Chapter 2: Meet and Greet, Sort of

Sky Patrol Hangar,11:30 pm

The doors opened as the Freedom Fighters stepped through and Amy got off of her holoprojector, closing a call from Cream.

"Okay, Cream and Vanilla are already there. Just got confirmation from her." Amy informed everyone.

"Good to know. Any idea if we're meeting them for lunch? I feel the urge to prank Vanilla." Roman asked.

"Yes we are." Amy replied. "We're meeting them for lunch."

Roman smirked. "Vanilla's gonna regret that decision big time when I'm done with her."

Everyone rolled their eyes. Roman always said that. It was his way of saying: "I've got a prank in mind, and it's gonna be epic."

Roman rolled his shoulders before asking: "One thing: How the heck are we getting down there? I doubt the Sky Patrol's gonna fit on that dinky toy of a landing strip."

"Oh, believe me. In my experience, G.U.N has a history of surprising people." Tails said.

"Well, that's all well and dandy," Roman replied, "but it still doesn't answer my question: How the fuck are we getting down there?"

"There's your answer." Sally said pointedly, pointing at a VTOL aircraft headed their way.

"Oh, right." Roman said as laughter broke out among the Freedom Fighters.

The VTOL landed gracefully in the hangar, and the ramp lowered, allowing an aging man to walk down.

The man was middle aged in about his early-to-mid fifties, with lined but stern facial features, greying hair, and mismatched eyes, with one green, and the other brown. For his age, he was tall at about six-foot-five, but not as tall as Roth's six-foot-eight, instead standing on a height level between Roman and Roth. He was wearing a typical G.U.N Commander's uniform, grey of colour, and consisting of a red, blue and yellow sash, and ribbons of a similar colour.

Sally stepped forward and saluted the man, saying: Commander. We're honoured."

"The honour is all mine, Princess." The Commander replied as he saluted back.

Sally smiled before gesturing to Roman. "Commander Tower, meet Jedi Knight Roman the Fox, and his former master, Jedi Master Cain Roth."

Roth came forward first, saying: "Pleasure t' meet you."

"As it is for me to finally meet a Jedi, especially one with your reputation." Commander Tower replied. Turning now to Roman, Tower said: "Roman the Fox. Only Mobian to ever become a Jedi, and the youngest Jedi Knight of his generation."

Roman gave Tower a cocky smirk. "That's me." Roman said as he shook Tower's hand.

Tower turned away from Roman and looked at the Freedom Fighters, nodding. "Looks like everything's in order. Follow me." At this, he walked up into the VTOL.

Looking at his friends, Roman shrugged and obliged, followed by the rest of the Freedom Fighters.


Landing Area…

The VTOL sunk to the ground just as easily as it had done on the Sky Patrol.

"Well, that was quick." Roman said as he rose to his feet. The ramp lowered, and Roman took his first steps onto a G.U.N airfield. Looking around, the vulpine rogue Jedi whistled. "Damn."

"I can tell you there's plenty more where this bad boy came from." Sonic said. "I've been in G.U.N's main base, and this place ain't got nothing on the main base."

"Sonic raises a good point." Commander Tower. "Anyhow, Freedom Fighters, welcome to Base Omega Two-Zero: Our top secret training facility."

"Sweet." Roman said as he looked around.

"Doesn't look too different to the training facilities on Kamino." Roth remarked as he walked over. "Looks like if we had clones and we had to fight G.U.N, we'd have quite the field day."

"True." Tower said.

"But, I still have to ask: Does anyone here know about me and Roth being Jedi?" Roman questioned.

"No." Tower replied. "Only me. The meetings me and the Princess conducted were done in complete and utter secrecy. No-one but me and Shadow know about you being a Jedi. As for Rouge and Ashley, they should be able to figure things out."

"Speaking of Ashley, we haven't even heard of him or her. Care to clarify?" Roman asked.

"She's fast becoming one of our best agents. Only been here two years, and she already has a reputation. You'll all like her." Tower elaborated.

"As if we haven't heard that one before." Roman remarked to the others, leading to an outburst of chuckles.

Tower ignored the joke, as he often did, and said: "Besides, you must be hungry." Motioning to a nearby officer, Tower said: "Take them to the cafeteria." Turning to them, Tower said: "You'll find your friends already there."

