| Synopsis
| - Ashema, the Celestial that protected Counter-Earth from destruction, is fleeing on the rooftops of New York City, when suddenly an Atlantean warrior dives up from the flooded city below and attacks her. Trying to defend herself, she finds that she no longer has access to her powers, but manages to get away. Finding a hiding spot, she is shocked to find that the Atlantean stabbed her and that she is bleeding. She is then visited by a vision of Apostate, aka the Dreaming Celestial, who has come to mock her and tell her that he has turned this world into chaos, having made Counter-Earth his latest plaything.
Just then she is attacked by an oily creature that attempts to envelop her, however she is rescued by Dr. Doom's new assistant Lancer, who happened to notice her struggle. The creature forms itself in a gigantic armored form and calls itself Divinity. Lancer attacks it but finds it viscous form difficult to strike, however when it's apparent that Ashema has disappeared, the creature then escapes, telling her that it's mission is done.
Lancer returns to the Baxter building to tell Dr. Doom everything that has transpired. When Doom fills her in on details that he could have only known if he was there, Doom tells her that the nanites he injected into her body allowed him to track and monitor everything she does. This infuriates her - however Doom tells her that they cannot work individually, but as a tight unit they together can win Counter-Earth and restore it to order. He then tells her that saving his life has won her his gratitude, but not his respect, which she still needs to earn.
They next have a meeting with Dorma, the leader of the Atlantean army, where Doom suggests a truce. Lancer realizes to her surprise that the link between her and Doom work both ways, as she can understand the Atlantean language and listens to the guards making fun of her and Doom for being "walkers". After the meeting is over, Doom has Lancer give her thoughts, and Lancer agrees that Dorma craves power, and will try to get it through combat or seduction, and that she will work with Doom until he falls.
As Doom goes through his check list of other groups he needs to next convince to join his alliance he tells Lancer that first they are going to track down Ashema. He has detected her energy signature on the grounds of the Keewazi tribes reservation. The two fly out there where they are attacked by a patrol of SHIELD cyborgs. Before they can counter attack they are also approached by a gigantic being calling itself Tomazooma, the Keewazi's totem god, which destroys the SHIELD cyborgs. Doom leaves Lancer to deal with Tomazooma while he travels into the temple where Ashema's energy signature is coming from. As he enters the temple he is attacked by Divinity, who attempts to envelop Doom, who struggles best he can. While in the temple, he makes a psychic link with Ashema and learns that she was changed into human form by the Dreaming Celestial. Just then, the Tomazooma robot smashes through the walls with Lancer on top. She pulls out the pilot of the robot: Wyatt Wingfoot, forced to be the defender, however Doom is uninterested, because now Ashema is free.
Confronting Ashema, she tells him that the Dreaming Celestial is trying to break free from his prison, using Counter-Earth as his attempt at escape. Doom welcomes Ashema into his group and they all vow to work together to stop the Dreaming Celestial.
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