Over the course of a few days, Salamander had finally won two victories. I realized that Condor Army was unusually good. Salamander had a poor grip on strategy, but they had better team coordination.
After many days passed, my simulation birthday had come. I was officially turning seven in "Ender's Game." I used the system to check the date of Ender's birth, and I kept track by using the computer's calendar. The Battle School also noticed Ender's birthday, but they didn't send me a birthday cake. Instead, I was given a new Salamander uniform, and a new flash-suit for the Battle-room.
(I think I've been keeping my identity quite well.)
It was weird, being called Ender. It wasn't my name, so when people called it out, it didn't register that they were calling to ME. Although, it only took a week for me to get used to it. Whenever I checked my system profile, I saw the name "Ender Nakamura" was replaced with "Ender Wiggin." It seemed that the Battle School administrators changed my last name without my consent. Or perhaps the simulation was trying to wipe out my identity.
Anyways, I remembered the paragraphs within the "Ender's Game" novel. If I was right, I was in the chapter "Salamander," which was chapter seven. In this part, Ender/me wanted to talk to Petra about his birthday, but held himself from doing so. People on Earth - aka "landsliders" - were the ones who celebrated trivial things like birthdays and holidays. Here, though, no one did so. It was childish, and it was behavior unfit of soldiers. As I went about my day, I was hit by another forceful flashback.
[You are experiencing flashbacks to feel immersed in the simulation!]
Memories wedged their way into the forefront. I saw Valentine bringing a cake towards me on my sixth birthday. No one knew how to cook anymore because all meals came premade, so the cake just crumbled. It was really terrible, and it was a crazy thing to do. Everyone teased Valentine about it, but the memory I received showed that Ender was grateful. In the memory, I saw Ender/myself place a piece of the cake in his cupboard.
As I looked out a window, and saw the Earth below, I contemplated about that piece of cake. For all I knew, it was still there, decaying into a yellow piece of dust.
[The flashback you have experienced has ended!]
Just like that, the false memory faded away. I was relieved, but... I was also saddened.
***
It was the next morning. As everyone was dressing, Bonzo came and yelled, "Flash suits!" We looked at him for a second, but sprang into action. It meant that there was a new battle. This would be my fourth one. As I got into line, with people filing behind me, Bonzo roughly pulled me out and made me march at the back.
(Prick.)
As we made it to the corridor, I saw Salamander Army jumping into the Battle-room. The army they were fighting was Leopard Army. It was a new army that was organized six months ago, and they were quite low in the rankings. Although, the commander - his name was Pol Slattery - was intelligent, and he had some new ideas. Instead of using traditional military tactics, he used guerrilla warfare.
Bonzo's strategies hinged on taking territory piece by piece, along with the gradual elimination of the enemy. Pols Slattery's techniques though.... Well, I couldn't help but smile. I didn't know if the Vietnam War was canonical in "Ender's Game," but if I had to compare Pol Slattery's tactics to any group, it was to the Viet Cong.
Slattery's soldiers darted from star to star, and they used wall-sliding to get behind and above Bonzo's forces. Salamander Army was hopelessly confused. Right now, they must've felt as if the enemy was everywhere. Although, the battle was not as lopsided as it seemed. I noticed that Leopard Army were losing too much men; their tactics exposed them too much. Still, Salamander gave too much ground, and bunched together as if they were the last survivors of a massacre. They were like fish in a barrel; Leopard obliged and shot all of them.
I exited the gate, and entered the Battle field. I stuck my legs in front of me, and shot them, freezing them in place. I continued to float away as if I was any other frozen soldier.
(This was the tactic that Ender used. It narrowed the surface area the enemy could fire on, while also using the crotch area as a sort of aim assister,) I thought in remembrance.
In total, nine soldiers of Leopard Army survived, and were heading towards our gate. Four of them began opening it.
(Remember your training...)
I aimed with straight arms, and used my frozen legs as a resting place for them. I fired, and hit three of the boys that were about to open the gate. The others began to notice, and fired towards me; they were only able to hit my legs though. As time went on, I was able to eliminate two more Leopard soldiers, resulting in a draw. Slattery only had four men left, and you needed five as the bare minimum to win.
Slattery was furious at the narrow draw, but there was nothing unfair about it. Everyone in the opposing army thought it was a strategy used by Bonzo: leave one soldier behind as a hidden trump card, and have him eliminate the remaining soldiers. They didn't know that I fired against orders. Salamander knew though.
I looked at Bonzo, and saw the angry expression he had. He knew I saved him from total defeat, and he couldn't stand it because of his ego.
[Constellation "Secretive Plotter" is impressed with your minor victory.]
[Constellation "General-Slayer" waits to see if you have potential.]
As I looked away from the messages, Fragment of the 4th Wall began transmitting thoughts to me. They were a list of everything I've learned, which Ender probably learned as well.
[Firstly, the enemy's gate is down. Secondly, use the legs as a shield in battle. Thirdly, a small reserve, held back until the end of the game, can be decisive. Fourthly, soldiers can sometimes make smarter decisions than the orders they are given.]
That was the end of list that Fraggy sent me.
(Thank you.)
After that, Salamander Army headed back our barracks.
***
I was about to climb into bed, but I saw Bonzo approach me. I saw his face, which was hard and set, as if hewn from stone. Fraggy sent a passage from "Ender's Game" into my mind.
-[Naked, he was about to climb into bed when Bonzo came toward him, his face hard and set.
