Prologue- Commander Wiggin's Troubles

Disclaimer: I do not own any of Orson Scott Card's characters. They belong to him and his amazing work.

A/N: You will see that this prologue takes place at the END of the story. The rest of the story will be leading up to this moment.

~Don't ask me when, but ask me why.

Don't ask me how, but ask me where.

There is a road. There is a way.

There is a place. There is a place.~

Everyone clapped and cheered for their Commander, again. It was another victorious and glorious win. He said nothing, showed no emotion, nor blinked. Something was wrong, and he could feel it. A group of people began to crowd him as he began to walk towards the I.F. staff room.

"Commander! Commander Wiggin, congrat-"

"Please, be quiet!" he shouted at them all as they swarmed around him, blocking his way to the door. The group all shushed and went pink in the faces. Backing away, one by one, they left him standing alone outside of the door.

Footsteps approached from behind, "Commander Wiggin," Colonel Hyrum Graff said from behind, it was a quiet mention of the boy's name.

"How many, Colonel?"

There was a pause, "Commander, how many-"

"You know what I want to know! How many died? How many did I kill, huh? I need stats, now!" he rounded on the Colonel behind him, the older man met Ender in height now, or more along the line of Ender met him in height. Graff stumbled back a bit and nodded, if he didn't show him stats soon, who knew what Ender would do. Graff opened the staff room door and walked to the big table in the middle. Parts of it were scratched and cracked, chairs were tossed all about the room and windows were broken. Eros had been hit hard at first, but they pulled through.

"Status report: damage to main fighter ship." Graff said to the table.

Ender hadn't seen any of his troops yet, the ones still alive. All he knew was that something had gone wrong. Very wrong. There was a trembling in Bean's end of the fighter. The tremble passed all the way through the entire fighter until it reached the other end. Everyone in Ender's fighter had felt it.

Then, he couldn't get ahold of the left flanks, he had lost communication. He was deaf to everything on that side, that part of his fighter and all of the smaller fighters around him on that side. Another small tremor was felt soon after.

Ender was pulled from the flashback and his eyes snapped to the image projecting off the center of the table. A document was running through the reports filed from the computer system of the fighter.

RIGHT SECTOR(S) 1, 3, 5: Fair

RIGHT SECTOR(S) 2, 4: Minor damage

RIGHT WING(S) 1, 2: Fair

CONNECTING BRIDGE: Minor damage, needs repair

COMMANDER'S RIGHT: Minor Damage, needs repair

COMMANDER'S MAIN: Major damage, needs repair immediately

COMMANDER'S LEFT: Major damage, needs repair immediately

CONNECTING BRIDGE: Major damage, needs repair immediately

LEFT WING(S) 1, 2: Highest level of damage reached

LEFT SECTOR(S) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5: Highest level of damage reached

EXTRA NOTES: All communications to left side gone, mostly obliterated

TRACKERS LOST OF 1,555: 675

Ender cursed under his breath, six-hundred and seventy-five people gone. Graff straightened and cleared his throat, "Commander, sometimes trackers become disconnected during combat. It may not even be that many! Once all troops have reported back and gone through medical check, we'll know the real number." He said quietly, placing a hand on his shoulder. Ender shrugged it off violently.

She was there. She was in Sector 2 on the left side. I've gone and murdered her, like the killer I've always been.

"Graff, I want those troops back now. I need to know the number." He ordered harshly as he turned to face the man.

Graff sighed, "We're trying as fast as we can, but with some of the fighter ships disabled because of hits, and the damage done to the main fighter, it's taking a while."

Suddenly, someone burst through the door. Whipping around, Ender saw the curious faces of Petra Arkanian, Bean, Alai, the twins, and Holly Berbank. They all shifted their weight under Ender's glare, he was MAD.

"What is it?" Graff asked with a rather frustrated voice.

Bean looked from him and back to Ender. Stepping forward, he placed a hand on his shoulder.

Ender began to quicken his breathing, "Soldier," he acknowledged.

Bean sighed, "Commander," he paused, "I saw it."

Ender quirked a brow, and looked to the rest of his friends, "What?"

"It exploded in a matter of seconds, the only thing left was a little bit of Sector two and five." Holly spoke up as Ender's gaze flicked to her, she was crying quietly.

Petra stepped forward behind Bean, "There's no way she lived, Ender."

And with that, Ender nodded, and left.

Nothing else mattered anymore. He didn't even get to apologize. He didn't get to say goodbye, or touch her cheek once more. He didn't even get to see those eyes one more time.

His hands trembled as he sat down at the end of the table, Petra and Holly clung to each other in tears, Bean rubbing Petra's arm. Alai's head was down in a silent prayer, and the twins prayed with him.

"Proceed with everything as normal." He looked out a window near the front, many soldiers were passing by to get to medical check. Petra and Bean looked at him in confusion and disappointment. Ender stood and exited the room, leaving his friends behind in shock and sadness. What was to become of Ender Wiggin now?

I cannot wait for this movie, so hopefully you all get to readin' this and liking it before it comes out! This is an AU, so if you don't like those, don't read. I've only read the first book, so hopefully I get the series in soon.

Review? Please? Next chapter should be up soon!

-Mrs. Frodo Baggins

Kendall

Mirabella Millstone of Bywater