While the action went on inside, ( a different discussion went on just outside the compound. )

A Garden, Caliph's Estate, Damascus

Enough was enough.

After his conversation with Ben yesterday, Bean had run out of patience, and despite the presence of the others here with him, he didn't want to wait to get some of his answers.

( I need to talk to you. )

The elevator they had ridden up into the building had dropped them off in, of all things, a garden, lush like a jungle. The courtyard was glassed over, keeping it moist, preventing anything from being given up to the dry desert air ( Read more... )

Karla was bored. This was no great surprise, as it was currently stupid o'clock in the morning and most of her fellow passengers were sleeping. Not Ben (of course), but then Ben had been in a fairly grumpy mood since this so-called rescue mission had begun. Between trains, Battle School brats, almost nonstop talk of sex and babies between Bean and ( Read more... )

Karla liked Catalan. If she wasn't worried sick about Ender and having annoyingly-cryptic nightmares, it'd be the perfect vacation spot. As it was, she had taken to spending an awful lot of time outside with the land. The nightmares, coupled with rising tensions between the four of them, was getting to be a bit much. Only time outdoors, caring for ( Read more... )

Office of the Hegemon, Ribeirao Preto, Brazil

It was a strange sensation, to want to both hug and choke a legume at the same time. Choke him for being difficult, hug him for getting two other difficult people off of his neck - which was something Peter had decided on yesterday, after an argument with his sister in which he had walked out ( Read more... )