Chapter 14: Ten Days
Tyler and Ashley's House, Angel Island Village, 11:15 am
"Ten days, huh?" Roman asked as he sat back in his chair.
"That's right." Nicole said. "Elias will be leaving the planet with Seth in ten days, once his security detail arrives."
Roman smiled. Ten days was the perfect amount of time to plan a rescue mission. They had already finalised the plan to get onto the Star Destroyer, which would require Ahsoka's friend Cassian and his band disgusing themselves as an Imperial Officer and several Stormtroopers. That and procuring an Imperial transport shuttle, which Ahsoka would be piloting to the Star Destroyer, and where she would wait while the others rescued Seth.
Nodding, Roman said: "Good to know. Send a message to the others, tell them to meet me here. I'd rather get the plan sorted in advance rather and use all the ten days. What we've been doing for the past few already aroused your suspicion."
"I know." Nicole said. "But it's not to worry. I've been telling Sally that you've simply needed the support because of losing Seth. That and you want to give Ahsoka a shoulder to cry on."
"Good." Roman replied. "Gather the others anyway. Today, we're gonna plan the actual mission and the exfil."
"Will do." Nicole said as she disappeared.
Roman smiled and allowed himself to relax. With Nicole on board, the previous day and today had been a breeze, with the planning going as planned.
He was drawn from thought as he saw Ashley coming down the stairs. "Everything alright?" He asked.
Ashley nodded. "I'm just worried about Ahsoka, Roman."
"How come?" Roman asked.
"I'm worried because… She's so close." Ashley replied. "Any day now, she could go into labour and give birth. What if she gives birth whilst on the mission?"
Roman scowled. Ashley raised a good point. Ahsoka was very close to being due. And there was also the thought that Ahsoka would give birth earlier than expected. If that were to happen during the mission, it would complicate matters to no end. Sighing, Roman said: "Then someone's gonna have to stay on the ship with her in case that happens."
Ashley nodded. "Blaze and Silver?" She asked.
Roman nodded. "And Shatter and Tusk. And Crankshaft. We'll need all the help possible to make sure that Ahsoka is as protected as possible. I'll manage with Tails, Shadow, Rouge, yourself, and Cassian and his ilk." Roman replied.
Ashley smiled. "Like you always do." She said.
"Like I always do." Roman replied, sharing a passionate kiss with Ashley before saying: "Come on. We'd best get ready for the others."
Later, 11:30 am…
"Sounds risky." Cassian remarked as he heard Roman's plan for the rescue mission.
"Risky, but possible." Roman replied. He'd just proposed that once they had flown onto the Star Destroyer, Roman would head out with a group consisting of himself, Ashley, Tails, Shadow, Rouge, Omega and Cassian and his men, the lattermost disguised as an Imperial Officer and Stormtroopers respectively.
Roman and his group would then separate from Cassian and his team, and the latter would create a distraction whilst Roman and his team went for Seth.
Meanwhile, Silver, Blaze, the clones and Crankshaft would stay with Ahsoka in the shuttle, just in case she went into labour, in which case, the clones, Crankshaft and Silver would stand guard while Blaze helped Ahsoka deliver the baby.
"What about once you find Seth?" Ahsoka asked.
"Then we'll head back to you and the others." Roman replied. "And then hold out until Cassian and his team get back. And then, we'll finally get out of there, with Seth and Ahsoka reunited, and if that's the case, their new baby son or daughter."
Ahsoka smiled. "Sounds like a plan." She remarked, before adding: "What about Elias and the other Inquisitor?"
Roman sighed. "Seth will likely not be in any condition to fight, so I'll deal with them whilst Tails escapes with Seth."
Tails shook his head. "Fuck that." Tails said. "We face them together."
Roman sighed. "Someone needs to get Seth out of there." Roman said. "And I'd prefer for that someone to be you."
Tails scowled. "Fine." He replied. "But you'll owe me."
"I know." Roman replied. "But you know as well as I do that I always pay my debts. One way or another."
Tails nodded.
Turning to the others, Roman asked: "Any questions?"
"Yes." Shadow called out, pointing at Ashley. "What if her father's there?"
The entire room tensed. Everyone in the room was well aware of whom Ashley's father was: Frederick the Cat, former underworld crime boss turned Imperial Security Bureau Agent. Currently the most dangerous person in the Imperial Government on Mobius. It was very possible that he would also be around there somewhere.
"Then I'll deal with him." Said a voice, breaking the tense silence.
Roman turned to the speaker: Ashley herself.
"Are you sure?" Roman asked. "Because I could easily-"
"It's my fight, Roman." Ashley interrupted. "I started this when I ran away from home when I was sixteen. He took it to us two and a half years ago and nearly killed us both. Now, it's time I finished it. Just me and him."
