The war beyond Earth's atmosphere had concluded. The reason the Sovereign fleet wasn't entirely obliterated lay in Tony Stark's decision to halt the Avengers' counterattack. Stark was keen on studying the Sovereign's technology, particularly their remotely piloted unmanned ships. Such advanced tech intrigued him far more than even Star-Lord's ship.
Though Stark's mech army operated on remote control, it relied heavily on Jarvis and subsidiary AI programs. After the Kree Supreme Intelligence once suppressed Jarvis, Stark understood the vulnerability of relying solely on AI. Sovereign technology presented a new avenue to bolster his systems.
However, the Sovereign ships weren't easy to dismantle. Even Susan Storm and Lorna Dane, with their telekinetic abilities, couldn't find an opening. The ships seemed to be seamless, like a single piece of indestructible material.
While the Avengers worked on cracking open the Sovereign ships, Sovereign Prime was eerily silent. No one spoke—not even the scientists who, moments before, were brimming with confidence in their creations. They all knew that the outcome of the war was a total, humiliating defeat.
The Sovereign civilization was not one built for war. Before High Priestess Ayesha stirred them into action, their society had been largely insular, disdainful of other species, and disinterested in contact with the wider galaxy.
The theft of the energy batteries had ignited their rage, but if the Sovereign greeter hadn't provoked the Guardians with relentless mockery, Rocket Raccoon might not have stolen them—or at least not as many. Both the Guardians and Sovereign bore responsibility for the conflict, but Earth's involvement was a result of pure misfortune.
Without the Avengers' strength, Earth would have faced catastrophic devastation at the hands of the Sovereign.
"High Priestess, what should we do now?"
On Sovereign Prime, the tense silence was finally broken. Every Sovereign turned their gaze toward Ayesha. Though the populace had been complicit in supporting her crusade, her leadership had pushed them into this disastrous war.
Under normal circumstances, even defeat wouldn't have crippled the Sovereign. But Ayesha's reckless mobilization of resources had left their society on the brink of collapse.
For the first time in their history, the Sovereign had waged an all-out war, only to ruin themselves. Now, the realization dawned: even if they had won, their only reward would have been the recovery of the stolen batteries—not nearly worth the cost of their massive losses.
Ayesha stood frozen. The once-adoring eyes of her people now burned with anger and blame. The weight of their hatred paralyzed her.
In moments of glory, Ayesha had reveled in the adulation of the masses. But now, the same people who had once worshipped her turned on her with scorn and rage.
"Would we have suffered so greatly if you hadn't insisted on building so many ships?"
"Our lives of luxury are over! You've ruined the Sovereign!"
"Ayesha, you're a traitor to our people!"
The accusations came faster than Ayesha could respond. Fear gripped her as the image of her being torn apart by an angry mob played in her mind.
"Crash!"
Before Ayesha could muster a defense, her throne was violently overturned. She fell to the ground, her golden robes soiled. From that moment, she was no longer the High Priestess.
However, the Sovereign did not execute her. Instead, she was imprisoned while the population debated their next move. Their immediate concerns were survival and whether the Avengers would retaliate.
The Sovereign knew the Avengers didn't know their location, but the Guardians did. This was why they kept Ayesha alive—she could be offered as a scapegoat if Earth's might came for vengeance.
Meanwhile, among the defeated Sovereign, a murmur arose:
"Should we contact him?"
The room fell silent. Everyone understood who "he" was.
"Would he even answer? Ayesha was the only one he acknowledged," someone muttered, hesitating.
"Then have Ayesha contact him," another suggested.
"Are you crazy? If we give her that leverage, she'll use it to bargain for her freedom!"
After more debate, a final decision emerged:
"Let's inform him of what happened. We're his creations. He won't let us perish—our destruction would be his loss too."
---
In a nearby star system, a man sat in a high-tech chamber, reviewing a transmission from the Sovereign. His brow furrowed as he processed their message, but then a glimmer of interest sparked in his eyes.
"Earth? Guardians of the Galaxy? A group of mechs stopped their fleet… Wait, are they referring to the Avengers?" His voice betrayed a mix of curiosity and concern.
"Bring me all recent data on the Sovereign and Earth," he commanded.
"Yes, sir!" His subordinates scrambled to gather the information.
Moments later, he froze, staring at an image of Rocket Raccoon. His lips curled into a wicked grin.
"Rocket... After all these years, you're still running around. And now I've found you."
But his grin faded as he contemplated Earth.
"The Avengers are far more dangerous than I expected. Earth has advanced beyond my imagination. If they discover I've created an artificial solar system and a counter-Earth, who knows what they'll do? The Earth of today isn't the same as it once was..."
He turned to his subordinates.
"Monitor the Sovereign. If you detect any sign of the Avengers heading their way, notify me immediately."
"Yes, sir!"
---
Back on Earth, the Avengers had brought three captured Sovereign ships to their base. Tony Stark and Reed Richards were attempting to unlock their secrets when Rocket Raccoon spoke up:
"Why waste time trying to reverse-engineer their tech? Let's head to Sovereign Prime and make them hand over their research. They attacked Earth, didn't they? Time for payback."
"He's right!" Morbius growled. "They nearly killed me. I'm not letting this slide!"
Reed Richards looked to Stark. "Sovereign technology as reparations? Not a bad idea."
Stark exchanged a glance with Richards, then turned to Steve Rogers, awaiting his verdict.
Steve took a deep breath and addressed the team.
"We are the Avengers. When enemies threaten Earth, we don't let them off lightly. Destroying some unmanned ships isn't enough. If we don't teach the Sovereign a lesson, they might come back. And next time, it could cost innocent lives. They must pay a heavy price for this attack!"
While Steve wasn't advocating for genocide, he believed firmly in justice.
"Since the Guardians have been to Sovereign Prime, they'll lead the way. Kaecilius, you'll accompany them. Once you arrive, open a portal for the rest of us," Steve instructed.
The Avengers were ready to carry their fight to Sovereign Prime, ensuring Earth's safety—and sending a message to the galaxy.
_________________________
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