They arrive at the Viewing Room near high noon, and the chamber is ablaze with light. Odin and Heimdal are talking quietly at the far end of the room. Thor and Anara wait near the entrance, fingers intertwined, while the two finish their conversation. Odin and Heimdal turn to them and walk to the center of the room, where Thor and Anara join them.
"You are sure you wish to do this, Anara?" Odin asks her.
"Yes, my Lord. I do not know if we will be successful, but I feel we must try."
Odin regards her with a serious look.
"I cannot see into the future; a fog clouds my vision. Be careful and ever on your guard during your search. Loki has gained much power in his time with the Chitari. If he does not want to be found, he may do all in his power to prevent it."
Anara nods, saying "A fog clouds my vision of the future as well, my Lord. I will be careful."
Turning to Heimdal, she says, "I have somewhat of a link with Loki. If you would allow me to link with you and direct your powers, I believe we can track Loki beyond the Nine Realms."
Heimdal nods, and in his deep voice says, "I am at your command, my lady. Use of me what you will, and I will stand as your guard."
Anara nods and looks around the room. Seeing nothing to sit on, she turns to Thor. "Can you have someone bring my meditation cushion up?"
He nods and exits the room. She then turns to Heimdal. "I do not know what position you are accustomed to taking for long viewings."
"I will stand, my Lady, if that suits you, " he replies.
"As long as we can maintain some kind of physical contact that will be fine."
Thor returns and says, "Your cushion will be here shortly. Is there anything else you need?"
"No, just assurance that we will not be disturbed for as long as we remain in meditation."
Thor returns to her side and takes her hand. "I will guard the door myself."
She smiles and squeezes his hand in thanks.
The four discuss likely places to start while they await Anara's meditation cushion. When a panting servant finally arrives with it, Odin bids them good luck, and pausing briefly to put a hand on Thor's shoulder, leaves the chamber.
Anara gives Thor a gentle kiss and whispers, "I love you," before turning from him to position her cushion in the center of the room. She sits, facing the direction of the Bifrost. Heimdal takes up a position standing behind her, one hand on his massive sword, the other resting gently on her shoulder.
Turning to Thor, he says, "Worry not, Thor. I will guard her with my life if need be, and we will find your brother."
Thor nods, and with one last look to Anara, turns and takes up his post at the door, his mighty hammer, Mjölnir, held in both hands.
Anara takes a deep breath and looks up to Heimdal towering over her. "Ready?"
"Aye, my lady."
"Then open your mind to me, and let us see if we can't find our dear trickster."
Taking another deep breath, Anara shuts out the outside world, opening herself up to the Force. A glowing afterimage of the chamber fills her mind's eye, images of the various realms under the rule of Asgard floating along the phantom walls like lazy clouds. Focusing on Heimdal's aura behind her, she reaches out for his mind slowly, knowing his powers could overwhelm her if she's not careful.
Touching the amber glow of his aura, the images of the realms snap into sharp detail and cease their lazy meanderings on the wall, becoming stationary in position, though not in composition. Through Heimdal's eyes, she can see every minute detail of even the smallest insect on Earth. It takes her breath away. Giving herself a moment to acclimate to Heimdal's view, she reaches out tentatively to a space between realms. Instantly, within her mind's eye, she sees empty space and the dots of faraway stars. She hears Heimdal's voice in her head.
"Just think of that which you wish to see, and you will see it."
She pictures Loki's emerald green eyes as she's seen them in her mind but nothing happens. She reaches out with the Force, using Heimdal's power as a kind of amplifier but still finds nothing. Twining their powers even closer, she changes tactics and looks for traces of Loki's aura in the space around Asgard. Heimdal catches on to what she's doing, and they divide the space between them, searching for any sign of Loki. Anara finally catches sight of a bare wisp of green and gold near the dark realm of Niflheim.
They follow the faint energy trail through a maze of the realms, along secret paths formerly unknown to Heimdal and finally to a portal in Jotunheim. Heimdal stops them before they pass through the portal.
"My lady, this portal was created by the Jotun. I know not where it leads."
"Then we will find out together," she replies and pushes forward towards the portal.
Willing themselves through the portal, light flashes around them in a rainbow of colors, not unlike traveling in the Bifrost. After a time the lights fade, and they find themselves floating disembodied in a nebula of stars. Gas and dust from old supernovas glow fantastic shades of electric blue, violet purple, and emerald green.
Anara sighs inwardly. Any hope of finding traces of Loki's aura here is dashed by the brilliant glow and energy of the nebula. She wonders now if Loki was as unaware of the trick she used to find him as she thought he was.
Taking a moment to center herself, she senses Heimdal taking stock of their situation as well. Reaching out with the Force, she again tries to find that connection to Loki. Though she finds nothing at first, she keeps searching, reaching, Heimdal lending her his strength as she searches farther into the nebula. After what seems like days, frustration takes hold of Anara and she screams out Loki's name, putting all of her and Heimdal's power behind it. As the last ripples fade away through the bright clouds of the nebula, Anara is hit with the full force of Loki's will.
"WHAT DO YOU WANT?" he screams at her.
Anara takes a mental step back, locking onto Loki and reestablishing her link to him. His rage at being found surrounds her. Letting it flow through her, she grounds it out, transmuting it into harmless energy, a trick she learned while trying to help her sister return from the Dark Side.
She uses the link to bring herself and Heimdal closer to Loki, and they find him sitting on a throne in a dark castle on a vibrant planet orbiting twin dwarf suns.
Loki stands up from his throne, slamming his staff into the stones and says again, venom dripping from his voice, "What do you want? Don't tell me you miss me already, kitten? Do you tire so quickly of my brother's attentions?" he sneers.
