The Starlight Sentinels: The Amusing Story of a Struggling Superhero Team

Chapter 6: The Lynch Man

Eric mumbled to himself as he stared at the computer screen in front of him. Yet again, it was on him to map out the team's patrol routes for the night. He cursed the task at hand as he thought about everything the rest of the team had done without him.

"Something on your mind kid?" Eric turned around to see Sam at the nearby table, fiddling with her costume's belt and vest. She had laid them both out, slowly checking every pocket and pouch.

"Oh, you know, just thinking about how everyone but me got to meet a real live space alien," he grumbled.

"You still on that?" asked Sam without looking up. "It's been two weeks. Get over it."

"It's two weeks Daryl has been at Olympus Pyrgos," said Eric. "He gets to go to the Order's headquarters, probably the coolest place on the planet, and I'm stuck here mapping out travel routes because you don't know how to use a computer and Daryl doesn't trust Olivia to do it."

"I'm sorry." Eric turned to a guilt-ridden Olivia, sitting on the couch. "I'd help you if I could but..."

"But you stole a spaceship and Daryl doesn't trust you to do anything but stay here until he gets back." Olivia slumped down in her seat while Sam started coiling up a length of rope.

"It wouldn't kill you to learn how to use a computer," Eric told Sam.

"Hey, I was hired to uphold the law. Nowhere in the job description did it say I needed to be computer savvy." Sam pulled a pen from a pocket on her vest. "This still write?" Sam tried the pen. "Of course not." She tossed the pen aside.

"How is it you went your whole life without using a computer?"

"I grew up very poor. My family didn't have a TV until I was like ten. Even then my dad didn't like to leave it on because it ran up the electricity bill." Sam examined a pack of gum that was tucked away in a pocket on her costume. "Well this got squished to hell."

"Still, you've been around them before, right? I mean, everyone knows how to use a computer."

"All the more reason why it never seemed that essential to learn how. Anytime I needed one, which wasn't often, I knew someone who could help me out." Sam tested a pair of tin snips in her hand. "Probably should replace these with something better."

"Whatever." Eric groaned and turned back to the computer. "I still can't believe you guys meet a space alien, go off on an adventure with him, then ship him off without even telling me."

"Daryl shipped him off and Olivia went on an adventure with him. I was getting drunk alone in a cabin in the woods when all this was happening," explained Sam as she inspected her taser.

"You still got to meet him though."

"I also got acquainted with poison ivy while trying to catch a damn dog whose only purpose in life seemed to be to torment me. You wanna bitch to someone, bitch to Olivia. She's the one who went on an improv voyage with an alien and a demon." Sam pulled a five-dollar bill out of a vest pocket. "Huh, wonder how much more money I've lost in this thing.

Eric turned to Olivia, who was still sitting quietly on the couch. "Why didn't you tell me what you were doing?" he asked the girl.

"What?" said Olivia.

"Why didn't you tell me you were going off with the alien and Angela? I could of helped you. Maybe I could of caught those weird brothers you told us about."

"I thought you might tell Daryl what I was doing. We were just going to drop Angela off and come back. I didn't think we'd have to fight anyone."

"You should thank her for not dragging you into that," interjected Sam as she fiddled with a multi-tool. "Otherwise, Daryl would be firing you both."