The Last Shadow

Plot

The Leguminids, the genetically altered children of Bean Delphiki, secured the continuation of their lineage by interbreeding with humans from a colony world. They later took their own grandchildren while the children were still young, raising them in space. A holographic message from Hyrum Graff instructed the Leguminids to travel to Lusitania and help investigate the planet Descoladora. The people of Lusitania had received the complete genetic sequence of the descolada virus from Descoladora and were afraid the deadly plague might return.

Jane and Miro Ribeira used instantaneous travel to reach the Leguminid ship and recruit them. Jane decided to send the grandchildren to study the planet, while Bean’s children were told to reunite with their spouses. One grandchild, Thulium, explored Lusitania on her own and found that the Formics had flourished there, forming a bond with the Hive Queen. The research team also included Peter Wiggin II, a genetic replica of Ender Wiggin’s brother who carried Ender’s Aiúa, along with his wife Si Wang-mu.

Using the vast financial resources Jane had gathered for Ender Wiggin, they obtained everything needed to study the planet. Jane taught Peter how to travel instantaneously and told him to link up with Wang-mu and Thulium so they could all go to the surface together. Peter and Wang-mu went down alone to gather samples, where they met intelligent keas and ravens that mocked them and stole their belongings. Wang-mu managed to negotiate with these creatures, making first contact.