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"We were not ready," said Dorabella in her halting Italian accent "On till your sister could taught us English good enough" Then she giggled "I mean 'Common'"

"I wish I spoke Italian," said Ender "It's a beautiful language"

"The language of love," said Dorabella "Not is French, nasty language of kissy lips and spitting"

"French is beautiful, too," said Ender, laughing at the way she had imitated the French accent and attitude

"To French and deaf peoples," said Dorabella

"Mother," said Alessandra She had very little Italian accent, but rather spoke like an educated Brit "There are French speakers a the colonists, and he can't offend any of them"

"Why will they be any offended? They make the kissy mouth to talk, we pretend we not to notice it?"

Valentine laughed aloud Dorabella really was quite funny, full of attitude Sassy, that was the word Even though she was old enough to be Ender's e--she could be seen as flirting with Ender Maybe she was one of those women who flirted with everybody because they knew of no other way to relate to them

"Noe are ready," said Dorabella "Your sister teaching us good, so we ready for our half hour with you"

Ender blinked "Oh, did you think--I took a half hour with all the colonists ere going to travel in stasis because that's all the time I had before they became unavailable But the colonists on the ship--we have a year or two, plenty of time No need to schedule a half hour I'm here all the time"

"But you are very i of the whole world"

Ender shook his head "That wasfor lish very well--Valentine has hter has no accent at all, she's fluent"

"Very intelligent girl my Alessandra," said Dorabella "And pretty, too, yes? You think so? Nice figure for fourteen"

"Mother!" Alessandra shrank down into a chair "Am I a used car? Am I a street vendor's sandwich?"

"Street vendors," sighed Dorabella "I miss them yet"