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Once in a Blue Moon
The universe. Most of it is empty space. Scattered through the emptiness at irregular intervals are hot swirling balls of luminous gas called stars. Spinning about some of the stars are clumps of cooled matter known as planets, of which have their own “followers”, tiny clumps of matter called moons. On a small proportion of these planets and moons, sentient life has evolved - life like that of Uatu, one of the sentient beings called The Watchers, who, like the stars, are scattered across the universe. The purpose of Uatu’s race is to observe and record the wonders of the universe for posterity. The Watchers avoid contact with other sentient beings, and above all, never use their vast physical and mental capabilities to interfere in the events they observe.
Right now, Uatu hovers on the edge of the moon belonging to the planet Earth, while a large spaceship hovers overhead…. ‘Witness then, my profound mortification as I learn that an immense catastrophe is about to wrack, the primary planet of my purview - the Earth, it’s moon, and some of its most powerful champions…and I am indirectly at fault!’ the Watcher exclaims. Uatu remarks that the starship on his view screen has just emerged from hyperspace on the far side of the moon - the moon that is his base ‘Aboard that ship are some of the most -’ Uatu begins, when, indeed, a tall alien being clad in orange and green hovers before Uatu, he introduces himself as he exclaims ‘So, this is an all-seeing, all-knowing Watcher, hmm? You did not watch out for Nygorn the Monitor, did you?’
Nygorn collects the Watcher as he declares that the Starblasters have need of him. Then, the intruder vanishes with his captive, across the lunar surface, they arc at near light-speed, passing in less time than it takes to tell from the side that perpetually faces the Earth to the side that perpetually faces away, until they reach the ebony starship in a stationary orbit on the far side of the moon. The space ship floats there, ominously, like a disease-carrying insect playing dead….
Inside the starship, Nygorn enters the bridge, the captive Watcher in his clutches. ‘Skeletron! Nygorn is back!’ a fleshy-tentacled alien calls out to a grey-clad alien. ‘You have him?’ Skeletron asks, turning to Nygorn. ‘Of course’ Nygorn replies, holding the Watcher up. ‘Good’ Skeletron replies, remarking that even if they did not have need of his knowledge, they would be well served to incapacitate this particular Watcher, for he has been rumored to abandon his oath and warn certain of his subjects to abject threats to their existence. ‘Bring him to me - I will apply the restraining implementation!’ a yellow-skinned alien with a large red globe on his head exclaims. A nasty-looking bulky alien with a large set of teeth replies ‘Yes, Insidio, quickly! Before he wakes! Watchers’ eyes are said to be able to bore holes into your brain!’. ‘Then you need not worry, Threkker’ Insidio retorts.
Inside the busy bridge of the starship, Skeletron points out that Watchers see everything and know everything within their observation horizon. ‘This one knows more than any other about the object we seek here!’ Skeletron adds, before turning to Insidio, who, while concentrating, replies that the Watcher will be ready in moments. Skeletron warns Insidio not to fail him. ‘I need not remind you of the importance of our mission here!’ Skeletron exclaims, adding that the future of the cosmos will be determined by the deeds of each and every one of them aboard the Starblast. ‘Agreed, prime one!’ Insidio replies, before announcing that the Watcher is ready.
A horrid contraption is placed on the Watcher’s head, before Skeletron orders Insidio to direct the Watcher to speak. ‘Tell us all you know about the Starbrand!’ Insidio orders. Though he tries to resist, Uatu is clearly in agony, and wearily replies ‘Yes…’.
(Shown with flashback illustrations, narrated by The Watcher)
‘It all began when I became restless with reality and sought to observe alternate worlds where history took divergent paths’ Uatu begins, explaining to achieve that, he had installed a portal device by which he could peer into a myriad of dimensions. Uatu reveals that all was well, until one of Earth’s rogue superhumans - the Living Laser - flew into the device in a high energized state, while attempting to escape the designated protector of the universe, a fellow human named Quasar. Uatu explains that the Living Laser was transported into the alternate world that he was observing, but in an attempt to return to his rightful world, the Living Laser entered the observation portal from the other end, succeeding only in diverging multiple counterparts to wreak more havoc in dimensions not his own.
Forced to seek help, the Watcher went to the human whose presence caused the Living Laser to flee into his dimension viewer in the first place - Quasar. Uatu explained to Quasar how he was unable to rectify the situation due to his oath of non-interference, so, reluctantly, Quasar agreed to gather the Living Laser’s renegade counterparts. Uatu reveals that Quasar succeeded in capturing the renegade Living Lasers’, only to find himself caught between two of the most destructive individuals in all the Multiverse - Thanos and Maelstrom - locked in a battle that never took place in this cosmos.
The Watcher explains that Quasar disappeared in the resultant explosion, and that for untold hours, he scanned the possible universes into which Quasar might have been flung, but to no avail, as Quasar seemed to be annihilated from reality. As it turns out, Quasar later claimed that he had been flung outside the Multiverse - the continuum of universes that comprise all reality - into a New Universe, vastly distant and very different from this one. A few days later, when Quasar re-materialized within Earth’s Nexus of Realities, home of the Man-Thing.
However, when Quasar’s Quantum Bands’ power burned out, he managed to acquire this unknown energy object he called the Starbrand, and used it to make the quantum jump back home, and though he used up the Starbrand power in transit, he actually transferred the power to his human companion, Kayla Ballantine, when they hugged. Uatu adds that, since her acquisition of that power, Kayla has been the target of one entity after another trying to acquire from her the anomalous power source, and Kayla now seeks nothing more than to rid herself of the Starbrand, believing that those with dark designs upon it will continue to plague her as long as the power resides in her.
(Present)
Skeltron congratulates Insidio on excellent work, reminding him that, had he done anything less, his torture engines would be at work upon him. ‘But of course!’ Insidio replies quickly. Standing over the motionless Uatu, Skeltron remarks that the Watchers are notoriously difficult to catch, and had they not encountered that rogue Watcher who gave them the means to outwit this one, sneaking up on him unawares would have been impossible. Skeletron exclaims that Insidio may do with the Watcher what he wishes, provided he isn’t killed. ‘And I do not want him to escape!’ Skeletron warns Insidio, who replies ‘Yes, sire, your will is my will!’
Insidio turns to two more of the Starblasters and barks orders at them: ‘Kreeg! Zardok! Help me move this subject to the restraining cage!’. Skeletron calls out to the Starblaster called Fabrikant, and asks the green-skinned alien what the status of the Moonthruster is. Fabrikant replies that it is ready for launch, and that he is just waiting for telemetry to signify they are in optimal position. ‘Excellent!’ Skeltron replies, telling him that of all the Starblasters, he is his most trusted. ‘We non-organics truly are superior peoples!’ Skeletron boasts. ‘Yes, sir’ Fabrikant replies, before announcing that he has received the signal, and asks if he should launch the Moonthruster. ‘By all means!’ Skeletron replies.
A hatch on the Starblast opens, and the Moonthruster drops from it like a seed from a tree, a very large cylinder-shaped facility, with a large drill-like end, which impacts with the lunar surface of the moon with a soundless splash of moondust and pulverized rock. Moments after contact, the Moonthruster comes to life, sending up a blue geyser of energy over twenty miles high! The moon’s period of rotation is equal to its period of revolution around the Earth. The Moonthruster is on the far side of the moon, but its plumage illuminates the hidden hemisphere, framing the face of the moon with a pale blue corona, visible in Earth’s night sky….
Meanwhile, on that planet known to many as Earth, specifically, New York City, where the hero Moon Knight is fighting the criminal known as Trump. ‘You’ve played your trump-card, Trump - and it still doesn’t beat my hand!’ Moon Knight exclaims as he kicks Trump over. ‘Or my foot, for that matter!’ Moon Knight jokes. Trump passes out, while the Moon Knight notices that the lights and shadows tonight seem strange - off kilter - as everything has a blue cast to it. Mon Knight wonders if it is some kind of new street lamp, only to get concerned when he realizes that it is the moon. ‘Something’s going on up there, I can almost feel it!’ he tells himself. ‘But this earthbound Moon Knight hasn’t a clue what it is…I just pray that somebody does!’ Moon Knight thinks to himself.
Flying across the star-lit sky, is Wendell Vaughan a.k.a. Quasar, accompanied by his girlfriend, Kayla Ballentine, who calls out after him, asking him to wait for her. Quasar apologizes, admitting that he was not paying attention to his flight speed, and that he was thinking about what they could try next to help Kayla get rid of the Starbrand safely. ‘Come up with anything?’ Kayla asks Quasar as she catches up to him and flies alongside him. Quasar replies that the only thing he has come up with so far is a list of all the cosmic entities he wants to consult to see if they have any suggestions. ‘”Cosmic entities”? You mean aliens, right?’ Kayla asks. ‘Yeah, kind of’ Wendell replies.
Quasar is about to tell Kayla where he intends to start with the consultations, when he suddenly notices a strange bluish haze around the moon. Wendell declares that he should check it out, and tells Kayla to wait for him at his apartment. Kayla exclaims that she wants to come with, but Quasar flies over and hugs her as he reminds her that he is the super hero, while she is the one who wants to get rid of her super powers. ‘Yeah, take care, lover’ Kayla replies as she kisses Wendell. ‘”Lover”? Wow!’ Quasar thinks to himself as he flies towards the moon.
