Chapter 1 Too late to say goodbye.

Ender was dead. He was gone the boy who had grown up in Peters own personal hell. He was the boy who left his parents as a child to go into space to fight the the Buggers. He was the boy who destroyed the Formics in an act of xenocide thought to be a game. He was the young man who lead the first human colony on a Formic world. He was the writer of the Hive Queen and the Hegemon, the Speaker for the dead. He was Novina's Husband and her children's father. But most of all he had been Beans friend and now... now he was gone. Bean didn't know what to do, What to think he just sat alone by the base of Rooters tree. He did not cry and sob as many would have he just sat and looked off into the dense forest where the Piggys lived.

He sat by Miro's side near the old rusted fence that had once been a reminder to the people of Lusitania of their imprisonment. He had traveled for many years in that space ship that had been sent off from earth so long ago with his children, all of them burdened with Anton's Key. Word had reached them of a man on the planet of Providence who had discovered a way to manipulate Anton's Key. He charged exorbitant fee's for his work as there was not much demand but as like Ender Beans years of travel in space had given him huge interests and he was easily able to afford the work for himself and his children. He had then headed off again in search of the man he had known as child. He now had reverted to his old name Andrew Wiggin with the added title of Speaker for the Dead. For years Bean had followed him always missing him by a few years and then finding where he had gone next. Finally he had reached him and he was gone. Gone forever, all that remained now was Peter left with what Ender Remembered of him so that the Peter Bean had known as the great Hegemon of Earth was replaced with a cruel hearted child.

A piggy emerged from the forest a began moving towards them. Miro recognized him as the one called Wire after the fence that had separated the species for so many years. As he approached he looked up at the tall man form of Bean

"They say you knew him when he was a boy, The Speaker."

"Yes" Said Bean "I fought with him, in the final battle"

"Was their Honor in the battle?" asked Wire. Miro leaned over and whispered into Beans ear.

"They treat war as a great and honorable thing they still don't quite grasp that in our wars there was no third life for the defeated only death" Bean nodded and turned back to Wire

"There was no Honor in it, The others thought we were playing a game and I was the only who knew it was real so when Ender gave up and made that final attack he didn't know what he was doing. I could have told him, could have stopped him but I let it happen. Ender was not the xenocide I was. We killed so many Buggers but our own men too we let them die." Wire looked grave and nodded.

"Yes no honor at all, but not your fault, not your fault" he began moving back to the forest. Miro spoke again to Bean

"They respect you a great deal, they have never listened to us like that" Bean did not reply he stood and walked back towards the village.

Ships were still arriving from the far off planets that had been explored by Miro and Val so that species would not be wiped out by M.D Device. Valentine and Jane stood welcoming those who had chosen to return from the new worlds. They attempted to appear cordial but their cheery words and smiles were cheap facades covering their sorrow. Another ship appeared and Peter and Wang Wu stepped out of it. Valentine and Jane walked towards them. Peter spoke to them quickly and quietly.

"We just got word from Jane, the hive queen needs to talk with us"

The seven of them stood at the entrance to the Hive queens layer. Jane, Valentine, Miro, Quara, Peter , Wang Wu, and Bean. As always a worker greeted them and led them into the darkness. The winding tunnels reminded Bean of Eros and it's low ceilings and dark corridors. But this was even more alien as darkness enveloped them and they moved deeper into the layer. He was suddenly startled as he heard a voice in his head.

"Welcome, Welcome" This must be the voice of the Hive queen that Miro had told him of.

"Your mind is... different than the others so many thoughts so many feelings" Probably because I'm not human thought. To his surprise the voice seemed to have heard him think.

"Exactly because you are not Human you are like Jane a unique species"

"No not unique, I have descendents who though bred with humans still retain some of this intelligence"

"But before that you knew the feeling, to be the only one of your kind"

"Yes" he replied for he knew what she thought of. The years after the last battle when she was the only one of her kind. "I am sorry for what I did all those years ago"

"Not your fault"

"But it was, I knew what I was doing"

"Not your fault, Not your fault" They emerged into the open cavern that was the layer of the hive queen. It was a magnificent sight but Bean could not focus on it for the words of Wire and the hive queen still resounded in his mind. Not your fault, Not your fault, Not your fault, Not your fault.