ENDER IN EXILE

That sentence struck Achilles like a blow with a sledgehammer. In all his life, he and his mother had kept his parentage a secret, just as no one had ever heard him called by his secret—but true—name, Achilles. It was always Randall this and Randall that; only in moments of tender privacy did Mother ever speak to him as Achilles. Only in his own mind did he call himself that name.

But Virlomi knew. How?

"I watched your supposed father murder children in cold blood," said Virlomi. "He murdered a good friend of mine. There was no provocation."

"That's a lie," said Achilles.

"Ah. You have a witness who will contradict me?"

"There was provocation. He was trying to unite the world and establish peace."

"He was a psychotic who murdered everyone who ever helped him—or saw him helpless."

"Not everyone," said Achilles. "He let you live."

"I didn't help him. I didn't thwart him. I stayed invisible, until at last I was able to escape from him. Then I set out to liberate my country from the cruel oppression he had unleashed upon us."

"Achilles Flandres was establishing world peace, and you brought war back to a country that he had pacified."

"But you have no problem with admitting that you believe the fantasy that he is your father."

"I think my mother knows more than anyone else about that."

"Your mother knows only what she was told. Because she's a surrogate—not your genetic mother. Your embryo was implanted in her. She was lied to. She has passed that lie down to you. You are nothing but another of Achilles' kidnap victims. And your imprisonment by him continues to this day. You are his last and most pathetic victim."

Achilles' hand lashed out before he could stop himself. The blow he struck was not hard—not as hard as his height and strength could have made it.

"I have been assaulted," said Virlomi quietly.

Two of her "friends" came into the hut. They took Achilles by the arms.

"I charge Randall Firth with assault on the governor. Under penalty of perjury, Randall, do you admit that you struck me?"

"What an absurd lie," said Achilles.

"I thought you'd say that," said Virlomi. "Three vids from different angles should substantiate the charge and the perjury. When you're convicted, Randall, I will recommend that your sentence be exile. To Earth—the place you seem to think would be infinitely preferable to Ganges. Your mother can go with you or not, as she chooses."

She played me like a fish, thought Achilles. My father would never have stood for this. Humiliation—the unbearable offense. That's how my father lived, and that's how I will live.

"The whole recording," said Achilles. "That's what they'll see—how you goaded me."

Virlomi rose smoothly to her feet and came close to him, putting her mouth close to his ear. "The whole recording," said Virlomi, "will show who you think your father is, and your approval of his actions, which still are seen as the epitome of evil by the entire human race."

She stepped back from him. "You can decide for yourself whether the whole record or an edited portion will be shown."

Achilles knew that this was the point where he was expected to make threats, to bluster pathetically. But the recording was still running.

"I see that you know how to manipulate a child," said Achilles. "I'm only sixteen, and you provoked me to anger."

"Ah, yes, sixteen. Big for your age, aren't you?"

"In heart and mind, as well as skin and bone," said Achilles—his standard answer. "Remember, Your Excellency the Governor, that setting me up is one thing, and knocking me out is another."

He turned—and then waited as the men clinging to his arms scrambled to move around again to be beside him. They left the hut together. Then Achilles stopped abruptly. "You do know that I can shake you off like houseflies if I feel like it."

"Oh, yes, Mr. Firth. Our presence was as witnesses. Otherwise our taking hold of you was merely symbolic."

"And you hoped I'd knock one of you down on camera."

"We hope that all men and women can live together without violence."

"But you don't mind being the victim of violence, if you can use it to discredit or destroy your enemy."

"Are you our enemy, Mr. Firth?"

"I hope not," said Achilles. "But your goddess wants me to be."

"Oh, she is not a goddess, Mr. Firth." They laughed as if the idea were absurd.

As Achilles walked away, he was already formulating his next move. She was going to use his father's reputation against him—and he did not believe she would keep it a secret, since she was right and any link between him and Achilles the Great would permanently besmirch him.

If my father is widely believed to be the worst man in human history, then I must find a worse one to link her with.

As for the claim that Mother was only a surrogate, Randall would not let Virlomi's lie come between him and his mother. It would break her heart for him even to question her motherhood of him. No, Virlomi, I will not let you turn me into a weapon to hurt my mother.

CHAPTER

21

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