ISSUE 6
This one's gonna be a tight squeeze. I may have to cut some of it in order to get it into 22 pages, but this is the gist.
The cast at this point includes: Ryan, Acroyear, Knave, Persephone, Biotron, Microtron, the last escapee (named Pulat Grasur) from the Iso-Pen Acroyear was in and the four remaining revolutionaries: Din Visal - the leader guy with the long hair, who is the even-headed one of the bunch; Ru Kenali - the fiery-headed chick who's, well, hot-headed; Aderasenaepa Hest, the snake dude who is a male chauvinist; and Met Lin, the horned guy who plays the role of the quiet, swordslinging badass. Opens roughly two to three weeks after the end of Issue 5.
The Micronauts have been on the run from the Harrowers, Harriers, random bounty hunters and mercenaries. Just about anyone who knows that there is a price on their heads, as issued by Baron Karza. The first several pages will be on Biotron's ship and will be a recap of what's gone on since they escaped Karza. They're on their way to a revolutionary sanctuary, in order to get Ryan to safety. Ryan now knows that the others believe he is a savior of sorts. Acroyear saw in him the ability to understand things without trying. He can feel it. Toward the end of the arc, we'll show that Acroyear's undead state is what keyed him into the metaphysical power Ryan possesses.
Tensions are high, especially between Persephone and pretty much everyone, but also with Ryan, who simply wants to go home. He's been crucial in the navigation of the ship away from those chasing them, but there are some in the group who feel he's just blindly trying to get himself home and is just getting lucky in avoiding the bounty hunters, et al. Some of the revolutionaries are all too ready to kill Persephone now, as she's the daughter of Karza and killing her would score a decisive blow, but Acroyear urges restraint. She's a bargaining chip they'll need down the line. At one point, Persephone, who's extremely pissed off at being treated this way, pipes up with something smart-assed towards Acroyear about her father killing them all when he finds them and he tells her that the only reason she's alive is because he says so. If she values that, she should shut her yap.
Also, everyone is still on edge around Biotron. He hasn't spoken since his first words were uttered at the end of Issue 5. He just flies the ship and Microtron serves as navigator, with Ryan's help. Ryan, however, is especially edgy because of what he witnessed Biotron do in Issue 2. No one knows that he has a human child in his chest, though, except for him. Once we get through these character developing points, we'll see that the ship is landing on a seedy world where they need to replenish supplies and fuel. Some are in opposition to stopping here, as it's a known haven for criminals, thugs, mercenaries and bounty hunters.
Acroyear and the revolutionary leader, Din, both agree that they have no choice. They need supplies and there isn't another stop close enough for them to make on what they have. They land at a filling station and Ryan, Acroyear, Knave and Ru are sent out to look for supplies. Microtron and Met Lin go outside the ship to hook up fuel. Pulat and Aderasenaepa head off to get a drink, but are told to be back quickly. Din remains on the ship with Biotron to guard Persephone. While Ryan's group is out, they discover wanted posters everywhere depicting Ryan's face. They show that he's wanted alive. There are other smaller ones here and there of the revolutionaries, Acroyear, Biotron and Knave that say dead or alive. None depict Pulat nor Microtron. While walking along, they come across a "Jump Station", also known as a rift. Pulat and Aderasenaepa head into a bar to grab a drink and also notice the wanted posters. Aderasenaepa thinks himself a celebrity. Pulat counts himself lucky not to be among the wanted. He tells Aderasenaepa to order them a couple of drinks, that he saw an old friend on the way in and will be right back. A few moments later, Aderasenaepa gets a tap on the shoulder.
He turns around to see Ordaal standing there, with Pulat kinda hanging out off to the side, who says something about Ordaal sharing the wealth with him. Aderasenaepa realizes he's been sold out and takes some shots at Ordaal, while trying to make his escape. He makes sure to squeeze a few rounds into Pulat as he gets through the front door. Back to Ryan's group, they're checking out the inert Jump Station as they hear blasts coming from not far away. Aderasenaepa shows up, beat to hell and explains what happened. He receives a killing blow as Ordaal and several other mercenaries arrive. Ru radioes Din and tells him they need to get to the Jump Station in a hurry, that they're pinned down. There's an exchange between Ordaal and Acroyear. Apparently, Ordaal was the one who got the message to the revolution from Acroyear about Ryan in Issue 2's scuffle with the Harrowers. A renegade Harrower sympathetic to the cause was slipped a message about Ryan's existence that Ordaal then delivered. He was paid by the revolution for his services. Acroyear tries to bargain with Ordaal, but Ordaal feels its just business and wants the exorbitant bounty on their heads. Before Ordaal can do anything, Biotron steps in and separates the two groups, laying waste to a few of the mercenaries in the process. Microtron, Met, Din and Perspehone have all arrived as well. As more mercenaries and bounty hunters join the fray, all wanting a piece of the bounty, the Micronauts are now severely pinned on the Jump Station platform. Ryan backs into the controls and has a look at them. He seems to think he can work them and begins to fiddle with them. Moments later, the Micronauts are sucked into the rift. After a page not unlike Page 10 of Issue 1, we discover they've landed on Earth.

