The rest of their summer was filled with Solasta working at the Market and Tasa at his parents shop, but on days they weren't working it was normal for Solasta and Tasa to spend the day at the beach with their friends.
Her skill on the Waveboard improved considerably, and only occasionally did they run into Metho and her friends. This usually resulted in the girls spitting barbs at each other, with the exception of one afternoon when Solasta and Metho crossed paths in a shop, and away from her friends Metho said, "I'm sorry about your Mom. I liked her, she was a really nice lady."
As the end of school break approached, Solasta knew they needed to think about Twelfth Form and what classes they would need to pick for their final year. Registrations for the senior students to choose their upcoming classes were now open, so rather than hit the beach on their next day off they spent the day at Solasta's choosing their classes for the upcoming school year.
Tasa's selections would favour Sciences and Mathematics to prepare him for University submissions, whereas Solasta's were more generalized. Once she graduated school, the ten months she would spend at Carida Academy would give her the opportunity to specialize in a naval vocation and prepare her for Basic Training.
Sitting at the table in the garden they were discussing mathematics being the only class they might have together when they were startled by the sounds of dishes breaking in the kitchen.
Solasta called out, "You okay Mom?"
When her mother didn't reply she stood and walked to the window but couldn't anyone inside. Thinking her mother may have cut herself on a shard of whatever broke and gone for the med kit, or possibly something just happened to fall off the counter, she opened the door and looked inside. Nothing in the kitchen looked out of place so she called out again, "Mom?"
When she still didn't receive an answer she stepped inside and discovered her mother crumpled on the floor with broken plates beside her. "Mom? MOM!" and she ran to where her mother was lying, "TASA! DAD!"
The memorial service for Aisii was held only a few days later. It was private gathering attended by a small group of Sandoval's Naval friends, a few of Aisii's old music students, and Tasa's family. Solasta and the Commander greeted those who came to pay their respect, offer condolences, or reassures that they too felt the pain of their loss.
Through the entire service Solasta sat numbed, unable to feel anything at loss of the mother that had always been there for her. The mother who wanted her.
When Solasta was asked to come forward to say something she stepped to the dais, and looking at the words she had prepared put the data pad down, and decided to speak from the heart instead. "We've all grieved these past days with Mom's passing, and she told me this was normal but we would need to continue on. She would want us to celebrate her life today, not mourn it, so please keep her in your heart and remember the happy times. Thank-you for being here with us today."
Over the days that followed Sandoval and Solasta sorted through Aisii's things. They decided her clothes would go to the shelters for those who were displaced by the Separatist attacks. Her wedding rings were the only piece of jewelry she owned, so they went to Solasta. While they were cleaning they found a box that contained all the little memento's from Solasta's childhood. "I'm keeping this," Solasta said, and took the box down the hall to her room before returning so they could finish.
That evening after work Tasa stopped by to check on Solasta, and he was relieved to find her in good spirits for the first time in days. Leading Tasa into the common room to sit with her father she said, "Wait until you see what we found," and ran off to her room to retrieve the box of treasures they had discovered earlier.
Solasta pulled the items out of the box one at a time for Tasa while the Commander explained the history behind what was on display. There was a scrap of her dress from First Form with a crusted glue spot, a book filled with photos of Solasta from over the years they looked through, small crafts she had made at school for her parents, and a small cloth pouch, which she left for last.
Reaching in and covering the cloth pouch with her hands so Tasa couldn't see, she carefully shook the contents loose into her palm. The excitement was plain on her face when she, with arms outstretched, presented the last relic from the box, "these are the last of my kitling teeth."
The Commander began, "One of those incisors was already loose when we brought Solasta home, and that molar was the last to fall out. Boy did it put up a fight, but eventually the tooth dropped, and Solasta had all her big girl teeth before she was four months old."
Tasa seemed confused by this and asked, "So she already had adult teeth when you adopted her?"
"Yes," replied the Commander.
"Sir, this doesn't make sense. If she already had adult teeth, and only a few nursing teeth left, she would have been much older than four months."
"Like, how old?" Solasta asked.
Tasa thought for a moment before answering, "If I remember correctly, the stronger adult fangs and incisors develop first to help with tearing flesh, and adult molars develop last, so you may have been closer to a full season, but I should ask my mom or check on the holo."
Solasta turned to her father and asked, "How old was I when you brought me home?"
"The Medic's on Nar Shadda couldn't agree on an age, so we had the adoption filed as newborn. As far as we were concerned, that was the first day of your life."
Solasta started the math in her head, "That should mean... almost a year at 4 months... so 8 months... I would have already been in my Sixteenth Season on my birthday, plus the months since... if I'm not already Seventeen, I should be soon."
"You know what this means?" she asked, and before anyone could answer, "It means I would be turning Eighteen before next summer and could enlist right away."
"What about the Prep Course and earning an early commission?" her father asked.
"I could complete Basic's, have a posting, and be on my way to earning a commission in the time it would take to even complete the 10 month prep course, which everyone knows is just 'filler' to keep kids interested until they turn Eighteen," she said, but the look on the Commander's face told her he wasn't convinced.
Pleading, Solasta began, "Dad, I would be well on my way to a commission, Tasa could pick an Academic Apprenticeship close to where I'm stationed, and we could start planning a Soul-Binding."
Wide-eye, Solasta looked at her father and clasped her hands to her mouth realizing what she just said aloud.
"So you're asking me to be your Life-Mate," Tasa asked.
Stiffening her back and looking at Tasa, "I am. It is my right to select a mate who I deem to be the best provider for our tribe and kitlings, and... I love you."
The Commander crossed his arms and put the discussion to rest by saying, "I'm not sure why you're so eager to give away a season of your life since all this is theoretical at this point. I don't even know where to start with getting an accurate 'age' determined or who even does that sort of thing, plus convincing the Republic Central Records to update your birth file? Just enjoy knowing you'll always be one season younger than everyone else."