—Commander Henry Peter GyrichListening in, were you, Mr. Mole? I guess I shouldn't be surprised. Ready to show S.W.O.R.D. where your true loyalties lie?
Appearing in "Friends in High Places"
Featured Characters:
- S.W.O.R.D.
- Storm (Regent Ororo Munroe)
Supporting Characters:
- Deathbird (Cal'syee Neramani)
- Shi'ar Imperial Guard
- Titan (Death)
- Subguardian Cannonball (Sam Guthrie)
- Fang (Death)
- Neutron (Death)
- Gladiator (Kallark)
- Manta
- Shi'ar Empress Xandra Neramani
Antagonists:
- Alpha Flight Space Program and Orchis
- Kobak Never-held (First appearance)
- Lethal Legion (First appearance)
- Mr. Eloquent (OS017-002) (First appearance)
- The Electric Head (OS017-003) (First appearance)
- Half-Bot (OS017-001) (First appearance)
- Orbis Extremis (OS017-004) (First appearance)
- Death Grip (OS017-005) (First appearance)
- Galactic Rim Collective
Other Characters:
- Alpha Flight (Mentioned)
- God of War (Mentioned)
- Wolverine (Logan) (Mentioned)
- X-Men (Mentioned)
- Arakko
- Tarn the Uncaring (Mentioned)
- Great Ring of Arakko (Mentioned)
- Marvel Girl (Jean Grey) (Named only)
- Quiet Council of Krakoa (Named only)
- Captain Commander Cyclops (Scott Summers) (Named only)
- Warlock (Named only)
Races and Species:
- Humans
- Mutants
- Shi'ar
- Unidentified alien species
- Lupak
- Stygians
- Strontians
- Shi'ar-Mutant Hybrids
- Technarchy (Named only)
- Phalanx (Named only)
- Cyborgs2
- Kymellians
- Badoon
- Kree (Named only)
- Xandarians (Named only)
Realities:
Locations:
- Solar System
- Shi'ar Galaxy (Mentioned)
- Chandilar (Mentioned)
- Krii-7 (Mentioned)
Items:
- Guardian's Battle-Suit
- Adamantium (Mentioned)
- Flowers of Krakoa
- X-Uniforms
- Techno-Organic Virus
- Atomic Chain Saw (First appearance)
- Orbis Extremis' orbis (First appearance)
- Super-Power Neutralizer (Mentioned)
Vehicles:
- Lethal Legion's spacecraft
Synopsis for "Friends in High Places"
Aboard Alpha Flight Space Station, Henry Peter Gyrich informs Guardian of ORCHIS’ plans to take Mars back from the mutants. On Arakko, SWORD welcomes Empress Xandra of the Shi’ar and her envoy. Commander Brand asks Manifold why Storm isn’t present for the opening of the Shi’ar embassy, the quintician telling her that the Regent of Arakko is still answering challenges in the Circle Perilous, but that she will be there when needed. She checks in with Security Chief Cable, now a seasoned veteran rather than the teenager she recruited, and tells him to keep an eye out for trouble. Empress Xandra asks Frenzy and her welcome wagon where Storm is, grateful for her help in saving her life, before the Lethal Legion translocates in, shouting “Death to the Shi’ar Empire!” The Superguardians leap to the Empress’ defense, but Fang is quickly crushed by Half-Bot and the Electric Head saps Gladiator’s confidence, rendering him powerless. Neutron finds his end at Mr. Eloquent’s atomic chain saw, and Orbis Extremis psychically forces Random to kill Forearm before being kicked away by Titan. He soon falls, fatally poisoned by Death Grip, and Cannonball goes to attack him before a bolt of lightning fells the killer. Storm apologizes for her late arrival as Orbis Stellaris monitors the battle, communicating with Gyrich as his soldiers perform their demonstration. Guardian is surprised that the man is collaborating with aliens, but Gyrich tells him he has closer assets too, before he calls on Wiz Kid, his mole in S.W.O.R.D.
Solicit Synopsis
THE SHI'AR IMPERIAL GUARD VS… THE LEGION?!
With Abigail Brand's attention divided between two S.W.O.R.D. stations, all ORCHIS needs is to pick their moment to strike. Meanwhile, the Shi'ar Empress Xandra is making her first formal visit to the Lake Hellas Diplomatic Ring...and stepping into the gunsights of the all-new LETHAL LEGION!