 

ISSUE 7
In this issue, we'll mess around a bit with the Micronauts being on Earth now. Mostly, it'll be little plays on their size and how the roles are reversed now that they're all fish out of water instead of Ryan. Ryan, however, has not grown to regular size as you would expect. He's still proportionate to the other Micronauts. Each foot in the Microverse equals an inch on Earth. So Ryan would be just under six inches tall, Acroyear would be 7 inches plus, Biotron would be just under two feet, etc.
This won't last long, however, as Karza - fully-sized and backed by a small group of Harrowers - shows up on Earth toward the end of the issue. Ryan basically says this is his home and Karza isn't welcome here and that they'll drive him back to where he came from. Karza says something to the effect of, "You misunderstand me. I'm not here to be welcomed with open arms by your people. I'm here to conquer them." From there, we cut to a double page splash to end the issue. In it, we'll see that millions of Karza's forces have opened up rifts all over the world and are standing ready to invade.

 

ISSUE 8
Like Steve, I see this issue opening maybe a week or less after Karza has conquered the Earth, which would probably take him, well, a week or less. We should probably use the first six to eight pages to show what happened between Issues 7 and 8. It's somewhat clichéd, but we could open with several shots of the news depicting everything that happened during the invasion.
As the opening salvo, a massive pod of Antrons crawls forth from the Earth and lays waste to Australia. They raze the entire continent, everything and everyone in their path destroyed. Apparently, this is a plan Karza had in place some time ago. He'd sent a pregnant Antron queen to Earth to burrow into the ground and set up a hive. Being that they're technologically-advanced, evolutionary steps forward from the Vaerians, when the Antrons are born, they instinctively know that they're to reproduce and build upon each other with nasty technology. They're bio-organic freaks of nature with one track minds: to kill.
At any rate, via these newscasts, or even some other clever, expository way of showing it, we can see that Australia was razed in the span of about two hours, Karza set up his base of operations, then proceeded to unleash the rest of his forces. Harrowers and Harriers, in their human-sized bots, quickly dismantled all traces of military. Kronos, due to their insect-like nature, destroyed much of the crops globally. Reptos were responsible for burning the water from the oceans with their weapons. Membros were charged with the duty of destroying the fauna of the world. Karza had each of their tasks halted at a certain point, so as to leave enough food for humans to survive. He wants everything under his control and his alone, so he makes sure any crops or animal farms are under the supervision of his empire. Karza isn't interested in simply destroying the Earth, he wants to subjugate its people, so he ensures that they're mostly left alive. Except, of course for the millions he had to take out, the vast bulk of them being military and world leaders, to show he meant business. Earth is a project for him. He wants to perfect what he sees as a waste of space. We'll see bits of the Earth being techno-formed by Karza's technology. Entire cities remade in his image, but recognizable as what they once were. Say, New York for example. Also, tropical paradises turned into burning pits. Things like that.
Once we get into the issue, we see that the Micronauts were able to escape Karza's initial salvo and went underground. Ryan came from the Midwest, so he takes the 'Nauts to Ohio to hide out. He's also started to grow slowly. He notices that he's getting taller and proportionately wider, but doesn't know what to think of it. We dig a bit more into the characterization of the nine characters left. Last issue, we lost Pulat, who was a traitor and Aderasenaepa, who was killed because of him. Now we're down to our core six Micronauts and three of the revolutionaries.
Acroyear and Din are the obvious leaders of the group. Both have similar methods and modes of thinking, so they'll partner up on what to do. Ryan, seeing what Karza has done to his planet, is devastated. He's growing increasingly more irritated with Persephone. Guilt by association. Ru still wants to kill her, especially now. Persephone herself is still being a difficult little bitch, throwing it in Ryan's face that this is what happens when you mess with Karza. Microtron has become the defacto information gatherer of the group. He's set up a communications network and is able to tap into video and satellite feeds in order to keep tabs on what's going on in the world. Maybe this is how we do our exposition at the beginning of the issue on how Karza conquered the planet. Biotron is still silent, quietly working on something of which the others are not sure, but are content to allow to happen. Knave and Met have begun training together. They know that in order to stay alive, they're going to have to fight. Knave has been showing Met the fundamentals of the ancient, Vaerian martial art that he started to use in Issues 4 and 5. We also show that Knave has begun calling himself that as a reminder of the imprisonment and embarrassment he endured at Karza's hands. He also has a mad on for Ordaal, the person who brought him to Karza. We'll play with that at some point, possibly during this arc.
Karza addresses the populace via television. He lets them know they are now under his rule and the only reason they'd have anything to fear from him is if they resist. He's offering them paradise, they need only accept it. Not everyone has been captured or killed. Some people are just trying to go about their lives with a modicum of normalcy. Karza has made it clear he wants life to continue on, just that things will be different now. I may use this scene to open the book, then go into the Microtron thing of him detailing the ways that Karza invaded and conquered the planet.
By the end of the issue, Ryan, who's been convinced so many times of his power, finally comes to Acroyear and asks him how he can help destroy Karza.

