting strangely after being damaged in battle.

When President Roslin calls an Interim Quorum of the Twelve Colonies, she discovers that democracy brings its ugly stepsisters — politics and deadly intrigue — to the party. Tom Zarek, the charismatic convicted terrorist, is elected as the delegate from Sagittaron and immediately proposes elections for the vice-presidency.

Democracy is brought back to the fleet and soon with it come hardball politics and potentially deadly intrigue.

Tigh imposes martial law and threatens to split the fleet as Lee works to free President Roslin and organize democratic resistance.

Adama and Roslin fight for the hearts and minds of the fleet's population, as Starbuck finds herself trapped in a supposed resistance hospital.

President Roslin's fragile coalition is put to the test in the first part of a two-part story. Apollo, who has sided with Roslin, runs into a conflict with Zarek and his accomplice Meier.

Adama heads to Kobol to find Roslin, reassembles the fleet and heads down to Kobol himself to find the presidential party in search of the "Tomb of Athena" which allegedly leads to Earth. Apollo hangs out with Starbuck , Zarek tries to keep his cronie off plotting with Boomer who is unaware of tension building between Helo and Tyrol.

Pegasus' new commander Fisk is murdered by black marketeers, and Lee is charged with solving the crime. Roslin seeks to stamp out the black market by introducing new trade regulations.

Apollo assists in the search for a missing Raptor team as the new commander of the Pegasus grows increasingly unstable.

Chief Tyrol is plagued by terrifying dreams and seeks the aid of a priest. Kara leads a rescue mission to Caprica. Roslin and Baltar go head-to-head in a presidential debate that changes dramatically with the discovery of a habitable planet.

When Baltar wins the vote, Roslin considers stealing the election because she believes he is a Cylon collaborator.

Adama plans to return to New Caprica and drop off a surprising person to act as a liaison between Galactica and the Resistance. Tigh's insistence on the use of suicide bombers and ever escalating violence stuns even the fellow leaders of the Resistance. Eventually, the suicide bombings cause the Cylon occupiers to crackdown on their human subjects.

Sharon helps the Resistance on New Caprica as Adama leads Galactica on a dangerous rescue operation. Tyrol races to save Cally from the execution squad. Meanwhile Anders uncovers treachery among the humans. Number Three meets the Oracle Selloi after having strange dreams about the temple.

Tigh must decide the fate of his wife Ellen after the assistance she rendered to the Cylons. Lee struggles with his assignment to protect the civilian fleet on its journey toward Earth while Adama returns to New Caprica with just the Galactica. The Resistance coordinates an attack on the Cylons just as Galactica arrives. As the Cylons begin to lose control, Number Three vows to put a final end to the New Caprican experiment.

Tyrol participates in the Circle, a secret tribunal on Galactica that tries and convicts in absentia those accused of collaborating with the Cylons during the Occupation. The death sentences--administered without the knowledge of Roslin or Adama--begin to weigh on Tyrol's conscience. Baltar faces a similar jury among the Cylons, who must decide whether he is allowed to stay with them.

The Sagittarons allege that a doctor is discriminating against them. As Helo investigates, he becomes concerned that the doctor may even be murdering patients. Meanwhile, Athena unwittingly brings Hera to the doctor for treatment.

Kara Thrace seeks her own path in the search for Earth while the Cylons face the threat of sentient Centurions. A member of Galactica's crew learns a dark secret about a loved one.

President Roslin faces challenges as the Colonials plot with Cylon rebels to destroy a Resurrection Hub.

With President Roslin missing along with the cylon base ship a new president must be decided on. Galactica goes on a search for the missing base ship and the Galactica crew members that were on board.

Tigh and Number Six take their first glimpse at their unborn child, Tyrol offers Adama Cylon technology in return for his fellow Cylons properly reintegrated into the fleet, and an attempted coup leads to a costly struggle to maintain civility.

Loyalties are made clear when Gaeta orchestrates a coup d'état of the Adama regime. Both prisoners and lives are taken as many of the fed up people work to take over Galactica.

President Roslin faces off against Tom Zarek and Lt. Gaeta as they try to take control of the Colonial fleet. Both the alliance with the rebel Cylons and Adama's life are at stake.