Roman rubbed his hands together, muttering: "Better have grown eyes on the back of your head, Vanilla. 'Cause I'm back."


Omega Two-Zero Cafeteria…

"Now, where is that uptight bitch?" Roman asked no one in particular as his eyes scoured the surrounding area for any sign of his target.

"In answer to your question sir, your friends are over there." Said the G.U.N officer, pointing at a nearby table where they could see Cream sitting next to another rabbit.

This rabbit looked to be in her early-to-mid-twenties, with similar fur and appearance to Cream. Like Cream, she was wearing a dress, but a far different one, being a long light pinkish-purple dress with white trimming, over that being a burgundy vest with an orange ascot around her neck, white gloves with golf cufflinks, and low heeled burgundy shoes.

"Bingo." Roman said to himself, rubbing his hands together as he put together his plan. But to pull off the prank, he needed a different angle of attack. Turning to Sally, Roman whispered: "I've got the prank nailed. Just distract her long enough for me to get up behind her. Then you can all laugh." At this, Roman tip-toed off in a different direction.

Sally shook her head in disbelief as she headed over to the Freedom Fighters' designated table, smiling as she watched Cream and Vanilla greet Amy and the others. Walking over, she greeted Vanilla first. "Afternoon, Vanilla. Everything okay?"

"Yes, thank you." Vanilla said as she looked about. "Though I'm wondering where Roman is. I see his master, but I don't see him."

"He's gone to the toilet. Was nearly bursting on the way here." Sally lied, instead seeing Roman approaching out of the corner of her eye. "And no offence, but before he returned, Roman became a Jedi Knight. Youngest of his generation."

"So I've heard." Vanilla said. "Let's sit down, shall we?"

Sally nodded and sat down at the head of the table, with Sonic sitting to her right, and Tails, who reserved a space for Roman next to him, on her left, with Vanilla a few seats down on Sonic's side. Rolling her shoulders, Sally exhaled deeply.

"Everything alright, Sally dear?" Vanilla asked.

Sally nodded. "Yeah. Just had a wild day so far. First Tails pranks me and Sonic into waking up with one of those horns, then Roman and everyone else aside from Bunnie decided that because it's a Saturday, they want to sleep in, then once I got Roman up, he decides to wake Roth up by introducing a baseball bat to Roth's crotch as payback for Roth doing it to Tails. Additionally, Roth decides to clear the meeting room with one of his farts. I tell you, you do not want to be in the room when Roth lets rip."

"Yeah. Supposedly, Roth once cleared a Star Destroyer bridge with one of his farts, if Roman's stories are accurate." Tails added.

Vanilla made to respond, but was thwarted when Roman, who had successfully snuck up behind her, thrust his hand out, pushing her face into her food.

All the boys, as well as Sally, Amy, Bunnie and Cream, all burst out laughing as Roman lowered his head and said in Vanilla's ear:

"There's a lesson to be learnt from this: Never stop looking out for me, Vanilla." Roman said. Getting closer, he then shouted: "And you just learned that lesson the hard way!" Letting go of Vanilla, he sauntered to his seat, all while smirking as Vanilla, her face now covered in food, glared back at him. Sitting down, Roman high-fived Tails, Sonic, and the other dudes on the table before saying to Vanilla: "Miss me?"

"No." Vanilla said explosively, now glaring at Roman as if she were about to tear him limb by limb.

Roman shrugged. "Just asking, you know. Being polite. Thought you'd appreciate me being good mannered." Quickly turning to Tails, Roman whispered: "Not that I ever stopped being good mannered."

Tails chuckled at that. "I know."

Roman chuckled before looking around. "Say, where's the food?"

"It's a cafeteria, Rome. Basically a buffet." Tails said.

Roman rolled his eyes and said: "Fine." At this, he got up and headed for the buffet area. Turning, Roman asked: "Are you guys coming, or do I have to look like a total ass?"

Everyone without a plate got up and followed him, intent on getting something to eat.


