Annihilation: Nova (2006 series) #2

Richard Rider is the last Nova Corpsman left alive after the attack on the Xandar Cluster by the Annihilation Wave (in Annihilation: Prologue). Last issue saw him reluctantly accept the Xandarian Worldmind AI into his brain, and then used his enhanced powers and Nova uniform to take revenge on as many nearby Annihilation spaceships as he could. Exhausted he was suddenly confronted by 2 other survivors, Drax The Destroyer and his pre-teen Earthgirl companion Cammi.

The meeting is taking place on Annihilation Day + 11 on the remains of the Orienta planetoid of the Cluster which had housed the Worldmind. Drax asks for help for himself and Cammi because his Nova privileged access can get them a ship. Nova says they're better off without him because he's dangerous (because he fears he can't control the extra power the AI has given him). Drax points out that the whole situation they're in is dangerous, and he tries to get Rider to bond with his fellow Earthperson. But the precocious 10-yr old girl messes up by coming on to him.

At this point the Worldmind contacts him and reminds him that they need to get away and find somewhere safe. The AI is able to project a Nova image via Richard's visor but only Rider can see it. So to the other 2 it looks like he's arguing with himself, but Drax figures out what's really happening. That AI warns Richard that Drax is the wanted mass murderer Drax The Destroyer (but what we learned in Anni:Pro indicates he didn't do it) so the AI suggests they leave him to his fate. Nova counters that the ethos of the Corps says he *must* save them, but the WM insists that the priority is to save *it*. Nova asks Drax if he's the Destroyer. Drax denies it and Cammi says that guy was much taller. (And they're telling the truth since the Destroyer died and got reborn different in the Drax The Destroyer mini-series where they met.) Nova asks the AI to direct him to a working spaceship. The WM points out that Nova could use his enhanced powers to fly *himself* away, and suggests that Rider is scared to use them. Richard agrees with that but points out that finding a ship will get them *all* off this planetoid and to wherever to AI wants to go. The WM gives in.

90 minutes later they're in the bowels of Orienta. Nova asks Drax how he and the girl survived. Drax is evasive. They find a ship being eaten by Annihilation Wave insectoids (for raw material). Both men claim not to know what they are (we believe they are creatures from the Negative Zone). The creatures spot them so Drax tells Nova to take Cammi to safety while he does some Destroying with his knives. But the duo run into more insectoids. The Worldmind urges Nova to use his powers but Rider baulks. Luckily Drax arrives to Destroy these critters too.

Both Drax and the WM are now nagging Nova for not pulling his weight so Rider takes his helmet off, silencing the WM, and tosses it to Drax and suggests they sort it out between them. Drax puts it on, much to the confusion of the AI, and wanders off leaving the 2 Earthlings to chat. Richard apologises but Cammi doesn't. Rider says he's got survivor's guilt because Xandar was destroyed and he couldn't do anything about it. Cammi asks why he cares about a planet that wasn't even his. He tries to explain about the honour of being the 1st human Nova Centurion from Earth, but she cuts him off. She only asked because she was uncharacteristically trying to be nice, but now she's bored. What she really wants to know is how he got superpowers because *she*'d like some. He tells her he was given them (by a dying Nova Centurion). But just then Drax returns and gives him his helmet back. He says he and the Worldmind have reached an arrangement - the WM will get them a ship and Drax will teach Nova self-control so he can use his powers safely.

Soon they have a working Nova Corps ship, but Nova points out that they need to get out of the gravity well of the planetoid before they can open a stargate, and the place is swarming with AW warships that will destroy them before they get there. He explains that opening it on a world would destroy that world, and anyway the ship's system won't let them do it. Then he remembers that Orienta is already dead. And Drax tells him that the WM said that the full Nova Force inside Rider is enough to open a stargate *himself*. Richard worries he'd lose control and kill them if he tried. Drax points out they'll die if he doesn't.

So Nova launches the ship from the planetoid and starts to create a stargate. It hurts but the AI tells him to keep calm. He tells Drax that he's losing control and Drax tells him he *won't* because if he does then Drax will kill him. That's Drax's way of helping, and it must work because a stargate opens, destroying several warships, and they fly though it ...

... to the Nycos Aristedes planet lightyears away. But the ship is crippled and they're falling towards the planet and starting to burn up. Nova contacts traffic control and advises them of their situation. They tell him help is on the way ...

... and it arrives in the form of Quasar (Wendell Vaughn) who grips the front of their craft and stops it falling.