Academy of Arkanis [Translation]

Chapter 1

With these words, he stepped back and left the hall, followed by several of the high-ranking officers. With a quick nod to the squad leaders, he signaled for them to step down. From the side, an officer in a gray uniform entered the platform with a datapad.

"For the practical test, you will now be divided into several groups. For each of you there is a slightly more mobile clothing ready, you will also need it." He looked up briefly from his datapad. "I will now read out the group assignments." 

He cleared his throat:" Group 1: Corren, Tillian, Throne, Grandal, Jyn. Group 2: Pryde, Dane, Lynn, Dexter, Hux." At the last name, several teens turned questioningly.

Chyler Dane also turned from the front row to the back. In the back row was a nondescript boy. He wore the same uniform as everyone else, single strands of red peeking out from under his black cap. When their eyes met, Hux quickly looked down at the floor. Officer Davids, meanwhile, had read out the rest of the group assignments. With quick steps, he led the young people to a nearby room where they could change separately.

Chyler smoothed out the gray top with her hand and ran her hand over her hair, which was tied up with great effort. In the reflection of a window, she could see her face. Behind the rigid facade of her expression, she saw mostly excitement and fear. Chyler lowered herself from the wall to the floor, breathed deeply in and out, and closed her eyes. The other girls had already gone ahead. For a few seconds, she let her mind wander to better focus. She had been working towards this day all her life. She had been going to the "School for Future Military Leaders" on Vardos since she was a child. It was important to her father that she receive the best education possible so that she could one day avenge the Empire. With a jerk, Chyler stood up and straightened her shoulders. With quick moves, she quickly fixed a curl that had fallen out of her head and hurried back to the hall. 

The rest of the teens were standing around a large vent in the hall that had not been there before. Looking around further, Chyler noticed Commander Hux and the other officers on the control bridge, who were looking critically at what was happening in the shaft. Chyler joined the others at the edge and glanced down. The first group of youths was already standing in the shaft, looking around uncertainly. Chyler also recognized the metal squares on these side walls. While she feverishly pondered what the task of this test was, someone stepped up beside her.

"Well, are you afraid of heights? Chyler stumbled back a few steps in shock, but was just able to catch herself. The boy next to her laughed briefly and turned to her. "I didn't mean to scare you like that, but you were standing there tied up, I just couldn't help it." He held out a hand to her. Leonidas Pryde. And with whom do I have the pleasure?" Chyler raised her eyebrows and crossed her arms. "Pryde, interesting. Sort of like the General?" A mischievous grin formed on Leonidas' face, "Like the General, my father to be exact." He took a step closer to her and leaned down: "In the academy you need allies. Without them, you are screwed. So, how aboutˋs that?" 

Again he extended his hand to Chyler, who took it after a moment's thought and shook it. "My name is Chyler Dane." His green eyes scrutinized her from top to bottom. "Dane? Like the politician?" Chyler nodded curtly. ,,I guess we're about to be in a group." She let go of his hand and looked around. ,,Who else is with us?" Leonidas pointed to the other side of the shaft. "The blond little one there, that's Lynn. Kind of a pushover if you ask me. And then there's Dexter, the black-haired one over there with Officer Davids. A suck-up. And...Hux." Chyler looked at him questioningly. With a nod of his head, he pointed to the side of the shaft. At one corner stood the skinny red-haired boy from a moment ago. He, too, eyed the shaft.

"I didn't know that Commander Hux had a son," she remarked. Neither did I," Leonidas muttered, his gaze drifting up to the control bridge. The wail of a siren made them both jump. The voice of Commander Hux sounded through several speakers. The task is very simple. Climb up from the shaft. Anyone who falls back to the bottom must leave the Academy." Another siren sounded and all the young people looked down with anticipation. Individual platforms suddenly extended from the side walls of the shaft. Driven by the other youths' cheering from above, the first group tried to reach the finish line by jumping onto the platforms.