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     human spirit as well. Do not let this grave sin be on the
     heads of our people."         
        "Forgive me, master, but it seems to me that you are the
     one putting it there. No one noticed that we bore respon-
     sibility for this sin until you said it here today."
         "I do not put the sin there. I merely take off the hat that
     covers it. Yasujiro, you were one of my best students. I
     forgave you for using what I taught you in such compli-
     cated ways, because you did it for your family's sake."
         "And this that you ask of me now--this is perfectctly
     simple?"
         "I have taken the most direct action--I have spoken
     plainly to the most powerful representative of the richest
     of the Japanese trading families that I could reach on this
     day. And what I ask of you is the minimum action required
     to do what is necessary."
         "In this case the minimum puts my career at great risk,"
     said Yasujiro thoughtfully.
Aimania said nothing.
          "My greatest teacher once told me," said Yasujiro, "that
    a man who has risked his life knows that careers are worth-
    less, and a man who will not risk his career has a worthless
    life."
         "So you will do it?"
         "I will prepare my message to make your care to all
     the Tsutsumi family. When the ansibles are linked again, I
     will send them."
         "I know your would not disappoint me."
         "Better than that," said Yasujiro. "When I am thrown
     out of my job, I will come and live with you."
         Aimaine bowed. "I would be honored to have you dwell
     in my house."

                                     ___________

         The lives of all people flow through time, and, reguardless
     of how brutal one moment may be, how filled with grief

 

 

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     the philotic twinings of the ansibles, and in a body that had
     once been Ender's and which, in a way, had once been
     Valentine's, for she remembered looking into mirrors and
     seeing that face and calling it herself.
         And he was fother of this new man, Peter, this strong
     and whole man. For he was not the Peter who had first
     come out of the starship. He was not the cynical, nasty,
     barbed young boy who strutted with arrogance and seethed
     with rage. He had become whole. There was the cool of
     ancient wisdom in him, even as he burned with the hot
     sweet fire of youth. He had a woman who was his equal in
     wit and virtue and vigor by his side. He had a normal life-
     time of a man before him. Ender's truest son would make
     of this life, if not something as profoundly world-changing
     as Ender's life had been, then something happier. Ender
     would have wanted neither more nor less for him. Changing
     the world is good for those who want their names in books.
     But being happy, that is for those who write their names
     in the lives of others, and hold the hearts of others as the
     treasure most dear.
         Valentine and Jakt and their children gathered on the
     porch of their house. Wang-mu was waiting there along.
     "Will you take me with you?" asked the girl. Valentine
     offered her an arn. What is the name of her relationship to
     me? Nieve-in-law-to-be? Friend would be a better word.

                                     ___________

         Plikit's speaking of Ender's death was eloquent and peirc-
     ing. She had learned well from the master speaker. She
     wasted no time on inconsequentials. She spoke at once of
     his great crime, explaining what Ender thought he was do-
     ing at the time, and what he thought of it after he knew
     each layer of truth that was revealed to him. "That was
     Ender's life," said Plikit, "unpeeling the onion of truth.
     Only unlike most of us, he knew that there was no golden
     kernel inside. There were only the layers of illusions and