Posted by Hofstede on
URL: https://www.shado-forum.com/SHADO-Exit-Strategy-tp4024042.html

Reading the story, 'Attack on Moonbase' in the new UFO 1972 Annual, I notice that there are a couple of references to Colonel Desica, Paul Foster's predecessor on Moonbase. Without getting into disputes about 'canon', it did get me wondering how SHADO would deal with departing operatives.

'Confetti Check A-OK' and 'Court Martial' underlined the tough security demands of SHADO. But how would they deal with operatives who had to be dismissed? If Paul Roper or Jim Reagan had survived their episodes, they could hardly have stayed in post but what would SHADO do with them? And remember Straker's speech to Foster at the end of 'Exposed'? Suppose Foster hadn't passed that battery of tests and they'd had to let him go?

I suppose the amnesia drug would have been a starting point, but how would SHADO account for a gap in their life? Presumably operatives receive their pay via an anonymous third party (The IAC?) - So would they continue to be paid that way? And would SHADO construct a cover story to explain what they'd been doing during their time with SHADO (and another cover story to account for their amnesia)?