Reunion with kneel_majorzod

[have_no_mercy]

For any other reason, Tess wouldn't do this. She's tired, fat, cranky and moody and the last thing she wants right now is company and a potentially stressful conversation, but she needs to know what happened. And that means she needs to talk to Zod in person. Right now.

That doesn't mean she has to be happy about it, even if she is somewhat relieved that he isn't dead after all. Not that she ever really thought he was and wasn't worried at all about him. No.

She suspects he'll remember their usual conduct for these types of meetings and waits for him to arrive in the mansions's study, resting on her chaise, an arm over her forehead.

Comments

[have_no_mercy]

Tess just rolls her eyes. "Playing his little game is what's kept me alive. Which has kept you alive. I'd think about that if I were you."

[kneel-majorzod.livejournal.com]

He falls silent and studies her a moment. "I'm not so sure. Something is certainly keeping you alive, but I don't think your playing his game is the extent of it. He's the one who keeps coming back, and for what? Entertainment? Honestly, he doesn't seem the sort of man who needs to go to such trouble to be entertained." Another pause. "Maybe he can't afford to kill you. He obviously needs you for something, and I don't think we want to wait and find out what it is."

[have_no_mercy]

There are so many responses she could make to that, but something tells her Zod doesn't want to hear any of them. Instead, she'll keep it brief, and actually relevant. "We seem to be oh-for-two on action plans. I don't think we have much choice but to wait."

[kneel-majorzod.livejournal.com]

Her relevance seems to be appreciated, as he spares her a glare this time. There is a loud sigh, however, though it's not really directed at her. "Then he wins."

[have_no_mercy]

"Patience is part of the game, Major," she chastises quietly. "I know how difficult that is for you, but in this case you're just going to have to deal with it, because I don't see any other way of finding out what he wants."

[kneel-majorzod.livejournal.com]

Okay, there might be a glare now. Just a little one. "And you're completely willing to sit and wait for him to share that piece of information with us, are you? Honestly, I don't care what he wants anymore. It's become increasingly apparent that it doesn't coincide with our own goals. Not mine, at any rate."

[have_no_mercy]

Oh, he's going to get one right back.

"And what the hell is that supposed to mean?"

[kneel-majorzod.livejournal.com]

Well, then, hers will be matched. "It means that I think waiting for him to finish his game is a big mistake. And no, I don't know how we're going to go about stopping him, but we can start by not playing right into his hands."

[have_no_mercy]

"You don't think our goals are the same anymore." Because Tess doesn't have the patience for beating around the bush. Right now, anyway.

[kneel-majorzod.livejournal.com]

"That's not what I meant," Zod replies firmly. "If I thought that, I wouldn't be here. But I do think our common goals are suffering considerably because of Darkseid's presence."

[have_no_mercy]

"Murder, kidnapping and torture will do that." Whether she's convinced by his affirmation or not remains undetermined. "What so you propose we do, then, ignore him and go about our plans until he makes himself more of a problem than he already is?"

[kneel-majorzod.livejournal.com]

He considers her grimly. "We need nothing he has to offer, yet he seems to need you. It's the only advantage we have, so we find a way to use it against him. It isn't much, but it's a start."

He actually smiles then, bitterly. "And since I'm apparently absolutely useless in all of this, I'll focus on our plans."

[have_no_mercy]

Tess regards him silently for a moment. "I think you're placing far too much importance on me personally. I'm merely a human who can hold my own with him. That amuses him, much like it did you at one time. Nothing more."

[kneel-majorzod.livejournal.com]

"He's not like me." Just so that's made perfectly clear. "And again, I'm not convinced he's coming back for amusement alone."

[have_no_mercy]

"I deal in information, Major, and he already knows everything I do," she points out. "I don't have anything else to offer but amusement." At least she knows it.

[kneel-majorzod.livejournal.com]

Zod sighs wearily. "You think he went to the trouble of seeking you out purely for his own amusement, then?" It's a genuine question.

[have_no_mercy]

"Not initially, no, but I do think I turned out to be a bit more entertaining than he'd expected." She sighs softly, resting an arm over her abdomen. "This is all rather moot, regardless. It's not as if he and I have a standing Wednesday night chess game. He hasn't 'come back' for anything in some time, so whatever it was, it seems to have run its course."

[kneel-majorzod.livejournal.com]

He glances at her with a barely detectable air of disappointment. "You think it's too late to use that to our advantage, then."

[have_no_mercy]

"I don't see how it would give us an advantage to begin with." Tess glances at him curiously. "What exactly is it you expect me to do?"

[kneel-majorzod.livejournal.com]

"At the very least, it would give us some measure of control," Zod sighs down at the floor. "If he needs you to achieve what he wants and isn't willing to hurt you in the process...well, you could change his game."

[have_no_mercy]

She remains genuinely confused. "So you... want me to start making a nuisance of myself? Push him for information, make demands or what, I'll cut off contact?"