Ender's Game (Ender Wiggins Saga)

old charts up from the computer. No one has ever destroyed so many enemies and kept so many of his own soldiers whole in the history of the game.”
      "You're the best, Ender.”
      Ender shook his head. "Maybe. But it was no accident that I got the soldiers I got. Launchies, rejects from other armies, but put them together and my worst soldier could be a toon leader in another army. They've loaded things my way, but now they're loading it all against me. Bean, they want to break us down.”
      "They can't break you.”
      "You'd be surprised." Ender breathed sharply, suddenly, as if there were a stab of pain, or he had to catch a sudden breath in a wind; Bean looked at him and realized that the impossible was happening. Far from baiting him, Ender Wiggin was actually confiding in him. Not much. But a little. Ender was human and Bean had been allowed to see.
      "Maybe you'll be surprised," said Bean.
      "There's a limit to how many clever new ideas I can come up with every day. Somebody's going to come up with something to throw at me that I haven't thought of before, and I won't be ready.”
      "What's the worst that could happen? You lose one game.”
      "Yes. That's the worst that could happen. I can't lose any games. Because if I lose any --”
      He didn't explain himself, and Bean didn't ask.
      "I need you to be clever, Bean. I need you to think of solutions to problems we haven't seen yet. I want you to try things that no one has ever tried because they're absolutely stupid.”
      "Why me?”
      "Because even though there are some better soldiers than you in Dragon Army -- not many, but some -- there's nobody who can think better and faster than you." Bean said nothing. They both knew it was true.
      Ender showed him his desk. On it were twelve names. Two or three from each toon. "Choose five of these," said Ender. "One from each toon. They're a special squad, and you'll train them. Only during the extra practice sessions. Talk to me about what you're training them to do. Don't spend too long on any one thing. Most of the time you and your squad will be part of the whole army, part of your regular toons. But when I need you. When there's something to be done that only you can do.”
      "These are all new," said Bean. "No veterans.”
      "After last week, Bean, all our soldiers are veterans. Don't you realize that on the individual soldier standings, all forty of our soldiers are in the top fifty? That you have to go down seventeen places to find a soldier who isn't a Dragon?”
      "What if I can't think of anything?”
      "Then I was wrong about you.”
      Bean grinned. "You weren't wrong.”
      The lights went out.
      "Can you find your way back, Bean?”
      "Probably not.”
      "Then stay here. If you listen very carefully you can hear the good fairy come in the night and leave our assignment for tomorrow.”
      "They won't give us another battle tomorrow, will they?”
      Ender didn't answer. Bean heard him climb into bed.
      He got up from the floor and did likewise. He thought of a half dozen ideas before he went to sleep. Ender would be pleased -- every one of them was stupid.

12
 
Bonzo
     
     
      "General Pace, please sit down. I understand you have come to me about a matter of some urgency.”
      "Ordinarily, Colonel Graff, I would not presume to interfere in the internal workings of the Battle School. Your autonomy is guaranteed, and despite our difference in ranks I am quite aware that it is my authority only to advise, not to order, you to take action.”
      "Action?”
      "Do not be disingenuous with me, Colonel Graff. Americans are quite apt at playing stupid when they choose to, but I am not to be deceived. You know why I am here.”
      "Ah. I guess this means Dap filed a report?”
      "He feels paternal toward the students here. He feels your neglect of a potentially lethal situation is more than negligence -- that it borders on conspiracy to cause the death or serious injury of one of the students here.”
      "This is a school for children, General Pace. Hardly a matter to bring the chief of I.F. military police here for.”
      "Colonel Graff, the name of Ender Wiggin has percolated through the high command. It has even reached my ears -- I have heard him described modestly as our only hope of victory in the upcoming invasion. When it is his life or health that is in danger, I do not think it untoward that the military police take some interest in