Gish_Sky
Senior Member
Welcome to Battle School!
[youtube]
A strange man, dressed in military clothing, has told you that you have been accepted to the most prestigious school in history: Battle School. A school for the best of the best, this school has produced many famous military leaders, including Ender Wiggin, Petra Arkanian, Julian Delphiki II, Han Tzu and Alai, former Caliph of Muslim Nations.
Now is the time to become a soldier. With another war with the buggers (evil, bad aliens), the need for brilliant leaders is bigger than ever. Turns out, the buggers’ plan was to betray everyone all along... Humanity is determined to squash out the buggers this time, but we need some more people to help us out...
The journey to become the best soldier is a difficult journey. Many people get ‘iced’ and people have died at the school (2 at the moment). However, you get to choose. Will you attend the school? Or will you decline this invitation? (Hint: you’ll have to accept it anyways).
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Ender thought that it was rather strange when his father quietly steered the ship towards a blue orb. Very strange. They generally explored the desert planets, the planets that were more interesting. This one looked boring. The big oceans, the green splotches of land...
As the ship flew closer to the planet, the boy noticed a few buildings floating around the orb. He hadn’t seen those before. So they were heading to a civilized location? That was really interesting. Kicking off a wall, the boy floated towards a seat and strapped himself in. As the ship suddenly picked up speed, the boy held tight to the straps that held him to the seat. Soon, he was able to see the blue oceans. The lush forests. The mountains. And buildings. Lots of them too. This was a beautiful planet, the boy had to admit.
The ship was flying towards a desolate looking area. So they weren’t going to interact with whoever was there. However, there was a small log cabin in the distance. Ender could see the silhouette of a man standing in the entrance of the cabin, waving at them. Ender was tempted to wave back, but he noticed the grim expression on his father’s face and decided not to.
Landing on the dirt ground, Ender could hear the doors of the ship slowly open.
“Go, Ender. There’s a man at the log cabin. He’ll tell you some things. It’s your choice.” His father seemed a bit sorrowful, as if he had some heavy regrets. Ender looked at his father curiously.
“What will the man say?” Ender asked, feeling a bit nervous. His father wasn’t like this usually.
“I’m not sure... But he only wants to speak to you. Run along. I’ll be waiting for you.”
The boy walked barefoot on the ground, digging his toes into the dry dirt. The air here was nice too. It was interesting, to see such a lush planet. There were many tall things called trees in the distance, gently swaying to a light breeze. Finally approaching the house, the man standing there gave him a short bow.
“Ender Wiggin, it is a pleasure to meet you.” The man seemed quite cheerful and his hand was extended out to him, as if he expected Ender to clasp it. The boy tentatively took it.
“Hello... sir,” the boy said, realizing that the man was probably a member of the IF. His clothing was adorned with lots of badges. The man shook his hand rigorously. Ender was not expecting that.
“Come here, Ender. Sit.” The man patted a spot next to him and sat down. Ender mimicked his actions.
“You’re a smart boy, aren’t you?” The man said. Ender frowned.
“I’m not really sure... I’ve never really met any children my age,” the boy said quietly. The man nodded.
“Well, you’re one of the brightest children I’ve ever met. In fact, you’re one of the brightest children in the entire galaxy,” the man said. Ender bit his lip. That wasn’t true, right? He had never perceived himself to be particularly smart. Whenever he played chess with his father, his father always won.
The man seemed to sense the boy’s doubt and took a letter out of his pocket. The man handed it to the boy, who took it. The boy opened it. After reading its contents, the boy folded the letter neatly and handed it back to the man.
“I can’t go... I can’t go to Battle School. I don’t want to leave my father.” Leaving his father resulted in too many variables and Ender didn’t like that. The man nodded.
“Alright... I understand... But, attending Battle School could redeem your father’s name.” The man took the letter and slipped it back into his pocket. Ender paused for a bit.
“Redeem my father’s name?” The boy asked curiously. The man nodded. Ender knew that his father wasn’t very well-liked due to a small mistake with the buggers, right?
“If you attend the school, we’ll clear your father’s name. We’ll make him a hero once more.” The man gave him a small smile. The boy thought for a bit. He wanted people to see his father as a good man. But going to this school seemed scary. The boy remembered something that his father had taught him, how it was important to weigh the pros and cons of a situation.
A few days later, the boy found himself standing in front of a large shuttle. It was the biggest ship he had ever seen. Around him, was a sea of children, dashing into the ship and bidding their parents farewell. His father had dropped him off a few yards away and had bid him farewell. Everyone, including the parents, seemed so excited. His father had seemed pensive, sad. Ender didn’t understand why. Everyone else seemed so happy, so why wasn’t his father happy?
Walking into the shuttle, the boy looked around at the rambunctious children that surrounded him. They were talking loudly, playing games and doing so many things at once. Was this how all children were supposed to be? Taking a seat near the window, the boy strapped himself in. According to the letter, the school was in outer space. That meant that everyone was supposed to strap in. However, the other children seemed oblivious to this, bouncing around and laughing. Eventually, a voice on the PA told everyone to take a seat. The children obliged and began to sit down.
Oh no. Someone had sat next to him. Ender had been hoping that he could’ve avoided human interaction. But a human had sat next to him. Another living being. Another one of those talkative, rambunctious, and somewhat chaotic beings. That seemed scary. Ender hoped that they weren’t much of a talker. Or a hand-shaker. That hand shake thing was still somewhat frightening. What was the point of a handshake? To spread germs? Ender looked out the window, hoping that the person next to him wouldn’t speak...
