Shuttle landing zone, Hijra [Six months in stasis, twelve years Earth time gone, Tuesday in Fandom]

[momslilassassin]

After saying their final goodbyes to Ender's parents before getting to Ganges, there wasn't really much point to staying awake between stops, and so all three of them went into stasis for the duration of the flight between Ganges and Hijra, a planet they'd picked for its relative obscurity, warm, dry climate, and sand (but not too much sand, Ben had been sure to check. He hadn't come all this way to end up on another Tatooine. There was obscure and there was "furthest star from anything.") Besides, after their trip back to Kaeleer, Ben hadn't exactly been anxious to be alone with his thoughts for much time.

He'd memorized what little information had changed about their new home planet: very quiet, minimal interference from Earth's government (which was now a few generations past Peter's time, and that was a little hard to get used to), made up primarily of Earth immigrants from the Middle East, and Northern and Central parts of Africa. They'd been drawn to the heat as much as Ben had been. With all of his possessions in the duffel over his shoulder, he stepped down out of the shuttle and took his first breath of non-recycled air in six months. "Sure is hot," he said, tilting his head up to the sun. "Feels good. Where's our house again?"

Comments

[endsthegame]

"Oh, good," Valentine said. "Very helpful. He can kick it off by pointing me to the right places to put these groceries. You too, Andrew."

Ender shot Alai a wry smile as he got up. "I'll handle it."

[arcane-delphi.livejournal.com]

"I'll help," Alai insisted, standing up as well. "Your kitchen seems a bit complicated."

[endsthegame]

Ender snorted a little, but hid it behind his hand. "All right," he said, walking over to Valentine to take one large bag of groceries from her.

[momslilassassin]

Ben took another from her. "How far is the market?"

[endsthegame]

"Not that far. About ten minutes' walking, maybe," Valentine said, handing off the last of her bags to Alai without even thinking about it. "I picked up everything I thought we'd need."

A pause.

"Hi."

[arcane-delphi.livejournal.com]

Alai smiled at her. "Hello. I'm Alai."

[endsthegame]

"I've heard of you," Valentine said dryly, but she smiled back. "Hi. I'm Valentine."

[arcane-delphi.livejournal.com]

"I've not heard much of you," Alai replied, "but family wasn't exactly a topic of discussion in Battle School. Please don't be offended. I'm glad Ender has family with him on his journey."

[endsthegame]

"Call him Andrew," Valentine said, shooting her brother a glance. "That's what he's going with these days, or so I'm told."

Ender smiled a little. "I'm sure you can understand," he said, "Considering the political climate."

[arcane-delphi.livejournal.com]

"Of course," Alai said, nodding. "The Speaker for the Dead's work has made its way here, too."

He didn't sound pleased by that.

[endsthegame]

"Has it?" Ender asked neutrally.

[arcane-delphi.livejournal.com]

Alai nodded. "It caused some problems with the more orthodox clerics," he understated.

Jane would probably be able to find the real story.

[endsthegame]

"I didn't know a planet full of muslims would care about the works of a secular writer," Ender said, walking into the kitchen with his bag.

[arcane-delphi.livejournal.com]

"Have you read it?" Alai asked. "There are people treating it like religious text, putting it next to the Koran and the Bible."

He sounded decidedly disapproving about that. "There's a growing backlash against what we did as children, though people here are smart enough not to bring that up to my face."

[endsthegame]

"I've read it," Ender said, as he stacked items in the fridge. "As for the backlash, it was inevitable that our time would come to an end. History always looks at events in a slightly different light than those who participated in it."

He shot a wry look back towards the dining room. "Ask my sister about that."

[arcane-delphi.livejournal.com]

"Oh?" Alai replied, looking to Valentine.

[endsthegame]

"She's a historian," Ender said with a little smile.

He'd rather talk about that than the Speaker for the Dead, for obvious reasons.

[arcane-delphi.livejournal.com]

Alai smiled at her. "Are you doing research here, then?" he asked lightly.

[endsthegame]

"I'm thinking about it," Valentine said easily. "If I find something interesting enough -- I'm thinking about writing a history of the colonies."

[arcane-delphi.livejournal.com]

"So a modern history, then," Alai surmised.

[endsthegame]

"Might not be modern anymore the moment we leave here," Valentine said. "Relativity is strange that way."

"I hope you won't mind her asking around while we're here," Ender said.

[arcane-delphi.livejournal.com]

"Not at all," Alai said with a polite smile. "Our government is an open book."

Well, graded on a curve of Muslim governments, anyway.

[endsthegame]

Ender put down the last item in one of the cabinets. "Either way," he said, "I believe you promised us a tour."

[arcane-delphi.livejournal.com]

"I did," Alai said with a smile, standing up and heading for the door. "We are trying to be a bit like Turkey in terms of secularism," he began, "which is why Valentine isn't required to cover her head." He smiled at her. "You might still get looked at while you're with me: people like to get offended on my behalf, even when I'm not offended."

[endsthegame]

"I could buy a headscarf, if it'll make things easier," Valentine offered as she followed.