Synopsis / Summary / Plot
Tony Stark has been imprisoned without his Iron Man armour by the Voldi because he was involved in the death of their god the Phoenix Force in Avengers vs X-Men.
One of the hovering drinks trays from the bar last issue arrives outside Tony's forcefield cell. Suddenly the tray transforms into a Rigellian Recorder, number 451. The Recorder reminds Stark that they are robots sent out into the galaxy by the Rigellians to record events and report back. 451 says he rebelled against his programming and now roams the galaxy helping people.
451 has sent a message to Stark's friends for help, but they won't get here in time. He recommends that at his trial Tony demands Shay-Tah Run, the ancient Voldi trial by combat. Stark still won't have his armour, but he does have combat training and experience. Some Voldi also have martial arts training, but they've never fought for real.
One wrinkle is that Stark faces multiple charges, and so will have to fight and defeat a series of foes. While Tony is trying to stay alive, the Recorder will find his armour and get its AI PEPPER to come to the rescue.
The Supreme Justicar explains that the Voldi secretly drain power from various cosmic forces, mainly the Phoenix which they call the Void Falcon. So important was she for their survival that they worship her as a goddess. Now she has gone they have to fall back on the Star Giants (probably the Celestials).
Stark tries arguing that the Phoenix was attacking the Earth, so it was self-defence. He also points out that his own attempts to kill the Phoenix actually failed, and it was actually Hope Summers and Scarlet Witch who succeeded in AvsX#12. (Foolishly under the circumstances his pride makes him claim that he was part of the final victory, which isn't actually true.) But when all this fails he claims Shay-Tah Run.
Tony wins a series of bouts, thus being declared innocent of Crimes against the Teleological Principle, Threats against a Cosmic Entity, Crimes against the Mind of God, and Hubris in the First Degree.
The Justicar is getting worried. Not necessarily that Stark will win all his matches. But that the Voldi audience is warming to him, and may well demand he be set free even if he loses. They are already grateful to him for saving their planet from pirates last issue. Her aide suggests they hire a non-Voldi for a later round.
The Recorder has reached a place he was looking for, but is accosted by a Voldi, who wonders why 451 hasn't been attacked by the Mechanohoplites guarding the place. The robot tries to calm the Voldi down, but eventually sets the Mechanohoplites on him. (Presumably he'd taken over their programming.)
But when 451 enters the guarded chamber he doesn't seem surprised to find, not the Iron Man armour, but the Heart of the Voldi (which protects the Voldi Tear planet from the cosmic entities they live off). He speaks to the Heart "You have to act".
Stark has just 'proven' himself innocent of Grievous Theological Harm. Now he faces the charge of Conspiracy to Deicide. And faces the 30-foot bounty hunter Death's Head (seen in the bar last issue).