New Earth: Stargirl

Chapter 5

"What is this thing?" Courtney asked as she looked at the staff without putting it down.

"That's the Cosmic Staff and it's a very temperamental device that should not be working for you. In fact, you shouldn't even be holding it, put it down now." Pat said, but the staff warbled in protest.

"I think the staff disagrees." Courtney said.

"Courtney, do what he says. Don't touch that thing until Pat explains what it is and why it was down here." Barbara said and Courtney reluctantly nodded as she tried to put the staff down, but it flew back up to her.

"What is this thing? Is it alive?" Courtney asked.

"I honestly have no idea. But it certainly has a mind of it's own." Pat said.

"Pat, what is it and why did you say that it shouldn't be working for Courtney. Not that I disagree." Barbara said.

"That staff isn't supposed to work for anyone but Starman." Pat said.

"Wait, Starman? As in the JSA?" Barbara asked and Pat nodded.

"What?" Courtney asked.

"The Justice Society of America was before your time Courtney." Pat said.

"I've heard of them. A group of superheroes who quit right before I was born." Courtney said.

"Yeah, that's not what happened." Pat said.

"What do you mean?" Barb asked.

"What I mean is that Starman and the rest of the JSA died trying to save the world." Pat said.

"How do you know that?" Barbara asked.

"Because I was there." Pat said, shocking them both.

"You were a member of the Justice Society of America?" Courtney asked skeptically.

"Not exactly. I was Starman's sidekick, Stripesy." Pat said as he handed Barbara a picture.

"Why didn't you tell me any of this?" Barbara asked.

"Because I was trying to protect you from the same fate that everyone else who knew about the JSA met, which was their deaths. Our contact with the FBI, hell even Sylvester's whole family was killed." Pat said.

"Who's Sylvester?" Courtney asked.

"Starman's real name was Sylvester Pemberton. Honestly, I was hoping this life was behind me, especially after I met you Barbara. The only reason I've kept any of this stuff around, especially the staff, is because I knew it was too dangerous to leave in the wrong hands, but also because I made Sylvester a promise before I watched him die in front of me." Pat said.

"What sort of promise?" Barbara asked.

"He asked to find someone else to carry the torch of the JSA, though he was adamant that it wasn't me. So that's what I did. I followed the people who killed the JSA all over the country until I lost the trail here in Blue Valley and I figured that they had likely left the country. I never imagined that the staff would work again and certainly not for a 15 year old girl." Pat said.

"So, can I keep it?" Courtney asked.

"No." both Barbara and Pat said at once.

"But come on. Maybe the reason the staff picked me is because it decided that I was worthy of the mantle. That I could get justice for the JSA. And maybe." Courtney said.

"Maybe the reason the staff works for me is because I'm Starman's daughter." Courtney said.

"Yeah, no." Barbara said.