Meanwhile, at Avengers Mansion in New York, the Black Widow, Giant Man and their staff member Peggy Carter are greeted by Nick Fury of SHIELD who contacts them via a communications monitor. Fury reports that there is something funny going on on the moon, and that he doesn’t just mean the blue glow. Fury explains that, according to readings from their satellites, the moon’s gravitational pull on the Earth is getting stronger, and some of the scientists understand that to mean the moon is getting closer to the Earth. Fury tells the Avengers that SHIELD is putting together a shuttle crew to investigate, and suggests the Avengers might like to send someone, as they could do it a lot faster. Peggy assures Fury that they will do what they can. The Black Widow asks Peggy to contact their reserve member Captain Marvel, for with Quasar no longer on the team, Captain Marvel may be the fastest they have.
At that moment, in Salem Center, at Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters, Professor X is in a library with Jean Grey, who asks him what is going on, as she can tell he is screening his thoughts from her. Charles apologizes and points out that it is a reflex, before remarking that, as if they do not have enough to worry, he has now sensed alien activity in their solar system, which threatens to encroach upon their planet on a major scale. ‘Thanos - again?’ Jean asks. Xavier replies that it is more of an unknown quantity, for he senses members of a multitude of extra-terrestrial races, among them which are the venal Z’Nox. ‘Whew! What should we do?’ Jean asks. Charles replies that he will contact Carol Danvers, as she has had more experience in space than any of the X-Men.
Half a world away, somewhere in Siberia, at the home of Father Alexi Garnoff, the elderly Russian hero tells his team - Siberforce - that something is wrong with the moon. Stencil points out that it looks a little bluish, while Father Garnoff announces that he has intercepted satellite transmissions, and that unless the data is an error, the moon is moving towards Earth. Vanguard, Ursa Major and Sibercat look on as Laynia “Darkstar” Petrovna points out that she and Nicolai have been to the moon before, and she can use her Darkforce to transport them there. Father Garnoff tells Darkstar to go then, and see what is amiss, but to return here immediately if the entire might of Siberforce is needed. With that, Darkstar teleports herself and her brother Nicolai “Vanguard” Krylenko away.
Back in New York, at Project Pegasus, three of its resident heroes, the Squadron Supreme - mightiest heroes of another Earth - are also monitoring the strange happenings of the moon. Hyperion asks Power Princess what she thinks is going on, to which Power Princess replies that there can be no doubt the moon has moved several feet out of orbit, and it is only a matter of hours before the Earth starts to feel the tidal effects. Arcanna Jones points out that this sort of threat is no strictly within their purview, and therefore they will have to get clearance from Project Pegasus officials. Hyperion tells his friends that he will fly on ahead to determine the cause, and asks Arcanna to complete the paper work and have the rest of the Squadron Supreme stand by. ‘Be careful, Hyperion!’ Power Princess calls out.
In Olympia, Greece, home of the Eternals, where, amongst the lush greenery, Ajak informs Ikaris and Thena that the inexplicable lunar movement could spell vast environmental catastrophe for Earth - flooding, earthquakes and hurricanes. Ikaris points out that the Eternals are, historically, reluctant to involve themselves with Earth welfare, but that one day that reluctance may spell the end of the human race. ‘Surely, Thena, you do not want that’ Ikaris adds. Thena replies by asking Ikaris if he wants her permission to investigate, then he may do whatever he wish, but tells him that it is her belief that this sphere is now teeming with superhuman beings of various origins, and the intervention of the Eternals is, as usual, unnecessary.
At a seaside amusement park, where the ruling family of the Inhumans has gathered, Triton makes his way into the sea, telling his family that they may be able to disguise themselves to dwell among human kind, he cannot. ‘Where Triton swims, he swims alone!’ he calls out. Black Bolt, Medusa, Karnak and Gorgon wave farewell, when suddenly, the canine Lockjaw begins howling. Medusa asks him what is wrong, while pointing out to Black Bolt that Lockjaw seems to be baying at the moon. ‘Perhaps he senses something amiss in Atilan!’ she suggests. Medusa understands what her silent husband is wanting to do, and informs the others that Black Bolt will accompany Lockjaw alone, before telling her husband to be careful, as Lockjaw and he teleport away.
At Monster Island, in the South Atlantic, three member of the Infinity Watch - Adam Warlock, Moondragon and Pip the Troll have also discovered something awry with the moon. ‘You are right, Warlock - there is some psychic disturbance emanating from the moon!’ Moondragon exclaims, assuring him that she doesn’t believe Thanos or any of Warlock’s other selves are responsible. ‘Perhaps you are right, but I need to be certain’ Warlock tells the haughty Moondragon, before asking Pip to teleport them up to the moon. Pip chomps on a cigar, before sighing, and muttering ‘If you say so, Chief!’
Somewhere between the Earth and the moon, and alien Shi’ar ship circles after a recent mission on Earth. A Shi’ar officer aboard the vessel informs the Captain that their scanners are picking up a number of human sized blips exiting the Earth’s atmosphere. The Captain asks if they are pursuing this ship, to which the officer replies that, given their trajectories, it would appear not. The officer adds that there is a starship on the other side of the moon, which has just released at least two shuttlecrafts. Gladiator of the Imperial Guard points out that the Majestrix has a special interest in this sector, and a hatch opens, enabling him to fly from the Shi’ar vessel to perform reconnaissance. The officer - Si’ani - turns to the Captain and announces that unsanctioned use of the stargate in the sector is in violation of code 1-11-54C, and suggests it may be prudent to notify imperium command and have the Imperial Guard put on alert. ‘Yes, do so’ the Captain replies.
On the far side of the moon, Quasar arrives, and gazing upon the Moonthruster, he wonders what it is. He attempts to use his quantum bands to get a read-out of the energy which pours from the Moonthruster, when he is surprised by the arrival of Monica Rambeau a.k.a. the second Captain Marvel. Quasar puts an air tunnel up between the two of them so they can talk in the vacuum of space: ’Hey, Captain, good to see you’ Quasar remarks. Monica asks Wendell what he is doing here, reminding him that the Avengers believed he resigned so he could go off and patrol the universe. ‘I was doing that’ Quasar replies, explaining that he had business in this vicinity, which he thinks is a good thing, because this building here is up to no good.
Quasar informs Captain Marvel that he was ready to search the building for an entrance, and he and Captain Marvel fly off in opposite directions to search. Quasar thinks to himself that it looks like a cross between a starship and a nuclear reactor, and notes that his energy scan indicates a wide wavelength array in the mile-high discharge. Around the corner, Captain Marvel tells herself that it is so eerie here without sound, and that she is sure glad Quasar is here, as he has had so much more outer space experience than she has. Monica notes some sort of hatchway, and takes hold of it, before deciding she should signal Quasar before proceeding, as she has no intention of blundering blindly into something she knows nothing about, ‘Like some dim-witted teenager in a horror movie!’. Suddenly though, before Monica can signal to Quasar, several metallic tentacles emerge from the hatch and take hold of her, pulling her inside the hatch. ‘If only I could discharge energy like I used to!’ Monica regrets as she is sucked away.
Quasar hopes that Captain Marvel is making out better than he is, before noticing an approaching energy signature - none other than Carol Danvers a.k.a. Binary. Wendell reminds himself that he hasn’t seen Carol since the end of “Galactic Storm” and is pleased to see that she is back in fighting shape. ‘The more the merrier!’ Quasar thinks to himself as he flies towards Carol, only to be grabbed by the same tentacles that attacked Captain Marvel. ‘What the -?’ Wendell wonders as he is pulled into the Moonthruster. As he is pulled along through the Moonthruster, Quasar realizes that whatever has hold of him can’t quite penetrate his aura, so he decides to go along with it to see what is going on.
Moments later, Wendell is pulled into a large chamber, where several other heroes have been captured by the tentacles also - ‘My word! A whole punch of Earth heroes, all tangled together! There’s Captain Marvel…Black Bolt…Warlock…and those two Russian mutants!’. Wendell knows that none of them have a protective aura like he does, and it looks like they are being violated by living dental drills, as he sees strange devices clamped on their heads, with tentacles creeping into their mouths. Darkstar cries as she is attacked, while Quasar wonders who he can pull the heroes out of here without ripping them all to ribbons.
Wendell exclaims that he has to try something, so expands his aura to keep the tendrils at bay, freeing himself, before deciding to attach his quantum life-line to one of the other heroes, but he is not sure who, as he knows he cannot get them all at once - not carefully at any rate. He decides to start with Captain Marvel, and attempts to slice off the tendrils attacking her with a scalpel-sharp energy beam, before he attaches a two line and pulls like his life depends on it - and eventually, they are free. Quasar sees Binary, now joined by Hyperion, and decides that he is going to need all the help he can get. With Captain Marvel at his side, Quasar beings to attack air-tubes so they can all speak, but, unexpectedly, Captain Marvel begins cutting loose with a barrage of energy bolts, one of which smacks into Hyperion.
