Together

Chapter 35 ★ Amy

The next day I walk into the sim room and take my seat sullenly. My squadron huddled around me in a quiet circle of understanding. They think it's just the simulation that I'm worried about.

★★★

A few minutes later the room quiets down. I see Ender appear on his viewing platform.

"Are you there?" I hear him whisper into his comms unit.

"All of us," Bean replies. "Kind of late for practice this morning, aren't you?"

Ender hesitates a moment before responding with a "Sorry, I overslept." The others laugh, most likely out of disbelief. He's a horrible liar about the mundane.

Ender warmed us up, then we waited anxiously for the battle to pop up. Something fluttered through my thoughts while we waited in the dark. An old song that I used to love. How long has it been since I was allowed to listen to music? I can't remember.

The enemy formation then decides to make it's appearance. Swarms flood the screens. Droves of enemy fighters, and a... is that a planet they're protecting?

"Holy..." Allie tries before trailing off. They numbers say that we're outnumbered about a thousand to one.

"Mother of God..." I hear Petra breathe. Sam is almost panicking and Lou is at a loss for words. My squadron stares slack jawed at the screens. How is Ender gonna pull us through this?

I have no doubt he will. He always has. But how?

[][][]

He heard his Toon Leaders breathing heavily. The observers behind him let out muffled curses. It was nice to know that the adults noticed it wasn't a fair test. Not that it made any difference. Fairness wasn't part of the game, that was plain. They gave him no chance to succeed, even after all of his training.

He saw Bonzo and his friends, confronting him, threatening him. He's been able to shame Bonzo into fighting him alone, but that would never work here. And he could surprise them as he had the older boys in the battleroom. Mazer knew Ender's abilities inside and out.

I don't care anymore. You can keep your game. If you won't even give me a chance, why should I play?

Like his last game in Battle School, when they put two armies against him.

And just as he remembered that game, Bean remembered too.

"Remember, the enemy's gate is down." Molo, Soup, Vlad, Dumper, and Crazy Tom all laughed. They remembered too.

I won't let you beat me unfairly—I'll beat you unfairly first. ³

★★★

I hear faint laughter from Ender's direction and look around confusedly. What's so funny? We're about to be obliterated.

"The enemy's gate is down," I hear Bean whisper to the squadron leaders. Our battleroom motto.. are we...? We're outnumbered, just like in our last battle at Battle School. A smile flits across my face as I reorient my simulator screen, glancing around to find others doing the same.

The enemy's gate is down.

★★★

Ender had us form a cylinder around our chosen Little Doctor. We headed towards the drives of formic fighters and the planet they guarded.

Their formation opened, allowing us closer to their demise.

Ender moved us this and that way, up, down, left, right, but always inching forward. Then, their formations constricted, and with no verbal cues all fighters burst from their positions, wreaking chaos and havoc.

"Fall in," Ender whispered, and all remaining fighters resumed positions around Doctor Device. Many made it, many didn't, but we had passed the largest group of formics standing in our way. My entire squadron was still in fighting shape, I noted proudly.

We continued our randomness, feining attacks, flitting around​, but moving ever closer. Ender whispers once again, and we drop as rapidly as possible towards their planet. My stomach lurches as I realize what he's planning.

No! Ender! It's not a game!

I want to scream. I allow my fighter to be incinerated in the atmosphere. My squadron looks at me confusedly, but I don't care. Tears flow freely as I watch the destruction. I will not help destroy a planet.

My stomach lurches around as I watch the Device's targeting sensors flash red. Closer, and closer they drop, but the ever persistent red flashing remains. Red, red, red...green. The flash happens instantaneously, causing the remaining fighters to be swept up in the dazzling chain reaction that is the M.D. Device. The swarms and droves of untouched formics follow, clouds of molecules spreading forever outward until gravity pulls them back together in a smaller lump then could ever have been originally conceivable.

Crying comes from Ender's platform. His viewers. They'll most likely break the news to him that it wasn't a game. I hear confused shouts from the aviation floor, then black words flash across the simulator screen.

RETURN TO YOUR DORMS. DO NOT LEAVE UNLESS DIRECTED TO BY A SUPERIOR OFFICER.

The formic wars have ended, but the bloodshed has just begun.

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³ Orson Scott Card, Ender's Game, pages 292-294