On Turakis, Nova discovers that the danger is a continental-class threat named Planetfall. Planetfall had been a global defense deterrent system held in statis by Turakis for three decades and was finally released during the Annihilation War in order to protect the planet. However, the Turakis government could not control Planetfall and they need Nova to stop him. As Rich goes into battle, he argues with the WorldMind over their actions.

The WorldMind reminds his human host that all the knowledge of Xandar is at risk every time they go into a fight. Nova counters that the duty of the Nova Corps was to protect worlds and he is obligated to continue that mission in their honor. He also asks the WorldMind to find any derivation weaknesses in their foe. Before he can get an answer, the giant monster knocks the human rocket backwards with a solid punch. As he heads back towards Planetfall, the creature's weakness is found and its location transmitted to the visual display in Nova's helmet. Nova channels a full gravimetric pulse into his right hand and releases it into Planetfall which causes the monster to explode.

The Turakis government officials express their awe and gratitude to Nova for stopping Planetfall so easily. Nova explains to the auditor that Turakis can apply for assistance from the Spaceknight Restitution Initiative to rebuild. He then flies off to the next emergency. The WorldMind informs Rich that the next 8X8 code is coming from the Kree Colonial Outpost Halexa who is under attack from alien invaders.

Arriving at Halexa, Nova discovers that an assault pod launched during the Annihilation War has opened and a squad of Annihilus's troop-drones have been unleashed. The insectoids have killed 1800 citizens but they didn't anticipate the rage of Xandar's only survivor. Rich furiously destroys every invader he sees until the WorldMind suggests a different course of action. The Xandarian sentient computer points out that disabling the assault pod will prevent further creatures from being hatched. Nova quickly annihilates the pod and the remaining insectoids!

Later, Nova heads towards Research Habitat Sorona Dae at the edge of the Kano System. They had been knocked out of orbit and their life support systems are failing. Arriving at the station, Nova is sickened to find that he is too late and the station's inhabitants are all dead. Rich is overwhelmed with guilt and demands to know where the next 8X8 emergency is located. He angrily takes off towards Hindsun Eight, a planet in the 35 Zagradus System.

When the guilt-ridden hero realizes that it will take almost an hour to reach the planet, he overrides the WorldMind's course for a more direct path which will save them 40 minutes. However, in his haste, Rich realizes too late that he will collide with the Parshad Collapsar, a super-gravitational event whose pull will destroy them. At the last moment, Nova is able to alter his course and crashes into a nearby asteroid. Realizing that the WorldMind was right about him needing to rest, the sole possessor of the Nova Force decides to go home to Earth for a break.

Back on Earth, the superhuman law enforcement agency, SHIELD, is monitoring outer space around Earth and registers Nova's ultra-powerful energy signature. The director of SHIELD, Iron Man, realizes that the incoming figure is far too powerful to take chances with and orders the power's source to be tracked.