6500/Shaw and Tessa Discuss Things Again

Shaw and Tessa Discuss Things Again
Date of Scene:	09 June 2021
Location:	Shaw's Residence - Hellfire Club
Synopsis:	Shaw sends Tessa to go chat up Emma Frost.
Cast of Characters:	Sebastian Shaw, Tessa

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Sebastian Shaw has posed:
Evening at the Hellfire Club is dark, and dreary tonight, despite the sun outside. Shaw is sitting at his table, with a few papers spread out in front of him. One is today's newspaper, the Times of London. He is idly flipping through it as he considers the other things laid out nearby. These other papers seem to revolve around the news about Emma's new Mutant Town hotel. The man does not seem particularly engrossed with either item, rather moving from one, to the other, as his mind pleases.

Tessa has posed:
    The mood at the Club suits Tessa just fine, but less so when it seems to affect Sebastian Shaw himself. Tessa has rarely had good cause to fear Shaw - any more than a healthy respect for his power demands, anyway - but if the boss isn't happy, she isn't happy... for a variety of reasons.

    "Sir?" She announces herself gently as she enters the room, carrying a tablet under one arm. She approaches him and holds the tablet in both hands, holding it out to him respectfully. "The information you asked for on Ms. Frost's endeavors." She lets a moment pass before she prompts, "Is there anything else I can do for you, Mr. Shaw?"

Sebastian Shaw has posed:
The man does not seem UNhappy at the moment. Rather, just calculating. He turns another page of the newspaper, and then looks up as he hears Tessa enter. His eyes glance over her for more than a moment before he smiles and takes the tablet from her. His eyes scan quickly over the screen, before he sets it down in a spot that looks like it was made for it, and then looks over to Tessa.

"What is it you think we should do about Ms. Frost? I am unsure if I should continue to leave her out in the cold, and if that is costing the Club anything other than being perceived as being overly petty considering the...reasons she left." He asks, letting his eyes move from documents up to Tessa to watch her calculate the various possibilities in this situation.

Tessa has posed:
    Tessa goes silent, and her amber eyes subtly glaze over for a few moments in one of the few outward signs that she's... 'processing' harder than usual, and giving up a social nicety or two to do it. Normally she'd put more effort into a facade of normalcy, but... Shaw knows what her deal is.

    Tessa's eyes clear up, and she adjusts her glasses with one hand; her common tic. "Currently, perception itself is not an issue; but as Ms. Frost becomes more popular in the public eye, questions about her departure will take a life of its own. On her own merits, Ms. Frost is cunning, capable, charming, and sufficiently manipulative to become a major player in New York - and perhaps abroad - with relative ease; before even accounting for the staggering advantages allowed to her by her Mutation."

    Tessa clasps her hands behind her back and continues, "Destroying her would draw more eyes to us, and eliminate an economic force in New York City, though would allow for a more predictable future. On the other hand, by removing her, or keeping our distance, we seperate ourselves from potential resources, not the least of which is Ms. Frost herself."

    "However, if Ms. Frost should be..." Tessa tilts her head slightly, acknowledging with her body language that this is an uncertain option, "... pragmatic in her openness to reconcilliation, we could avoid issues of public perception, and potentially avail ourselves of her resources to some degree; moreso should our relationship strengthen over time. That approach is... not without its dangers, though I would perhaps prefer to keep such an element close enough to watch, than leave them to their own devices."

    Tessa bows slightly, signifying that she's finished, with a polite "Sir."

Sebastian Shaw has posed:
The long explanation from Tessa gets it's due consideration. The man listens and nods along, before, after the end of it he asks, "But, how does it make us look if we take her back into the fold less than a year after our split? Does that not suggest a vacillation on our part?" As he asks this, he picks up his glass, and tosses in a second, more useful query: "And what do we lose by looking weak in this way?"

Tessa has posed:
    "I don't know that that would be an issue, Sir." Tessa says softly, "Given the... unfortunate circumstances of Ms. Frost's departure, the details of it are not generally known. To most eyes we would simply be supporting and working with a proven ally... and if Ms. Frost WERE to do business with us, it would be in her best interests not to contradict that perception." Tessa adjusts her glasses once more. "If anything, allowing an asset like Ms. Frost to leave and become a formidable rival would reflect worse on us to others, in my estimation."

Sebastian Shaw has posed:
"That it is not widely known would not matter I should think in this instance. Rather, I would think it looks like we do not know how to keep our membership under control, but, perhaps by having her leave in the first place that was preordained." Shaw concedes, before he says, "I want you to set up a meeting with Ms. Frost. Unofficial. Something where you two can meet and discuss her feelings towards the Club and if she would be interested in returning. In her previous position."

Tessa has posed:
    Tessa nods her head and begins to say: "Yes, Sir. I-" then she hesitates when your phrasing registers. "Just... the two of us, Sir?"

Sebastian Shaw has posed:
"I do not believe Ms. Frost will meet with me, alone or otherwise, so you will have to act as the intermediary, yes. If you wish, perhaps you can convince Ms. Natchios to act as covert backup, but I do not believe you will need to do that. Ms. Frost probably won't kill you on sight. If she does, I will be very disappointed." Shaw replies, before he says, "Any other questions?"

Tessa has posed:
    Tessa's expression is a bit hard to read - it usually is - though she does seem a little more... tense than usual. "I... see." She says slowly, after a moment. "No. No more questions, Sir. I'll see it done."

Sebastian Shaw has posed:
"I look forward to hearing your report." Shaw replies, and then goes back to his reading. It's the perk of being the boss: you get to send people out to do the dirty work, while you..uh...analyze or whatever in the background.

Tessa has posed:
    Tessa bows once, briefly, and sees herself out. When the door is shut behind her, she grabs her tie with one hand, and takes a deep slow breath while straightening it. She's no stranger to meeting clients and prospects alone, but so far none of them have had a motive to kill her, even if perhaps not the inclination. But, after another breath or two, she straightens her shoulders. She can do that. She can do anything.

    She owes him.