Herded into a confined area of space, the Fleet must pass within range of a Cylon garrison, wielding a powerful pulsar cannon. While investigating the cannon three cadets are lost, including Bow, Shields and Starbuck's protégé Cree.
Adama orders an expedition from Galactica be formed to assault the ice-bound fortress housing the weapon. Convinced that cadet Cree might still be alive, Starbuck tampers with the machine assigned to select the group who will go on the mission. Starbuck's actions however have the unintended side-effect of leading the computer to choose several criminals from the prison barge. While all chosen are cold-weather and demolitions experts, many are cut-throat, and some are murders.
Apollo, Starbuck, and Boomer lead the team to the planet. Along the way, their ship crashes due to an attack by the Cylons. It's then discovered that Boxey and Muffit stowed away (having never seen snow). On the way to the mountain, they group is stranded in the middle of a deadly storm. Muffit leaves the group in an attempt to find help. Not long after the group loses consciousness. When they awake, they realize they have been rescued (thanks to Muffit) by a group of human clones. The clones agree to help them and offer to take the group to their main city. On the way they encounter a Cylon patrol. The patrol is about to pass by when one Centurion pauses to look around...
Tropes:
- Berserk Button: Don't tell Starbuck cadet Cree is dead.Starbuck: You don't stow a man's gear if he's not dead!
- A Father to His Men: Lucifer, sort of. He objects to Baltar's intention to use the ship's pilots as reserves.
- Got Volunteered: A subversion, Starbuck recruits himself, so he'll have the chance to rescue cadet Cree. Once he is chosen, he feigns ignorance.
- The Pardon: The motive for the criminals to help in the mission to destroy the pulsar.
- Ragtag Bunch of Misfits: The criminals chosen by the computer for the mission.
- Sociopathic Hero: Thane. There's also Wolfe, who's just a sociopath.
- The Squad:
- The Leader/The Veteran: Apollo/Croft.
- The Smart Guy: Thane.
- The Sneaky Guy: Thane.
- Demolitions Expert: Wolfe.
- The Medic: Leda.
- Suicide Mission: What all the criminals believe the mission to destroy the pulsar to be.
- Whole-Plot Reference: The Guns of Navarone meets The Dirty Dozen In SPACE!
