Free Shadow of the Giant by Orson Scott Card Page A

the world collapse into war?”
    Petra snapped at him. “I thought that was part of your plan. To make yourself seem indispensable.”
    “I don’t have a great plan,” said Peter. “I just…respond. And I’m asking you about it instead of figuring things out on my own because the last time I ignored your advice it was a disaster. But now I find out you don’t actually have any advice. Just predictions and assumptions.”
    “I’m sorry,” said Bean. “It didn’t cross my mind you were asking for advice.”
    “Well, I am,” said Peter.
    “Here’s my advice,” said Bean. “Your goal isn’t to avoid war.”
    “Yes it is,” said Peter.
    Bean rolled his eyes. “So much for listening.”
    “I’m listening,” said Peter.
    “Your goal is to establish a new order in which war between nations becomes impossible . But to get to that utopian place, there’s going to have to be enough war that people will know the thing they’re desperate to avoid.”
    “I’m not going to encourage war,” said Peter. “It would discredit me completely as a peacemaker. I got this job because I’m Locke!”
    “If you stop objecting and listen,” said Petra, “you’ll eventually get Bean’s advice.”
    “I’m the great strategist, after all,” said Bean with a wry smile. “And the tallest man in the Hegemony compound.”
    “I’m listening,” said Peter again.
    “You’re right, you can’t encourage war. But you also can’t afford to try to stop wars that can’t be stopped. If you’re seen to try and fail , you’re weak. The reason Locke was able to broker a peace between the Warsaw Pact and the West was that neither side wanted war. America wanted to stay home and make money, and Russia didn’t want to run the risk of provoking I.F. intervention. You can only negotiate peace when both sides want it—badly enough to give up something in order to get it. Right now, nobody wants to negotiate. The Indians can’t—they’re occupied, and their occupiers don’t believe they pose a threat. The Chinese can’t—it’s politically impossible for a Chinese ruler to settle for any boundary short of the borders of Han China. And Alai can’t because his own people are so flushed with victory that they can’t see any reason to give anything up.”
    “So I do nothing.”
    “You organize relief efforts for the famine in India,” said Petra.
    “The famine that Virlomi is going to cause.”
    Petra shrugged.
    “So I wait until everybody’s sick of war,” said Peter.
    “No,” said Bean. “You wait until the exact moment when peace is possible. Wait too long, and the bitterness will run too deep for peace.”
    “How do I know when the time is right?”
    “Beats me,” said Bean.
    “You’re the smart ones,” said Peter. “Everyone says so.”
    “Stop the humble act,” said Petra. “You understand perfectly what we’re saying. Why are you so angry? Any plan we make now will crumble the first time somebody makes a move that isn’t on our script.”
    Peter realized that it wasn’t them he was angry at. It was his mother and her ridiculous letter. As if he had the power to “rescue” the Caliph and the Chinese emperor and this brand new Indian goddess and “set them free” when they had all clearly maneuvered themselves into the positions they were in.
    “I just don’t see,” said Peter, “how I can turn any of this to my advantage.”
    “You just have to watch and keep meddling,” said Bean, “until you see a place where you can insert yourself.”
    “That’s what I’ve been doing for years.”
    “And very well, too,” said Petra. “Can we go now?”
    “Go!” said Peter. “Get your evil scientist. I’ll save the world while you’re out.”
    “We expect no less,” said Bean. “Just remember that you asked for the job. We didn’t.”
    They got up. They started for the door.
    “Wait a minute,” said Peter.
    They waited.
    “I just realized something,” Peter said.
    They waited