Status: Edited

"He did the impossible. He beat the Giant."

"So you're moving him now, aren't you?"

"We waited to see how he would handle Bernard. He coped with him better than we ever could have hoped."

"So you're sending him off, just like that? He only just started making friends."

"I think you forget the very foundation of his growth. This isn't about making friends, Anderson."

"Fine, but what will you do with the girl."

"Not to worry. I have it all figured out."

"You're a bastard to these kids, Graff. You know that?"

"We're training them for war. You'll look back on this and be grateful for what I did once we've squash those buggers."

~~~

Ender refused to talk about what had happened with the Giant and avoided his desk as much as possible over the following days. Something about it had shaken him and I couldn't help but feel troubled by what had transpired as well.

After a morning of lessons, we finally settled down for lunch in the mess hall. Alai leaned over the table towards Ender, eyes gleaming. "I finally figured out how you sent those messages over the desks," he grinned with excitement.

Ender feigned indifference, swirling the food around his tray. "Oh?"

"Yeah," Alai responded, ignoring Ender's disinterest and continuing.  "You just make a new student profile with a different variation of a students name so the system won't kick you out." Ender remained silent, but watched Alai now. "But the thing is, for some reason I can't hack yours. Any variation of Ender immediately gets kicked out of the system."

At that, Ender smiled sincerely. I couldn't help but be impressed. Not at the hacking skills that it would have taken, but of actually thinking to do it when there were surely other, less passive ways, to nullify Bernard.

"So," Alai continued with a shrug, unperturbed. "I hacked and trashed somebodies file and now their on my tail. You've set up your own security so that no one can get you. Any chance you could show me how you did it?"

"You mean now?" Ender asked, glancing down at his plate and then back at Alai. "I'm eating."

Alai laughed at the joke. "You never finish anyway."

I smirked along with him, watching as the corners of Ender's mouth lifted slightly. "Okay fine, you're right. Let's go." The two boys stood to leave and I returned to my food.

Alai had made his way to the door, but Ender turned back, realizing that something was amiss. "You coming Lara?" he asked, his eyebrow quirking upward.

I smiled slightly to myself, a wave of gratitude flooding me. It seemed our friendship wasn't so one sided after all. "Learn from Ender Wiggin? I wouldn't miss it for the world."

He waited for me to fall into step beside him before heading back to the barracks. Upon entering the empty room, Alai went to retrieve his desk, leaving Ender and I at the foot of our bunk.

Ender moved to his own locker, placing his hand on the scanner to open it, but it flashed red after a moment. I frowned, coming up beside him to observe. Ender tried a second time and again the scanner flashed red.

Alai laughed in disbelief as he returned, giving Ender a sympathetic pat on the shoulder. "Wow man, you got trashed!"

I restrained a scoff at the absurdity. Ender's the last person who would get trashed, I thought, brow furrowing.

Ender laughed too, though it sounded strained and his features screwed up in confusion. "Sure you still want me to help with your security system now?"

Something's not right. I turned around, scanning the room carefully. Suddenly something caught my eye and I took a hurried step towards Ender's bed, snatching up a crisp sheet of paper that lay on the sheets.

"Hey Ender," I called over my shoulder, analyzing the page. It was addressed to Ender with the official IF seal stamped at the bottom. "What's this?"

Ender came up behind me, gently tugging the paper from my grasp. His eyes scanned the page and Alai and I watched his expression drop.

Ender didn't speak. "What does it say?" asked Alai tentatively.

His eyes remained glued to the page. "They're transferring me," he said quietly.

Astonished silence fell between us, but beneath it I could feel the white hot anger rip through me. That's not fair, I thought, fists clenched at my side. Just when things start to turn good, they tear the group apart again.

"Which army?" I managed to get out, just as quiet.

Ender's gaze at last met mine. His expression was reserved, but his eyes seemed to burn with barely concealed emotion. "Salamander."

It was Alai who broke the dark spell, smiling widely. "Good for you, Ender. Out of all of us, it's you who deserves it." It was the truth and I agreed reluctantly.

His expression remained the same and I forced myself to break the silence that had fallen between us once more. "They're assholes, Ender," I said, pleading with my eyes for him to hear me. Go and become the best of us. "But don't let us stand in the way of why we're here. It was bound to happen anyway."

Alai nodded. "Took them long enough." He tried a grim smile.

Suddenly, Ender reached out towards us, gripping us to him tightly. "I don't want to go," he whispered into my hair.

My chest hollowed and ached. His voice sounded so small.

As we pulled apart, I tried to produced a smile for him. "Do what you have to do, Ender. Be what you're meant to be." I tried to let the feeling of his fingers clutching at my forearm sink into my bones and stay there. "Maybe they're just in a hurry. They must want to teach you everything."

Ender's hand squeezed me tighter for a moment, finding my eyes and holding them with his blue ones. "Not everything. I had to make friends all on my own."

Alai smiled softly. "You will always be my friend Ender."

I smiled too. "Always."

Alai suddenly took a step forward, closing the space between them, and swiftly kissed Ender's cheek. "Salaam," he whispered, redness blooming in his cheeks as he quickly turned away,  taking long strides to the door. Just before he disappeared from view, he sent Ender one last melancholy smile.

Frozen, Ender watched the place where Alai had disappeared. Alai had done something sacred, broken off a part of himself and handed it over to Ender for safekeeping. He seemed not to know what to do with it.

Gently, I found his hands, holding them between us, and gave them a soft squeeze. "I don't have any one word," I began, wishing only to keep him here in that moment, "that could sum up how grateful I am to have you as my friend." I watched as he softened beneath my hands. He always seems so cold, I thought, watching him watch me. But he's malleable. More than I know. "Now go show those Salamanders what us Launchies are made of."

Ender smiled tightly. "Thank you," he whispered.

I let him go, watching as his frame retreated to the door. He glanced back, but it was suddenly difficult for me to look at him. "See you soon, Ender?" I called after him.

"See you soon," he stated, and then he was gone.

I let myself sink down onto his bed as a single tear, rebelling against my better judgement, streaked down my cheek.