ENDER IN EXILE

"He states that he was provoked. That it was all a setup. That a man of his size—if he had meant to hurt me, I'd be dead. He was merely trying to wake me up to the enormity of the lies I was telling and believing. His followers accept this explanation completely. Or don't care whether it's true or not."

"Well, it's nice that even while I'm in stasis, somebody found me useful," said Ender.

"It's not a joke," said Virlomi. "All over the nets, his revisionist view is gaining more and more acceptance. All the nonsense from Graff's court martial came into even more prominence. Pictures of the dead bodies of . . . those bullies . . ."

"Oh, I can guess," said Ender.

"You had to know before you got off the shuttle," said Virlomi. "He can't have known you were coming. He just chose this time to invoke your name. I think it's because I was using Achilles' name as the symbol of a monster. So he decided to use your name to outmonster Achilles. If it weren't for that horrible pack of lies called The Hive Queen, he wouldn't have found so much fertile ground for his nonsense."

"I did everything he accuses me of," said Ender. "Those boys died. So did all the formics."

"But you're not a murderer. I read those trial transcripts too, you know. I understood—I was in Battle School, I talked to people who knew you, we all knew how the adults shaped our lives and controlled us. And we all recognized that your devastating self-defense was perfect military doctrine."

Ender did what he always did when somebody tried to exonerate him—he shunted her words aside without comment. "Well, Virlomi, I'm not sure what you think I should do about this."

"You could get back on the ship and go."

"Is that what you're asking me to do?" asked Ender.

"He's not here to take over your job," said Valentine. "He's not a threat to you."

Virlomi laughed. "I'm not trying to get rid of your brother, Valentine. He's welcome to stay. If he does, then I will definitely need and take his help and advice. For my own sake, I'm happy he's here. Randall will have no choice but to turn all his hatred onto you. Please, stay."

"I'm glad you asked," said Ender. "I accept."

"No," said Valentine. "This is the kind of situation that leads to violence."

"I promise not to kill anybody, Valentine," said Ender.

"I'm talking about violence against you," she said.

"So am I," said Ender.

"If he chooses to whip a mob into a frenzy—"

"No," said Virlomi. "You have nothing to fear on that score. We will protect you fully."

"Nobody can protect anybody fully," said Valentine.

"Oh, I'm sure Virlomi's people will do a splendid job," said Ender. "As I said, I accept your kind invitation. Now, let's leave this boat and go ashore, neh?"

"As you wish," said Virlomi. "I'll be glad to have you. But I also warned you, and as long as this ship is still here, you're free to move on. You won't like it when Randall turns his wrath on you. He has a way with words."

"Just words?" said Ender. "So he's nonviolent?"

"So far," said Virlomi.

"Then I'm safe," said Ender. "Thank you for the great honor you paid me. Please let it be known that I'm here. And that I really am that Andrew Wiggin."

"Are you sure?" asked Virlomi.

"Insane people are always sure," said Valentine.

Ender laughed, and so Virlomi did, too—a nervous chuckle.

"I'd invite you to join me for supper tonight," said Virlomi, "only one of my affectations is to eat little, and of course, as a Hindu, I eat an entirely vegetarian cuisine."

"Sounds excellent," said Valentine.

"Tell us when and where, and we'll be there," said Ender.

With a few more parting words, Virlomi left.

Valentine turned on Ender, angry and sad, both at once. "Did you bring me here to watch you die?"

"I didn't bring you anywhere," said Ender. "You just came."

"That doesn't answer my question."

"Everyone dies, Valentine. Mother and Father are dead. Peter is dead. Graff is probably dead by now."

"You forget that I know you, Ender," said Valentine. "You have decided to die. You've decided to provoke this boy into killing you."

"Why would you think that?"

"Look at the names you chose for passwords, Ender! You can't live with the guilt."

"Not guilt, Val," said Ender. "Responsibility."

"Don't make this boy kill you," said Valentine.

"I won't make anybody do anything. How about that?"

"I should have stayed home and watched Peter conquer the world."

"Oh, no, Valentine. We're on a much more interesting trajectory through space-time."

"I'm not going to sleep through my life like you are, Ender. I have work to do. I'm going to write my histories. I'm not burdened with a death wish."

"If I wished to be dead," said Ender, "I would have let Bonzo Madrid and his friends beat my brains out in a bathroom in Battle School."

"I know you," said Valentine.

"I know you think you do," said Ender. "And if I die, you'll think I chose to. The truth is much more complicated. I don't intend to die. But I'm not afraid of the risk of death. Sometimes a soldier has to put himself in harm's way in order to achieve victory."