Variable

Chapter Two

"He thinks he has friends."

"What are you implying, Anderson?"

"It's up to you to determine whether that's good or not. I was simply stating a fact."

"Of course it isn't good! Where were you when we decided to isolate Ender? Shouldn't we be doing the same with him?"

"That's your decision, not mine."

"Well, what's your imput? And that's an order, Major."

"May I speak freely?"

"Speak."

"Well, my imput is why didn't you isolate him like you did with Ender?"

"They would have found solace in each other. I couldn't have that. They're both extremely promising, but we agreed Ender was the one."

"Look again. Did you even listen to the audio recording?"

"Of what?"

"On the shuttle. When he was talking to the two girls."

"No, not yet. Is there something I should listen to?"

"I find it promising."

"Play it."

"No kidding. You've gotta learn to defend yourself here, to hurt them before they hurt you. It's all about being ahead of your enemy."

"And this means what, Anderson? You're the psychologist here."

"It means that this is his mentality. Hurt them before they hurt you. Remind you of anything?"

"Don't get smart with me."

"What Ender said, why he put the Stilson boy in the hospital. To win all the other battles after the first. Hurting them before they hurt you."

"But Freddie is willing to hurt others. Ender didn't want to, he just...snapped. Do you remember how Ender would just sit there and take it, make no action to stop them, and how Freddie would be the one sending threats to the bullies, setting up ambushes?"

"It was all in self-defense."

"Yes, you're right, yet Freddie was always one step ahead. Cunning. And do you know what cunning leads to? You remember Peter Wiggin, right?"

"He was sadistic. Freddie isn't."

"But he could be."

"But he chooses not to be. Yes, he could, but he isn't. He's got a good heart, just not to his enemies. That's something we need, something Ender doesn't have. Ender has a good heart through and through. Freddie is variable."

"What are you suggesting we do?"

"Manipulate him. Push his buttons. See how far he's willing to go. See how he reacts to threats, even with his friends around. Let him keep the girls for now."

"Who are the girls, again?"

"Hazel Thomas. Second born, of Pennsylvania, America. Marzia Giovanni, first born, of Verona, Italy."

"Why are they here? I didn't authorize them..."

"I authorized Hazel. Major Queensbury authorized Marzia. Hazel has a brilliant mind for decision making, she's able to analyze and evaluate situations, and choose the one with most benefit for her or her family in record times. However, she's cripplingly shy, and she just takes bullying, like Ender. Though she doesn't fight back, she never has. Marzia is a master of the poker face, she can completely disguise her emotions. It's incredibly hard to read her by anything other than what she's giving off. A useful skill, though I'm not sure why Queensbury wanted her up here."

"Hazel's gonna get iced. You have to learn how to fight back."

"I'm hoping she will, with Marzia and Freddie. Worse comes to worse, we might have to ice here, even though we could really use her up here."

"Where are they now?"

"Heading to class."

"Play the recording."

"You been staring at someone, Haze?"

"NO! Just...I don't know, he seems to get in trouble a lot..."

"Questioning the system. I like that."

"Why, you questioning it?"

"I'd prefer not to speak with cameras undoubtably watching our every move."

"Good point, Fred."

"Freddie."

"Winchester."

"Freddie."

"Third."

"What?"

"Think he'll snap, Anderson?"

"I'm really not sure. You authorized him, remember?"

"Oh...sorry, I didn't mean it like that..."

"Let's hope you didn't."

"Was that what you would qualify as snapping, Colonel?"

"He handled it well."

"I'd like to think so."

"We should check in on Ender."

"I'll pull up the recording."