 

ISSUE 9
Opens with Ryan sword-fighting with Met. They look pretty pissed at each other and are going at it with reckless abandon. We find out they're just training. Ryan isn't taking it seriously, but is picking up extremely fast. He feels that if he has some kind of crazy powers, that all that needs be done is to unlock them. Acroyear is watching close by and lets Ryan know that he needs to know how to fight. He'll have to do that in order to get close enough to Karza to unleash his power on him. Ryan is also about as tall, if not a little taller than Acroyear now and still has that high degree of resistance to injury. His questioning of these things will factor into these scenes.
We also learn that the Micronauts have taken up with groups of people who are willing to fight with them in order to topple Karza. A whole new extension of the revolution that began in Karza's universe. Military guys, NRA hounds, extremists, et al will be part of the operation. They've established a base of operations somewhere in the Midwest, probably Cincinnati since I know it so well and they can hide out in the abandoned subway tunnels that were never completed. I can easily get reference photos of them since they do indeed exist. Karza wants his rule to be absolute, so he makes sure there are sweeps done of every city, town and neighborhood on the planet nightly to monitor resistant activity. This is carried out mostly by the Antrons. This upsets and terrifies Knave.
The Harrower bots keep watch over specific points in the world, such as the White House, United Nations, etc. Microtron is the backbone of the new revolution. His global communications network keeps people in contact with one another, since Karza has done away with phones, internet connections, etc. The lines are still there and the information still exists on remote servers, so it can still be accessed by the right person, or robot as the case may be. We see that there are also those on Earth who are sympathetic to Karza's cause and join up with him. Most of them become fodder for the Bio-Vaults he's setting up. The general populace, including Karza sympathizers, is unaware that this is happening, however. By issue's end, Karza has ordered his daughter returned to him. A small team (heh, small) of Harriers led by Azura Nova has found where she's being held. A fight ensues between the Harriers and the revolution. It culminates in a standoff where a human woman is captured. Nova has the woman by the throat. Acroyear has Persephone by the throat. Persephone bids Acroyear to hand her over. Acroyear says he'll kill her first. Ryan screams at him to just let 'Seph go already. He does so reluctantly. Nova kills the human woman anyway and they make their getaway.

