####################
"New Mission"
[Previous Post: "Cornered"]
####################

<<Imagine what we could learn if we tapped into the memories of the universe.>>
- Liana, Head Researcher on the Asari Genetic Memory Transfer project

Setting: USS ANUBIS, Observation Lounge
Stardate: 63077.1315

With the crew promotions and shifts announced and made official, the Native American had been able to proceed with the main reason for this briefing.  As he sat into the chair at the end of the elongated table, Erik called up a holographic image of the Romulan Neutral Zone.

"Onto the mission at hand," the ANUBIS' CO began.  "As you already know, we will be heading to the RIN-AJAD CLUSTER, a group of planetary systems on the far side of Romulan space.  Our objective if a genetic research lad located on RAADEJ III.  Annie," the Native American said passing the remainder of the briefing to the ANUBIS' Avatar who had all of the specific information pertaining to their mission.

"One of our operatives on ROMULUS came across a report from the research lab on RAADEJ III.  The existence of this lab had been known to Starfleet Intelligence, but the actual nature of their work had never been discovered, that is until now.  As you may know, there are very few races in the galaxy that possess the ability to transfer memories from parents to their offspring, and despite efforts from many other races, the process has never been able to be artificially duplicated."

"I remember reading something about this back at the Academy," the new Chief Science Officer chimed in.  "All efforts to transfer memories from one person to another resulted in the recipient's brain being turned into runny oatmeal."

"Well there goes my appetite," the COO sighed as the image of someone's brain turning into much formed into his mind.

"The technology to have a person see and even investigate someone else's memories is currently available," Annie explained.  "But this method requires time and effort as an individual must actively search through someone's memories to find what they may be looking for.  In the case of highly trained individuals, such as Intel Operatives, such a search can prove to be useless as the memories and hidden and even guarded by complex mental blocks."

"The problem is this," the former CSciO, now ILO added.  "Being able to just transfer someone's memories into another person would not only transfer the knowledge but also the keys to instantly access this knowledge.  Even if the memories were somehow *encoded* for protection against let's say a telepathic scan, the transferred information would likely contain the decryption key or at the very least where to find it.  Interrogations would become useless as the memories of anyone captured could simply be transferred into the mind of one of their captors."

"Talk about changing the face of Intel," Eve said suddenly concerned as to what impact having someone *download* her memories would have, not only on her life but that of those around her.

"Admiral Koniki would like the ANUBIS to locate, enter and ascertain this lab's progress in this field," the ship's Avatar continued.  "Whatever our findings may be though, we are under direct orders to stop this lab from continuing their research and destroy it at all costs as well as any research notes that may be present on and off-world."

"Off-world?" The Native American gasped.  "Some of these notes may have already made it back to ROMULUS."

"Discovering where any research notes have been sent to will be part of our mission profile," Annie pointed out perfectly without emotions, only as an android could.

"Guess blasted the planet into space dust is no longer an option," Hex growled, not that the ANUBIS had the kind of fire power required to accomplish said task, but at the very least the SCARAB-Class cruiser could have located and eradicated the lab from orbit, even if it had been hidden deep underground.

"This mission is going to have several major obstacles for us to conquer," Maya explained as the new ILO.  "Making it through Romulan space undetected will be difficult enough, finding the lab on a planet such as RAADEJ III is going to present us with unique complications, and gaining access to this secret base is going to be nearly impossible."

"Lieutenant Fanggot," the CO said as he turned his attention to the Chief of Security.  "What can you tell us about Romulan activities along the Neutral Zone?"

"The outposts along the Neutral Zone have reported only the usual patrols of War Birds," Hex stated.  "It's the cloaked ships that could cause us a few problems if we run into them."

"Once we are deeper into Romulan space there should not be as much a potential to run into a cloaked ship," the Oltharian pointed out.  "Why would the Romulans have cloaked ships inside their border?"

"The same reason why we have ships such as the ANUBIS moving around without anyone else knowing," the redheaded CMO said as she shook her head.  "The Tal'Shiar will likely have some of their ships watching for internal issues, just to make sure that every little Romulan behaves according to the Senate's wishes."

"The Cloaking Armor may shield us from sensors and even from most passing glances," the Kzinti Sec/Tac Officer continued.  "But it won't hide us from a ship if we run into it."

"That is why we will have to go in at highest Warp 6 and stay away from known travelled routes," the Native American confirmed with clear disappointment.

"At Warp 6 it will take us over 2 weeks to get to the RIN-AJAD CLUSTER," Elliot stated, not at all thrilled with the idea of spending that much time behind the Romulan border.

"Actually," Annie stepped in with, "the journey will take 17 days, maybe longer if we have to make detours to avoid unexpected obstacles along the way."

Well," Erik chimed in, trying his best to come across as optimist.  "That will give us time to do some research of our own.  In 17 days we should be able to figure out a way to easily locate the lab and discover a way to gain access to it not to mention gaining some extra Intel on the Romulans in general.  Lieutenant Fanggot, you and Lieutenant Thomas will keep watch on the Romulans to make sure we stay as far away from any patrols and ships.  Lieutenant Fairborn, we will need the ship to run as smoothly as possible, we cannot afford to have the slightest variation giving away our position to the Romulans.  Lieutenant Mitshiba, your task will be to research RAADEJ III and see if we can narrow our search parameter down as to the location of this underground base.  Doctor Rikar and Lieutenant Dalziel will work on getting a better understanding of what this lab has and has not discovered so that we can have a better idea of what we are actually going to be dealing with."

"I guess this leaves me with the task of finding a way for us to gain access to the lab once we find it," Maya nodded.

"The ANUBIS is already on course for the Romulan Neutral Zone which we will cross in about 2 hours.  If you can, get some rest before then because once we are in, I doubt that any of us will be able to get any decent sleep for a long while," Erik announced before he dismissed the Senior Officers back to their stations and duties.

--==(/\)==--
Francois Charette

Lieutenant Elan Talak Fairborn
Chief Engineering Officer
USS ANUBIS

AND

Robotics Engineering Officer
NEW ALEXANDRIA

Also

Captain Erik Morningstar
Commanding Officer
USS PARADOX