Blood Sisters

Jenny Goldstar had turned 16 and was being interviewed for a book about her mother, this one supposedly going more into depth about her marriage and family. Jenny was sitting across from the author in her family's living room at the Goldstar Ranch. Jenny was wearing a white beta-cloth body suit which displayed the bronze skin of her upper back and shoulders, a modest decolletage and matching elbow-length white gloves. Her golden blonde hair was loose in the front, framing her face with wisps of hair and pulled back into a wide ponytail in back.

Just what the world needs Jenny thought ANOTHER book about my mom... “Actually, it does” she continued answering the interviewer's question about her force-field; “I kinda see the world the way you might if you saw through... amber colored lenses, everything is yellowish.” The author nodded. His name was Robert Burke, a former newsman turned author who was well past sixty. He smiled at Jenny, his teeth bright in contrast with his rich black skin. He asked “and this is the way it has always been for you I am told... you were born trapped inside there as you are now.” Jenny frowned. “The way you say it makes it seem so... gloomy, I don’t feel trapped in here...” Burke cut in “but to have never known another persons touch... a first kiss, a hug...” Jenny shrugged. “Other people have said that same thing to me, but hey, look up at the sun! Its never been kissed either, but its perfectly happy floating out there being sunny. I am who I am!”. Robert offered a dry smirk. The old newsman saw something in Jenny's manner, her eyes, that made him doubt the sincerity of her cheery response. But he let it pass for now. He went along with the girl and said wryly “are you saying you are like the Sun.. a star?”

Jenny nodded “yes, but not a Hollywood star... more like a groovy SPACE star”. Robert tapped a sharp pencil on his pad, mildly amused “a.. groovy space star, groovy is a slang term I have not heard in a while, it sounds more like a word your father would use.” Jenny smiled brightly “You better believe it! groovy rocks! I think its time has come again, its charmingly retro.”

“Is that how you think of your father, charming and retro?” Jenny laughed “No, my dad is hopeless, I love him, I mean that he is COMPLETELY out of touch.” Burke cut in again “except for the word groovy?.” Jenny scoffed “that, tie die, bell bottom jeans and the other three things that were a good idea last century”. Robert retorted “those of us who were alive back then have some pretty fond memories of it.”

Jenny snorted “and we were talking about me seeing the world in a strange way?” Burke studied the young woman for a moment before saying “when I first mentioned that you were using a word that your father would, you... puffed up proudly, you seemed quite pleased about such an observation, yet then you described your father as being hopeless?”

Jenny twisted a lip as she knocked that around in her head for a few moments. “I am proud of my father, I love him! He is the best. He has always been there for me, always. In every way that matters, he has been there. I am just saying, that when he helped me with my homework he put on the Moody Blues. People did come up with music after 1979, that’s all.” Jenny smiled wistfully. “But I wouldn’t change him really. He’s my dad. He’s Goldstar! And I’m his...” she blushed, which is a little hard to tell through her force-field. “Your his what?” asked Burke. “Sparkle.” Jenny said softly. “He calls me Sparkle”.

Burke scratched his close-cropped salt and pepper hair and waited a few moments while Jenny composed herself. The Golden Girl reached down towards a box of tissues, there was a brief flash, and then the tissue was inside her force-field with her. She dabbed at her eyes and cleared her nose. Burke's eyebrows rose as he watched this, it was rare to see any display of powers up close. Jenny pressed the tissue into her energy field, somehow making a spark at the point of contact that instantly vaporized the tissue with a hint of smoke. Robert blinked his eyes and shook his head involuntarily. Jenny, oblivious to his reaction, just looked back at Robert with her big blue eyes (which had a touch of green through her golden halo of energy) and smiled.

Burke cleared his throat and continued after a moment, nonplussed. “Do you mind if... I get some additional information about you, I would like to include some of your background in my book and... I admit to some curiosity.” Jenny beamed. “Sure! I am my favorite subject!” Burke chuckled and then considered a few moments. “Lets go back to your force... field for a moment.” Burke tapped his pencil.

“So, you can't turn the force-field off, but as I just saw you do seem to be able to... stretch it slightly and change its shape”. Jenny nodded and replied “Yeah, I can stretch it out several arm-lengths actually, but only if I focus on a small area, not much more then the width of my hand, otherwise I can only contract or expand the field by a few inches.” Burke asked “and what was that spark, the one that burned up the tissue just now.” Jenny grinned “Oh that, well I can focus some of the force-field energy for a second or two, enough to generate a fair bit of heat and such, kinda like a small lightning bolt. But its not electricity, its what the, um.. brain guys we work with call bio-mutant energy. With practice I've learned to time it with a punch or a kick, the force-field transfers the um.. physical energy of my strike and at the same time I can spark my force-field. Which kicks serious butt by-the-way” Jenny bounced happily.