Quasar realizes that Captain Marvel must be traumatized, and calls out to Binary, pointing out that there are others trapped inside, he asks Binary to subdue Captain Marvel, while he and Hyperion fly towards the hatch of the Moonthruster. Wendell asks Hyperion if he is okay, to which Hyperion replies that he was just taken by surprise. Quasar informs him that a handful of super folk are trapped inside, before surrounding Hyperion with his quantum aura, to keep Hyperion safe from attack. ‘Gee, Quaze, I never knew you cared’ Hyperion jokes.
Binary hovers around Captain Marvel, recalling how, when she was staying with the Avengers after Galactic Storm, she was informed that this Captain Marvel had lost her energy manipulating abilities. ‘She must have regained them, because they’re sure in evidence now!’ Carol thinks to herself, but knowing that whatever power Captain Marvel manifests, is no match for her own, and as Carol unleashes a stellar barrage on Monica, Captain Marvel falls towards the moon surface, reeling from the impact. Carol decides that she has overwhelmed Captain Marvel, and wonders if she has killed her.
Meanwhile, the Starblaster lands on the Atlantic Ocean, and the Starblasters report back to Skeletron, informing him that they have landed, while Skeletron asks if their camouflage screen are still engaged. ‘Yes, we should have escaped notice on all of their detection instruments’ one of them replies, before Skeletron orders them to launch the shuttlecrafts, in which Codabac and Xlymm are stationed. ‘Done, sire!’ one of them replies as the shuttles are launched. Skeletron looks at Codabac and Xlymm on monitors, asking if they read him. ‘I read you’ the sluggish alien Xlymm replies. ‘Right here’ the bulky Codabac replies. ‘You know your missions. Do not fail’ Skeletron tells them, before informing them that their launch window is 0200 to 0400. Skeletron turns to the rocky Zardok and asks for a telemetry report on the Moonthruster. Zardok replies that there are, at present, eight highly-energized Earth beings inside the conversion chamber.
Back on the moon, Quasar pulls on Darkstar with his quantum bands, thinking that he is sure glad to have help in here, but it is still tough trying to pull everyone to safety, as he wonders what the things tangling them all up are. Hyperion has managed to free Black Bolt. Darkstar thinks to herself that she managed to cover her face with the Darkforce so the tentacle creatures could not get inside her mouth and nose, and regrets that she was not able to do the same for her brother. ‘While I appreciate Quasar’s efforts, I’m not about to leave my brother behind!’ Laynia thinks to herself as she extends the Darkforce to wrap around her brother, pulling him along. Warlock sees that Quasar has managed to maneuver within the dangerous environment, but doesn’t need Quasar to come to his rescue, as his soul gem makes him insusceptible to the tendrils’ mental domination.
Moments later, Quasar reaches space, thinking that he was starting to believe he was getting turned around, and that for some reason, hauling Darkstar out of the building was harder than Captain Marvel -’Wonder why?’ he thinks, only for Darkstar and Vanguard to appear. ‘You okay?’ Quasar asks Darkstar, who replies she will be as soon as she frees her brother, but as she does so, Vanguard smacks her over. ‘Her’ brother’s been subverted!’ Quasar tells himself.
Nearby, Ikaris arrives, and sees the Moonthruster, believing it to be the source of the lunar disturbance. ‘And then, to the contrary, I see no Earth champions about to deal with the situation!’ he adds, only for Hyperion and Black Bolt to emerge from the Moonthruster. ‘Made it out!’ Hyperion thinks to himself, before seeing Ikaris get caught up in the tendrils! Hyperion releases Black Bolt, ‘You’re going to have to fend for yourself!’ he thinks, knowing that he has to help a fellow Eternal, Hyperion flies back through the hatch.
On another side of the Moonthruster, Adam Warlock emerges after wrenching his way out of the quagmiric device, but he knows that he is still no closer to determining its nature than he was before he entered it. But, before Warlock can even get his bearings, he is knocked backwards by a blast from Black Bolt.
Several thousand meters away, Quasar tells himself that Darkstar has been knocked for a loop by her tow-headed brother, and realizes that Vanguard must be under the same alien influence as Captain Marvel. Wendell attempts to use his quantum powers to catch Vanguard in a vice, only for Vanguard to use his own mutant power to repel Quasar’s quantum pincers. ‘I lost control over their cohesion - that’s Vanguard’s power?’ Wendell thinks to himself.
Back on Earth, specifically, West End Avenue, New York, Kayla Ballentine inspects Quasar’s apartment, wondering when the last time Wendell came home was, as the dust is half an inch thick. ‘I’m so bored, I almost feel like cleaning!’ Kayla tells herself, deciding against it, as she doesn’t want Quasar to think she is going domestic on him, as he will never settle down on Earth - unless, by some miracle - both of them lose their super powers. Kayla tells herself that she has got to do something, and decides to take a long, hot bath, when, suddenly, a window smashes, as Threkker and Codabac burst into the apartment. ‘The skull-mugger!’ Codabac calls out to Threkker, who holds the skull-mugger up, before Codabac orders him to release it, as the woman must not be allowed to react to them.
‘I know that!’ Threkker mutters, before throwing it towards Kayla, who is not experienced enough in her powers to react, and finds the skull-mugger attached to her face, covering her eyes and nose, with a pipe extending into her mouth. Kayla tries to pull it from her face, but can’t, and her eyes swell up with tears. Codabac picks Kayla up, scolding Threkker for almost giving Kayla enough time to direct her power. ‘I did not, you four-armed freak!’ Threkker retorts as they make their way onto the apartment balcony, unaware that Nova is hovering there, ‘Hi, guys. You know we got a law against double parking?’ he jokes, referring to their small space jet, before adding that they have a law against kidnapping ladies too, as he punches Codabac, forcing him to release Kayla.
Nova thinks to himself that he sure is glad he noticed their unidentified aircraft swooping into the city, before collecting Kayla and taking flight, telling her that it is okay, as she is in the hands of the ever-capable Nova, the Human Rocket. Nova assures her that she will be safe up here, when he notices the strange contraption on her face. Leaving her, Nova flies back down to the apartment, where Threkker alerts Codabac to Nova’s return, and points out that he wears the uniform of the Xandarian Nova Corps. ‘I thought they were all wiped out!’ Threkker exclaims. ‘When we’re done with him, they will be!’ Codabad boasts.
Back on the Moon, Hyperion has rescued Ikaris, and hovering outside the Moonthruster, thinks that he will be okay, when he notices the strange device on Ikaris’ head. ‘What was Quaze telling me about it?’ Hyperion wonders, only to get his answer when Ikaris lunges at him.
Nearby, Adam Warlock finds himself knocked back into the alien device, with the tentacles trying to wrap themselves around him, as he makes his way out again. ‘Now where…ah, circling around like a vulture!’ Warlock thinks to himself as he sees Black Bolt overhead. ‘Okay, Inhuman - perhaps a blast from my soul-gem will help you regain your senses!’ Warlock thinks to himself as he flies towards Black Bolt and blasts him with his power. But, even as Warlock’s karmic energy strikes the silent Inhuman, a cloud of highly charged electrons erupts from Black Bolt’s antenna - and travels along the karmic stream, back to its source - smacking Adam Warlock backwards.
‘Pain…intense…I have to override the alien parasite!’ Adam Warlock tells himself, augmenting his soul gem with his own personal energies, he forces the techno-organic device clamped around Black Bolt to explode soundless under the onslaught of power. Warlock sees Black Bolt signal for a cessation in their fighting, and realizes that Black Bolt has regained his own will. The fly side-by-side, wanting to get to the bottom of the lunacy. Arriving back at the Moonthruster, Warlock sees two figures he doesn’t recognize fighting, only to realize that one of them is Quasar. As he watches Quasar he wonders which of them is being controlled by the parasite, only for the contraption to explode off Vanguard, who rubs his face, free.
Quasar opens a air tunnel so he can speak with Warlock, and exclaims ‘Long time no see!’, before Warlock asks what is going on here. ‘Your guess is as good as mine’ Quasar replies, before pointing out that Warlock can rescue minds from subversion and that there are at least five others here, so he asks Warlock if he wouldn’t mind checking who else needs rescuing. ‘I’m going to see what can be done about the moon-mover itself!’ Quasar exclaims.
Nearby, Hyperion battles the mind-controlled Ikaris, wishing that he could extend the air-filled aura that Quasar put around him, so he could warn Ikaris of what he intends to do to free him of the alien thing on his head. Hyperion grabs a hold of the device, then flies into the fiery blue exhaust emitted by the Moonthruster, pulling Ikaris in after him. ‘It may be working. The alien head-piece is melting!’ Hyperion exclaims to himself, and, when he emerges with Ikaris on the other side, they find Quasar awaiting them. Quasar extends an air tunnel to Hyperion and tells him to gather everyone he can, as they have got to try to tip the propulsion unit on its side.
And soon, Hyperion has gathered Binary, Captain Marvel, Black Bolt, Vanguard, Ikaris and Warlock on one side of the Moonthruster, though he wonders where Quasar is to give them the signal, and so the heroes just push at the Moonthruster. On the other side of the towering obstruction, Quasar is with Darkstar, using their powers to blast at the grounding of the Moonthruster, their combined use of quantum and Darkforce energies begin to topple the Moonthruster. ‘It’s starting to move!’ Quasar exclaims, before urging Hyperion to get his side to keep pushing. Eventually, the Moonthruster falls, bounces once against the surface of the moon, then speeds off into space, leaving a blue trail behind it. ‘We did it!’ Darkstar exclaims.
