Beginnings

by mickeymcp

The introduction and background to Solasta Dinn's life before becoming a Republic Commando. Her early years growing up on Ord Mantell and the events that shaped and influenced her life. This has been written as a prequel to the SWTOR storyline and finishes roughly 3 years before the start of Chapter I of the game.

22. Chapter 22 - A New Beginning

In those two weeks between finishing Basic Training and the start of her Specialization Training Solasta chose to return to Ord Mantell instead of joining her fellow graduates to celebrate on Nar Shadda.

Solasta punched the security code into the key pad and the large door to the storage unit grumbled as it slid open slowly and the stale air seeped out. She had snuck off-base against Major Gegne's warnings that, "It's still not safe to be roaming the region and risk being identified as a Republic soldier," and was now standing in front of her father's Desler.

Walking inside she brushed her fingertips across the orange Waveboard that was leaning against the wall and smiled as she remembered the summer days at the beach with Tasa, and the many times her and Metho exchanged insults. Walking to the rear of the speeder she noticed the layer of dust that had collected on it and thought, "I need to remember to report the air filters are broken before I leave."

She walked over to the charging station that her and Tasa had put into the unit and took a power cell from it, plugged it into the speeder until she felt it click into position, and could hear a faint hum as the on-board systems were revived.

Opening the storage compartment in the speeder she pulled out the two containers that were inside and placed them on the hood of the speeder. Opening the first container and peeking inside she saw the folded Republic flag that had dressed her father's casket, the uniform board on which all his medals had been pinned, and her mother's music books. Closing the lid she pushed it aside and opened the second container.

To her surprise she found Tasa's yellow tank top inside, the one she wore to their last trip to the beach and had thrown in the waste can. "Tasa must have returned after I left for Carida and put it inside," she thought. Holding it up to the light, she admired her artwork again before burying her face in the material and breathing deep the faint scents of Tasa, the sun, and the sea that the material still held. She considered taking this with her for a moment, but folded it neatly and placed it back inside the container instead. She began digging around inside the container until she found what she was looking for, and pulled out a small jewelry box.

Holding the small box in her hand, Solasta carefully removed the lid to admire the pendent of Ro'ta that Tasa had given her months earlier. She reached into her pocket and pulled out the chain with the Sigil of Illya, on which she had threaded the chain through her gold 'promise ring'. Carefully, she placed this into the box and closed the lid, then put box inside the container, and the container safely away in the speeder storage compartment before locking it. She drew the power cell out of the speeder and replaced it in the charging station before stepping outside to close and lock her unit.

Looking up at the sky she sighed and said to herself, "Here is where I leave my heart and everything that I've loved. The Republic Forces are my family now and I pray one day to be with you in the Aether on day, Tasa."

Taking her speeder back to the Mainland Base she boarded a transport and headed back to Carida to finish her training and learn what her first posting would be.