So should she kill her or release her? This was the most arduous question of all. Misery was undeniably a dangerous person. She had also tried to kill her, and more importantly had designs on Earth. Still, Misery’s attack plan had been thwarted, and she no longer posed a real and present danger. Furthermore, Ms. Infinity knew what her conscience told her. If she could avoid taking a life, she knew that she must.
But which option made sense from a strategic standpoint? There were no guarantees, but it seemed that the best gamble was to send her home. She could not say what Misery would do when she returned, or indeed what Center would do with her. Yet if nothing else, her return was the best shot at restoring normality. This would be the best scenario for avoiding a future attack on Earth.
But how to assure that Misery returned home? After all, once Misery was out of her prison and on her ship, she might well go anywhere. She might even somehow rearm, and eventually try to attack Earth again. However, Ms. Infinity had an answer for that. In fact, this was an area in which she had many, many years of experience.
Since Ms. Infinity’s return, she had anchored Starship Infinity next to Misery’s ship. She now gave it a second visit, this time with a new purpose. Here she endeavored to make a large number of permanent adjustments. So she scoured the ship, and made a comprehensive inventory of all of its systems. She overhauled the propulsion and steering, and permanently disabled the navigation. The systems were now confined to an automation that Ms. Infinity had devised with extensive consultations with the star charts. It would now only go to one place.
In her overhaul of the ship, Ms. Infinity made a startling discovery. Behind one of the walls containing the ship’s wiring, there was a very strange painting. She did not recognize the face it depicted. It was a woman with what seemed like a cruel face. She was dark-skinned, her dark hair scattered like tentacles in many directions. She wore an expression of intimidation, her brow furrowed, her teeth baring fangs. A close look revealed that there were several extra eyes on her brow, and more tentacles flailing behind from her body.
This was a figure known primarily in the depths of Center’s most obscure, outlawed subcultures. Her name might be translated as The Harpy, or The She-Devil. If Ms. Infinity had known it, the presence of this painting was a major affront to Center’s leadership. Had any of Misery’s superiors known of its existence, she would have faced severe consequences; this figure was considered the ultimate evil. It was said that even speaking her name out loud might cause death and destruction. The legends that were whispered told that she was an evil spirit who had murdered her own husband and eaten her own children; she now preyed on children who disobeyed their fathers. Her portrait was there precisely because it was so forbidden. For Misery, she was a symbol of her ultimate rebellion.
However Betty Boring knew her by a very different name, and a radically different nature. In earlier generations, before she was known as The Harpy, she was known as The Dwelling. She was the symbol of the female aspect of the Higher Being. Even in Betty’s day, she was relatively obscure in culture that was already becoming increasingly patriarchal, yet she was very important to a segment of the population.
In the teachings that Betty had grown up with, The Dwelling was an omnipotent figure who could see, hear, and reach everything and everyone throughout the universe. She could potentially do great damage, but this was not her primary nature. Her first and most important role was empowerment. She would bring aid to the disadvantaged. It was said that anyone who prayed to her with a clear conscience was answered with courage and healing, and would be favored in struggles against the arrogant. And so when the military government took control, they outlawed all use of her name and her image. Open discussion of her was punishable by death. The story that remained was deeply corrupted. This was but one of many beliefs that had been distorted by the leadership.
Looking at the picture, Ms. Infinity felt only fear and apprehension. After she finished her labors, she quickly returned the portrait, and replaced the wall.
Soon after, she returned to her own ship and knocked on Hal’s door. “Oh Hal,” she called, “This is the moment you’ve been waiting for!”
“Alright Misery,” said Ms. Infinity, “Come and listen. Believe me when I tell you, this is something you want to hear.”
“So Misery, you are never, ever to attack the Earth again. If you do, things will not go well for you. Bearing that in mind, I have good news for you. You are returning home. I have your spaceship just outside.”
“And, what?” said Misery.
“And nothing,” answered Ms. Infinity, “Your army is gone. I took care of that. Also, I have completely overhauled your ship. It is permanently on autopilot. It can only take you home. I don’t know what exactly you can do for yourself, but that is not my concern. What is important is that this battle is over, and that the Earth is safe. That is my responsibility.”
With Hal waiting a few steps behind, Ms. Infinity opened the door to the prison cell at last. Misery quietly stepped out. For the first few moments, things seemed quiet. Misery walked next to Ms. Infinity. Hal was a few steps ahead. After beginning up the stairs, Misery spoke.
“You do have my communicator, don’t you?”
Ms. Infinity was confused, “Yes, I…”
“Are you sure? I think I left it back there.”
Ms. Infinity just barely turned her head. “Misery, this had better not be a…”
But by the time Ms. Infinity turned her head back, Misery was gone.
“Oh no, Misery!” she shouted, “Don’t you try anything! Wait here, Hal…Hal?”
She gasped. Hal was gone too.
22. And Scene!
As Lisa started away from The Big Box, she saw Betty Boring approaching. “Hi Mrs. B,” she said, “If you were coming to get Bonnie, she already left.”
“Ah no,” answered Betty sardonically, motioning upward with her eyes, “She’s already got her ride.”
