A/N: This is going to be a futuristic story involving the L.A. team. I will be drawing aspects of the story from movies, tv shows, videogames, and lord know what else. The usual disclaimer applies to known characters belonging to CBS. This is my farewell to the Los Angeles show.
Hello, welcome to my world. It's a wonderful one, but somewhere along the line our scientists delved deeply into taboo territory: A.I. technology. I mean it was pretty tame at first, but it opened us up to foreign invaders. I'm not exactly sure what happened, or where it happen—I guess I should say where it all went wrong.
I don't know where it all went wrong: the year Nineteen Ninety-Nine when Earth's scientists achieved space flight, and slowly traveled beyond the borders of our solar system; deeper into the Milky Way galaxy. Or was it the year Twenty Thirty-Five when a lone scientist created technology that let humanity increase their lifespan indefinitely, but that doesn't mean we were immortals. A bullet to the brain can still kill us. The problem with this extended lifespan, if we get brought back to life to many times, or spun up as we call it, it's been known to cause mental instability, which is putting it mildly; it's more like mental degradation, which we didn't know for at least…a thousand years, give or take, after the technology was put into effect.
Carrying on, maybe it was the year Twenty Sixty-Four when robotics was employed in every aspect of human society: including warfare. There was no limit to the applications of robotics that human ingenuity couldn't come up with. Like creating cyborgs, androids, and such things that are a hybrid of flesh and cybernetic parts. Whoever the poor, and unfortunate soul to have that process done to them is going to hate their life. So many things happened to cause the fall of Earth that's hard to pinpoint exactly where it all went wrong, but I'll pick up from when I fled the known regions of space.
Star Ocean
I'm surrounded by total darkness; the only thing of note is the flashing square light in the top right corner. The screen flickers to life, and my eyes light up; the H.U.D. has multiple readouts crawling across it. I get up from the table and test my limbs, joints, and my whole body. I've been on the operating table for three days, and I need to get used to this body fast.
I check my databases looking for messages, and readout for my current location, heck even a manual on how to operate my body. I remembered…something, and then entered a line of code into my database and waited. What I didn't expect was the results of the code. The screen goes blank, and the body shuts down, next thing I know I have full control of my body, but it comes at the cost of sensory overload because both my vision, hearing, smell, and touch all come to me at once.
After a minute or two I start to come down off of my sensory high, and I can start to piece together how bad my current situation is: I can hear the explosions in the distance, at the same time, I hear, and feel the shockwaves shaking the building I'm currently in. I raise my head to see the destruction all around me. I'm not sure how much time I have left, but I need to get moving because every time the building shakes, the integrity of the ceiling above to continues to give way; I felt another shockwave and see small pieces of the ceiling shake free and fall to the floor. The lamp in the corner continues to flicker on and off. I try to piece together the events prior to my waking/powering up, but it's no good. There's a block on my memory, and I can't access it. Something about needing a master override, and I have to access the information from an Alpha computer, while needing an Omega clearance password to access the information.
"Mike you good? Are you awake?" a voice coming from the hall asks.
"Not really, but I don't have much of a choice." I said.
I looked up to see Castor come rushing in. "I thought you died during the evacuation." I said, getting to my feet.
"You can thank Hetty for the assist, but that can wait. We need to go. This facility is going to come crashing down on us in ten minutes." He said.
"Lead the way." I said.
"This way." Castor said, and then ran down a hall to my left.
Castor and I ran through the halls of the building, the purpose of said building I never found out, and before long we were at a hanger.
"Where is this thing going to take us?" I asked.
"There's a spaceport near the coast. You should be able to get off world before your presence is known to our enemy." Some random man said.
I turned back to Castor and saw that he was walking away. "Your not coming?" I asked.
"No. Hetty has me going somewhere else, but she did want me to give you this." Castor said, handing me a thumb drive. "Don't ask we what it does, I was never read in."
That was the last time I saw Castor. I remember him from my time at OPS, but we never hung out. I step onto the vehicle and take a seat. The doors shut as I find a port to place the thumb drive and see what's on it. I felt the hovercraft lift off of the pad, and then fly towards the exit. There's only a folder, and an audio file. I access the audio file and listen to it.
"If you're hearing this, your transfer was successful, but it's going to take a little bit of time getting used to your body. The folder can't be accessed from any terminal, just like that big chunk of information in your brain. As long as you don't try to access it you should be fine, but I fear that it may interfere with your memories. Interfere is the wrong word, it will cause your memories of the past to slip free when you don't want them to. But that shouldn't be a problem, you were always known for indulging in craziness from time to time. After this message is completed, the folder will transfer to your memory, and the thumb drive will be wiped, but keep the drive. You might not know when you will need it."
