Nova #26 (V5)

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This issue is a part of the WAR OF KINGS saga.

The issue opens up with Tre Owens, of the Nova Centurions, trying to contact Worldmind to get a stargate out of the battle that they’re in. Tre reports casualties with Ksaeem as well as Hannah. When he flies over to Lindy, Matu follows but is incinerated by the Shi’ar Star Destroyer, Ionclad. At that moment, Warstar appears and is about to grab Tre, when Warstar is suddenly blasted in the head and leaving only scrap metal. When the Centurions look, they see that Nova Prime, Richard Rider has arrived. The Centurions point out that Ionclad has them pinned down, to which Rich Rider responds he will take care of it – simply by blowing right through the ship, causing massive explosions that cripple it. With that, Rich is able to lead the other Nova Centurions back to Worldmind, where he explains what has happened; including the reboot of Worldmind, as well as revealing that Worldmind had been pumping them with endorphins to make them happy, along with subliminal messages to make them pliant. Richard explains the plan is to get everyone they can, debrief them, and send them home – but with much urging from both Tre and Lindy, as well as Worldmind speaking on their behalf, they agree to remain and serve with the Centurions.

Irani reports that she can not locate Robbie’s Nova Signal. Nova takes Marrow and Irani with him, while leaving Fraktur to continue the recon mission of gathering as many Nova Centurions that they can from the battlefield to return them home. Upon arrival, Worldmind reminds Richard that this is the same place Gamora had killed Ko-Rel. Marrow adds that the Imperial Guard forces have been counter-assaulted by the combined forces of the Kree and Inhumans, and that the area should be considered a “hot spot.” At that moment, Rich, Marrow and Irani find themselves under attack by Inhumans in the area, using Echo-Weapons; weapons using Vibranium to channel Black Bolt’s voice. Triton arrives, and the battle seems to turn further against Rich and the others until Ra-venn arrives and vouches for Rich, having fought with him against Ultron. Ra-venn leads Rich to their make shift “medical bay” where Qubit is found. Rich asks about Robbie, but Qubit can not recall – the last thing he remembers is a bright flash of light. Triton then takes Richard to another room, where there is a gruesome discovery of several hundred Nova Centurion helmets, all piled together; casualties of the war, slaughtered by the Shi’ar and the Imperial Guard.

Elsewhere on Kree-Lar, a planet once owned by the Kree, as their capital homeworld, after the Annihilation War, it was wrestled from the Kree and taken over by Lord Ravenous and his minions from the Negative Zone. Now he finds himself under attack, though he does not seemed panicked. Instead he speaks calmly to his adviser, Orbus. Orbus explains that the Shi’ar attack seem to be faltering and that victory will belong to Lord Ravenous within the day, because Vulcan has spread himself too thin. Just then a speeding force strikes Lord Ravenous. Orbus screams for help, but is incinerated where he stands. The figure is none other than Xenith, now under the name of Strontian. She grabs him by the throat and passes Vulcan’s message, “Lord Ravenous, I congratulate you on denying my advances, as such I must strike directly at you, and so I send Strontian, who excels at dealing out death.” While Lord Ravenous seems to put up a good fight, Strontian laughs and slams him to the ground, informing him, “The only reason you’re not dead yet, is because I am not done playing with you.”

However, her chance to strike the final blow is prevented with the arrival of Robbie in his Nova Centurion outfit, who uses a gravity pulse to slam her to the ground and hold her down, where he informs her that she is under arrest for the slaughter and war crimes committed.