(I have seen Peter like this,) Ender thought, (silent murder within his eye.)
But Bonzo is not like Peter. Bonzo has more fear.]-
"Wiggin," Bonzo said, "I finally traded you. I was able to persuade Rat Army that your incredible place on the efficiency list is more than an accident. You go over there tomorrow."
I nodded towards Bonzo and said, "Thank you, sir."
I made sure that I didn't sound grateful at all, but-
-!SLAP!-
-!BAM!-
I was smacked by Bonzo's vicious openhand, and punched hard in the stomach. The sudden pain caused me to gasp out, and I buckled and fell onto the floor. Tears leaked from my eyes, but they were a bodily reaction. They were not weak tears that stemmed from this unfairness. I wouldn't cry or sob from the pain, nor whine or complain.
"You disobeyed me," Bonzo said. Speaking loudly for everyone to hear, he said, "No good soldier ever disobeys."
As I gasped from the pain, I could hear everyone murmur. A passage from the novel entered my mind.
-[You fool, Bonzo. You aren't enforcing discipline, you're destroying it. They know I turned defeat into a draw. Now they see how you repay me. You made yourself look like a fool in front of everyone. What is your discipline worth now?]-
Bonzo left me to my agony. I couldn't wait to leave his tyrannical command. As I climbed into bed, I ignored the ache in my cheek and stomach. When the lights went off, I gently closed my eyes, and drifted into my subconscious.
***
McFarland wasn't here. Right now, I was able to have an uncharacteristic peace. I felt like an aimless boat at sea, sailing adrift without any direction, but as time went on, I felt something grab hold of me and tug me somewhere, as if I was attached to an anchor.
The dream shifted to a new place, and I saw where I was: I was in Graff's office. He was talking to Major Anderson.
(There discussion signals the beginning of the 8th chapter, which is titled "Rat.")
"Colonel Graff, the games have always been run fairly before. Either random distribution of stars, or symmetrical."
"Fairness is a wonderful attribute, Major Anderson. It has nothing to do with war."
"The game will be compromised. The comparative standings will become meaningless."
"Alas."
"It will take months, even years to develop the new battle-rooms and run the simulations," Major Anderson griped.
"That's why I'm asking you now. To begin. Be creative. Think of-"
Their conversation went on, and they bickered over the importance the games. Major Anderson said the games is a form of identity; it's status, purpose, name, all that makes these children who they are.
Graff argued that it was simply a training exercise. He also mentioned how he was assembling my army, and how the odds would be stacked against my favor. Major Anderson threatened to report Graff to the Hegemon and the Strategoi; Major Anderson stated that he shouldn't have the power to decide the fate of the world.
Graff also said to Anderson to not bring the entire Hegemony on his ass, and to keep those "frightened politicians" out of it. As their conversation ended, my dream concluded.
***
It was the next day. Before I headed towards the Rat Army room, I made sure to talk to Petra. I was in a new army, and I didn't want to cause drama by having a Salamander teach me. It was for the best, and she agreed. I also used my public desk, and enrolled myself for a self-defense Earth course. I didn't want to fight Bonzo, but I wanted the capability to defend myself so no one would ever hit me again.
After that, I walked towards my destination and found myself in the Rat Army barracks. I stood before the commander, whose name was Rose de Nose. He gave me a myriad of exposition, but I'll give you guys the short version.
He said there was three rules: one of them was to obey his orders, and the second rule was this: don't piss in the bed. The final rule concerned my Launch group: training with them was over. After stating that, he assigned me to Dink Meeker's toon. Rose de Nose also said I was forbidden to use my desk unless I freeze two enemy soldiers for every battle. He stated that he was doing it out of self-defense, since I was a "genius programmer."
I soon left Rat Army barracks, and made my way to the game room. If I was right, another pivotal character was there.
***
"A guy pointed you out," I said. "I'm Ender Wiggin."
Right now, I was staring at Khylin Rhambo, who was the original actor in the film. He was the one who played Dink. He replied with a simple, "I know."
"I'm in your toon," I mentioned.
"I know."
"I'm pretty inexperienced," I deadpanned.
Dink looked at me and said, "Look, Wiggin, I know all this. Why do you think I asked Rose to get you for me?"
"Why?" I asked.
"I've watched your practice sessions with the Launchies. I think you show some promise. Bonzo is stupid and I wanted you to get better training than Petra could give you. All she can do is shoot."
"Alright then. What else do you want from me?"
In reality, everything was about gains. Something such as charity didn't exist in Battle-School. In the novel, Ender figured it out he wasn't dumped, he was picked up. Specifically by Dink.
"I want your help in the Battle-room. I also don't want you to quit your free-time practice sessions."
"Rose de Nose does. He's the commander."
"Rose de Nose can't stop you. Likewise, he can't stop you from using your desk."
"Why did he order it then?"
"Listen, Ender, commanders have just as much authority as you let them have. The more you obey them, the more power they have over you."
Dink's words resonated with me. His wisdom could be applied to the stories, which make up the status of the Constellations. The story you're given doesn't have to be the one that dictates you.
As Dink and I talked, I learned that he trained his toon with discipline and vigor, and he never consulted with Rose. His toon was separate from the rest: it was as if Rose commanded one army, and Dink commanded a smaller one - it was only due to circumstances that they trained in the same battle room.
After that, we went to the Battle Room to practice. I would finally meet his toon, and finally have a proper chance to participate in the Battles. I was one step closer to the end of this simulation.