[youtube]
A strange man, dressed in military clothing, has told you that you have been accepted to the most prestigious school in history: Battle School. A school for the best of the best, this school has produced many famous military leaders, including Ender Wiggin, Petra Arkanian, Julian Delphiki II, Han Tzu and Alai, former Caliph of Muslim Nations.
Now is the time to become a soldier. With another war with the buggers (evil, bad aliens), the need for brilliant leaders is bigger than ever. Turns out, the buggers’ plan was to betray everyone all along... Humanity is determined to squash out the buggers this time, but we need some more people to help us out...
The journey to become the best soldier is a difficult journey. Many people get ‘iced’ and people have died at the school (2 at the moment). However, you get to choose. Will you attend the school? Or will you decline this invitation? (Hint: you’ll have to accept it anyways).
———————————————————————————————————————————————
Ender thought that it was rather strange when his father quietly steered the ship towards a blue orb. Very strange. They generally explored the desert planets, the planets that were more interesting. This one looked boring. The big oceans, the green splotches of land...
As the ship flew closer to the planet, the boy noticed a few buildings floating around the orb. He hadn’t seen those before. So they were heading to a civilized location? That was really interesting. Kicking off a wall, the boy floated towards a seat and strapped himself in. As the ship suddenly picked up speed, the boy held tight to the straps that held him to the seat. Soon, he was able to see the blue oceans. The lush forests. The mountains. And buildings. Lots of them too. This was a beautiful planet, the boy had to admit.
The ship was flying towards a desolate looking area. So they weren’t going to interact with whoever was there. However, there was a small log cabin in the distance. Ender could see the silhouette of a man standing in the entrance of the cabin, waving at them. Ender was tempted to wave back, but he noticed the grim expression on his father’s face and decided not to.
Landing on the dirt ground, Ender could hear the doors of the ship slowly open.
“Go, Ender. There’s a man at the log cabin. He’ll tell you some things. It’s your choice.” His father seemed a bit sorrowful, as if he had some heavy regrets. Ender looked at his father curiously.
“What will the man say?” Ender asked, feeling a bit nervous. His father wasn’t like this usually.
“I’m not sure... But he only wants to speak to you. Run along. I’ll be waiting for you.”
The boy walked barefoot on the ground, digging his toes into the dry dirt. The air here was nice too. It was interesting, to see such a lush planet. There were many tall things called trees in the distance, gently swaying to a light breeze. Finally approaching the house, the man standing there gave him a short bow.
“Ender Wiggin, it is a pleasure to meet you.” The man seemed quite cheerful and his hand was extended out to him, as if he expected Ender to clasp it. The boy tentatively took it.
“Hello... sir,” the boy said, realizing that the man was probably a member of the IF. His clothing was adorned with lots of badges. The man shook his hand rigorously. Ender was not expecting that.
“Come here, Ender. Sit.” The man patted a spot next to him and sat down. Ender mimicked his actions.
“You’re a smart boy, aren’t you?” The man said. Ender frowned.
“I’m not really sure... I’ve never really met any children my age,” the boy said quietly. The man nodded.
“Well, you’re one of the brightest children I’ve ever met. In fact, you’re one of the brightest children in the entire galaxy,” the man said. Ender bit his lip. That wasn’t true, right? He had never perceived himself to be particularly smart. Whenever he played chess with his father, his father always won.
The man seemed to sense the boy’s doubt and took a letter out of his pocket. The man handed it to the boy, who took it. The boy opened it. After reading its contents, the boy folded the letter neatly and handed it back to the man.
“I can’t go... I can’t go to Battle School. I don’t want to leave my father.” Leaving his father resulted in too many variables and Ender didn’t like that. The man nodded.
“Alright... I understand... But, attending Battle School could redeem your father’s name.” The man took the letter and slipped it back into his pocket. Ender paused for a bit.
“Redeem my father’s name?” The boy asked curiously. The man nodded. Ender knew that his father wasn’t very well-liked due to a small mistake with the buggers, right?
“If you attend the school, we’ll clear your father’s name. We’ll make him a hero once more.” The man gave him a small smile. The boy thought for a bit. He wanted people to see his father as a good man. But going to this school seemed scary. The boy remembered something that his father had taught him, how it was important to weigh the pros and cons of a situation.
A few days later, the boy found himself standing in front of a large shuttle. It was the biggest ship he had ever seen. Around him, was a sea of children, dashing into the ship and bidding their parents farewell. His father had dropped him off a few yards away and had bid him farewell. Everyone, including the parents, seemed so excited. His father had seemed pensive, sad. Ender didn’t understand why. Everyone else seemed so happy, so why wasn’t his father happy?
Walking into the shuttle, the boy looked around at the rambunctious children that surrounded him. They were talking loudly, playing games and doing so many things at once. Was this how all children were supposed to be? Taking a seat near the window, the boy strapped himself in. According to the letter, the school was in outer space. That meant that everyone was supposed to strap in. However, the other children seemed oblivious to this, bouncing around and laughing. Eventually, a voice on the PA told everyone to take a seat. The children obliged and began to sit down.
Oh no. Someone had sat next to him. Ender had been hoping that he could’ve avoided human interaction. But a human had sat next to him. Another living being. Another one of those talkative, rambunctious, and somewhat chaotic beings. That seemed scary. Ender hoped that they weren’t much of a talker. Or a hand-shaker. That hand shake thing was still somewhat frightening. What was the point of a handshake? To spread germs? Ender looked out the window, hoping that the person next to him wouldn’t speak...
