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The following is my attempt to explain why Baltar did what he did, and frame it in the background of the classic program. It also explains that green outfit John Colicos wore in character, beginning in Lost Planet Of The Gods, and why he did not wear it before then. Finally, it reveals Baltar's fate.

This is not strictly canon as yet. What it is, instead, is my personal speculation, so I ask your indulgence for that.

The Colonial Merchant Marine And The Motive Of Baltar's Treason

Part One: The Colonial Merchant Marine

Along with the rise of the Colonial Service went the rise of the Colonial Merchant Marine. An alliance of traders who also had a measure of military training, it used an essentially similar command structure to the Colonial Service; Baltar was the last Commander of the Colonial Merchant Marine. However, unlike the Colonial Service's battlestars, Colonial Merchant Marine ships had no Vipers, or other such combat-oriented small craft, and relied on banks of turret-mounted laser cannons to defend their most vital areas from attack. Also unlike battlestars, Merchant Marine ships had no launch platforms for space-to-space torpedoes.
There was enough lawlessness where the traders plied their trade for fighting and scars to be part of their overhead. Their vessels, more than half of which were freighters, did not have to worry that much about Cylons, but they were in frequent danger of piracy, and they faced fierce competition from smuggling. Indeed, some Colonal Merchant Mariners actually turned smuggler and/or pirate, and were able to evade their former compatriots's protective measures. Inevitably, the Colonial Merchant Marine gained a high degree of economic control of the Colonies. Its best traders grew rich, and with riches came political power. Many Colonial Merchant Marine Commanders were able to cause themselves to be elected to the Quorum/Council Of The Twelve; Baltar himself was perhaps the most prominent example of this.
Colonial Merchant Marine personnel tended to wear green uniforms with tan suede boots, sometimes adorned with long green dress capes. Like Warriors in the Colonial Service, "Hagglers" in the Colonial Merchant Marine attended an academy to win licenses for their duties. Baltar was a highly respected figure in the Colonial Merchant Marine even before he became its last Commander, for he showed an uncanny knack for both achievement and survival. Indeed, when he attained to the age of sixty-five yahrens, he became the youngest Commander in Colonial Merchant Marine history and, with a tenure of thirty-five yahrens before he committed his treason, its longest-tenured ever.

Then he committed his treason.

