Part 5, Leader: Deadline, Friend, Rebel, Trial and Error, Chapters 17-20 Summary

Chapter 17 opens with Bean collecting the members of his toon. He successfully talks five students into it, including Nikolai. He then negotiates with Graff to use some of the school supplies in the battle room. Bean makes plans to do something with lengths of very strong cord usually used as safety lines when workers are outside the space station. He experiments with the cord in the battle rooms, using it for navigation and tying members of the Dragon army together.

Members of the Salamander army arrange themselves in an attempt to attack Ender, but Bean recognizes the danger. He hurries to the Rabbit army, which comes out in force to defend Ender. The Salamanders back off. Later Bonzo corners Ender in a bathroom. Ender, who...