AVENGERS #346

Plus CAPTAIN AMERICA #399, AVENGERS WEST COAST #81, QUASAR #33, WONDER MAN #8, IRON MAN #279, and THOR #446.

Note: While I am summarizing the entire "Operation: Galactic Storm" crossover in the "The Plot" section, the "Contiuity Notes" reflect only AVENGERS #346 unless otherwise indicated

"ASSASSINATION"
Writer: Bob Harras | Penciler: Steven Epting | Inker/Colorist: Tom Palmer
Letterer: Bill Oakley | Editor: Ralph Macchio | Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco

The Plot: CAPTAIN AMERICA #399: "TWENTY MILLION LIGHT YEARS FROM EARTH" by Mark Gruenwald, Rik Levins, and Danny Bulandi -- Shatterax delivers the captured Captain America, Iron Man, Goliath, Sersi, Crystal, Black Knight, and Hercules to the Kree homeworld of Hala, where Ronan the Accuser takes them into custody. But as soon as Shatterax and his men depart, Crystal metamorphosizes the Avengers to look like Kree Accusers. Thus confusing their captors, the heroes escape. Soon, in a safe haven, Iron Man angrily orders Sersi to reverse her sorcery. He and Goliath then depart to conduct recon. Elsewhere, Ultimus arrives on Hala and meets up with Shatterax, Korath the Pursuer, and their leader, Supremor. Meanwhile, Iron Man calls Cap to tell him he's found what appears to be the Kree capitol building. Cap's team heads that way, but Korath intercepts them. Cap manages to defeat Korath, and his group proceeds on their way to meet with Iron Man and Goliath.

AVENGERS WEST COAST #81: "THEY ALSO SERVE..." by Roy & Dann Thomas, Dave Ross, and Tim Dzon -- On Earth, Hank Pym, Wasp, U.S. Agent, Spider-Woman, Gilgamesh, She-Hulk, Mockingbird, and Falcon are on guard duty at Project: Pegasus, where the captured Kree and Shi'ar forces are being held. Nightside and Scintilla of the Shi'ar Imperial Guard arrive and release Warstar and the Shi'ar crewmen. As the Avengers battle this group, Doctor Minerva rouses Captain Atlas and the duo escapes to a parked Shi'ar craft. The Avengers pursue, but the Kree exit Earth's atmosphere and land aboard a massive Shi'ar warship, where Minerva reveals that she is actually Imperial Guardsman Hobgoblin (now calling himself "Shifter") in disguise, with the diminutive Scintilla hiding on his person. The Shi'ar grab Atlas's stolen quantum bands. Meanwhile, the Avengers have recaptured their Shi'ar prisoners, along with Nightside and Warstar, and they find the real Doctor Minerva still inside Project: Pegasus. Minvera uses her mental bond with Atlas to find him, and the Avengers call Quasar to intercept the Shi'ar ship. Accompanied by the engimatic Her, Quasar battles Neutron and Starbolt of the Imperial Guard, while the Shi'ar ship escapes into the stargate.