Part Two: The Motive Of Baltar's Treason

In the thirty-first yahren of Baltar's tenure as the Commander of the Colonial Merchant Marine, reasoned as both Yahren 6566 and Yahren 7338 by Colonial calendars, he recruited a personal pilot and electronics engineer named Charybdis. It was under the code name Proteus that the Colonial Service came to know of Charybdis. A treacherous and untrustworthy individual, he would later murder the Colonial Warrior Ensign Ortega aboard the Rising Star, which had once been Commander Baltar's flagship. Baltar never trusted Charybdis fully, and even grew to hate him, but eventually he found himself unable to do without him. He ended up practicing the wisdom of keeping one's friends close--and one's enemies closer still.
As has previously been stated, the Colonial Merchant Marine's ships were in frequent danger of piracy and also faced fierce competition from smuggling. Charybdis, who had become as dependent on Baltar as Baltar was on him, hated this interdependency and longed to strike out on his own. In Yahren 6567, which was also Yahren 7339, Charybdis learned that Baltar had acquired massive stores of Tylium, solium, petro, and solonite--the three fuels and the explosive without which neither the Colonial Service nor the Colonial Merchant Marine could do. Hoping to overthrow Baltar as Commander of the Colonial Merchant Marine, he revealed the locations of all four to the ringleader of the cruelest and most ruthless piracy and smuggling ring then menacing Colonial Merchant Marine shipping, a man Baltar personally knew--and hated. Charybdis did more, and worse. He revealed how to evade the security precautions Baltar had taken with it all.
The pirate-smuggler wasted no time in taking evil advantage of Charybdis's treachery against Baltar. He and his ring raided the private storage containers of his enemy and stole all the Tylium, all the solium, all the petro, and all the solonite. Shocked, horrified, and enraged to find his most valuable cargo gone, Baltar gathered up every cubit he had available, including some that served as "tracer" cubits, and commenced, aboard his flagship, the Rising Star, to track down his enemy and his cargo. There, he began trade negotiations, using the Haggling skills he had learned in the Colonial Merchant Marine Academy, hoping to buy back his stolen cargo. He had to do so without Charybdis, of whose role in that crime he remained ignorant for yahrens, learning of it only when Charybdis stood tribunal for Ortega's murder, for which he had already framed the Colonial Warrior Lieutenant Starbuck, and of which crimes Charybdis was eventually convicted.
Unfortunately for Baltar, he was far from alone in wanting the ringleader pirate-smuggler caught and brought to justice. The Colonial Service was already also in hot pursuit of that unworthy, a pursuit that the Colonial Service's Commander, Commander Adama, Commander of the Colonial Service battlestar Galactica and the son of the legendary Commander Theo, who had likewise commanded both the Galactica and the Colonial Service, had initiated. To Adama, there were too many irregularities involved in the trade negotiations Baltar was pursuing, and he was convinced he had to bring a stop to them before something clearly illegal resulted.
The Galactica caught up with the Rising Star just as the negotiations were reaching a critical point. Adama ordered three of his best Warriors, Lieutenant Apollo and Ensigns Boomer and Starbuck, to intercept the ringleader pirate-smuggler's ship and board it. Leaving the bridge of the Galactica in the hands of Major Tigh, whose own poor restraint of his emotions had already cost him at least one command of his own, Adama came on board the other ship along with Apollo, and the four Colonial Service personnel broke up the deal before it could be closed. As the Colonial Service was facing a fuel and munitions shortage of its own at the time, Adama ordered the cargo impounded, and Baltar's cubits seized, as evidence in the eventual tribunal, in which the ringleader pirate-smuggler was convicted of all charges. But over Adama's objections, Adar, the then President of the Quorum/Council Of The Twelve, refused to allow Baltar to be repaid a single ducat of the thousands of millions of cubits he had tried to invest in recovering the cargo.
The results were disastrous for Baltar and, eventually, for the Colonies.
For what should have been the greatest mercantile triumph of Baltar's career instead became his most ignominious economic disaster.
Forced to close down the Colonial Merchant Marine Headquarters on his native Canceria, whose building had also been his personal home, because he could no longer afford to care for it, Baltar was left financially impoverished, with hundreds of millions of cubits in personal debt, though he still retained his seat on the Quorum/Council Of The Twelve. So homeless was he rendered, in fact, that he had to sell the Rising Star, for ducats on the cubit, to a Leo sire by the name of Uri to cover the worst of his debts. Moreover, so that he might even have a ship of his own, Baltar was forced to salvage and restore an abandoned, derelict garbage scow, then convert it. The entire Colonial Merchant Marine was thus forced to conduct its operations at a severe financial loss, not mitigated in the least by the fact that a third of its ships had already been destroyed, or that many of its best Hagglers and traders had been killed, by the pirates and smugglers whose ringleader Baltar had tried to deal with to get his cargo back.
Baltar blamed Adama for the loss of his home and the reversal of his fortunes, and swore revenge. It took him three yahrens to find a way to get that--a means of depriving Adama of his home and reversing his fortunes--but eventually he did. It occurred to him that maybe the Cylons would give him at least a home, where he might be able to subjugate some humans. But if he was to get that, then he would have to do something that would have been completely unthinkable to him before this--betray the Colonies to the Cylons.
He stopped wearing his Colonial Merchant Marine uniform and took to wearing civilian clothing. Using his Haggling skills, he communicated with the Imperious Leader of the Cylons, relying on Charybdis to maintain open channels. At first his proposal drew skepticism from the Imperious Leader, who had functioned for a thousand yahrens. Over time, however, Baltar was able to convince the Imperious Leader to follow his plan. He did not count on the Imperious Leader being willing to order him executed upon being convinced that his usefulness to the Cylons had seemingly ended, which that particular Imperious Leader would not function long enough to do. Nor did he count on that Imperious Leader, whose bargain with Baltar called for Canceria to be spared, altering the bargain and claiming that Baltar had missed the entire point of the war.
When the Imperious Leader with whom Baltar had dealt was destroyed before Baltar could be publicly executed, his successor, who had an identical voice to his predecessor, proved to be more flexible, and even gave him a base star to command, thereby making him an organic warlord amongst a race of machines. This enabled Baltar to pursue his revenge plans against Adama. Of course, by then, there was no more Colonial Merchant Marine, but Baltar still, regardless, resumed wearing his Colonial Merchant Marine uniform.
Ultimately, Baltar finally received a conviction for his treason in a tribunal and judgment from a more recent roster of the Quorum/Council Of The Twelve. (This was thanks to the personal intervention of the evil Count Iblis. Yahrens before, Count Iblis had deceived the original reptilian Cylons into creating their robotic armed forces; these had ultimately turned on, and destroyed, their own creators. Count Iblis's voice became that shared by all the Imperious Leaders of the robotic Cylons.) After receiving that judgment and being confined to the prison barge of the Galactican ragtag fleet, Baltar was marooned on an inhabited planet, where he eventually died.