A few minutes later…

The table filled yet again as Roman and the other Freedom Fighters took their seats. Roman had chosen a bacon sandwich from the food on offer, with a side of fries and some water. Looking over at Vanilla, who looked as if she had cleaned up from Roman's prank earlier, he noticed she had a mug of coffee. Smiling as another prank began forming in his head, he nudged Tails, and gestured to Vanilla.

Tails nodded and reached out with the Force, reaching out with his hand as the coffee began lifting up steadily, until it was hovering over Vanilla's head. With a flick of his hand, he tipped the mug over, emptying its contents over Vanilla's head.

Everyone burst out laughing as Vanilla rounded on Roman "Will you stop that?!"

"What?" Roman said calmly. "I didn't do anything."

"Then how do you explain this?" Vanilla demanded as she gestured to her now coffee covered dress.

"That weren't me." Roman protested.

"Well, it was somebody." Vanilla declared. "And you're the only Jedi prankster in the room."

"How do you know if it wasn't Roth?" Roman suggested, gesturing to the now confused Jedi Master.

"Somehow, I doubt that." Vanilla said. "Roth is no prankster."

"Are you sure about that?" Roman asked. "Roth does do pranks from time to time."

"It's true." Roth replied, having caught on.

"Well, I would have seen him if he had been the one." Vanilla said matter-of-factly.

"Well, it wasn't me." Roman said. "Silver could be here for all we care."

Vanilla rolled her eyes and got back to her food.

Roman chuckled and bumped fists with Tails. "Why'd I not thought of that before?" Roman asked Tails as they began to eat.


An hour later, meeting area…

Roman stepped into the room just as the other Freedom Fighters were taking their seats.

"Wondering when you'd be here." Sally said as Roman sat next to her.

"Got a little side-tracked. Y'know, relieving myself and such."

"Like I needed to know that." Sally said sarcastically.

"It's the truth though." Roman said defensively.

Sally rolled her eyes when he said this. Roman was always hard to pin down with words. He was notorious for having a way with words in any case.

But all was forgotten as the door opened and two Mobians walked in.

Roman recognised them both immediately. The first was a tall anthropomorphic hedgehog that looked about Sonic's age, but looked a lot different. First of all, the hedgehog was coloured black, with red streaks of fur in his quills, which were spiked up as opposed to Sonic's slicked back quills. On his chest was a tuft of white fur covered mostly by the combat vest he was wearing, which was coloured black and was over a black sleeveless combat shirt. As well as this, he was wearing black combat trousers, and over his feet were some white and red shoes, which had what looked like hover engines on the soles. As with most Mobians, he wore white gloves, but with a golden ring surrounding them with red tongued cuffs. His eyes blazed as red as a Sith Lord. He certainly looked like one.

Sonic stood up from where he stood and walked over to the black hedgehog, his face a scowl. "Shadow." Sonic said, all sense of friendliness gone.

Shadow held Sonic's gaze for a few minutes before motioning for Sonic to return to his seat. "I haven't time for this." Shadow said dismissively.

Reluctantly, Sonic obliged, keeping his hostile gaze fixed on Shadow.

The other Mobian, a female bat stood aside from Shadow, eyeing the other occupants of the room, especially the males, as if they were test subjects she couldn't wait to dissect. Her fur was white in colour, with tan coloured skin and teal coloured eyes. For clothing, she wore a black chest high jumpsuit with a pink heart shaped plate that exposed a bit of cleavage, elbow-long white gloves with pink cuffs, high heeled white boots again with pink cuffs and heart tips. Strangely for a Mobian, she wore blue eyeshadow, and pink lipstick.

Roman stared at the woman with obvious distaste. Rouge. Still out to seduce, I see.

Rouge saw Roman staring and gave a flirtatious wink.

Roman scoffed as he returned his attention to Shadow, who noticed Roman's gaze and faintly nodded in Roman's direction.

Roman returned the nod. He'd worked with Shadow sometimes during the time he was last on Mobius, before he became a Jedi Knight, and as a result, a mutual respect had formed between the two.

Once the chatter had died down, Shadow looked over the assembled people and said: "I've never been one for this sort of thing, so I'll make it short. The next few days will be among the most punishing you'll ever experience. For some, this will be easy." As he said this, he gestured to Roman. "And to some, it'll be extremely hard." While he said this, he gestured to Cream, which almost made Vanilla rise from her chair, had Roth not kept her down.

