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Star Light

"Last Star I See Tonight" by Martin Maenza

The white eye slits of her red domino-styled mask kept hidden the look of fear in her blue eyes. The raven-haired heroine knew she had to appear to be strong despite the gravity of the situation!

"I suppose its too much to ask for a fair and sporting chance," she said as she glanced about the wooded area of the park. She was surrounded by an assortment of costumed adversaries - some she had faced before and others she knew only from name or reputation. Each was dangerous in their own right; together they were quite formidable.

The large muscular blonde woman who led the assortment of villains laughed deeply. "Sorry, sweetie, but all's fair in love and war - and this is war!" She smashed her massive right fist into her left palm, making a grinding motion. She was ready to do some serious damage.

The other costumed figures nodded and snickered in agreement.

Star Light was in serious trouble!

***

An hour or so earlier in Chicago, Morgan Weston had left the museum for the day and was walking back to the downtown apartment that she and her husband Robert shared. She noticed around her that the heat of the summer afternoon was wearing on some of the Windy City residents. Businessmen had their jackets slung over their shoulders, ties loosened and shirt sleeves unbuttoned. Women in skirts fidgeted a bit as their pantyhose rode up on them.

Morgan didn't mind the heat. It reminded her of the climate of her home world, long since gone. Over twenty years ago, that world was annihilated by the conquering race known as the Destroyers. She and her father Xanis, the sole-survivors, along with others from other worlds had escaped the clutches of the Destroyers and made their way to Earth.

In ways, the quartet of survivors were not like most of the Earth people. They were refugees and freedom-fighters, and they had special abilities that helped them stand apart from most of the natives. They were also heroes, and they took a role as protectors to their newly adopted world. They joined other terran heroes and formed a team known as the Justice Gang.

Still, they realized they also had to learn to blend in with the residents of this planet, to live among them and adopt their ways. They changed their birth-given alien names to match those of the people. Morga Calnar became Morgan Calner. Years later she even married Roebrt Waeston, now Robert, and took on his altered last name of Weston. They even had a son years later and named him Jonah.

Morgan liked living a "normal" life as much as possible. It helped her get a foundation, something to build a future upon. By taking a job in a local museum, it allowed her to learn about the past of this world she came to call her home. She was happy.

That bliss was about to be shattered.

She had stopped at a corner newsstand, thumbing through a National Geographic magazine while determining if it was something she wanted to buy. The sounds from the battery operated radio behind the counter caught her attention. "What was that?" Morgan strained to hear what sounded like a news brief interrupting the regular musical program. "Could you turn that up please?"

"Sure, lady," the overweight man in his early forties said. He turned the volume knob enough so that the announcement could be heard.

"To repeat, the costumed criminal known as the Golden Greek has been seen near Calahan's Jewelers on Wright and Lehey. Eyewitness reports indicate she has been blasting at random buildings, causing major damage and causing a panic..."

"Wow," the newsstand man remarked. "Can you imagine...?" He turned to the woman who had been standing at his counter, but she was gone. He shrugged his shoulders and went back to listening to the report.

Morgan Weston was already ducking into an alleyway not far from the stand. With so many years in the hero business, she had perfected the quick exit without being noticed. She slipped behind a large dumpster and was engulfed in a flash of violet light.

Seconds later, the red and purple costumed heroine known as Star Light was soaring up into the sky. The transformation, the flight, most of her powers came from a gemstone that was held in the tiara about her head.

Morgan had possessed the gem for nearly twenty years, discovering it at the time the captives worked the mines of the Destroyers. She was drawn to the stone's beauty, in a time where so much of her life was dark and dreadful. Over time, she learned to tap into the hidden power of the gem which turned her thoughts into reality. The gem was now very much a part of her in every way. Even when she was not active as the heroine Star Light, the gem would remain invisibly on her person. In many ways, they were one.

Right now, her merest thoughts were guiding her through the downtown Chicago streets to where the Golden Greek had been observed. Ruthless and arrogant, Star Light thought. That was the way she described Monica Andropolis, a woman who nearly a decade ago got amazing powers while on a trip to Greece. Monica turned her life to crime and crossed paths with both Star Light and the Justice Gang on a number of occasions.

Mass destruction does not seem out of her element, Star Light next thought. A little public and showy perhaps, but nothing out of the ordinary. The heroine arced to the south and got a visual confirmation of her quarry. And there she is now.

"This ends now, Greek!" Star Light yelled as a violet blast from her gemstone streaked through the air. The bolt clipped the air before the flying woman in gold and black, a warning shot meant to get the villain's attention.

The blonde haired woman turned back with a smile on her lips. "Star Light, about time," the Golden Greek said. "I was wondering if you'd ever show up."

Star Light circled above her enemy and took a defensive stance in the air. She noticed the damage to the buildings, to the cars in the street, etc. "Your run of destruction is over."

The Greek laughed. "Oh, I'm not done running yet," she disagreed. "Catch me if you can, dear." And with that, the woman rocketed off in a golden burst of energy.

