When the crew gathers below decks to blow off steam in the boxing ring, the fight card is haunted by memories of what happened on New Caprica.
In an effort to clear the air and bring the ship together again, Adama allows the crew to hold a “dance”: an impromptu boxing tournament where rank is forgotten and anyone can challenge anyone else.
But as the fights unfold, with Tigh playing referee and ringmaster, it becomes clear that the ring is haunted by thoughts of the recent past, of the shattered promise of a peaceful life in New Caprica, of the divisions that have emerged within the fleet and on Galactica.
Things take an unexpected turn when Adama challenges Tyrol; both men take their best shots, but the younger and stronger Tyrol has the advantage over his commander. That bout, however, is only a prelude to the main event: Apollo and Starbuck. As they go toe to toe – and as Sam and Dualla watch from the sidelines – the memories come flooding back: the promises made and broken, the feelings that once brought them together only to tear them apart.