Chasing Ender
Chapter 2
Ender and Bean were not the only men who survived through the ages. Someone else was traveling. Someone else was looking for the most brilliant men in history. Someone named Volescu. He was working on tons of different science projects, but most importantly a time machine.
"Get that little bastard," he said to himself. "Get that little Bean who ruined my life." Volescu had been shunned everywhere because of his projects. He had escaped from prison to Kakk, a dump planet. All the garbage of the Hundred Worlds was dumped on it. Volescu built things. His plan was to build a time machine, go back 3000 years in time, and kill Bean. Then he would never have been shunned. Volescu's lab on Kakk was a simple rig of machinery. He had a Current News Terminal, a platform for the time machine, and a Calculations Terminal. The time machine was currently a pile of parts, but the plans were coming along nicely. Volescu looked upon his company on Kakk. She had just stepped up with her four-year-old child next to her.
"Hello, Volescu."
"Hello, Randi."
"How is Achilles Jr. doing?"
"Good. He's talking brilliantly. I think he's smarter then I am."
"Not true, mama," said Achilles Jr. He was the child that had been implanted in Randi 3000 years ago. She believed he was the child of Achilles de Flandres, a psychopathic murderer. Of course, she thought he was a genius and Bean was a villain. In reality, Achilles Jr. was Bean's ninth child. Volescu knew this but he never gave hint of it to Randi. "I'm just four, mama," Achilles Jr. said. "I have a long way to go to live up to Papa."
"We all do. But you're the only one who can do it," said Randi. "And you'll become King of the Hundred Worlds."
"Yes, mama," said Achilles Jr.
"He's sweet," said Volescu. "Is he aware of Peter Wiggin?"
"You mean the man trying to become Hegemon of the Hundred Worlds. Peter Wiggin died years ago."
"This is the same Peter Wiggin. He's been traveling too."
"What?" Randi was angry. Volescu had lied, of course, but it came down to the same effect. Peter Wiggin was still back either way. "That pompous ass? The original?"
"Yes. I just got news. He's back."
"Achilles, do you hear this?"
"Yes, mama. I shall kill him eventually, of course. But first I must get a firm grip on the Hundred Worlds. And I must do it soon."
"Who are you?" asked Bean, alarmed. "Oh my god. Is that? Peter Wiggin?"
"Yes, old friend," said Peter softly. "It's me. And my wife and friends."
"Is Petra still alive?" Bean looked fervently hopeful.
"No. The original Peter Wiggin died too. I'm Ender's life force in young Peter's body. Fortunately I have Peter's dazzling personality."
"You are Julian Delphiki?" said Wang-mu. "Absolutely amazing."
"You think so?" asked Bean. "That makes one of us."