by Libbylawrence
In just a few minutes, Nightwing explained his plan and took the first steps to implement it. Officer O’Connel watched as Harry Franklin walked slowly toward the factory. Starfire and Nightwing were now out of sight, or so it seemed.
Starfire accepted Nightwing’s whispered instructions with the utmost confidence in his ability to carry out his plan. Although he still felt uneasy about their personal relationship, his leadership remained sharp. She flew several blocks away from the plant, then soared higher to circle around and descend down the tall brick chimney. This entrance went unseen, as the chimney was merely a relic from the plant’s less-technological beginnings. Kory hoped she would only need to wait as unseen backup.
Harry Franklin entered the factory haltingly and faced Jacob Marlowe. “I’ve arrived, Jacob, just as you wanted. Now will you let the men go?” he asked in his heavy Southern accent.
Jacob Marlowe was sweating and anxious, looking as if he wished he had never started this mad crusade of revenge. “Okay, just come closer. I want nobody else here when I blow this place up! The guys can leave now!” Jacob said, nodding toward the heavy double doors.
The workers filed out eagerly. Some looked back at their boss and muttered about his courage, while others recalled their friendship with Jacob and wondered how they would have felt had they been in his position when the layoffs were announced.
Starfire slipped closer, feeling relieved that most people had no reason to look upward for any approaching figure. Her method of entry made her completely invisible to the nervous worker below. I can’t use my starbolts, she realized. That device about his chest could ignite and explode. I can only hope Nightwing’s plan works.
“Jacob, listen to me,” Harry pleaded. “We’re alone now. I think you are glad the other men got out. They were your friends. You had no gripe with them. Now that we’re alone, just you and me, please consider one more thing. You hate me. You want to hurt me. Still, if you destroy this plant, all of your old friends will be out of work. You won’t just end the life of one old man who hurt you. You’ll plunge all those men, their wives, and their kids into loss, too. No work for them. No food for their kids. You know better than anyone what the loss of work can do to a person. Hate me. Just don’t rob those people of their incomes. Think of the greater good!”
Jacob listened, and his expression slowly shifted from one of pain to one of consideration. “I… I don’t want to do that,” he said in a broken voice. “I can’t hurt Pete and Bob and the other guys. But what can I do? What’s left for me to do? I don’t really know anymore. I guess I… I went a bit crazy. All I can do is… give up!”
Harry nodded and gently led Jacob outside, where the police disarmed him and removed the explosive device. He was led away to the waiting squad car.
Starfire sighed in relief and joined them, along with a second Harry Franklin wearing a bulky police sweat suit.
Nightwing removed the makeup, wig, and suit that had enabled him to fool Jacob into allowing him inside the plant. “I want the poor guy to get some help,” the young hero said. “I also want his family to be taken care of while we see to him.”
The real Harry Franklin nodded eagerly. “Certainly. I’ll do it. To tell you the truth, I blame myself for all of this. If you hadn’t taken my place and talked to him like that, we could have had a real tragedy. You may be young, but you sure are brave and smart!”
Nightwing replied, “Mr. Franklin, I think most people respond to a plea for the greater good. It’s an innate part of all of us. Jacob didn’t really want to put anyone else into his own plight of unemployment. You were willing to risk your own life and enter the plant to save the others, too. It’s a trait I’ve learned to look for in many people.”
***
Now, some hours later, Starfire entered the gym where Nightwing was working out.
“Kory. What can I do for you?” he asked as he kicked a hanging bag.
Drawing closer, she said, “Dick, tell me more about this greater good concept. Did Batman teach it to you?”
He nodded and reached for a towel. “Sure. He and I operated on that idea. If we could save a lot of people even at the cost of a personal loss, then we would do it. You place the needs of the many above your own desires or those of a smaller group. For example, if Two-Face was going to kill Batman or me or a dozen people, it was understood between us that we would save the others first.”
“Batman is wise. He taught you well,” Starfire acknowledged with a smile.
Dick nodded. “Right. He was the best teacher I could ask for. What are you getting at?”
Taking a deep breath, Kory explained, “Dick, my marriage to Karras was based on the idea of the greater good. I had to take part in a political ceremony of state to keep our peoples from war. By giving up something precious to me, I maintained peace for our world.”
Dick frowned and replied, “Kory, I know that. I’ve always known that. But it’s different. You and I were in love. We were together in so many ways.”
Kory touched his arm gently. “Dick, don’t you see? I never stopped loving you. What if you had to let Batman die in order to save innocent lives? It would be a tragic loss for you, but it would not mean that you didn’t love him. It is the same as when I was forced to marry Karras. By doing so for my homeworld, I was giving up something infinitely precious to me as well — you!”
Dick hesitated, then allowed the young woman to embrace him. He gently returned the hug. “Kory, I can’t tell you that one talk erases the pain I felt. I can’t say that I was all wrong, either. Still, I think I have a better grip on things now. You know I fixed things up with Bruce and some other people I’ve hurt along the way. Now, maybe we can start to work on restoring our own relationship. I do love you. That never changed. Let’s start fresh.”
Kory kissed him and said, “That’s how we started, remember? Now what? I do love you so!”
Dick smiled and took her hand. “Well, how about a date?”
Kory beamed. “That sounds great!”
“Good!” replied Dick.
The End