Above the Colonial Fleet Shipyards, Leonis.

“Action Stations!, Action Stations! Set Condition One throughout the Ship!! All Pilots to your craft this is not a drill I repeat this is not a drill!!!”

The alarm and klaxon surprised Lt. Jg Jeff Phillips. Getting out of his bunk and quickly getting into his flight suit. He looks to his roommate and friend Ensign Eric Chronister. “Is everything ready to go with the Labrys, Storm?”

“Sure thing, Gambit everything is locked down tight, do not worry I will help get the kids into the planes.” replies Eric referring to him by his callsign.

“Make sure Ogre does not jump the gun while I go and get the brief from the CAG.” Gambit said as he head to the Ready Room.

Running as fast he can down the deck corridors of the Battlestar Raven the flagship of the Colonial Fleet. Gambit turns to the Ready Room where the rest of the Squadron Leaders were also running in.

Standing at the podium stood the CAG, that would be the Commander of the Air Group. Captain Keith Ranson known as “Leonidas” stood grim. Gambit had never seen the CAG look this way he was always kind of a hard ass as most commanders are but this time he looked like he had seen a ghost. This did not feel good. As Gambit sat in his seat noted by the seal of the squadron that he leads the Minotaur, Fellow Squadron Leader Lt. Jg. Roger “Reamer” Barstow of the Flying Tigers noted “Have a clue what is going on?” as he sat down.

“Not a clue but the CAG has never looked this way.” Replied Gambit. As the rest of the Squadron Leaders settled down the Commander of the Air Group cleared his throat and spoke the following.

After Reading The Report Of Ens. Quinn And Examining The Images He Recorded On a Covert Mission On a Possible Cylon Fleet Stalking Us, I felt It Necessary To Do a Follow-Up Recon Using The Second Blackbird, Supported By Two Raptors. We launched from the Raven, Then Jumped to an Intermediate Point Just Beyond DRADIS Range.

I Ordered The Two Raptors To hold position While I Jumped Ahead To The Last Plot Of the Cylon Fleet. I Managed To get Within Five kilometers Of The Cylon Fleet,Which Then Consisted Of a Resurrection Ship, Two Basestars, And About Two Detached Squadrons Of Raiders. To My Knowledge,They Did Not Detect My Ship. I attempted to Record More details Of The Fleet,But was Unable To Due to a Camera Malfunction. However, I Can Confirm That There Is Indeed A Enemy Fleet Stalking Us, Which Ties in With The Recent Probing Activity, And Also the Suspicious Activity On The Raven.

It Is My Judgement That this Threat be Eliminated As Soon as Possible. Therefore,Recommend, as A Primary Plan, Co-Ordination With TWO Other Battlestars Due To the Possibility Of encountering Up To FOUR Enemy Basestars, In a Strike To Eliminate the Cylon Fleet Stalking Us.

Oh Frak, this is for real. No more playing tag with other pilots from the other Battlestars, this is the real deal. The Cylons are back. Wow this is very heavy. This time this is for real. Gambit thinks on the fact that while the recruiting is still going strong that I still do not have a full complement of pilots for this kind of operation. We will make due but boy howdy this is going to have a strain on their skills.

Gambit’s thoughts on the matter were shattered when CAG called out attention and wished the leaders good luck and good hunting.

