Énouement

Chapter Thirteen

True to his word, Bonzo trained me that afternoon. I didn't see Ender or Petra in the battleroom. I didn't want to ask though, in case she was not supposed to be training him. Bonzo explained to me that there were multiple battlerooms, and that when one was being used, another would rotate into place. Apparently all of the school were just wheels upon wheels, with a battle room in the center.

Bonzo taught me drills, maneuvers, and how to use my weapon. He said that we would work on physical strength and hand-to-hand combat later. During practice with the army, he had Ender bring his desk and do his school work in the corner of the room. Me however, he had off in another corner directing me quietly, while his toon leaders dealt out his instructions. He had to have all the soldiers in the battleroom, but he did not have to use them all. I hope the Ender wouldn't resent me for this, because I wasn't about to go against Bonzo and be treated like Petra.

While I was working with Bonzo, I knew that Ender did not do his school work. He was studying Bonzo as a tactician. Salamander army was divided into the standard four toons. Most commanders set it up so that A toon consisted of the best soldiers and D toon had the worst. Bonzo had mixed them, so that each consisted of good and weaker soldiers. Except that B toon had only 9 boys. I didn't know who had been transferred to make room for Ender. Bonzo had said that the one I replaced had graduated. The leader of B toon was new however, and not very good. No wonder Bonzo was so disgusted, he had to lose a toon leader to get Ender. But Bonzo is right. Ender nor I were ready.

All the time was spent working on maneuvers. Performing precision operations together with the exact timing; to practice using each other to make sudden changes of direction without hesitation. All the soldiers took for granted skills that Ender and I didn't have. The ability to make a soft landing and absorb most of the shock. Accurate flight. Coarse adjustment using the frozen soldiers floating around randomly throughout the room. Aerial maneuvers.

Even as I learned all these things that I did not know, I saw so many things that can be improved on. The formations are a mistake. They meant a solider could instantly respond to a commsnd but also meant that they are predictable. Individual soldiers were rarely given initiative. I wondered if this was battleschool style, or simply Bonzo's style. He did seem like a control freak so it was probably the latter.

I didn't get much of an opportunity to talk to Ender about any of this. Petra seemed to not want me to be near Ender and Bonzo seemed to not want Ender near me. I sometimes wonder if Ender was drifting away from me on purpose. Even during free play he wouldn't let me near him, but rather Petra. It was on one of these nights and Ender was asking Petra to practice with him.

"No," she said. "I want to be a commander someday, so I've got to play in the gameroom." It was common belief that the teachers monitor the games and spotted potential commanders there. Ender didn't believe so but I did. But maybe that was because my hippie parents taught me that the government was always watching you. Ender didn't argue with her though. I knew after breakfast practice was generous enough, and he didn't want to push it. Still he needed to practice.

"Ender? Do you maybe want to practice with me? I know I'm not Petra, but it's better than just being alone right?"

He stared at me and I was afraid that he wouldn't want to do anything with me. That I had lost him to Petra. Then he smiled.

"Sure Tori. We haven't practiced together in a long time. Do you think that maybe we should also invite Alai and Shen?" I tilted my ahead and thought about it for a second.

"I don't see why not. I mean, other soldiers don't practice with Launchies, but there's no rule against it. And most soldiers didn't just get transferred early."