Dear colleagues,

I begin with a David Bowie reference, but the topic of this memo is deadly serious. Last week I was invited to a behind-closed-doors symposium examining the future of mind control techniques. Here at Q branch we are, of course, familiar with this nefarious brand of pseudo-science. It has always been the goal of military and intelligence agencies to exert influence over our enemies, by fair means or foul. Back in 1951, the CIA’s Office of Scientific Intelligence launched Project Artichoke, aimed at determining whether an individual might be coerced (against their will) into carrying out an act of assassination. [The answer is no, not really, unless they happen to be particularly feeble-minded.] 

Project Artichoke was the forerunner to the notorious Project MKUltra, another CIA program aimed at developing brainwashing techniques. A key goal of the program was to enable more effective interrogations either through psychological torture or via the development of a ‘truth serum’. As someone who has routinely been forced to sit on government committees I am, of course, no stranger to psychological torture, and it has often occurred to me that the administering of a truth serum to elected politicians would be greatly appreciated by the British public. Alas, no effective truth drug has ever been developed. Most tend to put their recipients to sleep or scramble their brains to the point that they will willingly confess to assassinating Abraham Lincoln.

The MKUltra program continued for two decades and experimented on many (unwitting) test subjects. Today, it stands roundly – and rightly – condemned for human rights violations. In both Project Artichoke and Project MKUltra, an array of drugs were utilised, from cocaine to heroin to LSD, though history remains unclear as to whether the drugs were administered solely to the test subjects or also taken by those in charge of the program. One suspects the latter. (As an aside: the entire global supply of LSD – created in 1938 in a Swiss lab – was bought out by the CIA in the 1950s.)

Today, several labs are experimenting with neurological approaches, namely, direct brain-to-computer interfaces. I must confess, the idea of inserting a chip into the brains of some of our Double Os and remotely directing their actions during field ops does carry a certain appeal. The ability to stop 007 from ramming our latest modified supercar into the side of an express train might go some way to reining in our annual budget . . .

Finally, congratulations to KEVIN Q. for correctly ascertaining the answer to the puzzle in my previous memo, and for being fortunate enough to be picked at random from all the correct entries. The answer, of course, was NILEUS, the name of Admiral Nelson’s dog, which, when written backwards, and a space inserted, becomes SUE LIN, last memo’s clue. Below you will find this edition’s puzzle. Good luck!  

Sincerely,

Major Boothroyd

Head of Q Branch

P.S. Here is this edition’s puzzle. One ‘winner’ shall be picked at random from all correct entries and will be mentioned in my following memo. MI6 Archives shall rustle up a book to send to you* Pot luck, I’m afraid! Fill in this form to enter . . . This month’s puzzle is as follows: 

What was the name of the famous computer in the film that inspired David Bowie’s Space Oddity (the song where Major Tom first appeared)?

*UK entrants only, alas!

NOTE FROM VASEEM KHAN

This ‘memorandum’ is one of a series of 12 that we will be publishing, celebrating the launch of Quantum of Menace, the first mystery featuring Major Boothroyd, Head of Q Branch (aka Q) from the James Bond universe. Pre-orders are very important to a new series, so we would be immensely grateful if you considered pre-ordering the novel. Buy from bookshops big and small and online.  Click here for some options.

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