Ender Returns to Earth *Currently Editing*

Chapter 8: The Trial

Days past like minutes as the trial neared closer and closer. In Ender's mind it couldn't come quick enough. The pain and suffering he had caused in and before BattleSchool must be brought out into the open. Both Colonel Graff and Admiral Rackham felt the same way, though they both didn't show it as they all prepped what they were going to say. Graff called it strategy so that out of the three of them, nobody would be shocked with what the others said.

"This only works if I speak of what I truly believe", said Ender. "I'm not going to go in there and recite word for word what I came up with a couple of days before. Everyone will think that other people have to write speeches for me. It'll only enhance the belief that I'm a child murderer with no humanity."

Graff took a moment to think about this. "Okay. As long as you remember everything and don't do something idiotic."

"I wouldn't dream of it", said Ender. "Now may I go?"

"You're excused Admiral. We will see to it that an officer will escort you and your family to a vehicle at 0500."

Ender nodded and left the room. The trial was less than 24 hours away, and he couldn't be less prepared. Graff and Rackham could only guess what the officials at the Court Martial would put on the table. The main point; however, was the mistreatment of BattleSchool children and the plan to exile Ender once more. Tomorrow let it be known, thought Ender, that I'll be on this planet. He laughed silently at the thought. He would hate being a modern class civilian in this day and age. There's no way they could guess all of what the government was hiding from them. It was simply just another form of manipulation on their part. Almost as if the government was Colonel Hyrum Graff, and the everyday citizens of Earth were Ender himself. It was a large scale representation, but just.

Finally, as Ender made his way back to the barracks from Graff's office, the room was empty. He could get some sleep before all of the fingers were pointed at him and the I.F.

* * * * * * * *

"I don't like that you're ignoring mother and father", said Valentine. "They've been worried about you, and all you've been doing is running off to be with Hyrum Graff."

She looked at Ender who was straightening out a new, more fancy military uniform that the I.F. Had supplied for him. It was the big day of the Court Martial, and still he hadn't connected with their parents. It was starting to bug her, and frankly it made him look cocky.

"I don't have time for this Valentine", Ender argued as she expected he would.

"Yeah well our parents waited for 7 years. So I think that you owe them the time." She tried to make her voice firm, but she knew that it came out sounding hostile. Her emotions had just consumed her for a mere second. He was making her too angry.

"I don't owe them anything!" He snapped back. This caught her off guard and she stayed silent for a moment.

"Now if you're going to continue bringing it up I suggest you stay here." Ender looked at her plainly and she realized she was out of line. Though, she was sure that he would now make it a priority later with or without her help.

"None of us have to go", she said. "But the only reason we are is because we want to support you." Then she turned away, and went back to the room. He'd think that she was crazy for sure. She had gone into the men's bathroom in order to make her point, but her initial goal had worked. Whether Ender saw it that way or not. She knew that she just sent him right to their parent's feet.

"Aw if I didn't know any better I would say someone actually looked pretty." Peter smirked at her as Valentine entered wearing a petty typical dress.