Chapter 17: Tomorrow

Angel Island, Roman and Ashley's House, 19:00 pm…

It was nearly time.

Roman had long been thinking that, even since he had woken up this morning. Nearly time for him and his friends to sneakily leave the village, and journey down to Avalon to commandeer both a shuttle, and Imperial uniforms for Cassian and his men. And then, it would be time to begin the mission.

Roman looked at the clock. Seven p.m. Roman took a deep breath. Five more hours. Five hours until he took perhaps the biggest risk he had ever taken, and go against the orders of Sally for the first time in a long time. All for his best friend.

This got him thinking about Seth, making him reflect on everything they had been through in their near eleven year friendship: From the first time they had met in that corridor in the Jedi Temple, to when they were brothers in arms during the Clone Wars, and up until now, when Roman was prepared to defy another close friend in Sally to rescue Seth from certain death.

He was sure if Sally was aware of his plans, the question she'd ask was:

"Is he worth it?"

And as he reflected, Roman was more sure than ever that Seth was worth it. Friends like Seth were few and far between, and Roman knew that he was lucky to have a friend like Seth.

Roman suddenly recalled a conversation he had had with Seth years before, on the eve of the Battle of Geonosis, in which Roman participated alongside Roth. Seth had expressed his jealousy at not being allowed to go with them, but Roman had reassured him, saying that if the rumours were true, and war was on the horizon, then it was a given that Seth would be promoted to Padawan and assigned to a Jedi Master. He had added that they might even be assigned together, once Roman passed the Jedi Trials, and they'd be brothers in arms. Seth had replied that he felt he and Roman were already brothers: Brothers in all but blood.

Roman remembered those words keenly, as he concluded that not only was he saving a friend, but he was saving a brother. The idea of Seth as his brother fuelled his resolve. And as a result of them being brothers, they would protect one another like brothers.

He was driven from thought when a dinner plate appeared on the table before him, loaded with his and Ashley's common Friday dinner: A classic assortment of meat and vegetables, with a bowl of fruit as a side.

"Is everything alright?" Ashley asked, noticing Roman's thoughtful expression.

Roman nodded. "Just thinking about tonight." He replied.

Ashley nodded understanding. "Nervous?" She asked.

Roman frowned. "Yes and no." He replied. "I'm worried about what might happen, but I'm not nervous because I know for a fact I'm doing the right thing."

Ashley smiled. "The latter's what's important. Forget the former. It's like you always say; it's not happened yet, so why worry?"

Roman smirked. "Should have known you'd use my own argument against me to alleviate my worries." He remarked. Reaching up and cupping Ashley's cheek, he said: "But then again, that's why I love you."

Ashley smiled and shared a passionate kiss with Roman before breaking it, saying: "Anyways, tuck in before your dinner gets cold, mister. I'm not going to reheat it."

Roman chuckled before he did just that, demolishing his dinner in a matter of minutes. He was hungry.

Ashley picked up on this, smiling as she said: "Someone's hungry."

Roman nodded. "It's what happens after you skip lunch in favour of an all-day training session with Tails." He replied.

Ashley laughed and said: "Well maybe you should consider not doing it in future. I know how much you enjoy eating."

Roman smirked. "Especially if the food I'm eating at the time has been cooked by yourself."

Ashley giggled. "Back to using the same flattery you used to woo me at the beginning, are we?" She asked.

Roman rolled his eyes and sat forward. "Is that a complaint I hear?" He inquired teasingly.

Ashley shook her head. "No." She replied. "Just the random ramblings of a woman in love."

Roman nodded as she finished her dinner, before quickly using the Force to levitate the dishes and anything else that was dirty into the sink, quickly switching on the water, plugging the hole in the bottom, and sticking some washing liquid into the water.

Ashley shook her head. "Showoff." She replied.

"Considering what's going down later tonight, I think I'm allowed to enjoy a little showing off." Roman replied, before getting up and walking over to do the dishes. "Ask everyone around, if you could." Roman said. "Got one last thing to say to everybody before tonight."

Ashley nodded and went to do just that, wondering what it was that Roman wanted to say to everyone.

Later that night, 19:45 am…

"Thanks for coming, guys." Roman said as he addressed the entire group.

