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He didn't have to--Ix had heard his voice, probably heard Po's voice on the radio, and he was there in athe gist of Ix's conversation with his son Ender transmitted to Graff and Wuri just as Ix said, "We'll be there quicker than you can guess"

Ix turned to Ender "We need to take a skimmer to Sel and Po They're out of supplies"

Ender couldn't believe Sel would plan so badly that he could do anything as foolish as that But before he could say anything, Ix went on

"They've found a creature," said Ix "At least a hybrid Cave dweller Six legs in the adult fore wormlike larva It can chew rock, but it doesn't ave it all their food"

"He's such a generous man," said Ender

"The skimmer can travel that far? Two hundred clicks, over uneven terrain?"

"Easily," said Ender "It charges by solar, but the nore is five hundred kiloe"

"I'ot here when you did"

"Not a coincidence," said Ender "Sel left because I was co, remember?"

"But he didn't need to," said Ix

"I know But as I said, he's a generous man"

They had two of the ski with experiencedIx hihtly loaded of the two

Too bad none of the new xenos had been wakened yet--they would have killed for a chance to be along for the ride But all in good time

On the way, Ix explained to Ender asto his son "Po didn't want to leap to conclusions--he's a cautious boy--but froe between a formicoid species and a local worm--conceivably even the bloodworeneration"

"The one you take injections to control?"