If that's how you want it, Star Light thought. With a violet burst, she quickly took pursuit. In seconds, she was flying back through the concrete jungle and dodging in and out between the tall buildings.

Still, the Golden Greek was not allowing the heroine a clear shot at her. She would lob blasts of golden energy from her hand as she flew, sending the destructive surges in her wake.

Some were easy enough for Star Light to dodge. Others struck corners of rooftops, dislodging sections of concrete and mortar. The heroine had to use blasts of her own to pulverize the rubble before it could fall to the street and injure any innocent bystanders.

So arrogant and so self-centered, the heroine thought of her foe. What a waste of her abilities. Star Light knew it was best to get someone like the Greek back in prison, the longer the better. Her kind didn't learn otherwise.

Star Light saw the Golden Greek arc upward towards the Chrysler Building and followed. The gap is closing, the heroine thought. Good! Maybe this can end now.

The Golden Greek thrust her arms out as she flew up. Suddenly, there was a burst of golden energy all about her.

Star Light's gem immediately created a protective shield about her. She wasn't about to let a barrage of energy stop her now. As she plowed through the golden burst, a buzzing rang in her head!

Warning: anomaly in the energy signature. Different than previously noted for the subject.

Just as Star Light was registering what her gemstone was trying to tell her, she felt complete disorientation.

She next found herself slamming hard into grassy earth; the force field about her taking the brunt of the collision.

What the..., she thought. Suddenly she was in a park, and the sky was clearly in the stages of early dusk. The changes and the sensation led her to one thought: where have I been teleported to?

"Confused?" the Golden Greek asked. "You were meant to be. But I guess you weren't expecting a portal to move us to another city, were you?"

"How?" Star Light responded as she started to rise to her feet.

"That would be my doing," a male costumed figure admitted. He was dressed in light blue with red boots and gloves. A white triangle with a red circle sat on his chest. "But I did have a little help."

"Geometric Man is modest," another male figure said. "His tele-portals are very good, but I helped him soup up the range a bit. Enough to get you here to Central Park" He was also in blue with a stylized oblong shaped head piece. Star Light knew him in an instant: Timewarp!

"So, this was a trap," she concluded firmly. "Fine!" Her gemstone sparked to life once more, sending a barrage of blasts at the trio of villains.

Geometric Man ducked for cover, but the Golden Greek threw up a protective wall of her own. The violet blasts exploded off of the yellow energy field. "Nice try, honey, but we're playing this our way."

"Right," Timewarp said. He reached for the controls on his belt.

Star Light suddenly felt as if she were caught swimming in molasses. Her brain knew what was happening, though she could do little about it. Timewarp had caught her like a fly in amber in one of his time suspension fields.

Her only hope now was focusing all her willpower on her gemstone. If only her thoughts were fast enough...

"Don't worry, my dear," Timewarp said as if he could read her expression. "You won't be held like this for long." He stepped forward and put his face directly in hers. "My, my, as pretty as ever. How's about a kiss before you die?" He was about to turn and do just that.

"No time for your fantasy fulfillment," another woman's voice boomed. It was enough to cause Timewarp to stop what he had planned, and he stepped away with some urgency.

Star Light could barely shift her pupils to make out the approaching muscular blonde figure in yellow and brown. "We need to do one more thing first!" the newcomer added. The woman's large hand reached to the top of Star Light's head and snatched the gemstone from her tiara.

Star Light wanted to cry out, but her vocal cords were as frozen as the rest of her. Still, in her head, she heard a screaming that would have echoed her own.

Madame Mammoth smiled at her prize, turning it from one angle to the other. "So pretty. What a nice souvenir this will make."

"Careful with that," Golden Greek warned.

"I know what I'm doing!" Mammoth snapped. "Dancer, handle this." She tossed the gem towards the shadowy tree line to her left.

From the shadows, a woman dressed in a dark blue dress with a large mane of ebony hair appeared. The bangled bracelets about her wrists jangled together as she caught the tossed gemstone. "Consider it and me gone," Shadow Dancer responded. "Meet you all back at the headquarters." And, as quickly as she appeared, she disappeared into the darkness once more.

Madame Mammoth smiled again. "Now you're helpless!" To prove her point, she knocked the frozen heroine backwards. Mammoth snorted as Star Light fell to the ground, her body stance not changing. "Warp, release her."

"Release her?" the time-controlling villain asked.

"Are you questioning me?" Mammoth barked.

"No," Timewarp said. He touched the controls on his belt. You best be right, lady, he thought to himself.

"Smart to follow the queen bee's commands," another male said as he approached with confidence. He was dressed in red with orange flames about his costume. Upon his head he wore a golden crown. "Otherwise it might be off with your head too!" Prince Pyro moved to Madame Mammoth's side. Clearly he wanted the others to know where he felt his position was.