Back on Earth, Codabac holds onto Nova, while telling Threkker to hurry up. ‘You are the slowest power leech I have ever known!’ he exclaims. ‘Shut up. He’s almost finished…there!’ Threkker retorts, before returning to their small aircraft, leaving Nova on the balcony, they fly towards a nearby building where Nova left Kayla. Threkker declares that there is no hurry, as she cannot recover from the skull-hugger. ‘See?’ Threkker asks as he picks the still immobile Kayla up off the nearby rooftop. Codabac orders Threkker to put Kayla into storage, ‘Then let’s quit this ugly grey world!’.
On the moon, Quasar, Darkstar, Vanguard, Binary, Captain Marvel, Hyperion, Black Bolt, Ikaris and Adam Warlock gather together. ‘Okay…so we sent the moon pusher on its merry way…’ Hyperion remarks, while Quasar asks his allies if anyone has the slightest idea who might be behind this all. Warlock points out that it is not Thanos’ style, while no one else has any suggestions. Holding one of the strange devices, Quasar explains that there is nothing much left to do here, and that he will have this analysed, before asking if everyone has a way back home. ‘Good. Then let’s stay in touch!’ he suggests, unaware that nearby, on a moon rock, Gladiator has been watching them.
Fifteen minutes later, back on Earth, Quasar flies towards his apartment, fearing that there is a big part of the picture which he is missing, and that after he checks in with Kayla, he wants to go back up to the moon and search the entire, in case he comes up with something else. Suddenly, he notices an ambulance and a bunch of people milling around near his apartment - some of those people just happen to be Firestar, Rage and Speedball of the New Warriors, who watch as paramedics tend to their teammate Nova. ‘Look! Up in the sky!’ Speedball exclaims, motioning to Quasar.
Wendell drops down beside the New Warriors and asks them what has happened. Speedball replies that their buddy Nova got smeared in a fight with a couple of bad extra-terrestrials who were hassling some chick. Quasar excuses himself, before flying up to the apartment, only to discover his window broken as he calls out to Kayla. Concerned, Wendell wonders if this is all a coincidence, or if that business on the moon was just a smokescreen to get him off Earth so somebody could grab the Starbrand…?


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[Assistant]
Cepheid Variable
A Shi’Ar warship called “Vengeful Wing“ arrives in the Mother’s Ruin system. They are hunting the Starjammers, but scanning the surroundings they can‘t detect any energy signature, so apparently the Starjammers have switched off their engine and are hiding somewhere in the system. Mother’s Ruin is sun of the system is a cepheid variable star, it expands and contracts violently causing all off it’s planet to have extremely dense, sluggish atmospheres, still disturbance or planetfall would register and so the Starjammers can’t be hiding on one of the planets. The commander decides to release some fusion mines so that whereever the Starjammers are hiding they can not leave. Even though one of the officers reports that Mother’s Ruin is on five commercial shipping routes, the commander repeats his order.
Not far away, Corsair orders Raza to scan the Vengeful Wing, but carefully as he doesn’t want them to notice and track their scanning beam. Hepzibah has the weapon systems prepared, Ch’od has reiforced the ship’s shields and the team’s latest addition Keeyah, serving as pilot, too is ready for Corsair’s commands. As their scanners reveal that the Vengeful Wing lowers it’s shields (to release the mines) Corsair orders to attack. Upon being called by his codename, he requests to be called “Chris“ or “Captain Summers“ as he thinks “Corsair“ is no longer a fitting name. The ship had been hiding in the cooler parts of the sun’s skin and now surprise attacks the Vengeful Wing. Keeyakh flies in, so that Hepzibah can fire at their engines. The Starjammers can now easily escape, but before they are out of range, Hepzibah fires some highdispution bomb that destroys the Shi’Ar craft and all aboard. Summers demands a full status report and their are no damages to the ship, also the fifty Kree refugees that the Starjammers are carrying are unharmed. However Raza reports that he picked up a transmission from the Vengeful Wing to a Shi’Ar outpost – soon there will be other ships to battle them. Summers asks Keeyah for the fastest way hiome, which apparently is a  well-guarded stargate two hours away.
On Chandilar a messenger enters Lilandra’s palace. He wants to speak with the Empress but is intercepted by the Minister of Peace T’Cahr. The minister says that he knew the messenger’s father well, and takes the scroll pretending to hand it to Lilandra. Still when the man has left, T’Cahr reads it himself and as it is the report of the Vengeful Wing being destroyed by the Starjammers he decides to keep it secret.
In another room, Lilandra is talking to some of her ministers. They explain that all life on a world called Ardent Spring, on the edge of the imperium,  has been expunged by unknown assailants. That is the third such incident and they don’t know who is behind it and why these worlds were chosen, so far the only pattern is that the attackers seem to be moving in a straight line towards Chandilar, the throneworld. The council is sure that the foes are not the Phalanx as they would have assimilated the lifeforms and not killed them, the Skurlls and the remaining Kree do not have the needed ressources for such big attacks, and the Clench, a web of anarchist world, have remained politically neutral so far. Obviously they are under attack by an unknown alien race.
By now the Starjammers are near the needed stargate and try to come up with a way to use it without having to encounter the gunships guarding it. They can’t use their shunt drive (a faster than light travel), because to pass through they need to match the gate’s frequency, which they only can accomplish at a much slower speed; otherwise the ship would be rpited apart when entering the stargate. Chris comes up with a plan. The computer are programmed with a preset course, the ship approaches the gate in shunt drive and only a very short distance before entering switches back to gate engines. Very risky as the slightest miscalculation would have meant that the switch occured too early and exposure to the guards, or too late resulting in instant death. Summers himself is proud of the maneuver, althoufgh Hepzibah is not so happy as she thinks it was too risky. The rest of the journey is without problems and a few hours later the team reaches their destination.
The team and their passenger make planetfall on Standing Still, a Clench world. They are welcomed by Helek, one of the Clench leaders and he asks how much they saw of Hala, the former Kree homeworld. The Starjammers report that Shi’Ar government is bleeding the planet dry; malnutrition and dirty water endanger the health of all inhabitants. Helek is angered by the Shi’Ar religion and philosophy of forcing other cultures into “mariage“ and pressing it into Shi’Ar customs. Fortunatly Standing Still and a few other worlds losely banded together as the Clench and so far have been left alone by the Shi’Ar. Helek continues that a world on the imperium got torched and strangely the attackers passed over a Clench world to get to it. Summers and Hepzibah slip off to spend some time alone and Chris asks his feline partner why she killed the crew of that warship. Hepzibah gets angered, she reminds how they all suffered in the slave pits on Chandilar and she will never forgive the Shi’Ar for that. Chris thinks that Linadra is not as bad as D’Ken was, but Hepzibah asks why then they are continously attacked by Shi’Ar war cruisers.
Far away on the empire’s border there is a solar system of which some planet belong to Shi’Ar and the rest are Clench space. Suddenly Watermark, one of the Clench planets is attacked and destroyed by alien ships. The Shi’Ar are able to pick up their transmissions : “We are the Uncreated – this was a necessary act – recant now – do not force us to make more fires – Recant !“ Lilandra and her council wonder what the message can mean, as one of the ministers makes the connection; all of the attacked worlds, Clench or Shi’Ar, were planet practising a formal religion. As it seems the Uncreated are religious fundamentalists, willing to destroy anything that belongs to a religion not their own – including Chandilar.


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[Assistant]
Nebulae
The Shi’Ar cruiser Skyline Glide and two smaller flanking vessels  named Predator’s Claw and Sharp Feather scout for the approaching Uncreated. They finally discover three Uncreated vessels between too huge nebulae. The aliens repeatedly send a one-word-message “Recant“ as a fight starts. The Shi’Ar are able to damage one of the Uncreated vessels, but not before long the Sharp Feather is destroyed by the alien weapons. As the damaged Uncreated ship can still use it’s weapons the Shi’Ar are now outnumbered and a direct hit to the cuiser’s bridge makes it explode. Alone the Predator’s Claw has no chance at all and while the pilot is thinking about her family the craft to is destoyed. The Uncreated move on and continue to broadcast their “Recant“ order.
In her throneroom on Chandilar Lilandra has gathered her ministers and advisers. She fills them in on the mysterious Uncreated and as the aliens are ion a direct course towards Chandilar, she thinks that the best strategy is to mount defenses between them and the approaching Uncreated. T’Cahr, minister of peace is charged with this task; Lilandra arranges private meetings with all her staff members later that day and leaves, that they may think about the situation.
On Standing Still, the Starjammers enjoy a meal with Helek. Chris Summers wonders if the Starjammers still have a purpose. Granted they rescue a few refugees here and liberate a dozen others there, but does any of it matter in the long run ? Yet Helek reassures the Starjammers leader, right before he is handed a small screen with the latests Empire news. They learn that Lilandra declared war against the Uncreated. Raza believesthat this will make their job of rescuing refugees easier, but Hepzibah knows that quite the opposite will be the case. Keeyah leaves to “make the bladders gladder“ and finally Corsair understands how their new pilot was able to outbeat him in any drinking contest. Having two bladders, Keeyah could store more water than the earthman. Helek laughs and blames it on Summers himself, during the past year he could have learned more about Standing Still and it’s occupants.
