Ender's Game (Ender Wiggins Saga)

kinds of reasons," said Graff. "Because they have an overcrowded system and they've got to colonize. Because they can't stand the thought of other intelligent life in the universe. Because they don't think we are intelligent life. Because they have some weird religion. Because they watched our old video broadcasts and decided we were hopelessly violent. All kinds of reasons.”
      "What do you believe?”
      "It doesn't matter what I believe.”
      "I want to know anyway.”
      "They must talk to each other directly, Ender, mind to mind. What one thinks, another can also think; what one remembers, another can also remember. Why would they ever develop language? Why would they ever learn to read and write? How would they know what reading and writing were if they saw them? Or signals? Or numbers? Or anything that we use to communicate? This isn't just a matter of translating from one language to another. They don't have a language at all. We used every means we could think of to communicate with them, but they don't even have the machinery to know we're signaling. And maybe they've been trying to think to us, and they can't understand why we don't respond.”
      "So the whole war is because we can't talk to each other.”
      "If the other fellow can't tell you his story, you can never be sure he isn't trying to kill you.”
      "What if we just left them alone?”
      "Ender, we didn't go to them first, they came to us. If they were going to leave us alone, they could have done it a hundred years ago, before the First Invasion.”
      "Maybe they didn't know we were intelligent life. Maybe--”
      "Ender, believe me, there's a century of discussion on this very subject. Nobody knows the answer. When it comes down to it, though, the real decision is inevitable: if one of us has to be destroyed, let's make damn sure we're the ones alive at the end. Our genes won't let us decide any other way. Nature can't evolve a species that hasn't a will to survive. Individuals might be bred to sacrifice themselves, but the race as a whole can never decide to cease to exist. So if we can, we'll kill every last one of the buggers, and if they can they'll kill every last one of us.”
      "As for me," said Ender, "I'm in favor of surviving.”
      "I know," said Graff. "That's why you're here.”

14
 
Ender's Teacher
     
     
      "Took your time, didn't you, Graff? The voyage isn't short, but the three month vacation seems excessive.”
      "I prefer not to deliver damaged merchandise.”
      "Some men simply have no sense of hurry. Oh well, it's only the fate of the world. Never mind me, You must understand our anxiety. We're here with the ansible, receiving constant reports of the progress of our starships. We have to face the coming war every day. If you can call them days. He's such a very little boy.”
      "There's greatness in him. A magnitude of spirit.”
      "A killer instinct, too, I hope.”
      "Yes.”
      "We've planned out an impromptu course of study for him. All subject to your approval, of course.”
      "I'll look at it. I don't pretend to know the subject matter, Admiral Chamrajnagar. I'm only here because I know Ender. So don't be afraid that I'll try to second guess the order of your presentation. Only the pace.”
      "How much can we tell him?”
      "Don't waste his time on the physics of interstellar travel.”
      "What about the ansible?”
      "I already told him about that, and the fleets. I said they would arrive at their destination within five years.”
      "It seems there's very little left for us to tell him.”
      "You can tell him about the weapons systems. He has to know enough to make intelligent decisions.”
      "Ah. We can be useful after all, how very kind, We've devoted one of the five simulators to his exclusive use.”
      "What about the others?”
      "The other simulators?”
      "The other children.”
      "You were brought here to take care of Ender Wiggin.”
      "Just curious. Remember, they were all my students at one time or another.”
      "And now they are all mine. They are entering into the mysteries of the fleet, Colonel Graff, to which you, as a soldier, have never been introduced.”
      "You make it sound like a priesthood.”
      "And a god. And a religion. Even those of us who command by ansible know the majesty of flight among the stars. I can see you find my mysticism distasteful. I assure you that your distaste only reveals your ignorance. Soon enough Ender