Ender Returns to Earth *Currently Editing*

Chapter 2 - The Decision

Ender sat in the library, his ansible grasped tightly in his left hand. He had the time, so he leafed through the numerous messages he'd gotten since he had last checked his email. As usual, it was mostly congratulations from people who he'd known in Battle School, messages from his Jeesh hoping to stay in touch, and annoying announcements from the Governor of Eros.

It was boring. There had been nothing for him to do since the war ended over a year ago. The only thing he had been forced to endure was the occasional celebrity ogling by random workers, or requests for handshakes from fleet members who arrived to help transform command school into a full starship station. The praise and amazement had been gratifying at first, but it got old rather quickly. Aside from being an attraction for everyone that arrived, Ender was useless.

"You have to focus on your studies."Mazer Rackham said to him.  He had found Ender aimlessly wondering the tunnels on more than one occasion.

"Sure thing." Ender replied a little sarcastically. The keep the Wiggin boy busy learning about Star Ships studies is how he referred to the lessons behind Mazer's back. He didn't dare call them that in front of the old man. He was bored. He didn't have a death wish.

They could make up as many excuses as they wanted, but it was very clear to Ender. The Starship studies were a distraction. He was done. He had completed his duty of saving the human race, and now he was a nuisance. There was nothing he needed to train for. The war was over, and the I.F. was in the middle of restructuring. Even if he wanted one, they wouldn't give him a role in it. He'd been raised to destroy things, not mend them. He even contemplated wasting time on the simulator, but there wasn't any point. He'd already defeated the Buggers.

People would get a kick out of it. He could hear them talking about him already. I got to watch Ender Wiggin strategize in a simulated game of war. It was such an honour. He had experienced that reaction during his daily training routines at least a hundred times. People were so incessant. If Ender had known that this was what the world would be like after he won the war, he may have put in a bit less effort. At least his life would have had a purpose for a little while longer.

He sighed, resting his device on his lap. He had become so annoying that they were having him shipped far away. So far away that he wouldn't be able to come back. Well, he could, but by the time he did make it, everyone who he knew would be long dead. The idea didn't sound all that appealing.

DING. The computer made a noise as a new message appeared on the screen. It was from Graff. Ender's spirits lifted a little as he opened the file. Maybe Graff had something worthwhile for him to do before they shipped him off to the middle of nowhere. He doubted it, but he'd learned from experience that any message he got from Graff was something worthwhile.

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(2 Weeks Later)

Valentine sat on her bed staring at the wall for what seemed like forever. She was anxious. Would their Demosthenes and Locke essays work? Had they already worked? She didn't have any way of knowing. Just because she was an influential leader on the nets didn't mean that she had access to everything. As far as she knew, Ender had no idea about her and Peter's plan. She just hoped that she was doing the right thing for him. Their mother and father had expressed their desire for Ender to have a choice in it all. They made a pretty compelling argument despite the fact that it appeared to be coincidental. It was lucky Ender had her and Peter behind him. Without them, Valentine knew that Teresa and John Paul would've never thought of pursuing their idea. Sometimes she swore she was adopted...or raised by chimps. One of them had to be right.

She had convinced Peter, after a little bit of arguing, to do what was best for his brother. It was important to their parents that Ender would be given a choice. Both of them knew that, so they got to writing. She only wished she knew what her little brother's decision would be.