(Flashback, ca. one year ago)
The Starjammers were on the run from Shi’Ar crafts and had no other choice but to land on Standing Still to hide from the hunting ships, as their own craft was majorly damaged. There the first met the Clench activists, who helped to rebuild their ship and even found a common purpose in ressettling Shi’Ar victims. As the ship’s pilotry computer (Waldo ?) was beyond repair, Helek even appointed Keeyah to become the team’s pilot.
(present)
The next morning the team departs on their next rescue mission, but during the flight they start to talk about these Uncreated again. Raza , stemming from a race of warriors, can’t halp to admire the effectiveness of these new race. He thinks that they even could be his people’s precedessors if they had not been extinct. Keeyah, unfamiliar with the personal histories of his teammates asks Raza why he is still alive. Raza explains that his people once warred with the Shi’Ar but lost. Most if not all were killed in battle, and Raza as the last known member of his race, was held in captivity. Finally the Shi’Ar filled his body with machine parts and made him into a powerful cyborg, though unexpectedly they could not break Raza’s will. His story is cut short as the ship arrive at the planet Daimon, their intended location, but it’s orbit is filled with an armada of Shi’Ar crafts. Captain Summaers realizes that if the can see the Shi’Ar so in turn they can spot them and deicdes to flee. Remembering the nebulae only two minutes away, he orders a scanner jamming chaff pod to be fired, and while the Shi’Ar’s sensors are disoriented by the released light and radio-reflective rubbish, the Ship enters the nebulae and switches off it’s drive to too avoid detection.
Once inside the nebulae, Raza picks up something with his scanning console. They are not alone, drifting a short distance from their location is the earlier damaged Uncreated vessel. As the aliens become aware of the Starjammers they fire and the Starjammers take a direct hit. Hepzibah operates the ship’s weapons and launches a counterattack, but the aliens still have enough time to fire a second time. Both beams reach their mark; the Uncreated vessel is destroyed and the Starjammers too have received lots of damage. Shields, engine and most weapons systems are down, leaving them stranded and helpless, and the fight might have exposed their location to the nearby Shi’Ar armada. Still Chris states that they are lucky to be alive, since they were only able to survive as that one vessel had already been damaged before.


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[Assistant]
Collapsar
Chris and Hepzibah are spending some time alone in their ship’s center garden section. Hepzibah complains that she never saw the need for this place as it only is a waste of valuable ressouce, but her lover tells her to stop. She might maent about his leadership or that they are drifting helplessly in space after the recent fight, but the garden is special to him as he wanted to have something good with him. Hepzibah points out that the Shi’Ar will soon check out the nebulae they are hiding in, the fight must have been noticed. The couple decides to check on their damaged engines.
Meanwhile Ch’od, Raza and Keeyah are making repairs on the bridge. Keeyah lists what equipment they have stored, he comes up with chaff, mirror throwers and a few self-powered missiles. Ch’od asks what these mirror throwers actually are; he recognized them sometimes on the inventory, but actually never bothered to familiarize with them. Keeyah explains that they are from his culture on Standing Still, where decoy technologies where invented very early. He explains that the mirror thrower is an adpted chaff pod, full of little bits of metal to confuse scanners, a weak forcefield generator and a holo-projector. While the forcefield takes a preprogrammed shape, the projector paints a picture over it. To illustrate Keeyah launches one of the pods and the illusion of a second Starjammer ship appears, that would fool any longrange scanners to be a real ship. Looking outside Ch’od is amazed, also he recognizes the debris from the destroyed Uncreated vessel floating around.
In Chandilar orbit Lilandra just held an inspiring speech in friont of the military. Her peace minister T’Cahr arranged the stage visit, and she aggreed to do it, also she is not comfortable with fueling the soldiers eagerness to go into battle. Suddenly he receives a transmission about the Starjammers. Hearing the name of the team she had been with Lilandra’s curiosity is aroused. She asks T’cahr what the matter with the Starjammers is, but T’Cahr avoid answering. He in turn asks why the Shi’Ar Empress should be concerned about the fate of a known team of dissidents, or if she would be unpleased by seeing them on death order ?
Captain Summers and Hepzibah  have checked their engines and initialized self repair. In ten minutes they will either have shunt drive (faster than light travel), or another error message. Hepzibah enjoys the adrenaline rise she gets from, the situation. Every minute could be their last and they are “fighting birdies“ side by side. She never felt that working with Lilandra was right, in her opinion Shi’Ar are guilty and the Starjammers need to fight them wehrever they can; that is why she wants Chris to stay Corsair. But Summers is unsure of his life as a space pirate. On earth his son Cyclops just got married and has not seen him since. He simply wants to move on and trust Lilandra to get things in order. What use are they anyway; they are re-settling Kree refugees, but these aliens were no batter than the Shi’Ar themselves, they only did loose the war and are now the defeated. Hepzibah points out that this is what they have done for the past decades, it is what they are good at, but Summers replies that it might be time to learn to be good at something else. He wants to stop being a pirate and he wants her to join him.
Meanwhile the others have taken some of the Uncreated vessel’s debris aboard and examine it. Ch’od recognizes one module to be an information storage medium. Upon Keeyah’s request how Ch’od is clever, the Timorian explains that he stems from a race of scientist philosophers. However when the Shi’Ar “married“ their culture they were forced into serving as mercenaries because of their physical attributes. Ch’od opposed his commanding Shi’Ar officer, when was ordered to burn doen a village composed of women and children and was sent to the slave pits on Chandilar where he met the other Starjammers. While talking, Ch’od has attached the module to some of the ship’s scanner and sensors and is able to decipher the stoired data, right as Chris and Hepzibah return to teh bridge. The pod is a combination of the Uncreated’s log-book, a political tool and a bible. Ch’od calls up an image of the Uncreated and also discovers that they have been tracking Phalanx movement towards the spiral arm of the galaxy, where earth is located.
Right now the ship’s repairs are finshed and the power is back on the bridge. Keeyah read that the shields and forcefields are back online, however there is a glitch in the engines system. The shunt drive thinks itself to be a failsafe and will only kick in when the normal drive is in safety problems – the Starjammers are still without faster than light travel. Sadly Raza’s sensor console shows that Shi’Ar scanners have picked up their location and battle ships are closing in. Captain Summers rem,ebers that Hepzibah sais that the guns energies signature released heat which made the nebulae gasses glow. Chris continues with his plan and aks if the have enough firepower to make the gasses more than glow, namely expand very fast and Hepzibah confirms that a couple of high-yield disruption bombs linked to one timer should do the trick. The plan is set. Corsair orders Ch’od to  construct a forcefield cone attached to the back of the ship, and Keeyah has to start the system drive engine. He then commands Hepzibah to launch the bombs, but she hesitates as the Shi’Ar ships “aren’t close enough yet“. Summers had no intention of killing the Shi’Ar, but Hepzibah waits with launching the bombs till they are in firing range. The Boms explode and the nebulae gasses get superheated by the explosion and expand. The forcefield cone aattached to the Starjammer ship, protects it from the heat and lets the ship ride the explosion shockwave. Soon their speed exceeds the system drive capabilities and the shunt drive kicks in. The Starjammers have faster than light travel again and  return to ther base on Standing Still.
At Helek’s house Ch’od performs a closer examination of the Uncreated storage unit. He uncovers from the data that the Uncreated are a slave race, who knew to have been created by their god. Yet they were not capable of the concept of faith, which led to a species-wide inferiority complex. Finally the Uncreated hunted their god down and killed it. Their purpose now is to do the same to any other religios culture, as they think praying to a god to be a dangerously backward behaviour. So the Uncreated are actually not religious fundamentalists like the Shi’Ar believe, but the most violent atheists ever. Ch’od points out that the Starjammers alone now have information that might change the outcome of the confrontation between Shi’Ar and Uncreated. The question is, should they use it or not ?


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[Assistant]
Nova
Chris Summers and Hepzibah silently sit side by side enjoying Standing Still’s beautiful landscape. Yet their minds are far away as they rethink the events of the last days, Summers knows the importance of the information that has learned about the Uncreated and wonders if they should the prevent the war between the new alien species and the Shi’Ar. Stopping the Uncreated would only allow the Shi’Ar Empire to grow bigger, while allowing them to be slaughtered would create ewmpty space that the arising Phalanx then would usurp. Finally Hepzibah starts a conversation and suggests another reprisal raid against the Shi’Ar. Summers has ebough, he has been aware of her subtle attempts to manipulate him for quite some time, but he did not want to loose her, however he can no longer watch her senseless killings. Hepzibah tries it once more and brings up their suffering in the slave pens, but Corsair says that it’s past time that they should let go of their hate and grudge-holding.
In Lilandra’s throne room Minister T’Cahr reports that many Shi’Ar died in the nebulae explosion caused by the Starjammers. Clearly they are guilty of treason and demands that they have to be exterminated. Lilandra can’t help to be reminded of her fanatical brother D’ken as T’Cahr was one of his closest allies. She announces that the Starjammers can be dealt with later, but for now they will have to accompany the assembled military strikeforces to a second blocking point of the Uncreated approach. T’Cahr, as minister of Peace, too boards the royal yacht and the fleet departs.