“Uh, yeah,” said Lisa, “About that. I hate to do this. I mean, this is like the second time today I’m tattling on my best friend, but I’m concerned, and obviously there’s no one else I can talk to about this.”
“What is it, dear?”
“So maybe an hour ago, I noticed Bonnie running up to the roof. Then Hal went after her. Bonnie soon came back to shop, but Hal never came back. I saw she was trying to call you, but I also knew she was in a mad rush. I’m not sure, but from what Bonnie said, I think she and Hal must have gone together. I don’t know if you got my text…”
“Lisa, she was going into space!”
“Oh no, really?”
“And she’s fighting someone very dangerous, Misery from our old world. This is definitely not something she should be taking a date to.”
“Misery.” Lisa had not heard that name before, but from the few weird names she had heard from Bonnie and Betty’s native planet, she did know that the contemptuous ones like that were the ones given to females. Could she be the father’s mistress? A military connection such as that would likely be necessary for such a role, since there were clearly not many opportunities for women there. Lisa was also pretty sure that Bonnie’s father had threatened her, and was the reason for their flight to Earth. It would make sense if this attack were by someone tied to him. The tension in Betty’s eyes seemed to confirm this, but then she must also have been angry with herself, since Bonnie had obviously slipped away under her nose. It also seemed like Bonnie had her father on her mind, considering how upset she had gotten at Denny’s ignorant comment about “daddy’s credit card” the previous week.
“I am really sorry, Mrs. B!” said Lisa.
“It’s not your fault, honey,” said Betty, “I can’t imagine what possessed her.”
“Well, I have a pretty good idea what her intentions were. I mean, not to put too fine a line on it…”
“Lisa dear, I get it. I was young once too. She wants to join the ‘Light Year High Club,’ and if she thinks that she’s the first
person ever to try this kind of…”
Looking at Lisa’s wide-eyed reaction, Betty stopped herself, and cleared her throat. “Well Lisa,” she said, trying to regain her composure, “Look at her approach, too. I suggested she treat him as an equal. Doesn’t look much like she took that to heart. But most of all, she’s putting him in danger. This is not how I taught her…”
Betty stopped once again. There was something in Lisa’s eyes. Lisa had been close with Bonnie so long, she was now family to Betty too. And now the expression on her face conveyed more than her discomfort when reporting something disturbing about Bonnie. There was real worry in her eyes.
“My dear Lisa,” said Betty, “Are you alright?”
“Oh, never mind,” said Lisa, “You have bigger things to worry about.”
“No, honey. If you have a problem, you can always tell me.”
“It’s the boss. He accused me of stealing today, or at least making a serious mistake on a transaction somehow. Bonnie and I looked at the receipt, and we could tell by the timestamp that it wasn’t me. I was on break. Then he bullied me into leaving customer service. I found out afterwards that he’s been hanging around security and watching the cameras. He got my login that way. He’s going to help one of the women steal to bribe her into being quiet. He’ll be using my login instead of his own, so I get in trouble instead of him…”
“Honey, you’re talking a mile a minute. Quiet about what?”
“I saw him with her. From their conversation, I get that it’s sexual harassment. Maria, the runner said that he’s that way with a lot of the women. Then when he tried to force me off the register again, I refused. I yelled at him and told him I knew everything. He just sent me home with a write-up.”
“Bonnie has never said a word about this man. Has he threatened her too?”
“He has before. For one thing, there was an incident last week, over some handbags. That mostly wasn’t her fault either.”
“Well Lisa, I don’t want you to think I don’t care about what had happened to you. But please understand, sexual harassment is a pretty big deal. It’s disgusting on so many levels. This is a form of bullying, and nothing makes me angrier.”
“I’ve never really seen it up close before. I mean, I’ve certainly known many men who were patronizing to me. I’ve also known a lot who were intimidating. This guy is both of those things. I just didn’t see this going on before. Maybe I’m lucky, or just inexperienced. You know what really surprises me, though? The woman who he’s bribing really doesn’t act the way I would have expected. Earlier when I was talking about my troubles, she suggested I take advantage of my looks. She thinks I should flirt with him and basically string this guy along. I mean, how Neanderthal is that!”
Betty’s face was grave. “Please, don’t resent her. What she is suggesting is obviously wrong. It’s deeply sexist; it plays into the most harshly patriarchal impulses. But understand that it is a habit that exists in conditions of exploitation, a measure that has been used by those who have few other choices. It’s a desperate attempt to take control when there is no control. I urge you not to judge unless you have been in the other person’s shoes. Rather feel sympathy for someone in a difficult position. There are extreme cases of this out there. Think for instance of those who may have to resort to dehumanizing tactics when there is a life or death necessity, such as saving one’s child. In this case, I suppose it simply about this woman’s livelihood. Remember, she may also have more riding on this job than you.”
Lisa looked at Betty curiously, “I wonder…”
“It’s always hard to see another person’s point of view, dear. Either way, the important thing from your end is following your own conscience. I am impressed. You stood up to this man, and that’s wonderful. He should be the one who’s worried about his job, not you.”
“I know. I tried to tell the store manager about it before, but she wouldn’t listen. She said to take it up with my supervisor, and guess who that is.”
