page9 (1/2)

Dink was the better commander, and he knew it--he had been offered Rat Arot it when Dink turned down the promotion Nobody knew that, of course, except Dink and Colonel Graff and whatever other teachers ht have known There was no reason to tell it--it would only weaken Rosen and alsoon whether people believed his claim So he made no claim

This was Rosen's show Let him write the script

"That's the great Ender Wiggin?" asked Flip His name was short for Filippus, and, like Dink, he was Dutch He was also very young and had yet to do anything igin had been placed into the Battle Roos almost instantly

"I told you," said Dink, "he's number one because his commander wouldn't let hi his coot this incredible kill ratio It's a fluke of how they keep the stats"

"Kuso," said Flip "If Ender's such a big nothing, why did you go out of your way to get him in your toon?"

So son Ender to his toon, and word had spread "Because I needed somebody smaller than you," said Dink

"And you've been watching hi him"

It was easy to forget sometimes that every kid in this place was brilliant Observant Clear memory and sharp analytical skills Even the ones ere still too ti anything surreptitious

"E," said Dink "I think he's got so"

"What's he got that I don't got?"

"Corammar," said Dink

"Everybody talks like that," said Flip

"Everybody's a sheep," said Dink "I' out of here" Moments later, Dink pushed past Rosen and Ender and left the room

He didn't want to talk to Ender right away Because this genius kid probably reht after Ender was put in Salaa like, "He's so s , and one of his friends had iot none, Dink, that's why," so it's not like Dink had scored any points

But it was a stupid thing to say, which was fine; you could be stupid around new kids Except it had been Ender Wiggin, and Dink no that this kid was so else, someone iuy who knew right ahat Ender Wiggin was Instead, he'd been the idiot who made a stupid joke about how short Ender was