On Standing Still, Ch’od presents his teammates an image of the slain god and creator of the Uncreated race, uncovered from the information unit. Helek brings bad news, he has been informed that the point where the whole Shi’Ar fleet and the Uncreated vessels will meet is right above Standing Still. Chris, a good strategist, thinks how stupid this tactic is, for if an Uncreated vessel breaches the defense line, all worlds behind it are without protection; while Hepzibah smiles inside as she hopes that the Shi’Ar will loose against the dealy aliens. Ch’od and Helek are more concerned about Standing Still’s safety. An interstellar war fought in their orbit will permanently harm the planet and it’s population. Corsair thinks long and hard, he has the information that the combatants lack and he has the responsibility to use it – an idea forms. Captain Summers orders his team inside their ship as he has a plan, but they have to hurry as he wants to be at the battleside before either side arrives. Hepzibah doesn’t like this one bit, she thinks about her important role as she is the ship’s weapons master. She can make the Shi’Ar loose the war, with or without her lover’s permission.
Aboard the royal yacht inmidst the Shi’Ar fleet are Lilandra, T’Cahr and also a great selection of Imperial Guardsmen. Finally they reach the Standing Still System and the Empress worries about it’s inhabitants and asks her stategists if there is a way to pull the battlefield into unoccupied space, but T’Cahr interrupts. After all it is only a Clench world, so why should they bother. Lilandra replies that this is not the way of the Shi’Ar but T’Cahr  remarks that the Shi’Ar ever take what is ther delight, former Emperor D’Ken would have understood. Lilandra realizes that T’Cahr tries to strangle her with politics, he attempts to lure her into a trap, trying to frame her for treason. The Uncreated Vessels get within range.
Not far away is the hidden Starjammer ship, Corsair thinks how this stand-off reminds him of old western movies – the first to blink is the loser. He orders his crew to await his command, but Hepzibah answers “No“ as he hits the firing button for the boarded weapons – yet nothing happens. Chris reveals that he suspected that she would attempt such a stupid fanatic move, so he and Keeyah earlier disabled her console. Raza reports that his scanner show the Uncreated vessels powering up, so Summers commands Keeyah to “Do the deed“. A quartet of linked mirrorthrowers are launched, they have been filled with data from the Uncreated information pod. The mirrorthrowsers drift into place between the rivaling armies and are activated. A huge image of the Uncreated god forms, dwarfing both fleets and the planet below. Inside their vessels the Uncreated are shocked, they thought their creator slain, some of them are in terror, others simply loose their mind being hit with their inferiority complex again. Their final solution – suicide. The two vessels blow up.
Corsair hails the royal yacht and reveals that it were the Starjammers who ended the war. T’Cahr angrily commands their craft to be destroyed, but Lilandra interrupts which is commented by T’Cahr with “Treason“. However T’Cahr forgot to consider the new situation, with the war at an official end, Lilandra’s previous protective policy towards the Starjammers is again in force, and for calling the righteous Empress a traitor it is now he who will be held on trial. Lilandra orders the Imperial Guard to take the former minister of peace into custody as she establishes visual contact with the Starjammer. Corsair greets her and says that today the Shi’Ar have been given a second chance – they should use it wisely. Then Helek contacts Lilandra and makes a deal, actually the presence of the assembled Shi’Ar fleet in Clench space is politically quzite sensitive, but he will not tell anyone in exchange for the Shi’Ar not invading anyone in the next few years.
Aboard the Starjammer most team members celebrate. Corsair watches quietly and Hepzibah stands unmoving . Summers hopes that she has been shocked to her senses and that they can finally leave the fighting behind them, as this was the final voyage of the Starjammer.
Epilogue
On Chandilar some politicians gather in a dark place; T’Cahr is lost to them, but still their number is many and they think that Lilandra’s rule is not forceful or strong enough.
Somehwhere else, in the galaxy arm that cradles earth a Phalanx craft is seen. It tries to locate the source of a broken beam sent some time ago ...


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The Cadet and the Corsairs - part 1
Deep within the far reaches of the cold and empty space, the royal flagship known as Kurnit Corona flies majestically towards Kinshaa, the capital planet of the Union of Intelligent Races. In one of the many room of the massive ship is a young man named Tolo Hawk, a newly inducted cadet in the Union Defense Corps, the most prestigious military league in all the empire. Tolo finishes buttoning the jacket of his most elegant suit and stands before his father. Mr. Hawk looks at his son and tells him that he is perfect and will be the epitome of the Corps. He can hardly believe that Tolo is his son.
Modestly, Tolo reminds his overjoyed father that he is just a cadet. He still has many years to go through in the academy, many exams to pass, many skill tests to master, and there are still more things he must qualify for. Ignoring his son’s modesty, Mr. Hawk tells Tolo that his mother would have been so proud. He wishes that she could have been there this day. Tolo smiles and tells his father to stop fussing for they are late to dinner. Mr. Hawk smiles and jokingly tells his son that the princess will have to wait for them.
Father and son walk down the hallway of the princess’ royal flagship, which is decorated as if it were a palace. Mr. Hawk asks his son if he saw the comet that raced by earlier. He hopes the ship is safe. Tolo assures his father that the ship is fine. The captain would never put the princess in danger. In any case, in space things only look closer, because it is hard to comprehend distance out there. The two reach the double door entrance to the royal dining hall and are greeted by Brom, the attendant who stands by the door. Brom welcomes Cadet Hawk and Mr. Hawk. Mr. Hawk informs Brom that, tonight, they are assigned to sit as the princess’ table. He then asks Brom to make sure that Tolo gets a seat near the princess. “Dad!” says Tolo, embarrassed.
Brom opens the doors to the beautiful dining hall and announces to all present that Mr. Darby Hawk and his son, Cadet Tolo Hawk, have now arrived. Tolo stops immediately and looks at the long table at the bottom of the stairs. In particular, Tolo stares at the beautiful Princess Sabra, whose golden hear is put up tonight and kept up by her tiara. Pink braids match her pink and white dress.
To Princess Sabra’s right is her bodyguard, Lenise, clad in red, and to her left is a member of the princess’ Committee, Verdian Terce, an old man who is dressed in all purple. Mr. Hawk sees the look on Tolo’s face and tells him not to gawk at the princess. He has seen plenty of pictures before. As Tolo and his father walk down the red carpeted stairs, Princess Sabra turns to Verdian Terce and thanks him for letting someone her age sit at the table with her. Tolo doesn’t look half bad either, she adds. Verdian informs Sabra that Tolo is only a cadet, so she shouldn’t get carried away.
Mr. Hawk and Tolo reach the table and take their seats next to Verdian Terce. Mr. Hawk announces to the princess and Verdian that his son has just been accepted into the Kinshaa Academy after he got the best scores on the planet, Rubicon. Mr. Hawk recognizes the old man next to him as a member of the Committee and offers his hand to shake. He is a Terce, if Mr. Hawk recognizes his insignia correctly. Verdian Terce, corrects the Committee member, as he looks at Mr. Hawk’s hand without offering his own. He serves the Committee and the Committee serves the princess.
As an alien waiter places a long brown shell on Tolo’s plate, Mr. Hawk tells Verdian Terce that he just got a job as a clerk in Kinshaa, which is quite a promotion since he worked as an accountant on a Durgoyak Ranch. Now he is working for the Bureau of Alien Affairs. Maybe he and Verdian will cross paths again someday. Verdian bluntly tells Mr. Hawk that he highly doubts that they will ever meet again. Mr. Hawk informs Verdian that Tolo is his only son since his mother died during the Celemon Pox outbreak seven years ago. She, unfortunately, could not hold on until the vaccines arrived.
Tolo picks up his eating utensils and looks at the brown shell he just cracked open. He looks at the mass inside and wonders to himself how one eats this. Princess Sabra overhears him and offers to show him. Sabra demonstrates and Tolo quickly learns. He smiles at her and asks if it tastes good at least. No, says Sabra, but it is really fancy, though very tiresome. Mr. Hawk, unaware that his son is talking to the princess, continues to tell Verdian that he wanted to be close to Tolo at the academy, so that is why he is moving to Kinshaa. Once Tolo decided to join the corps, Verdian should have seen him practicing the U.D.C. fighting styles. He has studied many subjects too, including mathematics, engineering, history, ethics and the disposition of problematic alien races in the union. Mr. Hawk slaps his son in the back and Tolo quickly and politely tells Verdian that the day he was accepted into the U.D.C. was one of the happiest moments in his life.
As Princes Sabra takes another bite out of her food, she looks at Tolo and tells him that she is delighted that such a young man has volunteered his life to serve the Union of Intelligent Races. Suddenly, Lenise places her hand between Sabra’s mouth and her food and reminds the girl that she must first test it for poison. Sabra introduces Lenis to Mr. Hawk and Tolo and adds that besides being a bodyguard she is also her lawyer in case she ever needs one. Lenise takes a bite out of the princess’ food and tells the others that she is happy to risk her life for the princess, but why did they have to serve the disgusting scobster tonight?