Burke smiled at the girl's enthusiasm then asked “If you'll indulge me for a moment... how do you, bathe or even get dressed?” Jenny smiled “I get that question a lot actually. My force-field is not air tight” she took a deep breath to demonstrate “and if I let it water can get in as well, slowly. I basically take a bath in here, then I either let it leak out, or if I am in a hurry I just teleport” there was the same flash Burke saw earlier as Jenny teleported across the room, then back into her chair “and I leave the water behind.” Jenny continued “as far as getting dressed, I have been trying to just teleport into my clothes, but no luck with that yet. So I just kind of do a little 'port like this...” Jenny reached towards a bowl of fruit on the coffee table, there was a flash as Jenny seemed to just 'blink' away for a second and then she was holding an apple in her hand inside the force-field. Jenny smiled ruefully “as you can imagine, that took a LOT of practice; getting dressed or getting anything inside my force-field has been quite a chore.”

Burke nodded “I'll bet” he said with sympathy. His pencil tapped. “I was told that the energy that powers your force-field also sustains your body, so... can you eat that apple?” Jenny shrugged “I CAN but, I don't have too. Eating or drinking anything eventually creates an... issue I would rather not deal with thank you very much, bathing is tricky enough as it is” her face blushed red and she laughed awkwardly. With a flash the apple was again back in the bowl.“Before you ask, I can tell you that the brain guys have no idea how I can teleport, so don't bother asking.” She smiled impertinently.

Burke took a moment to regard the lovely young woman, all clad in white, surrounded by her halo of gold. “So, I know that you are somewhat.. stronger and tougher then a... non-powered person, though not as much as your mother. I understand that up until now nothing has been able to penetrate your force-field” Jenny interrupted “Yes, but if someone hits the field hard enough I can feel it. If it's hit REALLY hard I can even get hurt... as I learned one day when I jumped off that big tree in the yard” she pointed and smirked. “Good thing it was just a bruise, I have no idea how I would set a bone or put a cast on myself” Jenny gave a small laugh. Burke said “Yes, so your field transfers... kinetic energy more efficiently outward then from the outside in, fortunately for you...” Jenny just nodded, trying to remember how her trainers explained all this “um... yea that’s right I guess.”

Burke made a few notes on his pad, then said “Now, please correct me if I have any of this wrong. Both of your parents can fly, in fact, your father can move very fast in his energy form; both your mother and father can project their... bio-mutant energy at range. Your mother projects her energy in its raw form, and your father creates intense rays of light and heat, which are golden in hue, as you would expect from his adopted name. Your father's energy discharge has been said to have the same destructive capacity as artillery, even cruise missiles...” Jenny smirked “yup, he can shoot and scoot, that's his thing. He's got the big guns.”

Burke nodded and continued “your father has a powerful force-field, similar to yours in color, but even more resilient. He can can project it around himself, or someone else that is close, and Goldstar can deactivate his.” Robert caught a frown from Jenny at that, but just went on “and... your father can sense...” he looked down at his notes, then continued “...the full range of the EM spectrum, and your mother can sense the location, type and intensity of bio-mutant energies at considerable range” Jenny snorted and rolled her eyes “I'd say, so annoying...”

Robert looked amused and continued “Okay so, again tell me if I have any of this wrong; unlike your parents you have no special senses, can't fly or... project your bio-mutant energy except with your force-field. You have trained in hand to hand combat, your strong, you can teleport short distances.” The newsman paused, considering how to frame his next question. “This brings me to what is perhaps your most mysterious ability. I understand that you are amazingly lucky, that you almost always win a game of chance, have never had an accident, even just a slip and fall...”

Jenny smiled impishly “You forgot that I am super-adorable and have amazing reflexes” she giggled lightly. “I once guessed the right side on a coin toss like... five hundred times in a row before they gave up on it” she smirked “and actually your wrong, I don't almost always win a game, I have NEVER lost a game of chance. No one even plays me anymore except my dad. “Its too bad people know about your luck” he has told me “otherwise we could clean up in Vegas.” Jenny brightened and said “hey did you know my dad has one of those Vegas Elvis suits? It is SO funny! He wears it on New Years Eve.” Burke chuckled and replied “I'll be sure to ask him about it”.

The old reporter asked “do the metaphysicians, the brain guys as you call them have any explanation for your incredible luck? Neither of your parents have any powers like that, for that matter, no New Human I've ever heard of has that talent.” Jenny thought a moment then said “the best guess I have heard the guys talk about is what they call an, um... unknown variable or something maybe 'cause my folks are both Omegas... um, yeah they don't know.” Jenny shrugged, yawned, then gave a long, slow stretch like a kitten inside her golden cocoon.

