Ender's Game Part 6

In this chapter nothing much happens, Ender settles into his new quarters and cements his reputation as the freaky little genius of Battle School. Later, though, something interesting happens! We find out how the battle room works. It's basically this giant airtight vacuum that simulates the kind of environment you might find in outer space. You wear an airtight suit that magnifies movements and shoot at each other with lasers that freeze up your suit wherever they hit. Throughout their training the boys will be practicing mock battles in the Battle Room to prepare them for war. When Ender isn't training in the Battle Room, he's at his desk playing a simulated RPG game, where he plays an avatar that can be anywhere from a fish to a man, and overcomes obstacles thrown at him. It's called the "Mind Game" because it's meant to mess with your head. At the moment Ender is stuck at a place where he is a mouse, and a giant offers him two drinks. Ender's mouse self has to choose which to drink, but so far the game has been rigged so that he is always poisoned, no matter what. Eventually, in a rage, Ender jumps into the Giant's eye and burrows until he dies. Yeesh! Gruesome. Later that evening, when talking to his friend Alai, Ender recieves some startling news. He is to be 'promoted' so to speak, from his launch group to Salamander army. This is unheard of! No one is moved up until they are at least eight years old, and Ender isn't even seven yet! But he sighs, hugs his friend behind, and goes off to the game room to find out where he is supposed to go.