How It All Goes Down
Dona Ivanova
- The epigraph is by Libo, who is writing about how he has decided to start sharing information with the piggies in defiance of Starways Congress. He says it requires practiced deceit, and that it is painful but necessary to withhold information from fellow scientists because it is even more painful to withhold information from the piggies.
- Novinha is at her work, reluctant to go home though she's not sure why.
- Her hip still hurts from her husband's last beating, and she feels she deserves the pain.
- She arrives home to bickering as Olhado and Ela try to convince her to see the Speaker.
- They talk more and Ender dispenses wisdom—Novinha tells him she canceled her call, but of course he knew that already.
- Ela says she asked him to speak for Marcao.
- There's more shouting and more Ender showing he's wise, and there's also some sexual tension between Novinha and Ender.
- When Ender leaves, the kids are still arguing, and Novinha is miserable and falls asleep crying.