 

ISSUE 10
Things are frantic with the revolution now, as Persephone has been liberated. They need to do something and soon, or they'll be found and destroyed. Acroyear and Din are planning with human revolutionaries, a strike against Karza. Ryan's about as tall as Biotron now and everyone else is getting the impression he's returning to normal size. Little hints of his power are beginning to show through, mostly in the form of extended knowledge, but also things like shorting out circuitry and the flickering of power sources. Stuff like that. Ru, who is a mean little bitch, but has spiritual ties, seems to have a feeling that once he reaches normal height, he'll be able to access the full extent of his power. By the end of the issue, Ryan will be about three feet high or so, towering over the rest of the 'Nauts.
Persephone engages in a discussion with Nova on their way back to Karza's stronghold in Australia and finds out that Karza is not her real father. That he killed her true parents when she was just a baby. Disbelieving, 'Seph storms off upon arrival Down Under. Later, she confronts pops who doesn't deny it. She's in shock. Biotron's little secret project mentioned earlier seems to be picking up steam. He's been building something, but the others aren't sure what it is. He speaks only when spoken to and doesn't offer much in the way of information or personality. Ryan, however, feels some kind of strange, unexplainable connection to Biotron, or whatever it is he's working on. By issue's end the attack plan is finished and a massive military-style strike against Karza is about to begin. It's reasoned that, without Karza, his empire won't be able to stand on its own. This group is prepared to lay it all on the line and die to stop Karza.

 

ISSUE 11
Ryan is now about 4 feet tall and starting to look like a weird little kid with an adult face and physique. The Micronauts make their way to a barely recognizable Australia in order to attack Karza head on. Biotron reveals the fruits of his project. He was preparing for the child he's had behind his chest plate since Issue 5. The child, much like Ryan, has been growing, thus outgrowing the incubation-type device in Biotron's chest. Biotron was building a larger incubator, but wasn't ready for the sudden growth spurt. The child stands revealed and looks a whole lot like Ryan.
Just then, a welcoming committee, compliments of Karza, makes their presence known. A battle ensues, but Ryan is taken out of the action with crippling pain. Apparently, the last foot and a half or so of growth he has to do in order to reach his normal height is happening all at once. The baby also continues to grow. Karza enters the fray and reveals that the child is Ryan's twin. He had the child kidnapped at birth, but ended up with the wrong one. He knew that one of them would have the metaphysical power Ryan possesses, considering Ryan's father was born in the Microverse. Ryan doesn't believe it. Karza, however, says to ask his father. Ryan says Karza's Harrowers killed him (Issue 1). Not so, Karza says and shows him that Dallas Archer is alive, but strung up like a puppet in his newest Bio-Vault.

 

ISSUE 12
Not wasting any time, Acroyear jumps in and starts kicking Karza's ass. Though he gets a few good licks in, Acroyear is quite a bit smaller than Karza. Karza reaches out and rips off Acroyear's helmet - something no one else has been able to do - to reveal a corpse inside. The rest of the Micronauts are pretty well in shock here. A few of them grab Acroyear away before any more damage can be done.
Ryan, now full-sized, fully powered and more than a little pissed, steps up to the plate and starts wailing on Karza. Karza proves to be just a bit too much for Ryan, though and starts to pound on him. Just about to deliver a killing blow, Karza receives a sword through the chest from behind. It's Persephone in a Harrower bot, pissed at the revelation that he's not her real father. Turns out, though, that the real Karza was simply driving a Karza bot and was safe inside the head. He pulls himself from the shell and takes off, escaping the wrath of Persephone and the army of Earth revolutionaries that's scored decisive blows enough to have the upper hand on Karza's Australian beach head. Karza taunts Ryan from afar by retreating back to the Microverse with his father.
By issue's end, the powers that be on Earth have wrested control from Karza's forces who really have no idea what they're doing without him around. They begin to rebuild as the other Micronauts prepare to journey back to the Microverse to try to put Acroyear back together. Ryan reluctantly agrees to go along in order to find his father. This sets up the next arc, where we'll get into Acroyear's background and will also introduce Force Commander, who will turn out to be Dallas Archer.