Chapter 5, Valentine, Summary

Valentine, Ender's sister and the political writer Demosthenes, is nine months pregnant and preparing to take a group of her university students on a weekend trip on one of her husband's ships. Valentine and Ender have always traveled together through the years, but now that Valentine is married and about to become a mother, Ender knows he must leave her behind. Valentine sees Ender come toward her with a bag over his shoulder and thinks he will be joining her and her students for the weekend, something that makes her very happy despite the fact that his presence will keep her students from the creativity that is the purpose of the trip. However, Valentine soon realizes that Ender plans to leave her. Ender and Valentine argue while Valentine attempts to talk Ender out of leaving, but she fails.

In the twenty-two...