Simon had given them a week to recover before having to return to work. Blair hadn't had a psychotic episode since the hospital incident, which was making Jim a very happy camper. Everything was back to normal, well as normal as life as a Sentinel could be. David Steiner a.k.a. the doctor, was still hospitalized from his head trauma, and would undergo psychiatric evaluation once he recovered sufficiently. Orville Manson a.k.a. Nick Knight the vampire was found with two broken legs and a fractured skull at the bottom of a stairwell on the ship and was presently housed under high security in the medical wing at Snowden. Blair still hadn't talked about either incident. Steven Rose a.k.a. Duncan MacLeod had come through unscathed, but had completely lost touch with reality. The only mystery remaining was the fate of John August, the inmate masquerading as Obi-Wan Kenobi. They had found his costume on the deck of the ship but he was nowhere to be found on the ship. The only logical explanation was that he jumped into the ocean.

But the real hero of the day was the young man lying on his couch. Bleeding and barely able to stay conscious, he had swum back to the ship, climbed up a tow line, manhandled Knight down the stairs, knocked out Kenobi and had saved Jim from being shot by the doctor. He was a trooper and strangely enough, Jim felt pretty lucky at the moment. Blair hadn't complained once, hadn't taken any credit for catching the criminals and had been unusually quiet. Maybe it was the aftereffects of the drug.

Snapping the tab on his cold beer as he sat down in the chair across from his partner, he reached forward and snatched up the remote control to the television.

"How about some TV, Chief? You choose." Jim figured that would cheer him up despite the prospect of having to sit through National Geographic.

Blair gave him a strange look. "Did we really do the right thing, Jim?"

This was an odd question. "They were killing people. In our line of work, we can't afford the luxury of being judge and jury."

"I guess you're right but it's just everything. They were sick. It's what we did to them. What kind of heroes do we really elevate in our society. False ones. We justify what they do because they're the 'good guys' and the others aren't. We condone their violence because we think it's cool. I mean think about it. One character was a hero because he was a few hundred years old and chopped off the heads of his fellow immortals to get their power. There are cultures around the world that believe when you kill someone you gain their life force. But not our society. Another guy was a walking furnace, and the last one was a vampire. We elevate these people in our society, make them heroes, but really they're killers. And think about the other heroes we push commercially. Homer Simpson, South Park, WWF Wrestling, and just about ninety percent of the video games on the market. It's a miracle any of us are sane anymore."

"I thought you liked the Simpsons," replied Jim, taking a sip of his beer.

"I do but so far I can tell the difference between reality and fantasy. Some people can't."

"Listen, Chief. You can't be responsible for what others do. All you need to remember is that your job is to keep the peace. That's what we did, partner. We kept the peace and still managed to keep breathing."

"I almost became one of them."

"But you didn't," said Jim, feeling his partner's body heat rise a fraction. "What's really bothering you, Chief?"

"I didn't want to kill them. I felt sorry for them. They thought they were doing something right, something to help society. I mean, I knew it might come down to it, but deep down, I'm not sure I have it in me. That could get you killed one of these days and it would be my fault," confessed Blair.

Jim let out a deep sigh. Confession was always good for the soul.

"You did exactly what you should have done," said the Sentinel. "I would have probably gone for my gun but pipes work too. I think we're going to have to rethink your position on the department baseball team though."

Blair relaxed a bit. Jim wasn't worried. He had apparently accepted his Shaman and partner "as is".

They both jumped when the doorbell rang and Jim motioned for Blair to stay put on the couch while he went to answer it. To his dismay, it was Desiree.

"Hi Jim. Is Blair here?"

"Yes," he answered though he wanted to just shut the door on her. Pushing him to the side, the woman floated in letting her long black cape waft across his body. Seeing the ex- anthropologist on the couch, she moved into the room, close to the couch. Jim shut the door noticing that she wasn't greeting him like a boyfriend and wasn't showing the usual concern of people who liked each other.

"Blair," she said. "Blair, I've been thinking this over and I don't know how to say this any other way but directly. I don't think we should see each other any more. You're just too weird. Your lifestyle, the things you get yourself into, I need something more normal."

Both Jim's and Blair's eyebrows shot up. Coming from a woman wearing a black Chiffon witch's costume under a velvet cape lined in red satin, the whole situation seemed ludicrous. The thick black make-up around her eyes made them look harsh and cold.

"Okay," answered Blair fairly stunned.

"Fine," she said. "I'm glad you're being civilized about this."

Having said her piece, she headed back for the door where Jim was still standing.

"Sea Demon, my ass," she huffed throwing the three day old newspaper at Jim's feet. "You'd look better in black," she said eyeing his plaid boxers as she headed down the hall. "Super heroes. Humpf. Like there's even such a thing."

Jim shut the door behind her before both men began to laugh heartily.

Like this episode? Email the writer: tapu@juno.com
Want to comment on production? Contact Black Panther Productions: bpproductions@wildmail.com

Stay tuned next week when as a favor to the police commissioner, Jim and Blair agree to 'escort' his favorite niece to a local science fiction convention to protect her from a possible kidnapping or worse by people wanting to influence his plans and programs. in "To Boldly Go" an all new The Sentinel.

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