“She sounds lovely. I can’t believe Bonnie’s never mentioned this.”
“I know. She’s terrified of him. I don’t get it. She can melt him.”
“But Lisa dear, that should show you how little that really means. She is still a person with feelings. This kind of thing will hit Bonnie in a very personal way. Make no mistake. Bonnie may dazzle with her whole superhero biz, but that’s as much showmanship as it is anything. Powers? So what? She’s still vulnerable. Believe me, I know!”
“I don’t doubt it, but I might stop short at saying ‘so what.’ If it’s either of the two of us facing a mugger or rapist alone…”
Betty smiled warmly. “I’m sorry Lisa. You’re right. This too is the nature of power. One cannot help but take it for granted. Still, I don’t want you to think of her as invincible. She needs you as much as you need her. C’mon Lisa. Someone has to keep her from getting a swelled head.”
“You’re right,” said Lisa, “Her B.O. is Beyond Odious.”
“That’s the stuff! Look, this whole superhero thing is absurd and excessive. Maybe this is a prejudice. Once you’ve seen enough gratuitous shows of power, and suffered from them, you see things a certain way, fair or not. Look, I am very proud of my daughter. What she does is important. It’s just no reason for others to feel like less. Sure, she’s useful for sweeping up space rats, and posing for aerial photo ops. But it doesn’t mean that she’s greater than other heroes, the kind without costumes and powers.”
“I don’t know. I suppose…”
“You don’t know who I’m talking about, do you? I’m talking about you! You just stood up to a bully. That makes you a hero. You can put the word ‘super’ in front of it if you like, but it won’t change the importance of what you have done.”
“Wow! Thank you. I never thought of myself that way. I mean, I’ve always thought of heroes as police, firefighters, military, and such.”
“And they are. Absolutely. These are people who risk their lives every day. But there are many kinds of heroes. Think of teachers who sacrifice their time and energy for the good of their students, or doctors and nurses who sacrifice for their patients. And think your parents, who have given of themselves for many years to see that you have been safe and healthy, and that you grew up to be a strong adult. I must say, they both did a wonderful job. But Lisa, I want you to think about something else. You do have a power that many others haven’t. You have economic power.”
“I don’t follow.”
“Honey, you are middle class. You live with your parents. You are working towards becoming a nurse. This job is important to you for now, but it is only a step along the way to a better life with a more lucrative career. Even if you were to lose the job, you still have a home to return to, which you aren’t paying for. But there are many here who cannot lose this job. Their lives depend on it. And they can’t risk standing up to a boss like this. I would ask you please to understand that before you judge.”
“Yeah, it’s hard to admit it, but you’re right. I can pick on the woman who is extorting the boss. But then what do I really know? I’m not in her shoes. You know, I really admire Maria now. She puts up with a lot. She’s very sweet to me too. It’s really sad to see that she has to go to work every day and deal with him.”
“Well, sweetheart, it’s always sad for me when I see young people like you learning hard realities like this. But you know, it’s also very heartening. My dear Lisa! You also proved that there are good people even in the face of cruel realities like this. Look, I know it’s hard. You only have so much power in this situation.”
“The thing is, speaking of power, what about you and Bonnie. I mean, if you can...”
“Stop right there!” said Betty sharply, “Do not finish that thought. Do not even begin to entertain it. I assure you that you do not want what you think you want. I understand why it may sound great, having the world rearranged the way you think you want it, by powerful people who you assume will always have your best int
erests at heart. Let me tell you right now that you most certainly do not want that. Trust me when I tell you that it is a disaster. This is the genesis of dictatorship.”
Lisa looked at Betty with amazement. This was hardly the first time that she had heard this kind of talk from her; she frequently seemed to veer toward subjects like these sooner or later. Yet there was something ironic about this situation that impressed her. How odd was it that she faced this world with such tremendous abilities, but with nothing but suspicion for power itself. It seemed like anyone else in the world would kill for her powers, and would gladly use them in this and many other situations. But then, Lisa thought about her own power, such as Betty had described. It might just be useful now.
“I’m wondering,” said Lisa, “There must be more I can do. I can’t leave things like this. I mean, how can I?”
“Lisa, my dear, it is not anyone’s duty to solve all the world’s problems. You are one person. I believe nobody is absolved from the responsibility of working toward the common good, but I would not place undue burden on you. You have done your part for now.”
“But it’s not fair! You know, I don’t want to lose my job, but right now, that’s the least of it. Good people like Maria have to put up with that every day.”
“I’m glad you see that. But honey all this really isn’t on you.”
“Well, I want to do something. I believe I might just be in a position to help here. Do you think it’s wrong if I try?”
“My dear Lisa,” said Betty, “Bonnie made the most wonderful choice for a best friend. You know, when I say I’m proud of her, I hope you are too. When she succeeds, it has everything to do with you. You have done as much to see her towards the right path as I have. We are blessed to have you in our lives. Don’t ever forget that you are family to us. Honey, I want you to know you don’t ever have to do anything here. You might be putting yourself in a difficult situation.”
Ms. Infinity (Book 1): Earth's Greatest Hero Page 23