Brave New World: Stargirl

Chapter 5

"What is this thing?" Courtney asked as she held the staff in awe, not at all fazed by it's blinding light.

"Something that doesn't belong to you." Pat said.

"And why exactly does whatever this thing is belong to you and why is my daughter holding it. You promised us answers Pat, so start talking." Barbara said and Pat took a deep breath.

"Okay, okay. That staff is called the Cosmic Staff and it's not supposed to work for anyone other than Starman, which means that shouldn't be working anymore, especially not for Courtney." Pat said.

"What are you talking about?" Courtney asked.

"Wait, Starman, as in the JSA, from the 90s?" Barbara asked and Pat nodded.

"The JSA, like the group of superheroes who gave up right before I was born?" Courtney asked.

"That's not what happened." Pat snapped, shocking them both, since they'd never heard him react like that.

"Sorry, but that's a touchy subject for me." Pat said.

"What do you mean that's not what happened? The Justice Society of America disappeared literally the same day Courtney was born." Barbara said.

"I know, but it's not because they quit and it's also why I never seemed particularly happy about Courtney's birthday, since that day is also the anniversary of downfall of the JSA." Pat said.

"What happened?" Courtney asked.

"Starman and the Justice Society, they all died on that day, trying to save the world from their mortal enemy, the Injustice Society of America." Pat said.

"How do you know all this?" Barbara asked.

"Because I was there." Pat said.

"You were a member of the Justice Society of America. No offense Pat, but you don't really seem like a superhero." Courtney said skeptically and the staff bobbed, almost as if in agreement.

"Not exactly. I was Starman's sidekick, Stripesy." Pat said.

"Why didn't you tell me any of this before we got married?" Barbara asked.

"Because I was trying to protect you from the same fate that everyone else who knew about the JSA suffered, which was their deaths. Starman's entire family was killed and so was our contact in the FBI among others. I was really hoping that this life was behind me." Pat said.

"Then why keep all this stuff around, since I'm guessing it's not mementos from your glory days." Courtney said.

"No, it's because all this stuff was too dangerous to risk leaving some place for it to fall into the wrong hands, especially that staff, but it was also because before he died, Starman asked me to do something for him. To find someone else to carry on the JSA's torch. I promised him I would, but that all changed when I met you Barb. You were the reason I decided to finally stop chasing down the Injustice Society and settle down here in Blue Valley, a place so far off the radar I didn't think that they'd give it a second thought and allow us to live in peace, without worrying about them coming for us." Pat said.

"This staff is what's been causing my dreams isn't it." Courtney said.

"I'm afraid so Courtney. It did the same for Sylvester before he claimed it. What were your dreams?" Pat asked.

"Sometimes they're visions of the JSA in various battles that I'm guessing was the staff showing their greatest hits and one of the members, Starman I'm guessing, he always said the same thing. That it was my turn now and that I needed to find the staff and carry on the legacy. But more recently, I've been having dreams of a new team, with myself leading them, wearing a suit similar to Starman's and holding this staff and in the dream, they called me Stargirl." Courtney said.