Beyond the solar system, golden, small spacecraft began appearing one after another. Despite their size, it was clear these ships were equipped with high levels of firepower and energy. Strangely, not a single person could be seen aboard these vessels.
Indeed, these were the spacecraft of the Sovereign race. Thanks to their scientists working tirelessly, the Sovereign had managed to produce an impressive number of unmanned ships. This effort had nearly bankrupted their resources. Without High Priestess Ayesha rallying public support, the Sovereign might not have been able to create this fleet. However, this venture came at a cost: the quality of life for the Sovereign people had plummeted.
But the Sovereign weren't concerned about their living standards now. They had one singular goal: to capture Star-Lord and Rocket Raccoon, who had stolen their energy batteries. Ego, who had destroyed their ships earlier, was also on their target list.
Pursuing Star-Lord's ship across the galaxy, the Sovereign relied on the signal transmitted by the stolen energy battery. What baffled them, however, was the resilience of Star-Lord's ship. It had already crossed countless galactic clusters, evading them for an extended period.
"Why are these thieves running aimlessly? They were already in a remote location, and now they've gone to some godforsaken corner of the galaxy!" grumbled one of the Sovereign as they monitored the chase.
When Star-Lord's ship briefly stopped on Ego's planet, the Sovereign thought they were closing in. But the ship escaped again, weaving through wormholes in a manner that would have disoriented anyone without a clear target. Only their lock on the energy battery's signal kept the Sovereign from being completely thrown off track.
Their ships, being unmanned, had a unique advantage: they could repeatedly traverse wormholes without concern for fatigue or disorientation. Even though their operators were growing weary of the long pursuit, their ships pressed on.
When Star-Lord's ship finally stopped on Earth, the Sovereign followed the signal to the solar system. The moment they realized the ship was stationary, excitement spread through their fleet.
"This is it! We're less than a light-year away. Just two more jumps, and we'll reach our target!" the Sovereign operators cheered, eager to apprehend their quarry.
"Warning! Warning! Multiple unidentified spacecraft approaching Earth's orbit!" Jarvis's voice rang out within the Avengers' base, startling Reed Richards and the other heroes stationed there.
Unlike the swift and discreet arrival of the Guardians of the Galaxy, the Sovereign fleet's sheer numbers blocked out the skies. The spectacle rivaled, if not surpassed, the Chitauri invasion of Earth.
Despite the fleet's speed, Jarvis quickly detected the anomaly and alerted Reed Richards. Tony Stark and the others were also contacted immediately.
"What? A fleet of alien ships above Earth? A potential invasion by an unknown civilization?!" Tony Stark's voice conveyed shock as he received the update aboard Yondu's ship near Ego's planet. His reaction echoed through the Avengers, who were equally alarmed.
"Does Ego have reinforcements? Why aren't they attacking us? And how did they locate Earth so quickly?" Star-Lord asked, confusion evident in his tone.
Star-Lord felt a heavy guilt. He never intended for Earth to be endangered because of him. Despite the Avengers' formidable strength, he feared they couldn't fully protect Earth from harm during an alien invasion, much like the damage sustained during the Battle of New York.
"We need to head back immediately. Reed Richards and the mech units alone might not be enough to fend off that many ships!" Steve Rogers decisively ordered. Though he trusted Tony Stark's mechanized forces, the Sovereign's true capabilities were an unknown variable.
With a sharp "shhkk!" sound, Kaecilius opened a fiery portal. Unlike before, he no longer needed to route through Xandar, as he now had Earth's coordinates locked in.
Meanwhile, in Earth's outer orbit, Tony Stark's mechs flew out to confront the Sovereign fleet. The Sovereign, witnessing this, exchanged puzzled looks. It was their first time encountering robots in space combat.
"What are these? Combat droids?"
"Who cares? Blow them to pieces! And that planet behind them—if the Guardians are hiding there, destroy it too!" High Priestess Ayesha ordered coldly, her eyes flashing with fury.
Ayesha didn't bother considering Earth's significance. For her, destroying a planet harboring her targets was a satisfying outlet for her people's rage. Furthermore, annihilating an inhabited planet would bolster her political influence, positioning her as the Sovereign's supreme ruler—even a deity.
"Crush these robots and find the Guardians. Kill them all!" her followers screamed, their once-calm demeanor replaced by frenzied anger.
Energy beams rained down like a storm toward Stark's mech units, targeting Earth as well. Bright streaks of light filled Earth's sky, visible even from its surface.
However, Stark's mechs proved far tougher than the Sovereign anticipated. These were not mere robots but advanced combat units capable of rivaling small spacecraft in firepower and defense.
Half of Stark's mechs deployed massive energy shields, forming a protective barrier over Earth. The rest counterattacked with powerful energy beams of their own.
Explosions lit up space as Sovereign ships disintegrated under the onslaught.
"What is this place? How can such technology exist here? Wasn't this supposed to be a backward planet?" the Sovereign questioned in astonishment. Their initial frustration turned into twisted excitement. Resistance would only heighten the satisfaction of ultimate destruction.
Suddenly, a massive fiery portal appeared between the Sovereign fleet and Earth. Through it flew the Avengers, accompanied by the Guardians of the Galaxy.
"It's them! The Guardians!" The Sovereign erupted in fury at the sight of Star-Lord and his crew, recognizing them even in their armored suits.
"How did they track us here?" Star-Lord muttered, baffled.
"Probably some hidden tracking tech in the energy battery," Rocket Raccoon suggested. "I was so focused on repurposing it as a power source, I missed their tricks…"
Tony Stark, listening in, understood the situation. "So they're after your ship and the battery it carries."
The Hulk, scratching his head, remarked, "The ships are angry, but there's no one inside."
"That's because the Sovereign use remotely piloted vessels. It's like they're playing a video game," Star-Lord explained.
"It doesn't matter if they're manned or not. If they attack Earth, we'll annihilate them! Avengers, assemble! Destroy every ship—leave none standing!" Steve Rogers shouted, transforming into his Green Lantern form and leading the charge with a massive energy shield that smashed through multiple Sovereign ships in one sweep.
One by one, the Avengers joined the fray. Hulk unleashed fiery rage, Frank Castle wielded divine lightning, and Tony Stark's mechs dominated the skies. The Guardians of the Galaxy watched in awe, realizing that Earth's heroes were far more powerful than they had imagined.
As ship after ship exploded, the Sovereign's confidence began to waver. Meanwhile, Earth's defenders stood united, prepared to show the universe that their planet was not to be trifled with.
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