{Scraps Of Story}

{Scraps Of Story} Mar 24, 2012 21:32:13 GMT -5

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Post by Ally is tentatively back on Mar 24, 2012 21:32:13 GMT -5

GAH. With the Ender series muse. Curse you, Ele/Kay. -grumble-

{Set a few years after "Speaker for the Dead."}

It was an almost calm day in Milagre... Until Jane reported a captain of a small starship attempting contact.

"Mayor Bosquinha, who is this?" The mayor's voice was sharp, confused by the arrival of this strange ship. Also in the room were the Bishop, Dom Cristao, Ender, and Novinha.

The voice, coming from the pictureless terminal, was deep and calm. "Julian Delphiki speaking. I heard you had a problem, figured you could use a couple more brilliant minds on the project."

Everyone tensed. "And how, Mr. Delphiki, could you hear anything?" Bosquinha asks coldly.

A chuckle. "I hear everything, Mayor. It's my job to hear things."

"Why are you here in the first place?"

A pause. "Well..." And then another chuckle. "I've been trailing after my old commander for three thousand years, and he came here."

There was a shocked silence. And then Ender spoke up. "What?"

"Ho, Ender." The voice says cheerily. "Knew you'd be listening in."

Ender grimaces. "I don't remember anyone I ever commanded being named "Julian.""

Another maddening chuckle. "Well, obviously, that isn't what I went by in battle school. Permission to land and continue this discussion inside the atmosphere?"

"Granted." Bosquinha cut in.

~

The ship was old, no doubt about it. As it landed, a hatch opened, revealing a small child that didn't match up to the voice they had heard. The kid -and hadn't he seen one this size who carried himself like this before?- strode straight up to Ender and said, "Ender Wiggin, right?" Ender nodded. The boy smiled and held out -and up- a hand. "I'm Sarge." He looked around at the group. "Follow me."

As they followed, Novinha posed the question, "Why didn't the man we spoke to come meet us?"

Sarge grimaced. "Dad doesn't leave the ship anymore." He stated. They followed him into the ancient starship.

There was no gravity in the ship, as they noticed immediately. A little girl was waiting right inside. "Dad's waiting." She said simply.

"I know, Carlotta." Sarge said exasperatedly. They both led the adults further into the ship.

Waiting in what could only be the control room, was obviously Julian Delphiki.

He was at least nine feet tall, and well-proportioned. His hair was inky black, and his dark eyes sparkled with intelligence in a kind -if sorrowful- face. He stood to greet them, moving easily in the lack of gravity. A huge hand reached out to them... No, to Ender. "Good to see you, sir." His voice was slightly teasing, and just as deep and calm as it had been over the terminal.

"Mind telling me who you actually are?" Ender asks, shaking the huge hand as best as he can.

Julian grins. "Guess. I'll give you a hint, you knew me pretty damn well."

Ender started to have a suspicion... The two undersized but obviously bright kids calling him 'Dad'? "You knew me pretty well."? And he knew he'd seen these features before... It was all slotting into place...

And then it hit him.

"Bean?" He asked incredulously.

~

Bean grinned at him. "Got it in one, Ender. I'm impressed." He states. He sits back down and starts typing. "So. I heard there was a problem here? With a virus of some sort?" He asks absent-mindedly.

"The Descolada." Ender states with a nod.

All the other adults -excluding Bean- shoot him looks, and Novinha asks, quietly, "Should we really be telling him this?"

Ender rolls his eyes and mumbles back, "If we can't trust Bean, I'll cut my own hand off."