Enders In Exile

By definition democratic, even if smug," said Virlomi.
    "Earth is ruled by an
evil dictatorship."
    "Earth is ruled by an
elected Congress, and presided over by an elected hegemon."
    "A hegemony established
through the murder of—"
    "Of the man you
mistakenly believe to be your father," said Virlomi.
    That sentence struck
Achilles like a blow with a sledgehammer. In all his life, he and his
mother had kept his parentage a secret, just as no one had ever heard
him called by his secret—but true—name, Achilles.
It was always Randall this and Randall that; only in moments of tender
privacy did Mother ever speak to him as Achilles. Only in his own mind
did he call himself that name.
    But Virlomi knew. How?
    "I watched your
supposed father murder children in cold blood," said Virlomi. "He
murdered a good friend of mine. There was no provocation."
    "That's a lie," said
Achilles.
    "Ah. You have a witness
who will contradict me?"
    "There was provocation.
He was trying to unite the world and establish peace."
    "He was a psychotic who
murdered everyone who ever helped him—or saw him helpless."
    "Not everyone," said
Achilles. "He let
you
live."
    "I didn't help him. I
didn't thwart him. I stayed invisible, until at last I was able to
escape from him. Then I set out to liberate my country from the cruel
oppression he had unleashed upon us."
    "Achilles Flandres was
establishing world peace, and you brought war back to a country that
he
had pacified."
    "But you have no
problem with admitting that you believe the fantasy that he is your
father."
    "I think my mother
knows more than anyone else about that."
    "Your mother knows only
what she was told. Because she's a surrogate—not your genetic
mother. Your embryo was implanted in her. She was lied to. She has
passed that lie down to you. You are nothing but another of Achilles'
kidnap victims. And your imprisonment by him continues to this day. You
are his last and most pathetic victim."
    Achilles' hand lashed
out before he could stop himself. The blow he struck was not
hard—not as hard as his height and strength could have made
it.
    "I have been
assaulted," said Virlomi quietly.
    Two of her "friends"
came into the hut. They took Achilles by the arms.
    "I charge Randall Firth
with assault on the governor. Under penalty of perjury, Randall, do you
admit that you struck me?"
    "What an absurd lie,"
said Achilles.
    "I thought you'd say
that," said Virlomi. "Three vids from different angles should
substantiate the charge
and
the perjury. When
you're convicted, Randall, I will recommend that your sentence be
exile. To Earth—the place you seem to think would be
infinitely preferable to Ganges. Your mother can go with you or not, as
she chooses."
    She played me like a
fish, thought Achilles. My father would never have stood for this.
Humiliation—the unbearable offense. That's how my father
lived, and that's how I will live.
    "The whole recording,"
said Achilles. "That's what they'll see—how you goaded me."
    Virlomi rose smoothly
to her feet and came close to him, putting her mouth close to his ear.
"The whole recording," said Virlomi, "will show who you think your
father is, and your approval of his actions, which still are seen as
the epitome of evil by the entire human race."
    She stepped back from
him. "You can decide for yourself whether the whole record or an edited
portion will be shown."
    Achilles knew that this
was the point where he was expected to make threats, to bluster
pathetically. But the recording was still running.
    "I see that you know
how to manipulate a child," said Achilles. "I'm only sixteen, and you
provoked me to anger."
    "Ah, yes, sixteen. Big
for your age, aren't you?"
    "In heart and mind, as
well as skin and bone," said Achilles—his standard answer.
"Remember, Your Excellency the Governor, that setting me up is one
thing, and knocking me out is another."
    He turned—and
then waited as the men clinging to his arms scrambled to move around
again to be beside him. They left the hut together. Then Achilles
stopped abruptly. "You do know that I can shake you off like houseflies
if I feel like it."
    "Oh, yes, Mr. Firth.
Our presence was as witnesses. Otherwise our taking hold of you was
merely symbolic."
    "And you hoped I'd
knock one of you down on camera."
    "We hope that all men
and women can live together without violence."
    "But you don't mind
being the victim of violence, if you can use it to discredit or destroy
your enemy."
    "Are you our enemy,