As the Enterprise enters a very dense globular cluster to begin a charting mission, Riker struggles with chronic oversleeping, causing him to arrive late at a meeting with Geordi and Data in which they decide to start an experiment with the warp engines to try to increase their charting speed. Later that day, (after falling asleep at a poetry reading by Data), Riker checks with Dr. Crusher about his sleep problems, but with no physical signs of problems, all she can do is suggest some warm milk.

Some time later, Geordi and Data begin their experiment, only to have sensors read an explosion in the cargo bay containing the junction channeling the sensor energy. They rush to the bay, only to find no signs of any problems at all. Perplexed, Geordi tells Riker that evening; they conclude it must have been a sensor glitch and decide to continue in the morning. However, Riker is then quite surprised to see Geordi come to wake Riker up only moments after (as far as Riker's concerned) Riker went to bed!

Shortly thereafter, odd occurrences begin to spread throughout the crew; Geordi's VISOR momentarily lapses, Data "loses" ninety minutes' worth of memory, and Riker and Worf both have strong emotional reactions to commonplace objects (Riker to the helm controls, Worf to a pair of barbers' scissors). Then, Geordi and Data find traces of subspace particle emission in the cargo bay itself, and trace it to the junction, now glowing and swirling brightly. The particles are found to be tetryons, subspace particles that shouldn't be able to exist in normal space. However, since the effect is small, all remains reasonably calm.

Riker, meanwhile, talks to Troi about his odd reaction to the helm, only to find that he's the third person to talk to her that day about strange reactions to specific objects. She finds that a total of four people have had these responses (Riker, Worf, Geordi, and an unidentified crewmember), and brings them all together to discuss their experiences. They quickly find that they are somehow sharing a memory, and Troi takes them to the holodeck to help solidify the traces of memory they have about the event. What they deduce is a chilling scene: all four remember being restrained on a metal examining table, with a bright light shining directly in their faces and some rather sinister-looking tools hanging near them. When the tableau is completed with the addition of some fast clicking noises coming from the darkness, Geordi shudders. "I've been in this room before..."

Beverly examines them all, and finds that all four appear to have been given a neural sedative. In addition, she finds traces of tetryonic emission in all four bodies, and Data adds that an examination of his records shows him to have been absent from the Enterprise for the ninety-minute period he lacks a memory of. When Picard finds that two members of the crew (including Ensign Rager) are missing as they speak, he orders a security alert and puts Geordi to work finding the source of the emissions. (Beverly also finds that Riker's right arm shows signs of having been surgically severed and reattached, a thought that Riker does not find at all pleasant.)

Geordi and Data find that the tetryonic emission in the cargo bay has increased dramatically, and is now focusing on a subspace "rupture" slowly forming in the middle of the bay. It appears to be both controlled and threatening, and Geordi reasons that his subspace experiments got somebody's attention. After one of the two missing crewmembers returns near to death, a conference is hastily called. Geordi says that the rift can be stopped, but only by stopping the tetryonic emissions at their source, and that their source is currently untraceable. However, Worf suggests that a homing device be taken to their domain, and Riker offers himself as carrier, reasoning that since he's been abducted several times already, he likely will be again. Beverly rigs up a neurostimulant to counter the effects of the sedative, and he feigns unconsciousness as he's taken into the abductors' domain.

While he spies on his abductors (who, although humanoid in shape, appear somewhat insectlike in appearance and demeanor), Geordi hurriedly scans all subspace domains as quickly as possible to locate the homing beacon. With the rift locating critical size (threatening a hull breach), Geordi finds the domain just in time, and the Enterprise uses a graviton pulse (several, in fact, since the first few are countered) to close the tetryonic rift, with Riker carrying himself and Rager through just in time. However, as the rift closes, a small glowing object emerges and flees the ship; it's thought to be a probe, but Riker warns that the intentions of these experimenters are clearly far from friendly...

Highlight Listing:

The Enterprise crew suffers bizarre consequences following a secret, unwelcome alien visit.

Advertising Headline:

KIDNAPPED! An alien force is removing crew members from the ship!

TV log listing:

Secret alien visit threatens crew/STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION

Operation SNAFU

When Riker sits down at Conn when the ensign is having trouble navigating, when we see his hands over the console, it is the display for Ops. It was also explained at the end of the episode that the experimenters had homed in on the Enterprise from Geordi modifying the sensors. Yet, Riker began experiencing his chronic insomnia days before Geordi made his modifications. (UV) Also, Worf notes that Lt. Haggerl had just returned to Deck 9, Section 17, yet, seconds later, Dr. Crusher wants a device brought to Deck 9, Section 19. (V)

Technical design, graphic design, interactive features, HTML & CGI programming by Andrew Tong. || All materials Copyright © 1987-1995 by their respective authors. || Document created: January 28, 1995 || Last Modified: November 09, 2010