Running down to the flight deck, Gambit takes stock of the pilots that are preparing their fighters. Eric, Shane “Ogre” Coble who is also his assistant Squadron Leader. Then there is Cherie “Dunrite” Leach who is in a new and shiny Mark VII Viper, Laura “Machine” Morris, Don “Dice” Orser, Tifany “StarCat” Oslin, and the nugget Ensign Elizabeth Nicholson. A lot of new faces, and not a lot of combat experience. Even Gambit himself does not have true combat experience, despite his senior pilot status. Taking the time to brief his pilots of what is going on a lot of white but steeled faces. No one responded in the negative when asked are “you all ready for this?”.

Gambit moves over to his Viper Mark III and takes a look at the new modifications that Storm and the Chief of the Deck have put on all of the Minotaurs Vipers. Now being nicknamed the Labrys, these Vipers are currently featuring an ominous looking mini-rotary cannon sticking just a bit outside of the nose assembly this cannon along with some modifications to the reaction thrusters to be more powerful and stable for this armored fighter to be a lethal weapons platform. Seeing all of that time and the hard work putting this design together, and the discussions with the CAG and the Commander of the Raven to get the permission to make these modifications brings a smile to Gambit’s face as he gets into the cockpit of his fighter.  

“All Vipers are cleared to launch, All Vipers are cleared to launch!!”

The Minotaur’s Vipers slide into the launch tubes and are shot out of the Battlestar in quick succession. Gambit keys the comm link to check to see if all of his Vipers made it out the Battlestar. “All Minotaurs check in, by the numbers please”

“Two here, Lead” says the Ogre.

“Three here, Lead” replies StarCat

“Four here as well” acknowledges Machine

“Five here Gambit” calls out Dice

“Six here Sir” the Nugget Nicholson replies

“Seven away Sir” calls out Storm.

"Eight out in front Lead" calls out Dunrite.

“Alright Minotaurs lets show these toasters exactly how we fight. Form up on me and lets take the fight to the cylons.”

Various sounds of “Roger” come thru from the entire squadron.

A full squadron of Cylon Raiders jump in from hyperspace and begin to fire their guns all aimed at any and all of the Minotaurs Vipers.  the Vipers break into their pairs of wingmen save for Dunrite as she breaks off with Machine and StarCat. Weaving and sliding around the combat zone the Vipers and their pilots calmly and cooly try to get behind the Raiders and hope to destroy the Cylon threat.

“Splash one Lead!!!” Cries out StarCat as an explosion flashes off the Starboard viewport of Gambit’s Viper.

“Make that two Lead” calls out Machine who takes out a second Raider with the wing cannons.

“Keep it up guys” replies Gambit.

“HEAVY RAIDER OH FRAK IT IS A HEAVY RAIDER!!!” screams out the nugget Nicholson.

“Keep calm Nugget, I am on the way” Gambit replies. “Alright Ogre, watch my six and keep the forward gun trained we are going to prove that this thing works.”

“Roger that Gambit on your six” Replies Ogre.

Gambit Slides in and puts a run on the Heavy Raider getting on his backside or six as it is said in pilot speak. Gambit cooley reaches over and flick the switch and internally hears the miniguns rotor start to hum. Then with a intake of a deep breath and exhale he pulls the trigger.....

In a flash of fire and bullets the minigun roars to life immediately punching holes into the back of the Heavy Raider unlike when the wing cannons of the Viper fire the rate of fire from the minigun is compared to a complete stream of bullets....in less than a second the Heavy Raider explodes as the stream punches through the other side. Gambit goes through the explosion and starts to breathe normally again. “Wow that was intense” he thought.

“Whoo Hoo Nice shooting LT!!!” calls out Dice.

“Lead transmission coming in from the Tigers asking for reports...” crackles Storm

“You should tell those Tigers that the Minotaur are still going and the toaster are in the maze and will return soon blowing the toasters to all Hades”

“Cool it Two we do not boast our accomplishments we just do our job.”

“Roger that Lead” replies Ogre.

“Watch your ass out there Storm looks like you have two on your tail” Ogre cries.

