After three years of being off the grid, Data and Sick returned to Sirius only to find their comrades were no longer alive, at least not to anyone's knowledge. The Shadow Outcast Brigade and Blue Lotus Syndicate no longer existed; Data and Sick wanted answers, but expected none. While Data went to the Liberty sector, Sick went home to Planet Malta; both found no trace of the former factions.
Data and Sick were now known as Data1 and Sick1 since their transformation from native Maltese to beings that no longer needed cardamine. That transformation took place past the outer systems, in a part of space long forgotten. Getting lost in a huge nebula cloud, they stumbled upon a lost planet. The gravity was like a tractor beam to their ship, and they had no choice but to land.
There was no atmosphere, no earth, no water... only metal surrounded them. It was this place of artificial making that changed them, not for better or worse - but like a mutation of metal.
It didn't happen all at once but rather moderately over the course of a year. The first body function that ceased was their need for water and food; their stomachs never growing hungry, their throats never thirsty. When they ran out of cardamine it was then that they really noticed the change - they didn't get sick or die. Data1 and Sick1 dared not test their need for air (provided by the ship), maybe because they were afraid of no longer being mortal at all.
After one year had passed on the barren metal planet, Data1 had figured out how to reverse the polarity between the ship and the planet so they could return home.
But the home they returned to was different. SOB and BLS were gone. It seems they have to start over, but old habits die hard. It was time to contact the 101st Outcast Guard.
