"The wife doesn't know. Our deal with the husband was that we wouldn't tell. He's completely sterile, you see. Their attempt at in vitro fertilization didn't take. That's why he took Volescu's offer and pretended to his wife that the baby was really theirs. He's the one that got the message and made up a reason for them to move to this house."
"He didn't ask where the baby came from?"
"He's a rich man," said Rackham. "Rich people tend to take it for granted that things they want simply come to them."
"The wife meant no harm, though."
"Neither did Bean, and yet he's dying," said Rackham. "Neither did I, and yet I was sent on a voyage that jumped me decades into the future, costing me everyone and everything. And you'll lose Bean, even though you've done nothing wrong. Life is full of grief, to exactly the degree we allow ourselves to love other people."
"I see," said Petra. "You're the Ministry of Colonization's resident philosopher."
Rackham grinned. "The consolations of philosophy are many, but never enough."
"I think you and Graff planned the whole history of the world. I think you chose Bean and Peter for the roles they're playing now."
"You're wrong," said Rackham. "Flat wrong. All that Graff and I ever did was choose the children we thought might win the war and try to train them for victory. We failed again and again until we found Ender. And Bean to back him up. And the rest of the Jeesh to help him. And when the last battle ended and we had won, Graff and I had to face the fact that the solution to the one problem was now the cause of another."
"The military geniuses you had identified would now tear the world apart with their ambition."
"Or be used as pawns to satisfy the ambitions of others, yes."
"So you decided to use them as pawns in your own game once again."
"No," said Rackham softly. "We decided to find a way to set most of them free to live human lives. We're still working on that."
"Most of us?"
"There was nothing we could do for Bean," said Rackham.
"I guess not," said Petra.
"But then something happened that we hadn't planned on," said Rackham. "Hadn't hoped for. He found love. He became a father. The one we could do nothing for, you made him happy. So, I have to admit, we feel a lot of gratitude to you, Petra. You could have been out there playing the game with the others." He chuckled. "We would never have guessed it. You're off the charts when it comes to ambition. Not quite like Peter, but close. Yet somehow you set it all aside."
She smiled as beatifically as she could.
If only you knew the truth, she thought.
Or maybe he does know, but telling her that he admires her is a way of manipulating her...
Nobody ever completely means what they say. Even when they think they're telling the truth, there's always something hidden behind their words.
It was dark when she got back to her own house in the military headquarters compound just outside Kigali. Mazer Rackham did not come inside with her. So she carried both babies, Ender in the sling again, and Bella at her shoulder.
Bean was there, waiting for her. He ran to her and took the new baby from her and pressed his cheek to the baby's cheek.
"Don't smother her, oaf," said Petra.
He laughed and kissed her. They sat together on the edge of the bed, holding the two children, and then trading, back and forth.
"Seven to go," said Petra.
"Was it hard?" asked Bean.
"I'm glad you weren't there," said Petra. "I'm not sure you would have been tough enough to go through with it."
14
VIRLOMI'S VISITORS