“Roger that Two someone get them off my ass please.”  Shortly after that transmission two explosions take place as two Vipers swoop in from different directions.

“Thanks Dunrite, Thanks Dice that was a little close”

“Got your back winger” calls out Dice.

Ogre flips his Viper in a one hundred and eighty degree turn to get into a firing line on a normal Raider and splashes the Cylon into space dust. At the same time the Nugget Nicholson lines up and allows Storm to take out a single Raider as well.

“They are bugging out Lead I just lost a solution when he jumped away!” Cried out the Nugget.

****ATTENTION TO ORDERS***

Actual has ordered recall!! Bring em back home CAG! The ship remains at Level 1. Prepare to jump to battlestargalactica.com for further action. Good work everyone!

XO out.

“Okay keyup a response and lets go home gang.” calls out Gambit. “Good work everyone.”

“Remember Combat Landings and do not dare come in too hot or spend a week in the galley”

Colonials,

I just wanted to quickly welcome all new Raven Members, to the Raven Family and Friends Circle.  In just a short period of time, we have really grown in numbers and quality.  One of our recent members is Phillip Cocking, from the United Kingdom.  One thing I would like for all to know is that Phillip Cocking has a great skill for building models.  He built a 6 Foot long Classic Series Galactica Model, which he has been sharing pictures of his work to us. Here is an example:

The rest of his work can be found at the following of the Raven's Facebook LIKE page:  

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.541619782525190.1073741831.455602271126942&type=3

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.544636138890221.1073741837.455602271126942&type=3

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.541717749182060.1073741833.455602271126942&type=3

Please do not hesitate to come and check out his great work.  It is really phenomenal.  If he was not too far, I would ask him to make me one :-)  And Phillip, thanks for accepting my invitation to join Battlestar Fan Club and the Raven.  You are now part of one big family of BSG lovers. :-)

Regards,

Raven Actual

Well now - I know I'm going to be busy as a  - - -  Well lets keep this post PG...  However, are there any good Cigar Bars, retailers, or fellow fans that can steer me in the right direction???

So looking forward to a good smoke, and good Bourbon on my trip!

So say we all!

Tom Kane, the voice of Yoda in Clone Wars, has been added as a guest with our sister convention ComicPalooza. Tom is a huge Battlestar fan and owns several high end Battlestar props such as Starbucks duty blues. Be sure to stop by and talk BSG with him.

 If any member with a high quality Cylon costume would care to introduce Mr. Glen A. Larson at Sony Pictures Studios, please contact me no later than Tuesday 16th, as due to time constraints, we will acquire same through other channels.Thank you,Francis Gregory O'TooleDip.Ill.,Cert.Cart.ProducerGlen Larson Productions

francis@glenlarsonproductions.com

Hi Everyone in the Battlestar Galactica Universe,

My name is Lt Jg Roger “Reamer” Barstow squadron leader of the Flying Tiger’s air wing aboard the Battlestar Raven BFC-002. I’m on a mission to inform all new members of the Battlestar Fan Club (BFC) how easy it is to change the default avatar given to you when you joined the BFC.

Log in to the BFC and click on my page, once inside your home page, Click on: Settings (top right just below your name)

Once inside settings, click on Browse in Edit Current Photo and add what ever image you like; it’s that simple. You can use the same Avatar you’re using on Facebook, or chose an image of your favorite BSG character as many people have done here.

Next, if you have a call sign just add it (“Anything You Want”) between your first and last names with quotation marks like I have done above. When ever you leave a comment at the BFC everyone will be able to see your new avatar and call sign.

After you have made the changes, just scroll down and click save and you’re all finished!!!!!!!!!!!!!

SO SAY WE ALL!!!!!!!

I am calling for an artist who would be willing to do a piece for me. I am looking for a piece depicting the visuals of the Vipers in my squadron the Minotaur. 

What I would like to see is either an in-flight or landed Viper Mark III and Mark VII. The one thing that would make us distinctive is on the tail wing, The wing itself would be red and black checkered. Also on the Mark III in the nose would be a mini gun as you would see on the A-10 Thunderbolt.  If you want to get some more detail to get ideas please check out our webpage. http://www.battlestarraven-bfc-002.com/the-minotaur-viper-squadron and read up on our configuration of the Vipers we fly.

