Xan Lanier was a cadet in the Galactic Empire. He was seemingly a promising candidate, as he was granted admission to the officer training academy on Arkanis, but proved to be one of the academy's worst-performing students. During his time at the Arkanis Academy, he was assigned to a five-person unit with his fellow cadets Chan Harra, Zare Leonis, Tigard Manes, and Anya Razar, who served as squad leader. Prior to the exercise, Razar told Leonis not to be concerned with Lanier, as he was the worst student in the class. Lanier was killed by live fire during the exercise. It later transpired that killing Lanier was part of a test that allowed Razar to gain entrance into a secretive group at the academy known as the Commandant's Cadets.