Annihilation: Prologue (2006 series) #1

Annhilation Day - 7
Verge System 026, at the edge of the universe.

Thanos and his tiny winged companion Skreet are standing on an asteroid with the unconscious body of the Fallen One (as we left them at the end of Thanos (2003) #12, but I'm not convinced they were in Verge 26 then). Death appears to Thanos as a young girl in black. They both sense that something's coming. She suggests that he learn from someone who knows her intimately (but I'm not sure whether she's referring to the approaching Annihilus or the Fallen One at his feet).

Annihilation Day
Verge System 026, the Kyln at the Crunch at the edge of the universe.

The Kyln extracts power from the Crunch for multiple star systems, and it's also maximum security prison for condemned prisoners (as seen in Thanos #7-12). Cole and Swad of Omega Core are escorting in some new inmates and are met by the Cleric who explains to them (and us) that they have had nanites injected in their bodies that will kill them if they don't behave. But Swad and the Cleric sense something's wrong, especially when lots of little AI monitors abandon their posts.

And suddenly the Kyln is attacked by hordes of creatures from the Crunch which lay waste to it. Swad is fatally wounded and asks Cole to give him his last rites.

Annihilation Day + 7
Verge System 001, Xandar Cluster, home to the Nova Corps.

There is a central spaceport floating in the middle of the domed cities that are Xandar. The Nova Corps have declared a crisis and suspended all transport except for official Corps business. Richard Rider, the Nova Corpsman from Earth, arrives with Rigellian Pyo and Centaurian Samaya who says she heard that something happened at the Kyln.

Also arriving is the Prison Colony Dredge 02 that was on its way to the Kyln (as seen at the end of the Drax The Destroyer mini-series). Inside we see Drax and Earth teen Cammi (from that series). The Dredge authorities have to let Drax go because they can't pin his 'crimes' on him because his body readings don't match those on file (since he was reborn in DTD#3). He was accused of 200,000 deaths but he says it was just a Kree/Skrull conflict. And Cammi isn't wanted for anything. Cammi is still claiming that she owns Drax because the Skrull Paibok gave his body to her when he was dead. Drax says they're both stuck here because the system is locked down because something big is happening. (There's a Skrull watching them who may be Paibok because he supposedly left Earth on the Dredge with them.)

The 3 Nova Corpsmen attend a mass meeting where they're told that some unknown force destroyed the Kyln, cutting off the main power to >200 planetary systems. Whatever did this is heading towards Xandar. But there will also be civil unrest in the affected star systems plus danger from prisoners escaping from the Kyln. Contact has been lost with all but 3 of the Omega Core precincts in the Verge. Nova troops will be dispatched to handle all these problems, and the Worldmind has switched all Corps officers to full power (via their uniforms).

Drax has decided it would be wise for him and Cammi to leave. He smashes the robot that's guarding them.

We see Nova Corps spaceships meeting the horde that destroyed the Kyln, and it makes short work of them. Xandar itself is attacked and the general meeting breaks up as all Corps members rush to defence. Rider. Pyo and Samaya stick together.

Drax is carrying Cammi and running through the spaceport (and into the Dredge?). All prisoners are released to fend for themselves. Drax finds a shuttle in its bay (also containing a random civilian). He hits the launch button and trusts to fate.

I don't know what happens to Pyo but Rider saves Samaya's life. The ground troops are losing a battle against insectoid invaders. There are too many of them but our Nova comes up with a strategy. He flies out amongst them zigzagging to avoid being hit but causing the enemy to shoot each other. Samaya leads others into adopting his method. But then the burning spaceport descends on their dome. Nova tells her to switch her suit to deep space survival mode and together they fly through the falling debris. She says if they survive this she'll mate with him for life. But then her head gets blasted off and Richard himself is overwhelmed.

Sometime later he digs and climbs his way to the surface and finds himself in a scene of complete devastation. He tries to send a message to inform the universe of what has happened.

Annihilation Day + 12
Kree/Skrull systems disputed territory.

The Kree Ronan The Accuser has come to mete out justice on some Kree for 200,000 dead Skrulls (presumably what Drax was accused of). They don't see why he's bothered about some Skrulls. But then some Kree soldiers come to arrest him for treason. (Maybe some in Kree command are also not bothered about dead Skrulls). He obediently hands over his Universal Weapon.

Annihilation Day + 15
Verge System 001, near the Xandar Cluster.

Silver Surfer finds an alien race called the Syllth fleeing through space and senses an infestation.

Annihilation Day + 15
Kree Starbase Yon-Rogg near the Skrull border.

Super-Skrull uses his invisibility power to overhear what Kree soldiers know about what's going on. 1 of them has heard news from a high-up named Star-Lyn, who some consider a Skrull-hugger, who says that 2 Skrull systems have gone silent due to some super-weapon called the Harvester Of Sorrows. Most of the men won't shed any tears over that. Some are more worried about the Kyln, especially the 3 prisoners in containment cocoons.

Annihilation Day + 15
Verge System 001, ruins of the Xandar Cluster.

The Annihilation Wave is resting to replenish its supplies from the devastated worlds. Insectoid Eradica, the leader's 1st Concubine, reports back success. And we see that the boss is Annihilus.