"I doubt Shadow would tolerate that, Vanilla." Roth warned the older rabbit.

Shadow made to continue, when the door opened, and a voice called out:

"Sorry I'm late. Had a meeting."

Everyone looked in the direction of the voice, including Roman, and his jaw unhinged itself from his skull and sank to the floor.

Standing in the doorway, a few metres from where he sat, was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen.


Roman looked closely at the newcomer with eyes the size of watermelons. She was an anthropomorphic cat looking just about his age, with ash-grey fur, and sky blue eyes. Her figure was one that looked to be the stuff of dreams, with curves in all the right places, and legs that were toned, but showed no sign of muscle. For clothing, she was wearing a tight jet black jumpsuit that hugged her simply majestic body, that was zipped up so that it showed just the slightest hint of cleavage. Over that was a belt, from which hung a DL-18 Blaster Pistol. Over her feet were similarly tight black boots, the right of which had a deadly looking combat knife protruding from it. Over her hands were black fingerless gloves. In short, she was nothing short of beautiful.

"Ashley." Shadow said with a slight hint of contempt. "So glad of you to finally join us."

"Well, sor-ry. Not my fault I had a debriefing scheduled that clashed with this." Ashley said pointedly as she walked over.

Roman by now had snapped out of his amazed stupor and had now returned his attention to Shadow, though out of the corner of his eye, he kept an eye on Ashley, making a mental note to talk to her at a later time.

Shadow, after waiting for any more interruptions, continued: "Now, as I was saying, before I was so rudely interrupted, for the next few days, you will be staying at this base, learning some of our techniques, and some new skills. On top of that, we will be examining some of your techniques and tactics. While also critiquing some of them."

"No surprise there." Roman remarked softly.

Shadow looked over at Roman and blankly said: "I heard that."

Roman raised an eyebrow and asked: "Heard what?"

Following this, everyone in the room chuckled.

Shadow glared at Roman, a scowl forming. "Let me tell you something, Roman: One thing that won't survive around here for long is a sense of humour."

Roman scoffed. "Yeah, we'll see about that, posh spice." Following this, everyone chuckled some more.

Shadow glared at Roman some more before rolling his eyes and saying: "I'm leaving." At this, he turned and left.

"Oh come on!" Roman called out as he got up and followed. "You're gonna leave us here with the SLB?" As he said this, he motioned to Rouge.

Tails covered his mouth with his hands in order to hold in an outbreak of laughter. Only a select few knew what Roman meant when he called someone an SLB. And he had used it to describe Rouge. Not that he was too far off though.

"What does he mean by that?" Ashley asked, innocent of the knowledge.

"It means 'Slutty Little Bitch." Shadow said as he briefly re-entered the room before leaving again.

Rouge's jaw fell open as she turned to look at Roman as if he'd just decked her grandmother.

Roman shrugged as he sat down. "What's the matter? You certainly look the part."

Everyone exploded into laughter, including Ashley, who was laughing her head off while Rouge just glared at Roman as if she was about to kick him in the kyber-crystals.

Roman just stared back at her with a grin that looked like it was begging to be wiped off.

"I guess I'll be leaving as well, then." Rouge said as she walked out.

"Guess that leaves me here then." Ashley said. Walking up to where Shadow had until recently been standing, she said: "You already know who Shadow and Rouge are, but quite possibly not me. So, I'm Ashley the Cat, and I'll be helping train you. Along with Shadow and Rouge, even though they likely won't help Mr Joker over here." Ashley said as she gestured to Roman, gathering a few laughs, including from Roman.

After the laughter had died down, Ashley continued: "Anyway, I know all of your names, but I have no idea who is who." At this, she pointed to Sonic. "Except Sonic of course. Anyone should know Sonic."

Everyone in the room nodded agreement."

Ashley smiled before looking to Sally, saying: "I'd recognise you anywhere, Princess." As she said the last thing, she curtsied.

"No need for courtesy here, Ashley." Sally said gently.