Anara ignores the obvious taunts and tells him the truth. "You slipped your bonds, and since we could find no body, we assumed you'd run off somewhere to hide. We simply wished to find you."
Loki laughs and sits back down on his throne, kicking one leg over the side. "And to see if I was up to no good, no doubt." He throws his arms wide, "See for yourself! I rule over an empty castle on a sparsely populated planet. What harm can I do anyone here? You can tell my brother his precious Midgard is safe."
Though he does not say it, Anara can sense the words "for now," sitting between them.
"Loki, what drove you from Asgard? Why run so far away?" Anara asks.
Loki sneers at her. "Don't tell me you don't know, kitten?"
When she does not reply, he says, "No, I see you don't. Well let me enlighten you, Princess." He stands up from his throne and begins to pace. "I grew tired of sitting in my brother's shadow, always playing second fiddle, always the second son." He turns abruptly to face her, pointing his staff at her. "YOU were the icing on the cake, the last straw. " He resumes pacing, gesturing dramatically. "An exotic princess literally drops into my lap. I finally get to play the hero, pulling you out of the wreckage of your ship, spending weeks at your bedside, enduring your screams in the hopes that you would wake up to see me sitting there at your side. Being the only one with the ability to break through your mental barriers and bring you out of your painful sleep, and yet, when you wake, you only have eyes for HIM! My damnable brother! "
He picks up a goblet from a small table by his throne and throws it against the wall with a feral scream. Anara takes a step back, sensing a dangerous turn in Loki's mood. He turns to face her again, his face red with rage.
"I LEFT to get away from YOU. To get away from having to see your love for my brother in your eyes every time you looked at him, knowing you will never look at me that way. I LEFT to avoid having to endure my dear brother's sickening sweet demeanor when he's around you. Did you know he's never looked at any of his past wives the way he looks at you? It's disgusting. He would throw away everything for you, even his immortality, if you just ask." He turns from her. "Makes me sick," he mutters. He spins around, his staff again pointed at her. "What's worse is, I would do the same!" he cries and falls to his knees.
Anara takes a step towards him, but Heimdal holds her back. Loki raises his head, hatred clear in his eyes.
"And you, Heimdal, my father's guard dog, his most coveted spy… You can't leave well enough alone either, can you?" he says as he rises.
Anara can sense an electric power building up around Loki. Solidifying her mental shields, she braces for whatever might come next.
Talking more to himself than to her or Heimdal, he says, "And now I have the opportunity of ridding myself of two thorns. Oh how I will miss seeing the look on my brother's face when he realizes you are never waking up this time!"
Loki spins and sends a blast of energy from his staff towards them while simultaneously violently severing the link between himself and Anara, mentally pushing her away. Heimdal jumps in front of Anara, taking the full force of the staff blast that sends them reeling out into the nebula. Their minds still intertwined, Anara finds herself being dragged into unconsciousness with Heimdal. Blackness engulfs her.
Anara doesn't know how long she's been floating in the darkness before she hears someone calling her name. She moves towards the voice, and as it grows louder, she realizes it's not Thor as she'd expected but rather a voice from her past.
The image of a woman, seemingly in her mid-50's, clad in blood red Jedi robes with long grey hair and violet eyes, appears before her. Her heart skips a beat. It is her former master, Mistress Dina, a rather controversial figure. The former Mother of the Dathomirian Nightsisters turned Grey Jedi was recruited to help bring the Solo twins back from the Dark Side. While her methods were unconventional, they were effective.
"Hear me, Anara." Dina says.
"I hear you, mistress, though I do not know how."
"Nor do we. Though we surmise that wherever you went when you left our galaxy, you have journeyed to a place where the Force is strong, and I can finally reach you."
"Am I dead?" Anara asks.
"No, though I sense you are very far from your body. You must return soon, or you will perish. But first there is something you must know."
"What is it?" Anara asks, feeling like an apprentice again in the presence of her old master.
"Your sister has escaped from her prison in the Jedi Temple, and seeks you out. The Force tells me that she will find you, but after that, the future is fractured. She will either bring great destruction to your new home, or she will find solace in it. The Dark Side and the one you call Loki cloud our vision. You must return to your body and search both sides of the Force for guidance," Dina instructs her as her image starts to fade.
"Mistress Dina, wait! Don't go yet. If Z can get here, is there a way for us to return home?"
Dina's voice grows faint as she answers, "If you are ever able to return to our galaxy, it is beyond my sight. May the Force be with you, Anara."
Her image and her voice fade into the blackness, leaving Anara reeling and alone.
Gathering her wits, she reaches out with her senses, trying to gauge where she is. She can sense Heimdal near her, still unconscious. She looks around her and can see the nebula that hides Loki far in the distance. Searching, she finds the energy signature of the portal they used to get here. Making sure she's still linked to Heimdal, she pulls them towards the portal and their physical bodies.
Once through the portal, they return to their bodies almost immediately. Knowing there will be questions when she "wakes", Anara feigns unconsciousness while she uses the Force to explore her surroundings. From the hum of equipment, she can tell she's back in the Healing Room with Heimdal in a bed near her. Thor sleeps in a chair next to her, her hand tightly clasped in his. Thanking the Ancient Ones that he's asleep, she slows down her breathing to fool the monitors into thinking she's still out cold and sinks into a meditative state to do as Dina asked.
She reaches out along the lines of what could be, opening herself up to the Dark Side just enough to push past its fog. She spends what seems like an eternity sifting through the possibilities, trying to determine the most likely chain of events. She is left tired and deeply concerned by the conclusion she comes to. Deciding that actual rest would be a benefit before bringing her news to the Asgardians, she lets herself fall into an exhausted sleep.