"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.

"What do you mean?" Courtney asked.

"Courtney, your father's name was Sam Kurtis and he was not a superhero." Barbara said.

"Plus, Starman died the same night you were born Courtney and from what Barb told me, your dad was there the night you were born." Pat said and Courtney deflated.

"I'm sorry Courtney, I wish I could say that your father was Starman, because that would excuse everything, but he's not." Barbara said.

"Still, the staff picked me for a reason." Courtney said.

"As much as I hate to say it, we may not have much choice in the matter." Pat said.

"What do you mean?" Barbara asked.

"Like I said, the staff has a mind of its own and while I can't imagine why it would choose a 15 year old girl when there are plenty of qualified adults it could've chosen, but once it has chosen, there's no going back." Pat said.

"So you're saying that Courtney is stuck with Starman's weapon?" Barbara asked.

"Awesome. Now maybe I'll have a real chance to meet Supergirl, since I'll be a superhero too." Courtney said.

"No you're not. Courtney, you're a sophomore in high school, not a superhero." Barbara said.

"Mom, the staff picked me for a reason. Something must be happening." Courtney said.

"Maybe, but there are plenty of other superheroes out there. Superheroes who are adults. They can handle it." Barbara said as she reached to take the staff from Courtney, who refused to hand it over.

"Courtney, give me the staff." Pat said.

"If it wanted you to have it, it would've picked you." Courtney said.

"Courtney, I'm sorry, but you don't even have a driver's license yet, what makes you think you're responsible enough to hold that staff?" Pat asked.

"Pat please, you said it yourself, you were there when Starman got this staff, so you know it works. Teach me how to use it to get justice for him and the rest of the JSA." Courtney said.

"I'm sorry Courtney, the answer is no. The JSA will find justice, but not from a 15 year old girl. When you turn 18, then we'll talk, since you'll be legally an adult, but until then, I'm moving this out of the house and putting someplace you can't find it." Pat said as he actually took the staff from her, causing it's glow to die down.

"No, it's mine." Courtney said.

"No, it's Starman's. Just because it works for you does not mean it belongs to you." Pat said as he walked upstairs.

"Mom." Courtney complained.

"I'm sorry Courtney, but I agree with Pat. You do not need that staff. There are plenty of other superheroes in the world and while I know it's likely exciting to think that you could become one too, now's not the time for you to be thinking about it. You should be focusing on school, dating, normal teenager stuff." Barbara said as she followed her husband out of the basement, though she still wanted to have a talk with him about anything else he hadn't told her about his past.

Courtney just stood for a minute, at a loss at what had just happened before determination filled her mind to get the staff back, because in her mind, she didn't care what her parents said, the staff had picked her and even though she'd only held it for about 5 minutes, she still felt like it was a part of her already and she was determined to get it back and if Pat wouldn't teach her how to use it, then, when she got it back, she'd find a way to teach herself. And who knows, maybe one day she'd finally get to meet Supergirl, since the kryptonian heroine was her personal hero and her dream was to meet her and now it looked like that might actually happen.

"So, who's next on your kill list." a male voice said, snapping Jordan Mahkent out of his thoughts as he turned to see none other than Lex Luthor approach him.

"Lex Luthor. What are you talking about?" Jordan asked.

"Oh please, you think I don't know Icicle? But don't worry, I'm not here to cause you any problems. Quite the contrary in fact. I want to help you with your plans. Project New America is brilliant, but there are factors that I don't think you took into consideration when you planned it. But I can help with that. All I ask is that you give me a seat at the table." Lex said.

"Tell me what you mean and I'll consider it." Jordan said.

"I think that I can improve your machine plans so that Dr. King's powers will be able to reach every adult mind in the country, even those that aren't human, since do you really think that Supergirl will allow this to happen? It might work on Superman since he grew up on Earth, so his mind may be close enough to humans to work, but still." Lex said.

"If you can get into Blue Valley undetected, I'll tell my associates to expect you, since who knows, maybe you can help us accelerate our plans." Jordan said, since while Lex was insane, he was also a genius, which meant that he could pull off what he promised.

"Good to know that you're as smart as I was hoping for. I'll even do you a solid and get you locations on everyone else involved in your wife's death. Consider it a sign of good faith. We'll talk about what I want in return once we're both back in the states." Lex said and Jordan nodded.

"I think this could be the start of an excellent partnership." Jordan said.

"We are of the same mind." Lex said as the two went their separate ways.