"General, we've lost contact with Edwin's team."
The room grew tense.
Kryptonian elite soldiers, defeated by a single Earth native. Three against one, yet they lost.
Zod's face tightened, his voice low. "Incompetent."
Despite his words, he remained composed. His team was skilled; this Earthling, capable of defeating Edwin's group in moments, was no ordinary foe.
"Recall Fiora to the main control room."
"Yes, General."
The situation had shifted, forcing Zod to adapt. If this Earthling could defeat Edwin's team, Fiora's group was at risk. He couldn't let them be picked off one by one.
But this left them vulnerable. The Fortress of Solitude wasn't their ship, and its systems were unfamiliar. If the Earthling and the AI collaborated, things could spiral out of control.
Zod gritted his teeth. Had he known this native was so formidable, he would've acted decisively from the start.
Still, there was a chance to turn things around.
He approached the girl, removed the restraint from her face, and said coolly, "Don't expect your Earth friend to save you. With me here, that's impossible. Your only option is to negotiate. I'll ensure no one is harmed if you surrender control of the Fortress."
Linda scoffed, glaring. "Using a woman as leverage? You're no Kryptonian soldier. Pathetic."
Zod's expression darkened, but he held back his anger. "Kara Zor-El, you've let an outsider into the Fortress of Solitude, a beacon of Krypton's future. You've betrayed your people and your heritage. By our laws, I could act against you now."
"Go ahead!" Linda snapped, fearless. "If you're so bold, do it."
Zod's eyes narrowed, his anger rising, but logic prevailed. The Fortress's AI served the El family. Harming Kara could provoke an unpredictable response.
A soldier stepped forward. "General!"
Zod exhaled, calming himself. "Tell Fiora to hurry. We can't give the enemy any openings."
Linda smirked. "Dru Zod, you're a failure. Krypton doesn't need a general like you—never did, never will."
"Silence her," Zod ordered.
"Yes, General."
The soldier reattached the restraint.
A voice crackled from above. "General Zod, we need to talk."
The broken Kryptonian drew frowns. Zod responded, "You're the Earthling."
"Sharp, General. Unlike those three, who kept calling me 'native.' Annoying enough to make me lose my temper."
"Edwin's team is with you."
"Yep. Want to know how they're doing?"
"Not necessary. They're alive?"
"Very much. Unlike you, I care about lives."
Zod snorted. "Soldiers fall in battle. They lost due to their own shortcomings. But you, Earthling—I underestimated you." He signaled Fiora and her team at the door, who activated their AI to locate Luke.
"Is that a compliment, General?"
"Take it as you like."
"An honor, then. But your men are in bad shape, and I'd rather avoid trouble. Let's make a deal."
"Name your terms."
"Release Linda, and I'll return your team."
"Do you think I'll agree?"
"Your call. They're your people. Three minutes to decide. I'll check back."
"Until then, General Zod."
The channel closed.
The soldiers exchanged uneasy glances, their thoughts racing. Did this Earthling just call the general "dear"? Was he… flirting?
Linda's eyes widened, confused. Why would he use that term in front of everyone?
On Krypton, "dear" was reserved for spouses, a deeply personal term. Luke, unaware of the cultural nuance, had stumbled into a misunderstanding.
The room grew awkward. Zod's fists clenched, his face cycling through shades of red and purple. The leader of Krypton, called "dear" by a man in front of his troops?
"Fiora, find that Earthling. I want him stopped, no matter the cost."
"Yes, General."
Fiora, equally grim, vowed to capture the native. Her general's honor was at stake.
With the engineers, she launched a full-scale attempt to breach the Fortress's systems. But Jor-El's AI design proved formidable, resisting their efforts.
Three minutes passed with no progress. Luke's voice returned.
"General, decided yet?"
Zod's eyes blazed with fury. "Kryptonians don't negotiate."
"Figured you'd say that. So…"
The control room doors parted, revealing a sleek black suit glowing faintly blue.
"I brought your people."