“I was thinking that you could turn it over to a computer program.”

“You think we didn’t think of that? The best investment programs are only two percent better at predicting markets and bringing a positive return on investment than closing your eyes and stabbing the stock listings with a pin.”

“You mean with all the computer expertise and all the computer facilities of the Fleet, you can’t devise a neutral program to handle Ender’s money?”

“Why are you so set on software doing it?”

“Because software doesn’t get greedy and try to steal. Even for a noble purpose.”

“So what if Peter is using Ender’s money—that’s what you’re worried about, right?—if we suddenly cut it off, won’t he notice? Won’t that set back his efforts?”

“Ender saved the world. He’s entitled to have his full pension, when and if he ever wants it. There are laws to protect child actors. Why not war heroes traveling at lightspeed?”

“Ah,” said Graff. “So you are thinking about what will happen when you take off in the scoutship we offered you.”

“I don’t need you to manage my money. Petra will do it just fine. I want her to have the use of the money.”

“Meaning you think you’ll never come back.”

“You’re changing the subject. Software. Managing Ender’s investments.”

“A semi-autonomous program that—”

“Not semi. Autonomous.”

“There are no autonomous programs. Besides which, the stock market is impossible to model. Nothing that depends on crowd behavior can be accurate over time. What computer could possibly deal with it?”

“I don’t know,” said Bean. “Didn’t that mind game you had us play predict human behavior?”

“It’s very specialized educational software.”

“Come on,” said Bean. “It was your shrink. You analyzed the behavior of the kids and—”

“That’s right. Listen to yourself. We analyzed.”

“But the game also analyzed. It anticipated our moves. When Ender was playing, it took him places the rest of us never saw. But the game was always ahead of him. That was one cool piece of software. Can’t you teach it to play Investment Manager?”

Graff looked impatient. “I don’t know. What does an ancient piece of software have to do with…Bean, do you realize how much effort you’re asking me to go to in order to protect Ender’s pension? I don’t even know that it needs protecting.”

“But you should know that it doesn’t.”

“Guilt. You, the conscienceless wonder, are actually using guilt on me.”

“I spent a lot of time with Sister Carlotta. And Petra’s no slouch, either.”

“I’ll look at the program. I’ll look at Ender’s money.”

“Just out of curiosity, what is the program being used for now that you don’t have any kids up there?”

Graff snorted. “We have nothing but kids here. The adults are playing it now. The Mind Game. Only I promised them never to let the program do analyses on their gameplay.”

“So the program does analyze.”

“It does pre-analysis. Looking for anomalies. Surprises.”

“Wait a minute,” said Bean.