The white eye slits of Star Light's red domino-styled mask kept hidden the look of fear in her blue eyes. The raven-haired heroine knew she had to appear to be strong despite the gravity of the situation! "I suppose its too much to ask for a fair and sporting chance," she said.

Madame Mammoth laughed deeply. "Sorry, sweetie, but all's fair in love and war - and this is war!"

The other costumed figures nodded and snickered in agreement.

Without her gemstone, facing five super-villains, Star Light was in serious trouble!

I need help, Star Light concluded. She was hardly the proud type and was willing to rely upon the help of her friends. If only she could reach the signal device in her tiara. She tried to move her gloved hand to the top of her head.

A blast of energy knocked her backwards. It came from the golden triangle that Geometric Man held in his left hand. "Not sure what she was doing," he started to say, "but why let her turn this around."

"Smart," the Greek said as she took aim herself. "She may be without her gem but not without her resources." A golden blast shot from her hands.

Star Light performed a diving roll, barely avoiding the majority of the attack. Aaron, I hope I remember all the moves, she thought. Right now she was thankful for all of those training sessions she had done with Karate Master. He always told the others in the Justice Gang that they should be prepared to handle themselves in any situation.

She tumbled and sprang to her feet. At the same instant, her hand reached the signal device and pressed the emergency button. Whoever was on duty at the Justice Gang satellite would instantly know where she was and that she was in trouble. Now, if only Star Light could hold out that long.

"Stop her!" Mammoth ordered. "We've worked too hard not to see this through!" She started to move to one side to cut the heroine off.

"Agreed!" Timewarp replied. "If she's able to call her teammates..."

Golden Greek finished that thought, "...we'll really have our hands full!" She fired some blasts, causing Star Light to back up in defense.

The heroine stood her ground, glancing about from one side to the other. The villains were encircling her, cutting her off from any route of escape. Like this, unarmed, any one of them would have been a challenge. Together, they appeared unstoppable.

"This needs to end now!" Madame Mammoth ordered.

"Allow me," Prince Pyro stepped forward. "It is time for your reign to end, Star Light." He lifted his right hand, and a ball of flame appeared out of nowhere to encircle it. "Bid adieu to this existence, because you are about to burn in Hell!"

Pyro shoved his hand outward towards the woman, releasing a searing burst of flames directly towards her.

In those last seconds, Star Light's life flashed before her eyes. Three names came to her almost simultaneously: Father, Roebrt, Jonah. These were the three people who meant the most to her in this world. A tear started to form in her eye.

It never got to fall.

The fire ripped through Star Light's abdomen. A scream of agony started in her throat. Before the cry could become audible, the flames engulfed the rest of her body.

Ashes to ashes.

Her charred body fell lifelessly to the ground.

Four of the villains smiled in pride. Geometric Man was the only one slightly taken aback the action. He knew what the villains had planned, but he wasn't fully prepared to see it firsthand. He was snapped back to reality when Mammoth shouted out her orders.

"All right, let's move now! No doubt her comrades are on their way!" She turned to Pyro. "Leave a little calling card, Prince."

The royal villain nodded. Using his flame powers, he burned the grass around the fallen heroine's body. Four pairs of parallel lines - in the shape of an octagon.

"Excellent!" Mammoth said. "The world will know that the Octagon is a force to be reckoned with! Now, let's get out of here!" She turned to the Geometric Man. He was already working his gadgets to open a new portal. When the doorway was ready, he nodded and stepped through.

The other four followed confidently, their heads held high with pride in what they had accomplished. The rectangular portal then collapsed behind them.

Less than an instant later, two figures shimmered into place. One was a dark haired woman dressed in a formfitting yellow costume with a green mask and green flowing cape. The other was a male figure in a full-costume with face mask, one side all in red while the other side all in blue.

"Star Light?" Phantom Lady called out. "Where are you?"

"Is that...?" Tempest asked, pointing to the unmoving figure on the ground.

Phantom Lady turned her gaze and saw her fallen friend. "No..." she said softly.

There was a sudden rush of air between them and Star Light's body. A red and green blur appeared and knelt beside the body. "Star Light!" Doctor Speed cried out. He reached down and checked the body carefully, using his medical skills to quickly take in the situation.

Phantom Lady stepped over the seared line in the grass and knelt beside him. "Alan, is she...?" The heroine couldn't bear to finish her sentence.

Dr. Speed put his arm about his long time colleague. While he had to be in this position occasionally in his daily life as a doctor, it was never easy for him. Especially now given how close he was to the victim. "I'm afraid so, Sandra," he whispered softly. "Star Light is dead."

Phantom Lady burst into tears, burying her head into Dr. Speed's shoulder. He gently stroked her hair, trying to comfort her.

Tempest, still one of the newcomers to the Justice Gang, just lowered his head. He didn't know what to say. Here was a woman, a founder of the team he was now a part of, killed by some enemies in a brutal fashion. He could hardly imagine what the reaction of the world would be to this tragic news.

(to be continued ... in the Protectors issue 4)