It didn't take me long to realize that the voice speaking in the audio was Hetty, my former boss, but where she is now, I have no clue. I have idea where my former team is either, I know that I bought them time to escape during the evacuation, but where they are now…I'm not sure.
"How long have I been out." I asked the pilot.
"It's been about a month since Earth fell. You've been on ice since then." The pilot said.
"Just get me to the rendezvous point, and I'll take it from there." I said.
"Pre-flight check list has been finished, we have the green light, strap yourself in, and prepare for lift off." The pilot said, after docking with the shuttle to take me to space.
I finished strapping myself in and gave the okay. Without a moment's hesitation the pilot lifted off. If I had not been strapped in, I probably would have fallen out of my chair. The sudden jerk had caused my sensors to go wild, so I spent a few moments resetting my functions. By the time I had resetting my systems, we were in outer space.
"Sir, the jump is going to take a few days to get to our ship." The copilot said.
"After we change ships, how long will the final jump take?" I asked.
"It will take about a week." The pilot said.
"I'm shutting down until we make the first meet." I said.
"Roger that. We'll send a message when we arrive." The copilot said.
"Roger that." I said, and then went into rest mode.
While I'm in rest mode, I'll give you more exposition about the world, or plight. Some time after the use of robotics there was a breakdown in society. Little by little the hired help began to revolt and rise up, which was short lived because the humans had no intention of fighting, but while some machines believed the humans, the truth of the matter was revealed. It was a rogue A.I. that had interfered and tried to take over. I was never able to confirm it, but the A.I. wasn't acting on its own. That was a rumor that I was never able to confirm, and one I hope to confirm that detail over the coming ages. The rumor was that something made the A.I. go rogue. One thing I do know is that the entity that controlled the A.I. was trying to control humans. I don't know what this thing was trying to do by that, but that was its goal.
Three days later we arrive at the rendezvous point, and I'm booting my systems up as the docking process is finishing. I get up and move towards the hatch and wait for the bridge to pressurize. Not that it matters, but I don't want to harm the humans involved in my transport to wherever Hetty needs me to go.
"When the light in the top right-hand corner turns green, you're clear to open the hatch." The pilot said.
The light turned green and opened the hatch. I shut the door, and heard it lock from the other side as I was crossing to the other ship. As I was approaching the door it was already opening.
"Message waiting for you on your personal line. You can take it in the living quarters. We'll be leaving within the hour." The man said.
I make my way through the winding halls of the ship to the section in question. I found a bed and got comfortable.
Star Ocean
Five hundred years later-
Some years after humanity made its home among the stars, we changed from the Julian calendar. We no longer say A.D. Twenty whatever, we simply say Space Date, and the number. The exact year is Space Date Three Thousand Thirty-One, I've also learned that humans have left Earth about two thousand years after my transfer of becoming an android. I still have no clue were my team is, but I get periodic updates from Hetty telling me where to go, and how long to hangout there. Most of the time I always end up leaving before Hetty's objective has been completed. This time, however, the plan to stay ahead of everything changed.
"Do you understand me. I want you to get caught." Hetty said.
"Why?" I asked.
"It's for your own good. Get captured, Mr. Deeks." Hetty said.
"Yes, Hetty." I said.
I booted up my systems as the raiders were coming to collect me. I pulled my weapons off of my person and placed them on the table in front of me. When the leader walked and saw that I was unarmed, he nodded for his men to take me prisoner.
"You are going to be the best prize that I've caught in a long time." He said, and then I was dragged from the room.
I have no idea why Hetty wanted me to get captured, but I know it can't be good. Pirates never treat their prisoners kindly. As I'm being carried off to wherever I'm going to be held hostage, memories of my time on Earth start to break free of my and rise to the surface.
Star Ocean
Gaia Prime-
The first system that humans entered after leaving Earth, or The Sol system as the rest of the galactic community knew it as, was the Gaian system. It was the first of three systems that was scouted to be able to sustain life. The Gaia system had advanced life forms, but after first contact with the aliens it was determined they were not hostile. The race of aliens called themselves The Angarian, but enough talk about aliens.
"Sam." A voice said.
"Yeah, G." Sam said.
"We're being called." Callen said.
"Where's Kensi?" Sam asked.
"At the meet." Callen said.
"Let's getting going." Sam said.
The journey to the meet was slow and arduous, but Sam and Callen made it in two days' time.
"Mr. Callen, Mr. Hanna." A female voice said when the partners arrived.
"Hetty." Callen said.
"It's a pleasure." Sam said, the partner said looking at a hologram of their diminutive boss.
"What have you learned?" Kensi asked.
"Nothing. Hetty was the one to call us here." Sam said.
"What's the word?" Callen asked.
"I have a mission for the three of you." Hetty said.
"Oh joy." Sam said.
"Another mission." Callen said.
