Status: Edited

"He wants to go to Earth. To visit his sister."

"He isn't going."

"Colonel, you don't understand. If you don't let him go, he'll quit."

"What do you mean, quit."

"He doesn't want to play the game. He doesn't want to fight the war. He doesn't care, Colonel."

"You said he wants to see his sister?"

"Yes. Valentine."

"So be it."

. . .

When Ender left, I didn't know what to do with myself. They hadn't let us see him before he went. They said they couldn't have us messing with his head and making him think he didn't have to come back. Like hell we would have. We needed him just as desperately as the whole world did.

When the shuttle left that afternoon, the whole of Dragon Army packed itself inside of Ender's old commanders room to watch the shuttle depart from his single port window.

No one cried. No one spoke. We grieved our loss in silence.

Slowly, people trickled from the room until only I was left to observe the damage. They'd taken anything that could've marked the room as Ender's. A void remained, both before me and inside.

When at last I stepped from the room, I was surprised to find everyone in the hall waiting for me. Crazy Tom stepped forward upon spotting me and for the first time in my life, I thought I saw doubt creep across his features.

"What do we do now?"

I searched the eyes of those around me before lowering my gaze to the floor. "I don't know. Ask the teachers," I stated bitterly. Grumbles rippled through the crowd.

"Come on, Lara," Crazy Tom persisted. "You knew him the best. He loved you. That much was clear. And you loved him too. You spent the most time with him and out of everyone, he trusted you the most." He paused, waiting until I could finally meet his eyes. "Well, we trust you the most too. Ender's gone, at least for now, and we need a commander." He took a step forward so that he stood directly before me, dropping his voice just low enough for me to hear. "We need you, Lara."

Everything was silent as I took in his words, wide eyed. They trusted me. They trusted me as much as Ender had. And they were right. Now Ender was gone. They were looking for someone to lead them. Someone who could lift their spirits up. If that person was me, I would do anything for them. They'd always been my family. Even now. Especially now.

I took a deep breath to steady myself. "You're right. I'm sorry. Ender loved all of you. He understood all of you. All of us. I think that's the biggest difference." I looked around at everyone, all those bright, shining, hopefully eyes. For the first time I felt fearful the way Ender had. Here were these soldiers looking to me for guidance and all I could offer them was myself. Somehow, just myself had to be enough. "He's gone for now, and I know everyone is hurting, but we need to move on. He'll come back, that much I'm certain of. He wouldn't leave us, not of his own free will at least. But he knows what he has to do. For now, if you all believe I should be your commander, than that is what I will be. I trust all of your judgement, and if you think I can lead you, than I will do my best."

The hall erupted into cheers and for a second, the hope was tangible. I smiled briefly, but continued once the shouts had died. "I'll never be as good as Ender, so I'm going to need a lot of patience from you guys. But I'm going to try my hardest."

The room was quiet before Bean spoke. "We aren't expecting you to be Ender. I don't think anyone can be Ender. But you knew him the best. And we know you'll do what you can. Besides, most of us will be graduating anyway. It's the waiting game now." Mummers of agreement were followed by another rise of cheers.

I nodded with a tired smile before suddenly stopping. I turned my attention to Bean with a furrowed brow. "Bean, what did you say just now?"

He looked at me in shock and a bit nervously. "We don't expect you to be Ender?" he tried, confused.

I shook my head. "No, after that."

"Most of us are being graduated."

A mischievous smile took over my features. "Exactly! Most of us have been put as commanders of other armies. But Bean's right. Think about it." The hall was silent, watching me carefully as my excitement rose. "Most of us will be transfered to Command School." The lack of reaction made me frown. "Don't you get it? Ender was transfered to Command School. That means the war has to be close. They obviously need him. But we were his army. They put all of us through the suffering and the battles and the training, the same way they did Ender. Most of us are going to be transfered to command with Ender because he needs an army to fight a war. We are his army."

The room was silent before muttering and whispers broke out. Fly Molo smiled. "See Lara? This is why we want you to lead us. You're just about as good as Ender."

I smiled sheepishly but pushed on. "We'll just have to take things one at a time here until we can gauge what's going on with the teachers and the war. But at this rate, it should be easy to tell."

"They can't hide shit from us." Hot Soup grinned, eliciting another round of laughter from the group.

"Yeah well that's all En-"

I was cut off by the loud speaker blaring to life.

"Lara Flinn to the Major's office, please. Lara Flinn."

I froze along with everyone else. I captured the eye of each toon leader, horrified to find them just as worried as I was. The tension was palpable.

"You aren't going to leave us too, are you?" Came a small voice from the back, jolting me from my previous shock and dread.

I forced a smile and shook my head. "Nah," I said, putting on a brave face. "They aren't taking me anywhere."

Crazy Tom gave me a relieved look and I shot him a glance that said, you're in charge for now, praying he got the message. "I'll be back in a sec," I said before heading off down the hall.

. . .

Arriving at Major Anderson's office, I gave the door a sharp knock.

"Come in," came a voice from the inside.

I took a deep breath before letting myself into the room.

The Major sat behind his desk, straight backed and watching my closely. His eyes were unreadable and I couldn't help the anxiety from building in my chest.

"Take a seat, Ms. Flinn," he said, motioning to the chair before his desk.

I took a seat stiffly, watching his movements closely though there wasn't much to glean. The teachers hid their motives well.

Major Anderson began before I could ask any of the questions circling my head. "You know fully well that most of the soldiers, including yourself, will not become commanders of armies, but will instead be transfered to Command School, yes?" He rested his hands precisely on his desk and I couldn't help but envy his calmness.

"Yes, sir," I said after a moment.

He sighed deeply. "I figured as much." He shuffled some papers around on his desk before pulling one from the pile and handing it to me. "You all transfer in three days. These are all the kids who are being transfered as well. They will be under your command." He indicated the sheet I'd just been given.

I glanced over the paper before looking back at him, fire dancing in my eyes. "Ender's coming back. We can see right through you, sir. He's the one who will save the human race and everyone one of us here, including you, knows it."

The Major regarded me carefully. Something flashed across his features, but it was gone before I could get a good reading on it. "Three days, Ms Flinn." He stated cooly. "You're dismissed."

As I turned to leave, I couldn't help the grin that made its way across my features. Anderson's silence had been answer enough. We'd see Ender again. I was certain of it.

. . .

When I reached Dragon Army barracks, I realized all of the toon leaders had already reported to their new armies. I'd have to inform them of the news later, if they hadn't already been made aware.

I smiled at what remained of the army. "We're going to Command in three days. Ender will be there. We'll see him again." The cheer rose up, louder than anything I'd ever heard before. Pride for Ender shook me to my core as I watched all those who had cared for him alight with excitement.

You're not alone, Ender, I thought, feeling warmth in my chest. We're all here waiting for you.