As the day began to close the parents were informed they would have to leave for the day and that the students would soon be fed and put to bed in order to be ready for the readiness evaluation the next morning. After the evaluation, those in need of training would be given up to two weeks of survival training before being sent into the random planetary transport where they and a small group of teachers would be taken to a random environment with only the clothes on their back and the few items they choose to bring with them.
The families all began to say their goodbyes and part for the night with a few tears here and there but the majority of the children, even the orphans or homeless, could receive free training a couple of times a year for the survival test so there weren't too many children panicking.
As Gunnar and Cassie got ready for bed they went through the chosen items one final time with each other. Gunnar was taking his knife on his belt, a flint, some rope , and some canvas, while Cassie was bringing her knife, a small telescope and some thin wire for trapping and tying game, as well as some herbs in case of accidental poisoning or eating of spoiled food. If they ended up somewhere snowy or in a desert they wouldn't be able to find herbs or tonics they were familiar with.
As they got ready to sleep for the night, they sat on the edge of their beds and looked across at each other.
"We are ready for this aren't we?" Cassie's quiet voice spoke in the darkened room. As confident as they were, they still were only 12 years old.
"I don't know for sure, but I know that we have our best chance if we work together and face everything as best we can. We can only do our best with what we have. Lets get some sleep."
After two more days of children and their parents filtering in from all across the three planets and beyond, the day finally came for the trial to begin.
Teacher Kilara stepped forward and began to speak. "For those of you who are confident in your chances on the survival trial you can step forward to draw the environment that you will have survive in. The levels of the flora and fauna will not be beyond what your strength can handle but for those of you who choose to begin now, here is a warning. we will not interfere until the full month is up. If you get into a situation that ends in your death then we will not be to blame. if you do not feel confident then step to the side and we will be giving a course in survival craft, and after that we will monitor you through the trial and judge based on your performance whether to pass you."
Jarsa then took over. "For those who step forward to begin their trials now, if you survive you will be judged on your performance and directly given a chance for the first qualification for the Hunter mark, the survival qualification. An additional reminder, any and all resources you can gather and use or stash can be brought back with you at thew end of the trial and can either be traded in to the school for credit points or you can keep them and stash them here for use when you orelings advanced to the Refined area of the school. You now have 30 minutes to decide your teams, limited to three people per team, and if you wish to take the trial or wait for the training first. Your time begins now."
Gunnar looked at Cassie and they nervously nodded at each other before walking over to their families and giving them all hugs and bidding them farewell, for after entering they would be able to see their parents and grandparents till the first break of school after they advanced to refined. The two then walked over to the teachers with their small bag of allowed gear to be checked and after being checked prepared to draw the environment that would be their home for the next month.
They stood behind two groups of three, one of which had the markings and sharp ears of the elven clans, with their faces covered with masks. The other group stood tall and broad, a mixed team of two females and one male, the three looking nearly identical to each other, other than a few differentiating scars and attitudes. The two groups drew their cards and handed it to the small man operating the lifts that would bring each team to its waiting ship that would take them to their trial area.
When the two stepped forward to draw their card they both looked at each other before Gunnar nodded and motioned Cassie ahead to draw their card. When Cassie drew the card she showed the card to Gunnar.
The card was marked with the scouting signs unique to each scout unless you were given a cipher. A way for the teams to be kept in suspense as long as possible. they wouldn't know where they were being sent until they stepped off their ship.
Gunnar took the card from Cassie and gave it to the man running the lifts. Who then squinted at the card before nodding and pointing at a specific lift among the several present, then punching in a code and stepping off sending the pair on their way.
As the two rose above the crowd and sped toward their ship in the distance, a small on world ship with a ramp on the side for walking on and off the ship, also known as a modified miniature drop ship. Risa looked at Jennifer Milton. "Did you recognize the Signs? Do you know where they're headed?"
Jen had a conflicted look on her face. "Some scout signs are universal but those I haven't seen before. Probably a code used for this specifically. But I believe in our kids, they will work together to come out of this just fine."