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"I really ought to go do something," said Ela, "but I can't for the life of me think what."
"Maybe you should go to your mother and show her that you're still on her side."
"But I'm not," said Ela. "In fact, I was thinking maybe I should go to Mayor Zeljezo and propose that he remove Mother as head xenobiologist because she has clearly lost her mind."
"No she hasn't," said Ender. "And if you did something like that, it would kill her."
"Mother? She's too tough to die."
"No," said Ender. "She's so fragile right now that any blow might kill her. Not her body. Her-- trust. Her hope. Don't give her any reason to think you're not with her, no matter what."
Ela looked at him with exasperation. "Is this something you decide, or does it just come naturally to you?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Mother just said things to you that should have made you furious or hurt or-- something, anyway- - and you just sit there trying to think of ways to help her. Don't you ever feel like lashing out at somebody? I mean, don't you ever lose your temper?"
"Ela, after you've inadvertently killed a couple of people with your bare hands, either you learn to control your temper or you lose your humanity."
"You've done that?"
"Yes," he said. He thought for a moment that she was shocked.
"Do you think you could still do it?"
"Probably," he said.
"Good. It may be useful when all hell breaks loose."
Then she laughed. It was a joke. Ender was relieved. He even laughed, weakly, along with her.
"I'll go to Mother," said Ela, "but not because you told me to, or even for the reasons that you said."
"Fine, just so you go."
"Don't you want to know why I'm going to stick with her?"