Ashley smiled and continued introducing herself to everyone before finally actually locking eyes with Roman, who was currently talking to Tails. And when she did, her eyes became the size of a Chaos Emerald and her mouth slightly opened. She hadn't really looked at the young fox that had been joking around at Shadow and Rouge, but now she had, she felt like she couldn't take her eyes off him. He was undeniably good looking, with the only two things she found disconcerting was the fact that half his right ear was missing, and the long scar that ran across his right cheek. Other than that, he looked like the boy most girls her age dreamed of. Young, muscular, hot… Ashley stopped herself at that thought. Did I just find myself thinking he was hot? Shaking her head to clear it. She hadn't even met him yet, and there was still the possibility he was taken. She opened her mouth to speak, but could not find her voice at first. Once she did, however, she tapped him on the shoulder with a gentle: "Hello?"

Roman turned, and found himself face-to-face with Ashley. And at that exact moment, reality faded.


The moment they locked eyes, everything else disappeared. Anything else seemed to no longer exist as they held one another's stares. All that remained was them. Nothing more.

It felt like an eternity before Ashley found the words she wished to say, and reality returned. "I… I never got your name."

Roman snapped out of his stupor as well, shaking his head before saying: "Yeah, yeah. Name's Roman. Roman the Fox."

Ashley considered the name for a moment before saying: "It's not a name I've heard before that's associated with the Freedom Fighters as I knew them. Are you new?"

Roman shook his head. "Far from it. Reason I don't have much on me is because I was the Freedom Fighters' Black Ops agent."

"Makes sense." Ashley said. "And despite your job, you still have a sense of humour."

Roman nodded. "Indeed I do. But when you're at war, you need to have something to keep you going. That's what got me through the Clone Wars." At that last statement he kicked himself. Roth had given him stern warning not to give any hint he was a Jedi.

"You fought in the Clone Wars?" Ashley inquired.

"I did." Roman replied. "Same capacity in which I helped the Freedom Fighters. A lot of undercover stuff."

Ashley nodded understanding. "And you still kept your sense of humour?"

"Yes." Roman replied. "Otherwise, I would be locked up in some nut-job asylum, and we wouldn't be having this conversation."

Ashley laughed. "Oh really?"

Roman felt an unfamiliar thrill crawl through his subconscious as he heard Ashley's laugh. It was a sound he found himself longing to hear again. "Yeah, really. War does that to you."

Ashley again nodded understanding. "Well, I hope to see you again tomorrow, Roman. Maybe we can get to know each other a bit more then." At this, Ashley walked over to Sally, and the two began talking.

Roman smiled as he watched Ashley before a firm hand found his shoulder, and he found himself facing Roth.

"I gave you a strict order to give no hint whatsoever that you were a Jedi, and what did you do? You go and reveal you fought in the Clone Wars."

Looking back over at Ashley, Roman looked back at Roth and said: "I don't get it. Why shouldn't we trust her? And besides, it's either we reveal it to her soon, or she finds out on her own. And that's an argument I'd rather avoid." As he said this, he found himself looking at Ashley again, watching her and Sally talk and laugh. As he looked at her, she turned and flashed him a smile that was contagious, and Roman found himself smiling as well.

Roth noted this and drew his attention, asking: "You like her, don't you?"

Roman found himself unable to answer, as he once again looked at Ashley. She looked so good with people, and on top of that, he couldn't help but think that whatever she did, she always looked good. Finally, he turned to Roth, and faintly nodded.

Roth frowned, as if this were what he expected. "Were the Jedi Order still around, I'd cuff you found the head and tell you to get over it. But…" Roth sighed. "Now that we're on the run, I suggest you go for it. She'd be lucky to have someone like you around."

Roman nodded. "Cool. I'll meditate on it when I get the chance."

"Good lad." Roth said as he lumbered away to speak to someone else.

Roman turned to face Ashley again, lingering in her presence a little more, breathing in her scent and memorising it for later. He noticed Tails beckoning to him, eager to finish their conversation. Roman nodded, took one last look at Ashley for now, and resumed conversation with Tails.


And there you have the next chapter, and Roman has met the girl of his dreams: Ashley. Her profile will be on my profile soon. I promise you that.

Little note: the jokes Roman made with Shadow and Rouge are nods to the banter shared between Deadpool and two people from the Deadpool trailer. Watch it if you haven't already.

Anyway, please leave your reviews, and may the Force be with you. Always.

T-Rock14