"Who knew that being assigned to your army in school would ruin my entire life?" said Ambul.
"Oh, stop whining," said Petra. "If you'd been a top graduate, now you'd be in a Chinese reeducation camp."
"See?" said Ambul. "I'm missing out on all the character-building experiences."
Bean handed him a slip of paper. "Go there and you'll find the identity stuff you need."
"Complete with holographic ID?" asked Ambul doubtfully.
"It'll adjust to you the first time you use it. Instructions are with it. I've used these before."
"Who does stuff like that?" asked Ambul. "The Hegemony?"
"The Vatican," said Bean. "These are leftovers from my days with one of their operatives."
"All right," said Ambul.
"It'll get you to Damascus, but it won't get you to Alai. You'll need your real identity for that."
"No, I'll need an angel walking before me and a letter of introduction from Mohammed himself."
"The Vatican has those," said Petra. "But they only give them to their top people."
Ambul laughed, and so did Bean, but the air was thick with tension.
"I'm asking you for a lot," said Bean.
"And I don't owe you much," said Ambul.
"You don't owe me anything," said Bean, "and if you did, I wouldn't try to collect it. You know why I asked you, and I know why you're doing it."
Petra knew, too. Bean asked him because he knew Ambul could do it if anyone could. And Ambul was doing it because he knew that if there was to be any hope of stopping Achilles from uniting the world under his rule, it would probably depend on Bean.
"I'm so glad we came to this park," said Petra to Bean. "So romantic."
"Bean knows how to show a girl a good time," said Ambul. He spread his arms wide. "Take a good look. I'm it."
And then he was gone.
Petra reached out and took Bean's hand again.
"Satisfied?" asked Bean.
"More or less," said Petra. "At least you did something."
"I've been doing something all along."
"I know," said Petra.
"In fact," said Bean, "you're the one who just goes online to shop."
She chuckled. "Here we are in this beautiful park. Where they keep alive the memory of a great man. A man who gave unforgettable music to the world. What will your memorial be?"
"Maybe two statues. Before and after. Little Bean who fought in Ender's jeesh. Big Julian who brought down Achilles."
"I like that," said Petra. "But I have a better idea."
"Name a colony planet after me?"