Beyond The Stars (UNDER REVISION)

Light Within

I finally decide to join the crew after coming to terms on what my past hour has been. "He really grows on you, doesn't he?" (I am extending this scene with my own dialogue)

"Oh, he does," I sigh.

Banner turns to me, "and you are?"

"Dr. Edrid Iverdottir, Asgardian, but raised in Manhattan. It's nice to meet you, Dr. Banner." He smiles softly. "I studied your work on gamma rays and their effects on the body and I'm impressed." I shake his hand.

I see the red haired woman tapping on the console. "You look a little young to be a doctor. What are you a doctor of?" Banner asks.

"Nuclear physics and astrophysics. I started dual enrollment at 16. I'm also the only person, besides Thor, to be close to Loki. So you kinda need me." I walk over to the man in the red and blue suit. "You must be Captain America. Pleasure to meet someone with your honor. Thank you." I shake his hand as well.

I walk over to the red head. "Her information checks out."

"You are?" I extend my hand.

She doesn't shake it. "Loki's gonna drag this out. So, Thor, whats his play?"

"He has an army, called the Chitauri. There not of Asgard or any world known. He means to lead them against your people. They will win him the Earth. In return, I suspect, for the Tesseract."

I join Thor on the side of the table. "An army? From outer space."

"So he's building another portal. That's what he needs Erik Selvig for."

"Selvig?" Thor and I both look at Banner.

"He's an astrophysicist."

"He's a friend." I tap Thor's shoulder in comfort.

"Loki has him under some kind of spell. Along with one of ours." The red head says.

"I wanna know why Loki let us take him. He's not leading an army from here."

"I don't think we should be focusing on Loki. That guys brain is a bag full of cats. You smell crazy on him"

"Have care how you speak. Loki is beyond reason, but he is of Asgard. And he is my brother."

"He killed 80 people in two days."

"He's adopted."

I sigh and shake my head. "Look, I understand it's important to focus on his plans, but do not underestimate Loki Odinson. He always has some game he's playing."

"I think it's about the mechanics. Iridium. What do they need the iridium for?"

"It's a stabilizing agent." I turn to see Tony Stark enter the room. "Means the portal won't collapse on itself like it did at SHIELD. No hard feelings, Point Break. You've got a mean swing." Tony taps Thor's arm. "Who are you? Nevermind. Also, means the portal can open as wide and stay open as long as Loki wants." He mumbles something. "That man is playing Galaga. Thought we wouldn't notice, but we did." I watch as Tony covers one eye. "How does Fury even see these?"

"He turns."

"Sounds exhausting. The rest of the raw materials, Agent Barton can get his hands on pretty easily. Only major component he still needs is a power source of high energy density." I notice him put a small bug on the computer. "Something to kick start the cube."

"When did you become an expert in thermonuclear astrophysics?"

"Last night. The packet. Selvig's notes. The Extraction Theory Papers. Am I the only one who did the reading?"

"Does Loki need any particular kind of power source?"

"We would need to heat the cube to 120 million Kelvin just to break through the Coulomb Barrier."

"Unless Selvig has figured out how to stabilize the quantum tunneling effect."

"Well, if he could to that, he could achieve the heavy ion fusion at any reactor on the planet."

"Finally, someone who speaks English."

I think for a second. "I know Slevig. Spell or not, he wouldn't do such a big experiment without test runs. That kind of fusion is bound to give extreme amounts of radiation and energy. I say we set all spectrometers and satellites to watch for any energy spikes." I join the two.

"Ah, another!"

"Is that what just happened?" Captian America softly asks.

I watch as Tony just stares at me. I'm.sure I'm raising a lot of questions. Everyone else is talking. "Shall we play, doctor?"

"Uh, doctors." Banner clarifies and points to me.

I think for a second. "I can't. I have a theory I want to test." They both nod and walk off. I walk to the man in the eye patch. "Mr. Fury," I extend my hand. "I was wondering if I could have some time with Loki. I think I can try to talk to him."

"You think you can get him to tell you his plan?"

"It's worth a shot."

I walk up to Loki's cell. "Eldrid Iverdottir."

"Loki Odinson."

"That is not my name."

"Loki, it is. Your blood doesn't not change your family."

"Odin is not my father."

"And Steph isn't my mother? Charles my father? Adam my brother? Blood doesn't make family, Loki, bonds do." He silently stands there. "I brought you your favorite." I wave my hands and The Lord of The Rings appears in it.

"I see you've been practicing."

"Frigga has been teaching me." I pull the photo from my pocket and slide it into the book, creating an illusion for the camera. "Can I?" I turn to the gaurd. He nods and opens a small cubby. I place the book inside and he closes it. "I ensured your desk stayed the same. Cleaning it regularly. I read aloud, every day like we used to."

Loki lowers his head. "What are you doing here, Dri?"

"To bring you home. I miss you, Loki," I walk up and place my hand on the glass. He looks up and puts his hand on the glass as well. "I will get you out, but it has to be proper. It has to be by the rules. Just... Help yourself by helping us." 

His finally softening look turns sour again. "Of course! You just want me to turn myself in! Just like my brother, you only care about yourself!"

"No, Loki. Don't say that. You know it's not true."

"You're selfish, cruel, and useless! Just like the rest of your mortal friends on this disgusting planet!"

I feel sadness overcome me. "You truly think that?" He doesn't answer me. "All that is gold does not glitter, not all those who wander are lost; The old that is strong does not wither, deep roots are not reached by the frost."

"From the ashes a fire shall be woken, a light from the shadows shall spring; Renewed shall be blade that was broken, the crownless again shall be king." He finishes the quote.

"Don't let yourself get lost, Loki." I pause for a moment. "Darkness can get lost in the shadow, but light can shine through. Be the light I know you to be, not the dark everyone says you are."