Vlara's War (An Ender's game Fanfic)

Hound

"You do realize how tired I'm getting of you, correct?"

"I've begun to get the idea, yes."

"Promoting him so soon? Leaving behind the two that we set up to push him? "

"Don't worry, the girl is leaving too. We don't want to show favoritism, now do we?"

"I didn't authorize this. What if she wasn't ready?"

"You didn't need to authorize anything. You wanted her treated the same as Ender. You told me you wanted her pushed like him, so I'm pushing. She hasn't broken yet, so I'll take that as a win."

"Forging a letter from her father, ripping her from her first friends... so you'll just keep going until she breaks? She's a child."

"She's a soldier."

________________________________

She should've been there. The one day she decides to go to the game room during free time. The one day she doesn't go sit in the barracks as she always did. She came back, ready to talk to Ender and Alai about a rumor she heard in the game room. They said a Launchy was getting transferred early. Everyone was upset about it. She never expected the Launchy to be Ender. It was too soon, he was too little. He would get eaten alive by the older kids.

But when she got back to the barracks, she found Alai alone on Ender's bunk, a deep frown etched across his face.

"He's gone."

She didn't need to ask who he was talking about. She couldn't tell whether she was sad to loose her first friend, or angry that he was promoted before her. She knew that either way, those men that ran this place weren't going to be nice to Ender. He was their end game. Either he wins or the war is lost. They were taking a risk by promoting him so fast. They broke every precedent regarding promotion.

"Those bastards be scrambling." Alai shook his head, laying back on Ender's bunk, "They're gonna kill him. They're gonna kill us all."

Vlara remained silent, unable to respond to match Alai's biting humor. So she wasn't doing enough to get their attention. She needed to do more. She needed to prove that she could be trusted with tougher tasks. She needed-

"Vlara, look." Alai's voice cut off her thoughts. She glanced up to see him pointing up to her bunk where a white slip of paper sat neatly on her pillow. "They got you too. They're stealing you too." His voice sounded hurt, but not jealous. He sounded genuinely sad that she was leaving.

She didn't have to climb to reach the paper, since she definitely wasn't short or scrawny for her age.

VLARA PALL
ASSIGNED HOUND ARMY
COMMANDER LEONARD CATINOL
EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY
CODE RED BROWN RED
NO POSSESSIONS TRANSFERRED

"I should be happy." She muttered as she stared down to the pristine sheet of paper, "This was what I was meant for. I should be happy. Why am I not happy, Alai?"

"Because you know they're screwing with you. Don't play the fantasy game, Vlara. You scare them because they can't see what you're thinking. They told me to make you play it. Don't give them the satisfaction."

It was nice to know that Alai was looking out for her, watching her back like friends were supposed to.

"We are friends, aren't we?" She asked suddenly, "I've never had any. I don't know what they're supposed to be like."