Sabra looks at Tolo again and wonders if she should switch plates with him. No one would poison him. Lenise immediately tells Sabra that it is out of the question for there is too much of a risk. Sabra explains to Tolo that her father, the former king, was assassinated four years ago by a malcontent alien. Verdian chimes in and tells the guests that the assassination is why they must remain vigilant. The populace loves Princess Sabra and she has gone to much effort to quell unruliness. However, out there in space are those who play by different rules, specifically some drug runners who are right now in the illicit trade in narcotic Hyrax. Tolo is surprised to hear that Hyrax is being illegally traded, as he heard that it is quite dangerous. In a superior tone, Verdian tells Tolo that they can never know what drives alien races to do what they do.
Princess Sabra tells Verdian that alien races can be quite interesting. She has met many different beings in the loyal worlds of the U.I.R., though she is tired and cannot wait to reach Kinshaa, her home. In fact, preparations are already being made on Kinshaa for her coronation ceremony where she will become queen. Verdian also adds that Sabra will be a ruler whose most prevalent duty will be to act as the official spokesperson of the Committee. A bitter Lenise eyes Verdian and mutters about how things are always about the Committee. Verdian tells Sabra that the Committee has dealt with non-human malcontents like the one who killed her father. Right now their main concern is the rising rate of piracy in space.
Upon hearing this, Tolo asks Verdian if he is referring to the ones called the Starjammers. Verdian confirms this and explains that they are mostly made out of and are led by the tree-like Thorns, though members of other races have joined their ranks. Verdian assures Sabra that they will protect her.
Eagerly, Tolo gets up and announces to Sabra that he will protect her too from any Thorn or pirate. Verdian tells Tolo that he need not worry, as their Union Defense Corps are the most efficient guard in the entire galaxy. He claps his hands and the double doors to the dining hall open. Two lines of guards dressed in the common black and blue uniforms of the U.D.C. march out. Tolo recognizes them as the Blackstars, who are the elite guard of the U.D.C. Mr. Hawk smiles and knows that his son will one day be a Blackstar.
The guards come to attention and Verdian once again announces that there is no need to fear the Starjammers. The Starjammers are the ones who should fear. Also, adds Verdian, he has something to show the princess, since they are almost at Kinshaa. He has arranged for a demonstration to display how the Blackstars will effectively combat the pirates.
The double doors open again and this time a Blackstar guard throws up a bound Thorn into the dining hall, much to the horror of all. As everyone looks on worried, Verdian looks upon the Thorn with a sinister face and explains that the alien was captured during a pirate raid. The wild Thorn calls all the humans scum and gets to his feet. Verdian Terce gets up and explains that they could have executed the Thorn easily, but felt that it was best that they display their superiority publicly. Sabra is taken back by the disgusting nature of the Thorn. A large Blackstar guard walks over to the Thorn and announces that it is time to make some firewood.
As the guard is about to kill the Thorn with his axe, the Thorn screams that he fights in the name of the Starjammers and Captain Kalyx. All watch on as the Thorn jumps into the air to avoid the fall of the battle-axe. The guard swings again and clips the Thorn’s shoulder. He then slams the Thorn’s head into the ground, but then Thorn kicks him in the face and wraps his tentacle-like tongue around the guard’s neck. The guard grabs the Thorn also by the neck, but the Thorn chocks the guard.
Realizing that he will die, the guard tells the other Blackstars to move onto phase two immediately. Three Blackstars rush up to the Thorn with blowtorches and set the poor creature aflame, as his captured Blackstar guard is freed and rushes away from the conflagration. Verdian Terce explains that, since the Thorn race is nothing more than ambulatory trees, they are weak to fire. As the dead Thorn burns to ashes, Verdian feels that he has made his point. He smiles and excuses himself to his cabin, as he has Committee business to deal with. Lenise gives Verdian a dirty look and tells Sabra that they should go back to their quarters.
Tolo is about to ask Verdian something, but the old man excuses himself again, as he is already late. Verdian navigates through the hallways of the royal ship, until he reaches his room. Inside, he goes to his computer console and realizes that he is late in getting his final instructions regarding the princess. He picks up a box off of the ledge of the computer console and opens it to reveal several seeds of Hyrax! He looks at the seeds and thinks of all the power, life and energy he has. That is more than mere humans could hope to have. Verdian swallows one seed and grabs the controller to his video console, as he has to contact Anazar Prime and the rest of the Committee.
The video console displays a muscular bald man clad in a purple robe. Anazar Prime announces to Verdian that all the Committee members have consumed the Hyrax, so now their thoughts are sharp and the transmission is clear. Anazar asks for a report from Verdian. Verdian, who seems to be growing horns from his forehead now, explains that he has escorted and observed Sabra and knows that she is like putty that can easily be manipulated for their purposes. She will not be a problem like her father. However, the lawyer and bodyguard, Lenise, keeps too close and is a problem. Anazar tells Verdian that they can always get rid of Lenise if needed through assassination of public disgrace. However, there are more pirate attacks on U.I.R. ships and more members of the lesser alien races are supporting them. In the princess’ name, the Committee has orders that the Corps unearth anyone supporting the Starjammers.
Verdian suggests that they orchestrate some attacks of genocide on the loyal planets to the U.I.R. to drive their point that the Starjammers are evil. They will discuss this in detail later. Anazar will be pleased to know that there are large cargo crates of Hyrax, obviously not on the ship manifest. Anazar is pleased and looks forward to the shipment of the drug. Suddenly, Tolo knocks on Verdian’s door and asks if they can discuss his future in the Corps if he has the time. No one responds and Tolo supposes that the man is already asleep. Sleep is probably something Tolo should be getting now too.
As the Kurnit Corona streaks across space with the comet not too far ahead, a warp in space suddenly opens behind the royal ship and out comes the Starjammer! On board, the personnel inform Captain Kalyx that the Corona’s sensors have not yet detected them, due to disruptions thanks to the comet. As the Starjammer gets dangerously close to the Corona, the crew gets ready to board and fight hand-to-hand. Captain Kalyx reminds them all that he wants the Hyrax intact and undamaged.
On board the Corona, the crew finally spots the Starjammer and sounds the alarms within the ship. Over the intercom, the captain orders all hands to get ready for battle. The Starjammer blasts the side of the Corona. Four of the Blackstar guards, all armed, run past Tolo, who ask if they are under attack. One guard informs him that the engines are out and the defensive arrays are down. Another, recognizing Tolo as a cadet, tells Tolo to arm himself. Tolo runs back to his room, where his father, who was preparing for bed, runs out and asks what is happening. Tolo explains that the Kurnit Corona is under attack by pirates. Tolo tells his father to stay in his room, where it is safe. More guards run by and one orders his comrades to get to the cargo bay, as that is where their defenses are the lowest.
In the cargo bay, Blackstar guards run around everywhere and prepare for battle.  The guards stand with their guns trained on the hatch to the cargo bay. For moments, there is nothing and one guard nervously asks why the pirates are taking so long. Another guard realizes that the pirates are going to blow the hatch and orders his men to take cover. It is too late, though, as the hatch explodes and takes out several guards with it. Captain Kalyx, dressed in a typical purple and red pirate jacket, steps into the royal ship and greets the humans. He believes that they have something that belongs to him. The Blackstar leader tells Kalyx that he will never take the ship and then he orders his men to fire.
Thorns rush out of the Starjammer and into the Corona. Among the Thorns are two other aliens. One is a half-yellow humanoid, half cyborg man with a sword and long hair. The other is a large, green, amphibious man. The yellow man calls out to the green one, Ch’od, and jokes that they cannot let the Thorns have all the fun. Ch’od responds with a growl, as he slams some guards. Captain Kalyx orders the yellow man, Raza, to secure the Hyrax and to make sure no one is damaged. Raza complies and gathers a group to get to the cargo hold interior. As he slices a guard to death, he screams that it is time they take back what is theirs.
As the captain of the Corona sends out a distress call, the Thorns reach the cockpit and begin to pry open the doors. They succeed and the captain of the Corona realizes that it is too late for help, as he and his crew won’t be alive in a few moments.
Elsewhere, Tolo rummages through his room and pulls out his Corps-issued ceremonial pistol that he was supposed to use for drilling at the academy. It looks like he will be using it now. Tolo tells his father to stay put once again, but the man does not want to, as he can also shoot a blaster and, if he needs to, he can just punch the Thorns. Tolo argues that he can fight better if he does not have to worry about him, so he tells his father to lock the cabin door and barricade it. Mr. Hawk tells his son to be careful, as four enraged Thorns round the corner of the hallway. “I chose to sign up for the Cops, dad,” says an excited Tolo, “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”


[User]
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Provide a full summary of the comic book.

[Assistant]
The Cadet and the Corsairs - part 2
Tolo Hawk has a few moments to reflect about how this trip was meant to be a simple one from his home colony to Kinshaa, planetary capital of the Union of Intelligent Races. He was to start his military training as a cadet in the Union Defense Corps, the military guard of the U.I.R. With Princess Sabra on board the royal ship, Kurnit Corona, everyone felt safe. However, what no one thought about was the chance that they might be attacked by the space pirates known as the Starjammers, led by Captain Kalyx and his crew, mostly of the tree-like race known as the Thorn. However, a few members are not Thorn. Those two are the half cyborg Raza and the amphibious Ch’od.