"You two haven't even heard the best part." Kensi said.
"What's that?" Sam asked.
"That's the thing. Even Hetty hasn't told me that part. I've been waiting two whole days to find out." Kensi said.
"Okay, if you haven't told Kensi yet, it must be something insanely important." Sam said.
"It is, Mr. Hanna." Hetty said.
"What's the play?" Callen asked.
"The play, as you so eloquently put Mr. Callen, is to track down this man." Hetty said, producing a handheld projector and displayed a picture of their mark.
"What can you tell us about the man?" Kensi asked.
"He's not human, but he has information valuable to saving the human race." Hetty said.
"How did this thing get saddle with that responsibility?" Sam asked.
The three of them are aware that Sam isn't a fan of androids, and Sam isn't hiding his disdain for the current objective.
"I understand that you have no love for robots Mr. Hanna, but this particular robot has a history working with this team." Hetty said.
The three agents looked at the hologram again.
"We've never seen this person before." Kensi said.
"It changes nothing." Hetty said.
"Where are we to find this person." Callen asked, keeping this meeting on track.
"Last I known location was the Gagarin system." Hetty said.
"You're sending us deep into outlaw territory." Sam said.
"That's insane." Kensi said.
"There is an asset in the adjacent region of Paldea, on the fourth planet." Hetty said.
"Who?" Kensi asked.
"Arlo Turk." Sam said.
"He's still around?" Kensi asked.
"I got him out before the evacuation of Earth began in earnest." Hetty said.
"What does Turk know?" Kensi asked.
"He has a way to get us to the Gagarin system unscathed." Callen said.
"I take you two have been to the Gagarin system a time or two." Kensi said.
"No, we had to use his services a time or two." Sam said.
"Has Arlo been tracking our man?" Kensi asked.
"If not, he knows someone who is." Hetty said.
"Let's get to it." Sam said.
"And Mr. Hanna." Hetty said as Sam started to walk away.
"Yes, Hetty." Sam said.
"Play nice, or I'll make it an order if I have to." Hetty said.
Sam rolled his eyes, and then said. "All right Hetty."
"Yes Hetty." Callen said, after Sam was out of ear shot.
Kensi, Sam, and Callen made their way to the spaceport to get their ship, and then headed to the Paldean system. The trio got through customs without a hassle and boarded their ship: an AT Hisui custom frigate. It was a ship with medium armor that would allow the ship to flee or fight off a few ships if needed.
"What's the first stop?" Kensi asked, as they boarded the ship.
"The usual." Callen said, as he shut the landing ramp.
"Hit the Paldean system and ask a few questions, and then have Turk take us to the Gagarin system." Sam said.
"Something about this seems fishy." Kensi said.
Sam and Callen share a look, and then Sam asks. "Think we should just link up with Turk and get to the Gagarin system as soon as possible?" Sam asked.
"Yeah." Kensi said.
"Why?" Callen asked.
"I notice a symbol in the background, and it was tied to Sunless Syndicate." Kensi said.
Callen and Sam share a silent, yet, knowing look.
"You think she knew?" Sam asked Callen.
"Knowing Hetty, she made the man get captured." Callen said.
"You two finished?" Kensi asked.
There was another moment of silence, Callen shut the landing as Sam said. "Gonna need to call in a favor."
"Or back up." Callen said, as the partners made their way to the cockpit.
"Is there anything I need to be aware of concerning the turn of events?" Kensi asked, after entering the cockpit.
"We're still working out the finer details of the plan since you told us the syndicate was involved." Sam said, taking a seat in the copilot's chair.
"Just sit down and strap in. This mission just got a lot more complicated." Callen said, jumping into the pilot's chair.
Kensi sat in the chair behind Sam, and strapped in. It was another minute or two, because of the pre-flight check list, and then they were leaving the planet.
When they were off of the planet and preparing to jump to hyperspace Kensi asked. "What's the plan?"
"We're going to need a trump card incase things go south when we go to extract our man." Sam said, reaching up to engage the hyperdrive engine.
Through the window Kensi saw the viewport go from the black, starry night of space to the hues blue and light blue of being generated by the hyperdrive engine. Kensi always loved the hyperspace image that the drive generated, it made for a more enjoyable ride across the cosmos.
"I'm going to catch some shut eye." Kensi said, and then unbuckled her seat belt and headed to the living quarters.
After Kensi left, Sam looked at Callen and asked. "How do you think she's holding up?"
"Rosa is safe, so that's a weight off of her shoulders, but we're missing the fourth musketeer." Callen said.
"Yeah, to bad he died." Sam said.
"Yeah, sucks that James died on our last mission, I really like him. I dare say he reminded me of Deeks." Callen said.
Sam chuckled, and then said. "That's a name I haven't heard in a long time. A very long time." Sam said.