If someone is willing and able to do this for me. Send me a message here or email me at j.phillips0328@gmail.com 

Thanks for listening.

Ravens and Friends,

I would like to personally congratulate the following two individuals that became the latest TOP GUN members on Battlestar Raven.  Both have achieved the TOP GUN status first time around.    

Ensign Steve Tweed

Ensign Michael Quinn

Way to go Ravens! Both of you are now part of the wall of "THE BEST THERE IS! THE BEST THERE WAS!  :  

http://www.battlestarraven-bfc-002.com/top-gun

Regards,

Raven Actual

Hi all we are coming over from the UK to Galacticon 3. is anyone on here going in costume?? I am going as Baltar and my wife as Cylon Six here is a pic of us at a Con in the UK.

Attention Colonials,

              The next few days i recommend you all read the BFC Forum sections for pertinent information as well as new Standard Operating Procedures/Guidance (SOPs) which i will be releasing. In the event if you are new and not aware of said topics they will be listed on this message below. As the new SOPs are released they will be posted in their own individual sections. I will also provide a table of contents l in order to make it easier to find subjects. I want everyone to read them especially those serving on Battlestar Chapters. I expect everyone to be well informed instead of waiting on your Chain of Command to inform you. Other areas i will discuss and are not limited to the following listed here for a quick glance.

- Viper and Raptor Tail Numbers Issuing.

- Operations Test / Certification.

- TOP GUN Status / Award.

- Campaign Cluster Award for RPG Etc.

- Viper and Raptor Squadron Military Assets, Assignment and Commissioning. (Completed)

              The above is just a few items as i said at a glance that i will be talking about and providing SOPs in order to make us run more efficiently. I will also be releasing more news during the week as not to drown everyone in new information as it is released. Remember to pass on the information to fellow crew members not everyone reads the forums. Please keep track of this as i will update which topics have been completed identifying they have also been posted. More topics to come as i deal with up coming items in the future.

** T O P I C S **

-Commissioning New Chapter Procedure. (Completed)

-Ship to Ship Transfer. (Completed)

-Members pertaining to shipboard assignment and migrations. (Completed)

-Shipboard reporting periods. (Completed)

-Physical composition of the Battlestar Fan Club Fleet and other ships.

-Ship Manning Level for disposition and Dry Dock Procedures. (Completed)

-Commissioning / Decommissioning of Shipboard Squadrons.

-Formation of Colonial Civilian Ships.

-Building and establishment of Shipboard Squadrons.

-Colonial Marine assignment and Shipboard responsibilities.

-Shipboard Senior Staff Officers mission and responsibilities.

-Examinations, Grading and Certification.

-Implementation of Shipboard Service Record to encompass Military Fleet.

-Guidance on Logos, (Squadrons, Marines and Civilian).

-Suggestion or Complaints Procedures.

-Base Line on Rank and Promotion criterias.

-Pilots, Call Sign, Tail Numbers and Small ship Assignment.

-Military Commander, Air Group briefing and responsibilities.

-Viper and Raptor Etc Qualification and Testing. (Completed)

                There maybe pauses here and there do to me standing a duty day. This is beyond my control as many of you know my real life status, so you know the job can cause delays. However i will make every effort to post the information and make myself available here and via email. For anyone who has already taken their Viper or Raptor examinations i do have your tail numbers for you. I will also be posting new threads on key items for easy tracking to be utilized by all BFC Fleet members. Be safe and i thank you for all your attention and cooperation ~Salutes~.

Here's some more Sci-Fi becoming Science Reality...Biological Computers as well as several other similar topics in stories below the main one.  How long until che children of men turn on their masters?

http://io9.com/this-new-discovery-will-finally-allow-us-to-build-biolo-462867996

Japanese Engineers developing "Walkers" like in Star Wars, or human cybernetic suits like Iron Man or Star Ship Troopers.  Still a wee bit pricy though. Needs more R&D.  More Science Ficiton becoming Science Fact

http://msnvideo.msn.com/?channelindex=2&from=en-us_msnhp#/video/042ef2ce-b72e-4218-9e55-6319c33a8b85