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"That's right!" Mother shouted "Bring that ungrateful little brat right inside here"

"Do you want to go back to the ship with us?" asked Ensign Akbar

"Of course she does," said Mother, as now at Akbar's elbow Alessandra could see the transformation in Mother's face as she switched from the screamer who called Alessandra a bitch and a brat to the sweet fairy queen "My darling fairy child is only happy when she's with her mother"

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"I think I want to stay here," said Alessandra softly "Will you let o?"

Ensign Akbar leaned over to her and whispered in her ear, exactly as Ender had done "I wish I could stay here with you," he said Then he stood up to military attention "Good-bye, Alessandra Toscano Have a happy life here in this good world"

"What are you saying! My husband will court- for Alessandra, a hand reaching out for her like the bony hand of death

Ensign Akbar caught her by the wrist

"How dare you," she hissed directly into his face "You've signed your death warrant for mutiny"

"Ad his wife fron Akbar "He will approve of ht to fulfil her contract and stay in this colony"

Mother put her face right up into his, and Alessandra could see how flecks of her spittle sprayed right into his mouth, his nose, and onto his chin and cheeks Yet he didn't budge "It won't be about this, you fool," she said "It will be about the time you tried to rape me in a darkened room on the ship"

For aht have happened, and why Mother didn't mention it at the time

Then she realized: It hadn't happened Mother only intended to say it had She was threatening Ensign Akbar with a lie And there was one thing for sure--Mother was a good liar Because she believed her own lies

But Akbar only s"

"What is that?"