Nova (2007 series) #7

The Phalanx have taken over the Kree Empire and sealed it off from the rest of the universe. They've also taken over Gamora and made her 1 of the Select, powerful warriors completely loyal to the Phalanx but otherwise with their own minds. She used the Transmode Virus to 'recruit' Nova Prime (Richard Rider - last of the Nova Centurions with the Xandarian Worldmind in his brain and all the power of the Nova Force at his disposal). And last issue they similarly converted Drax The Destroyer.

Sometime later Nova returns from a mission with Phalanx warriors, Kree Sentries and Galadorian Spaceknights rounding up terrorists on Han-Lar to the Kree capital world Hala and its Babel Spire which keeps the force sphere around the Empire. He exults in how much *more* himself he feels since the Virus, how much better he is at doing *anything*. But inside a voice keeps saying "screaming", and he keeps getting flashback memories of Kor-El, the Kree woman who the Worldmind made into a Nova to protect it and his nearly destroyed body. As *she* was dying after Gamora stabbed her last issue she told the changed Rider that "this isn't you".

His once and current lover Gamora greets him with a kiss and they both just know that they are summoned to a briefing for a new assignment. But the voice inside him has now progressed to "Why aren't you screaming?" and the visions of dying Kor-El keep coming. Nova actually says "Screaming" himself and Gamora asks what he means. And then Nova finds himself ...

... in a white space within his mind as he's greeted by his younger self in his original Nova Centurion uniform. His was the voice in his head. He tells his older self that the Phalanx propaganda he spits make him sound like a cheap villain. He says he represents a tiny fragment of Richard's mind that the Worldmind has protected from the technophage virus. And he shows him replicas of many previous Nova Centurions of multiple species that the WM has created that are busy fighting the virus. And 1 of them is Ko-Rel who he says made all this possible. As she died she returned her Nova power to the WM which was just enough to tip the balance, to weaken the transmode virus enough for Richard to regain control of his mind and body. But he has to want to do it ... and he does so and joins in the fight against the virus with the power of the Nova Force. As he symbolically obliterates the virus 'Kor-El' pleads with him to save her son Zam.

Back in the real world probably only seconds have passed. Gamora sees that the sign of the Phalanx has gone from his eyes. But he blasts her and many Phalanx before she can react and then rockets his way out of the spire. Gamora alerts the Phalanx collective that Nova has managed to reject the virus. The Worldmind is now able to contact him again and tells him that he still has the virus and the WM is having to dedicate 83% of the Nova Force to keep it in check. Richard realises this means he doesn't stand a chance against the Phalanx and the Kree Sentries. The WM agrees and says they must escape Kree space. Nova reminds him of what happened the last time they tried it (#4) but the WM has a cunning plan. Since Nova has been linked to the Phalanx intelligence the WM now knows how the force shell surrounding the area works and it knows where to go to escape. And it opens a Stargate to there.

The Phalanx tell Gamora that Nova is heading for a neutron star at Bak-Lar 4 77 near the barrier. She suspects what he's trying to do and requests a chain of teleport links to get her and support troops there before him. Fellow-Select Drax The Destroyer wants to be that support. Even though he likes being part of the Phalanx he still hates Rider for converting him.

But Nova gets to the destination 1st. The WM explains to him that the neutron star is an extreme gravimetric anomaly and his own gravimetric power will enable him to do a close flyby to great a hyper-gravimetric wormhole to the universe outside the barrier. He'll risk being crushed to death but it's the only available option.

Just then Drax and Gamora arrive in spacesuits. Instead of heading towards the star Rider elects to attack them. But he's not very successful so he agrees to follow the WM's plan. He dives down and starts to feel the painful compression. The other 2 follow him and are caught in the gravity-quake he causes.

Nova emerges alive and the WM informs him that they are now outside the barrier. But it doesn't recognise where they are and surmises they're in uncharted territory in the far side of the universe.

And 2 light-years away the other 2 have emerged as well, and the Phalanx within them still impels them to kill their quarry.