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"The final step in your testing was to see ould happen when the monitor came off We don't always do it that way, but in your case--"

"And he passed?" Mother was incredulous "Putting the Stilson boy in the hospital? What would you have done if Andrew had killed hiiven him a medal?"

"It isn't what he did, Mrs Wiggin It's why" Colonel Graff handed her a folder full of papers "Here are the requisitions Your son has been cleared by the IF Selective Service Of course we already have your consent, granted in writing at the time conception was confirmed, or he could not have been born He has been ours from then, if he qualified"

Father's voice was tre as he spoke "It's not very kind of you, to let us think you didn't want him, and then to take him after all"

"And this charade about the Stilson boy," Mother said

"It wasn't a charade, Mrs Wiggin Until we knehat Ender's motivation e couldn't be sure he wasn't another--we had to knohat the action meant Or at least what Ender believed that it meant"

"Must you call hian to cry "That's the name he calls himself"

"What are you going to do, Colonel Graff?" Father asked "Walk out the door with him now?"

"That depends," said Graff

"On what?"

"On whether Ender wants to come"

Mother's weeping turned to bitter laughter "Oh, so it's voluntary after all, hoeet!"

"For the two of you, the choice was made when Ender was conceived But for Ender, the choice has not been ood cannon fodder, but for officers we need volunteers"

"Officers?" Ender asked At the sound of his voice, the others fell silent "Yes," said Graff "Battle School is for training future starship captains and commodores of flotillas and admirals of the fleet"

"Let's not have any deception here!" Father said angrily "How many of the boys at the Battle School actually end up in command of ships!"