In a corridor of the Kurnit Corona, Tolo stands ready with his ceremonial pistol, along side a group of Blackhearts, the best of the best in the Union Defense Corps. One of the Blackhearts tells Tolo to stand firm. Tolo tells the man that he will do his best, though he lets slip that he is a bit scared through his manner. The Thorns rush into the Blackhearts, as the battle begins. Among the Thorn is Raza, who has assembled this group of Thorn to get to the interior of the cargo bay to the illegal drug known as Hyrax, which, unbeknownst to anyone on board, has been smuggled on by Verdian Terce, a member of the secretly evil Committee that serves Princess Sabra, though they intend to manipulate her to their own ends. Raza comments that this is a lot of trouble to get to the cargo bay, but a Thorn replies that it will be worth it.
As the Blackhearts are quickly taken down one by one, a Thorn wraps his root like arms around one of the guards and proceeds to crush him. Scared, but showing that he is serious, Tolo aims his gun at the Thorn and orders him to release his victim. Raza, after finishing off a guard with his sword, backslaps Tolo and tells the “kid” to get out the way before he gets hurt.  Tolo bumps his head on the wall, which makes him a bit dizzy. Raza tells the Thorn that they have had enough exercise and they should be getting what they came for, which is the load of Hyrax.
The group reaches the doors to the cargo bay, but Raza soon discovers that the doors are locked. One of the Thorns laughs and reminds Raza that a tree can crack a mountain apart. He then uses his mighty arms and roots to rip the door to the interior of the cargo bay apart. Raza enters the cargo bay and sees majestic golden chests and other priceless jewelry and gold lying about. Raza is surprised to see such a vast amount of wealth and supposes that the humans were going to celebrate the princess’ coronation in style. A Thorn rips open a box and informs Raza that he found the shipment. Raza looks into the box and sees that there are Hyrax seeds in there. Upon learning that the Hyrax is in seed form, the pirates become enraged and curse the humans to have a painful death.
Raza tells his crew not to hate all humans, after he is one – or at least partly. They instead should blame the Committee, as they are the ones responsible for so much pain.  As the Thorn carry the Hyrax seed boxes out one of the Thorns picks up an unconscious guard and demands to kill anyone from the Committee. Raza looks though the jewelry and gold and decides that they shouldn’t let this booty go to waste, since the Princess won’t be using it anymore.
Elsewhere in the ship, Lenise, the bodyguard and lawyer to Princess Sabra, grabs her charge and tells her that she must get to the escape skiff immediately. Sabra is about to interject, but Lenise reminds the girl that she swore an oath to protect her. In fact, she is contractually bound to do so. Suddenly, a group of Thorns rush into Sabra’s room. One of them recognizes Lenise’s red outfit as that of a lawyer and laughs. Lenise scowls and tells the Thorn that in the U.I.R. the job as a lawyer is a true warrior’s position. As she racks her knuckles, she informs them that she is ready to give her opening statement. She leaps over one Thorn and dropkicks the one behind him. She punches another right in the face and boots another one before he can swing his axe. “I rest my case,” says Lenise, as the Thorns lie on the floor in pain.
Lenise and Sabra rush to the escape pod dock and Lenise is grateful that the Thorn attackers have not reached this area yet. Sabra asks about the well being of the others. Shouldn’t Verdian Terce of the Committee be with them?  Verdian can take care of himself, says Lenise. Sabra asks about Tolo, who she met earlier in the evening, but Lenise tells her that there is no time to find him. Her legal obligation is to get her out alive. Lenise and Sabra board the skiff and, as soon as it is ready to launch, Lenise orders the princess, who is staring out the port window, to strap herself in. “But,” argues Sabra, “All those people! We’re just leaving them.” The skiff then blasts off to make its escape.
Elsewhere again, Ch’od leads a couple of Thorn down the halls. One of the Thorns informs Ch’od that an escape skiff just launched and that other humans are rushing towards the escape pods. Ch’od sniffs the air and tells the pirate not to bother him with that, for he smells Committee. The group stands outside the room of Verdian Terce. Ch’od begins to pound on the door. In the room, Verdian Terce mutters that the pirates do not understand the true value of Hyrax. He then swallows four Hyrax seeds, as he knows that he will need more than one dose to get out alive. He needs all the power that Hyrax can give. Suddenly, Verdian is overcome by energy and begins to change physically.
Ch’od is able to break open the door, but finds himself face to face with a horrendous looking Thorn-like creature. The creature that was once Verdian Terce arrogantly tells Ch’od that he likes to play with pirates. He is not Thorn, says Ch’od, as he punches the Starjammer away, but he will do. Ch’od smells Hyrax on Verdian and lashes out at the man, but is easily thrown away again. Ch’od looks at Verdian, as he begins to catch on fire. In seconds, Verdian Terce is covered in flames!
Ch’od tells Verdian that Hyrax is life, strength and power, but those things are not his and does not last. As Verdian reels in pain, Ch’od takes him down with a jump kick. Verdian screams that he has two much power and life within him. He then lets out one more scream, as his wood-like body turns into nothing but ashes. As Ch’od stomps on the ashes, he tells his Thorn companions that the man got what he deserved. The three leave the room to stop other humans from escaping.
Back in the hallway, Tolo gets up, but is still in a daze. He wants to rejoin the fight, but quickly remembers about his father. He makes his way back to the dining hall where his father is explaining to several alien workers that the room is the most defensible place on the ship. Mr. Hawk sees his son and is ecstatic that he still lives. While some of the men begin to pile furniture on the doors to barricade it, Tolo informs his father that most of the Blackhearts are dead. However, he cannot stay here and hide. He has to find the princess. One of the aliens tells Tolo that he cannot go back out there. Another informs the cadet that the princess already ran off and left the rest of them to die.
Tolo tells the two aliens that he may be a cadet, but he gave an oath to the U.D.C. to protect and defend Princess Sabra against any enemy. He intends to remain true to his promise. He has to make sure that she is gone one way or another. Mr. Hawk is proud of his son and decides to go with him to watch each other’s backs. One of the aliens reminds the pair that they are sealing the doors to the dining hall. They won’t be able to get back in. Tolo and Mr. Hawk run off anyway. Tolo leads his father to where he remembers the escape skiff to be when they took the tour. Unbeknownst to the two, Captain Kalyx and his troops spot them running towards the escape pods and are hot on their tail.
In the escape pod room, Tolo disables the doors to the room, but is sure that it won’t hold off the pirates for long. Mr. Hawk points out that the princess’ skiff is gone. Tolo is glad and proceeds to focus on other things, such as getting the two of them off. Tolo checks one pod and sees that there is room for both of them. This is their only chance to get off. Mr. Hawk, however, discovers that the pirates have sabotaged the central controls. They cannot automatically launch the pods. As the Thorn begin to rip open the doors, Mr. Hawk tells his son to get into the pod and he will launch it automatically. Tolo protests and tells his father to get in and he will stay behind. Maybe they could find a way to rig the controls.
Mr. Hawk touches his son’s face and recounts how he told Tolo’s mother before she died that Tolo would have the best possible opportunity to make something of himself. He then pushes his son into the pod and tells him that this is the last thing he can do to give Tolo a fighting chance. He must stop arguing and leave. The door to the pod seals, as Tolo begins to pound on it. Captain Kalyx and the pirates enter the room, as Mr. Hawk finds the launch control system. He triggers the manual sequence, which sets the pod to launch in ten seconds. In those ten seconds before launch, Tolo watches, as his father turns around to find himself surrounded by the Thorn and Captain Kalyx. Tolo begins to pound harder on the door to get out and help his father, but can do nothing but watch as the Thorn murder his father in cold blood. Lifepod 7 then launches.
The pod spirals out of control and throws Tolo around. Tolo tries to keep his wits, as he does not want to get sick. As the pod regains balance, Tolo looks back at the Kurnit Corona and wonders why his father just didn’t come with him. Tolo notices the Starjammer undock from the Corona and fly a safe distance away. Suddenly, though, the Starjammer turns around, much to Tolo’s surprise. Tolo then realizes what the Starjammers and begins to scream that they should just leave the survivors alone. Tolo begins to cry as he realizes that the Starjammers are about to do what he cannot believe that they are doing. Again, Tolo can do nothing but watch. The Starjammer then shoots out one blast of energy towards the Corona, which explodes on contact killing all the survivors aboard.
In the Starjammer, Captain Kalyx lauds his men for the job well done. Raza comments to the captain, that he remains a thorn in the side of the humans. Captain Kalyx asks if that is a joke he just heard. Raza apologizes for his comment, as there is nothing funny about punishing murderers. Kalyx realizes that Raza saw the seeds and now knows what the Committee does to them. Raza tells Captain Kalyx that where he and Ch’od come from there are despots like the Committee. They also keep slave pits like those of the U.I.R. Wherever the weak are oppressed by the strong, Raza will be there so that others may not suffer like and Ch’od have. Ch’od, below at a control panel, agrees and then notices a blip on his radar. Captain Kalyx asks if it is debris. “No…” says Ch’od.
In his pod, Tolo continues to cry and cannot come to terms with the death of the people aboard the Kurnit Corona, including his father. Suddenly, the pod is rocked. Tolo looks out his window and discovers that the Starjammer has caught him in a tractor beam. As his pod is pulled into the Starjammer, Tolo pulls out his pistol. It isn’t much, but it is all he has. “I’ll make these monster pay,” says the bitter Tolo, as he aims his pistol right at the door of the pod.