Roman nodded and patted Ashley on the shoulder. "Well, if you're sure about it." Roman said. "Then I'm not gonna stop you."
"A girl's got to do what a girl's got to do." Ahsoka replied, smiling supportively.
Ashley smiled. "Thanks." She said.
Turning back to the others, Roman asked: "Any more?"
"How are we going to slip away unnoticed?" Rouge asked. "It's not as if we can just fly out and Sally won't bat an eye."
Roman nodded. "Nicole, if you would be so kind."
Nicole came forward, replying: "Imperial chatter says that Elias will depart with Seth at midnight. Everyone here will likely be asleep by then, so that'll be when you leave as well. The Star Destroyer they will be taking will leave several hours later at four a.m. So that's the time span you'll have to acquire your Imperial uniforms and whatever else you need to do."
"Perfect." Cassian remarked. "Although we could just acquire the uniforms before then."
"Too risky." Roman said. "We'll need to go somewhere close, one with a significant enemy presence on the day itself. We'll have to do both: Find the uniforms we need, and find a cargo shuttle we can use to get in."
"Which in itself will be risky." Shatter remarked.
"Tell me about it." Tusk added.
Roman nodded. "Risky, I know. But just remember why you're doing this. Remember who you're doing this for. My best friend needs your help. Not just mine, Ahsoka's, or Tails, your help. Me, Ahsoka, Tails and the clones won't be able to rescue Seth on our own. That's where you all come in."
Everyone nodded.
Roman smiled. "Ten days, people. Ten days to rest easy, and not worry. But in ten days, Operation: Prison Break is a go." Roman eyed all of them. "You know what needs to be done. We do it, and we'll prove Sally and people that didn't think we'd be able to do it wrong." Roman nodded, his arms folded. "Dismissed."
Everyone obliged, leaving Roman and Ashley alone.
Save for Tails.
"What's up, Tails?" Roman asked.
Tails waited to see everyone off, before turning. "I've got a really bad feeling about this." He said.
"Don't we all?" Roman said as he sat down.
"Yeah." Tails said. "But last night, I had a dream that amplified my bad feeling." He said.
Roman sat forward, his eyes intent. "What happened?" He asked.
Tails shook his head. "It was just of all of us. You, me, Ashley, Ahsoka, Seth, everybody. We were all…"
"Dead?" Roman asked.
Tails nodded. "And all I could hear was just this… this really deep, heavy breathing. Like this:" He proceeded to make his best impression of the noise, a noise Roman recognised.
"Vader." Roman said.
Tails nodded. "And it got me thinking. I didn't want to ask in front of everyone else, but… what if Vader's there when we are?"
Roman frowned. Tails' fears were well warranted. They were headed to Mustafar of all places, somewhere where it was heavily rumoured that Vader had his lair. If Vader was on the Star Destroyer…
Roman shook his head. "I doubt Vader will be there. Unless we reach Mustafar before we complete the mission."
Tails sighed. "I hope you're right, Roman. Because… it's Vader. A full-fledged Sith Lord. I've only fought Inquisitors. But never a Sith."
Roman frowned and placed his hand on Tails' shoulder. "If that's the case, then I'll hold him off while you escape with the others. At least I'm confident that I'm powerful enough to do that." Shaking his head, he said: "But try not to think about it. The less you think about it, the less worried we'll be if it comes to it."
Tails reluctantly nodded. "Okay." He replied.
Roman nodded and said: "Like I said to the others: Spend the next ten days resting easy. You'll need the energy come game time."
Tails nodded and got up, walking out of the house.
Roman watched him go before turning to Ashley who had that worried frown on her face.
"What if he's right, Roman? What if Vader is on the ship?" Ashley asked. Shaking her head, she said: "With what Tails said, I can't help but think about what happened over that bridge two years ago."
Roman frowned. Ashley was of course talking about the day Elias had nearly killed him, and rendered him unable to reveal himself for two years, during which he was presumed dead. Taking Ashley in his arms, Roman said. "Then what happens, happens. No need to worry about it now." He punctuated this with another gentle kiss.
Ashley returned the kiss with as much passion as she could before breaking it and embracing Roman. She prayed to whatever deity she could think of that in ten days' time, things would go well. Because right now, she had a very bad feeling they wouldn't.
You got to love a little bit of doubt. Will Vader be there? Or will he not be there? Find out as you read on.
With that said, again, thanks for reading. Since I'm uploading two chapters tonight, I'd rather not repeat myself. That aside, I shall see you tomorrow (Hopefully!) with the next chapter, which sees Sally begin to grow suspicious of Roman's activities.
T-Rock14