issue summaries

Uncanny X-Men 482 The Rise & Fall of the Shi'Ar Empire Part 8 of 12: Imperial Rescue Writer: Ed Brubaker Penciler: Billy Tan Inker: Danny Miki and Allen Martinez Colorist: Frank D'Armata Letterer: Joe Caramagna Assist. Editor: Sean Ryan Editors: Nick Lowe Editor-in-Chief: Joe Quesada Date: March 2007

Shortly after the previous issue, the X-Men in the middle of implementing Korvus’ plan to create their own jump engine. Havok, Marvel Girl and Korvus power the engine while Polaris attempts to hold the engines together.

Lorna checks with if they are all still being telepathically linked by Rachel. Rachel asks Lorna how she is doing. Lorna replies that the engines’ manifolds want to burst. Alex urges her to hold on. Korvus is concerned that they haven't made the jump by now.

On the command deck, Nightcrawler ask how things are going and Alex replies that they are doing their best and to be ready to send the pre-recorded message to the Starjammers as soon as they make the jump.

As everyone in the energy room is out of nearly out of energy, Kurt notices something finally happening. He radios down to check on them and to tell them that it worked.

Kurt and James immediately receive a response to the message they sent. Corsair (Christopher Summers) appears on their monitor and threatens them if they don't identify themselves.

Kurt radios back and asks if the Starjammers received the message. Corsair replies that they did, but they assumed it was a trap. Corsair is with Starjammer members Hepzibah and Raza.

A short time later, Kurt and James are walking down a corridor on Starjammer with Corsair and Hepzibah. Crewmembers are busy working around him. Corsair tells them that Raza and Ch'od will have their ship’s engines fixed in a few hours and that their doctor (Sikorsky) says Alex and the others will be fine after some rest.

James asks what is going on with the Starjammers, since it looks like they are preparing to go to war. Corsair explains that there has been a coup and Lilandra has been taken prisoner. Kurt gasps that they must be too late. Corsair, who doesn’t know the full story with Vulcan yet, says that Deathbird is back and they are planning on stopping her.

Corsair explains that they are going to rescue Lilandra while she is being transported. He can't understand why Xavier would have return to Shi'ar space. Kurt is reluctant to answer.

Alex comes in and asks to speak to his father in private. Meanwhile, on the Shi'ar High Council ship, two guards are dragging at bloody and barely conscious Xavier to a prison cell, scoffing at the fact that they once feared him.

As the guards walk away, talking about a speech the Chancellor will be giving that evening, Darwin drops down from the ceiling behind them. He touches the energy beams that block the door, waits a moment until his body adapts and then walks through the beams. He checks on Xavier and angrily wonder what the Shi'ar did to Xavier and how they are going to get out of there.

Back on the Starjammer, Alex and his father are in Corsair’s quarters. Alex has already told him about Vulcan (Gabriel Summers).

Corsair can't believe the baby survived. He hopes D’Ken is in a living hell in his catatonic state. He thought he had lost everything that day. He tells Alex that they have to find Gabriel and fix this. Corsair pours himself another drink. Alex tries to explain that that might not be possible, considering how many people Gabriel has killed. He doesn't care. Gabriel is his son and he has already lost too much.

On the ship transporting Lilandra, she is chained and the captain taunt her while a guard stands nearby. Suddenly, an alert is broadcast. Multiple jumpships are surrounding the ship.

The Captain is furious, since their route was suppose to be secret. The guard behind him knocks him out and frees Lilandra.

The Starjammers and the X-Men board the ship. One group (Hepzibah, Corsair, Havok, Korvus and Raza) distract the Shi'ar while a second group (Polaris, Marvel Girl, Ch'od, Nightcrawler and Warpath) go to rescue Lilandra.

Back on the High Council’s ship, Darwin makes sure the Shi'ar man who he threatened in the last issue is clear on the plan. The man is to escort Darwin and Xavier to a ship in the hanger, acting like they are prisoners being transferred. Darwin hopes everyone will be distracted by the Chancellor’s speech to notice them.

Meanwhile, Raza comments on Korvus' sword while they continue to fight the Shi'ar. Corsair worried that this it is taking too long, since they need to leave before reinforcement arrive.

A Shi'ar fires at Korvus and hits him in the back.

Elsewhere on the ship, Rachel feels Korvus being injured. Lorna asks if she is okay. Rachel explains that Korvus was just hurt but it doesn't seem serious. Lorna questions what is going on between Korvus and Ray. Rachel replies that she doesn't but he is in her head a lot.

Lorna comments that he has that whole dark tortured soul thing going on and asks if he’s a good kisser. When Ray replies, "seriously", Lorna admonishes Rachel since she’s only known Korvus for two days. Rachel gets defensive, repeating that Korvus has been in her head. Annoyed, Ch'od tells both of them to concentrate on the mission and not kissing.

On the High Council’s ship, Chancellor Araki announced before a large audience that the Imperium will return to greatness.

From a window overlooking the auditorium, Darwin gasps that something is impossible.

On the transport ship, James, Kurt and Ch'od clear the corridor of Shi'ar and Rachel opens Lilandra’s cell door. Lilandra and the guard emerge, asking Kurt and Rachel if they are with the Starjammers.

Kurt replies that they had to help the Starjammers save her. Lilandra asks if Charles is with them, since she has much to apologize for him for. Rachel explains that he has been captures and Ch'od clarifies that Deathbird has him. Lilandra corrects him, saying it is worse than her sister.

At the speech, Araki announces the return of D’Ken, who is very much awake, and standing behind him are Vulcan and Deathbird.

As Darwin wonders how D’Ken is awake and why Vulcan is with him, the Shi'ar forced to help him escape shouts to the guards that there are intruders. Several guards run towards Darwin and Xavier.