Solasta's weekend was spent alone studying in her bedroom. Almost every available space within reach on her walls had study notes stuck to it, which she read and re-read until she could recite a few of them from memory. Her data pad had been docked at her desk and ran at all hours in case she wanted to re-do any of the lab lessons.

The evening before the examination she was forced to sit and eat a proper dinner with her parents, despite her objections. "Fatigue is the enemy on any battlefront Solasta. Your strength, agility, and ability to think all are affected, and it wears you down until you start making costly mistakes," the Commander told her, "If you haven't learned or memorized everything you need for tomorrow, the next few hours won't make any difference, so get to bed early."

When they finished dinner she helped her mother tidy up then was made to sit with her parents and watch the news on the holo. She protested the entire time from the kitchen to the common room that she 'really oughta' return to studying but Aisii simply pointed at her, then the couch, and Solasta gave in. The local news had a few interesting stories but a report on growing tensions in a neighbouring region between the native Mantellian and Republic citizens, or their supporters, caught the Commander's attention. He leaned forward in his chair giving the holo his full attention, and when the report changed to the weather forecast Solasta asked her father Dad, "why are the Mantellian's mad at the Republic?"

"Well they're not really mad at the Republic, they're mad at their own government and claim that the Republic is interfering," he began to explain.

"But are we?" she asked.

"Ord Mantel has been a member of the Republic for a very long time, and the Republic is going to provide whatever help and support they can so the Mantellian people can work through their problems, but it appears those who oppose the government see this as interference. Haven't they been teaching you any of this in your Politics classes?" he asked.

Rolling her eyes, Solasta said goodnight to her parents and headed to her room. She changed into her nightclothes and went to the refresher to wash up before going to bed. While cleaning her teeth, she studied her short brown hair in the mirror and tried to imagine what it would look like shoulder length or longer if she grew it out. It had always been groomed short for as long as she could remember and every picture or holo of her had the same haircut, so she decided it was time to change this as well.

She shut the door to her room and laid on the bed and waited. She was forbade from studying and told to go to bed early, so her plan was to lie quietly in her room until her parents believed she was asleep then turn only her desk lamp on and continue reading her notes. She looked at her clock and figured a standard hour would be enough. This was the last thing she remembered before the sound of her alarm startled her awake and she jumped out of bed to get for her big day.

The school was closed for regular classes that day since most of the classrooms were needed as examination rooms, and Solasta waited outside with the other students that turned out that morning. Looking around she couldn't see any of her old friends and felt a little better at the thought that none of them might be advancing early to their next Form, of course she also needed to pass to be sure she did as well.

Shortly before the school was to open one of the Headmaster's assistants come outside and instructed everyone to find their examination room from the displays in the main atrium, then proceed immediately there with their ID cards so their names could be checked off before being admitted. Minutes later the doors swung open and everyone filed inside to find where they needed to go. Looking at the monitors it only took Solasta a moment to find her name and the corresponding room in the column next to it. She made sure he had everything she needed and headed off. The teacher who was monitoring the exam checked Solasta's ID, marked her as present on her data pad, and directed her to the seat where the screen at the console displayed her name.

After several minutes the teacher closed the classroom door and announced, "You will have 4 standard hours to complete your examination. The Proctor Droid will respond to any of your questions should you need assistance. Talking is not permitted and anyone caught cheating will receive an automatic fail, as well as, face disciplinary action. If there are no questions you may begin." After a brief pause to be sure there weren't any questions, the teacher typed on her data pad and told everyone, "Good Luck."

The examination data pads came to life with the first question, and Solasta got to work.

She had lost all sense of time but was aware some students had already finished their exams and left while she continued to work until the data pad blinked off signaling her time was done. Sitting back and exhaling deeply as she rubbed her eyes, the teacher reminded those still remaining that the results would be posted on the atrium monitors in approximately 60 minutes. She hadn't finished all her questions and planned to revisit those she skipped when the answers didn't come to her immediately, but didn't get the chance and knew she would be penalized for this.

Collecting her things, she stood and stretched, then made her way to the cafeteria to wait for her mark. When she got to the large double doors and looked inside she saw that most of the other students were waiting here also and suddenly didn't feel comfortable being there after last week's event, so she went to sit in the atrium instead.

In the atrium, she found a spot on one of the cushioned chairs that faced out to school grounds and several other students were also there waiting. A few smiled, said hello, or asked which Form she was challenging, and in everyone's voice was the same nervousness. As the 60 minute mark came due, students started to drift into the atrium so Solasta stood up and found herself a good spot to stand and watch her name on the monitor.

She didn't have to wait long before a Droid announced over the PA system, "Greetings students, the Advancement Challenge Exam results are now being posted. Congratulations to those who will be advanced to their next Form for the remainder of the school year." The exam room numbers next to everyone's names disappeared and began to be replaced with name of the Form they were assigned to. Solasta was pretty sure it was done this way to avoid embarrassing students who didn't pass, so she waited to see if it would display Seventh Form or Eighth Form.

When Solasta's Form assignment appeared next to her name it simply read 'See Office' and she was pretty sure her heart stopped for just a moment. She headed off running towards Admin Office while panic and fear set it, and the pit in her stomach grew.

"Did I fail? No, they would have posted that if I had."

"Did the Proctor Droid suspect that I cheated? Couldn't be that, the droid would have ended my exam immediately if he had any suspicions."

"Did one of those 'so-called' friends message the school and claim I was cheating? No that would have been traceable and stupid on their part, if they even knew she was there."

When she got to the office the Admin Droid asked her to take a seat outside the Headmaster's Office and wait for her parents to arrive. She walked over to the same laminoid bench she waited on last week, and sitting down heavily pulled her knees to her chin and hugged them. Overcome with emotion, she began to softly cry.

When Aisii and the Commander arrived they could see Solasta had been crying, but before anything could be said the efficient droid had already notified the Headmaster of their arrival and his door swung open, where he invited everyone to come inside. They all entered and took seats while the Headmaster sat down and began to poke at his console.

"Well Miss Dinn, you will be happy to know that you just barely passed your exam today and will be advanced to Eighth Form for the remainder of this school term," he began without looking up. "I also wanted to personally congratulate you on your results as there are a few students who managed to fail despite receiving home tutoring or studying through the past break."

Now looking up and directly at her, "I also want to make it very clear that outbursts like the one the other day, will not be tolerated. The note from that incident will remain in your file at the school, but will not be entered into your permanent record."

With this news Solasta's heart lightened and she spilled out, "I understand sir! Thank-you sir!"

Everyone stood to leave, and as the Headmaster walked to the door to show them out Solasta hugged her parents, and the Commander whispered, "Good job Private, let's find some lunch to celebrate."

The next morning Solasta woke early to get ready for her first day of Eighth Form. Arriving at school she was happy to learn that students in Forms Eight through Twelve used the doors on the other side of the building, and that the students in her classroom were more or less equal in size to her so she didn't feel as though she stood out.

Smiling she walked into school and looked for her new classmates.