Enders In Exile

rid of all the major predators on this planet."
    "There's no
self-respecting predator would eat an old wad of gristle like me."
    "I was thinking of my
son."
    "He won't want to eat
me either, even if we run out of food."
    That night, Sel went to
bed early and then, as usual, got up to pee after only a few hours of
sleep. He noticed that the ansible was blinking. Message.
    Not my problem.
    Well, that wasn't true,
was it? If Wiggin's authority didn't begin until he set foot on the
planet, then Sel was still acting governor. So any messages from Earth,
he had to receive.
    He sat down and
signaled that he was ready to receive.
    There were two messages
recorded. He played the first one. It consisted of the face of the
Minister of Colonization, Graff, and his message was brief.
    "I know you're planning
to skip town before Wiggin gets there. Talk to Wiggin before you go. He
won't try to stop you, so relax."
    That was it.
    The other message was
from Wiggin. He looked his age, but his adult height was coming on him.
In the colony, teenagers his size were expected to do a man's work, and
got a man's vote in the meetings. So maybe his position wouldn't be as
awkward as Sel expected.
    "Please contact me by
ansible as soon as you get this," said Ender. "We're in radio distance,
but I don't want anyone else to be able to intercept the signal."
    Sel toyed with the idea
of turning the message over to Ix to answer, but decided against it.
The point wasn't to hide from Wiggin, was it? Only to leave the field
clear for him.
    So he signaled his
intention to make a connection. It took only a few minutes for Wiggin
to appear. Now that the colony ship wasn't traveling at a relativistic
speed, there was no time differential, and therefore the ansible
transmitted instantly. Not even the time lag of radio.
    "Governor Menach," said
Ender Wiggin. He smiled.
    "Sir," Sel replied. He
tried to smile back, but . . . this was Ender Wiggin he was talking to.
    "When we got word that
you were leaving, my first thought was to beg you to stay."
    Sel ignored him. "I was
glad to see on the manifest a full range of beasts of burden as well as
milk, wool, egg, and meat beasts. Are they Earth-natural, or have they
been genetically altered to digest the local vegetation?"
    "Your methods were very
promising at the time we left, but did not prove out until we were well
under way. So all the animals and plants we brought with us are
Earth-natural. They're all in stasis, and can be maintained in that
condition on the surface for some time, even after the ship leaves. So
there'll be time to make the alterations on the next generation."
    "Ix Tolo has ongoing
projects of his own, but I believe he'll be able to train your new
xenos in the techniques."
    "Ix Tolo will remain
the head xenobiologist, in your absence," said Wiggin. "I've seen his
work in recent weeks—years, to you. You've trained him to an
exacting standard, and the xenos on this ship intend to learn from him.
Though they're hoping you'll return soon. They want to meet you. You're
something of a hero to them. This is the only world that has
non-formiform flora and fauna. The other colonies have been working
with the same genetic groups—this is the only world that
posed unique challenges, so you had to do, alone, what all the other
colonies were able to do cooperatively."
    "Me and Darwin."
    "Darwin had more help
than you," said Wiggin. "I hope you'll keep your radio dormant instead
of off. Because I want to be able to ask for your counsel, if I need
it."
    "You won't. I'm going
back to bed now. I have a lot of walking to do tomorrow."
    "I can send a skimmer
after you. So you don't have to carry your supplies. It would increase
your range."
    "But then the old
settlers will expect me to come back soon. They'll be waiting for me
instead of relying on you."
    "I can't pretend that
we're not able to track you and find you."
    "But you can tell them
that you're showing me the respect of not trying. At my request."
    "Yes," said Ender.
"I'll do that."
    There was little more
to say. They signed off and Sel went back to bed. He slept easily. And,
as usual, woke just when he wanted to—an hour before dawn.
    Po was waiting for him.
    "I already said
good-bye to Mom and Dad," he said.
    "Good," said Sel.
    "Thanks for letting me
come."
    "Could I have stopped
you?"
    "Yes," said Po. "I
won't disobey you, Uncle Sel." All the grandchildren generation called
him that.
    Sel nodded. "Good. Have
you eaten?"
    "Yes."
    "Then let's