Robert gave a long pause, considering his next question carefully. “I just wanted to ask you about something that happened to your family a few years back.” Jenny tensed, she knew where this was going. “Your aunt Winter, your Mother's sister was born with no New Human abilities...” Jenny looked out the window, frowning. “Your family has spoken very little of what occurred after the Splicer incident...” Jenny swallowed, and a flash of anger played over her young face. “My aunt was not responsible for what she did as Frostbite and...” Robert interrupted, talking gently “I know that Jenny, and I have no doubt that it is true...” Jenny shot back “Why are you even asking me about this, I was like five when that happened, you think I'm gonna talk about it? I don't like to even think about it. That creep almost took my one and only aunt from me, and she has never been...” Jenny looked away and choked back, closing her eyes. Robert noted that Jenny's force-field brightened and its hum became louder as Jenny became upset. He decided to let the silence sit and he waited. Jenny calmed and looked back at him “I am not gonna talk about this, OK? She is North Star now, she is one of those US Special Marshals now and I barely get to see her anymore.” Burke nodded “Yes, she and her fellow Marshals are doing a lot of good.” Jenny grimaced “Its not fair, it was not her fault, she has never forgiven herself, and they still watch her like they expect Frostbite to come back any moment. I hate it, I hate it.”

Again, the old Newsman let the silence stretch out. This time Jenny let the silence settle.

Burke changed subjects “I read in my press kit that once you are 18 you plan to follow in your parents footsteps in the hero business going by the nom de plume shall we say, of Miracle”. Jenny nodded with a forced smile, still feeling upset “Yup, that’s the plan. It's kinda because I like to wear white, and my force-field kinda looks like a halo... you know, the whole um... angel thing, and being so lucky... yeah, Miracle.” She blushed self-consciously. “I wish I could say I came up with it, but actually a friend of mine did”.

“You do look a little like an angel I will admit” Robert said with a smile. Jenny blushed redder “thanks Mr. Burke.” Burke cleared his throat and took a sip of water “What is your friends name?” Jenny quickly replied, suddenly wary again “Um, lets not go there either, I don't share stuff like that.” Burke seemed to understand and went on. Jenny really was just 16.

“Many of your generation of New Humans have told me that they plan be... basically a superhero as their occupation. Your mother is a country music star and your father is actually a fairly accomplished scientist, he has earned at least one PhD in physics has done work at Fermilab, CERN and worked with the JPL on some planetary exploration projects.” Burke cleared his throat again “you... and many your age, just want to be a hero.” He pointed his pencil “are you going to charge for that, is someone going to fund you? How does one make a living being a superhero?”

Jenny shrugged inside her field. “Huh, that's a good point, I guess I can't just live on my allowance” Jenny smirked “Just kidding, my parents are loaded, they have told me that they and some other people are establishing a... foundation or something to um fund ah...” Jenny smacked her head. “...actually that's something else I am not really supposed to talk about.”

Robert Burke thought about that a few moments with a furrowed brow. He had basically struck out on the three topics he was hoping get some information on from her. He decided not to press it, the better instincts of his integrity taking hold. “Interesting, well lets just move on shall we young lady?” he smiled and tapped his pencil. Jenny nodded and stifled another yawn. With a sour grin the aged newsman decided to have some fun with his young subject and try to lighten the mood. He spoke using his old radio talk-show host voice “Okay so, while we still have some time, lets go back to the FACINATING subject of your mother, Allison Ashton; the FAMOUS American SUPER-hero Miss Liberty!” Burke hammed it up and watched Jenny squirm and roll her eyes “sure, OK.” Burke pulled a sharp new pencil from his bag and they kept talking into the afternoon. Jenny slouched lower into her chair with every question that wasn't about her.

***

After what Jenny thought could have been a few years, Marty came to her rescue. He walked into the living room with his usual big grin. Bright below the bushy mustache he was currently sporting. With a quick twist of his head he got his long dirty blond hair out of his face. Jenny smiled and waved “Hi Dad!” Marty winked at her giving the gun click wave. Mr. Burke stood “Hello Dr. Goldstar, I did not expect to see you on this visit, I pleased to have been wrong.” Marty nodded “Hey, just Marty, okay man?” Robert smiled at the shorter man. “And just Robert for me.” “Right on.” Marty was wearing his usual bell-bottoms and a new black t-shirt that showed a cracked disco-ball globe with the caption “The world ended the day disco died.”

“Hey, you two have been at this for a while, thought you might like to have some eats, I got some sandwiches and stuff made up that Jenny can watch us eat. Robert, would you like a beer?” The old newsman nodded, he was pretty hungry actually. “That sounds great Marty, you mind if we talk while we....” “Hey man, lets just hang out alright? Leave your pad here man!” Robert grinned “Fair enough.” Jenny flashed to her feet “wow... you two just go on, I am sure I have some homework or something I have to do...” Marty laughed “Yeah that, or boys to talk too or Facebook to surf or anything but hanging out with your old man.” Jenny pouted “C'mon...” Marty got her in a quick hug and noogied her force-field causing it to hum. “C'ya kid.” He looked over at Robert and the two walked towards the kitchen, the flash of light behind them giving notice of Jenny's escape.