Everyone had shown up: Tails, Caleb, Shatter, Tusk, Shadow, Rouge, Omega, Silver, Blaze, Ahsoka, Crankshaft, Cassian, and his men.

"Yeah yeah, just get it over with." Shadow snapped. "We only have four and a quarter hours before we actually do this thing."

"Okay, okay." Roman replied. "Geez, what's with the sudden outburst?"

Shadow scowled. "I was about to get some with Rouge when your girlfriend called us requesting our presence."

Roman smirked. "You'll have plenty of time for that after this meeting. But moving swiftly along." Roman stood up and folded his arms in the middle of the group. "I can't thank you enough for what you're doing right now, guys. It's not everyday you're all forced to take the risk we're taking tonight: Defying a superior's orders in order to save a friend."

Roman paused before adding: "I know it's also probably going to get us all court-martialled, but hey, sometimes, there's the rules, and there's what's right." Eyeing all of them, he said: "And I'm grateful you guys chose to do what's right. Not just for myself, but for Ahsoka, and the child she carries. Most of us here know what it's like to grow up without a father, and it's something I'd wish on no-one. Especially not upon my best friend's baby."

Everyone nodded agreement, save for Shadow, who had made his opinion on the matter very apparent when they had all first agreed to do this.

Roman quickly added: "I won't lie to you; this mission will be dangerous." Roman frowned before saying: "The healthy Mobian, human, robot or Togruta mind doesn't wake up in the morning thinking this will be it's last day on Earth. But I think that's a luxury. Not a curse. To know you're close to the end is a kind of freedom." Roman spread out his hands as he addressed the entire group, adding: "Good time to take… inventory." Roman shrugged before saying: "Outgunned, outnumbered, out of our minds, and on a suicide mission. But, the rocks, the sands, the grass, all of it, all of it stained with the millennia of warfare it has seen…" Roman chuckled. "They will remember us. For this. Because, out of all our vast array of nightmares, this is the one we choose for ourselves. We go forward like a breath exhaled from the Force itself." Roman paused before finally adding: "With vigour in our hearts, and one single goal in sight… We. Will. Win."

The entire group started clapping as they saw the truth in Roman's words. After all, having a choice was better than having no choice. And they knew all too well that Roman believed that regardless of the situation, there was always a choice.

Roman held up his hands for quiet before saying: "Rest easy tonight, and rest well. Because at midnight, we're doing this."

Everyone nodded and filed out, leaving Roman, Ashley, Ahsoka, and Tails alone within the house.

Looking to Ahsoka, Roman smiled. "You alright?"

Ahsoka nodded, rubbing her rounded womb. "Yes." She replied. "Just worried. What if something goes wrong?"

"Well, it hasn't happened yet, Ahsoka, so don't worry." Roman replied, sharing a smile with Ashley. "With luck, in a few hours' time, Seth will be back in your arms, and we'll be on the way home."

"And in a month, you'll be holding your newborn baby son or daughter in your arms." Tails added with an optimistic and supportive smile.

Ahsoka responded with a smile of her own, nodding. "Thanks for the support." She said. "But I'm more than grateful for what you're doing for me. Were it not for what you're planning tonight, I wouldn't be so optimistic about my chances of ever seeing Seth again. But thanks to you, I am."

Roman smiled. "You don't need to thank me, Ahsoka. Because I know for a fact that were he in the circumstances we're currently in, and Ash was in your predicament, he'd have done exactly the same."

"The same with me." Tails added. "And I know you'd do the same for me what you're doing for Seth."

Roman nodded. "Exactly." He said. "You know, before the war, just before the Battle of Geonosis, me and Seth were talking. Seth was jealous that I got picked to go on the mission to Geonosis and he didn't, but then again, he was still a youngling. I said to him not to worry, since I was already close to becoming a Jedi Knight. Once I did, I'd hopefully try to take him as my Padawan Learner, and in doing so, we'd become brothers in arms." Roman smiled as he added: "But you know what Seth said to me in reply to that?" Roman eyed the other three. "He said: 'Don't you get it, Rome? We're already brothers in a sense. Brothers in all but blood'."

Ahsoka looked surprised. "He never told me that."

"You never asked." Roman replied. "Regardless, I imagine that if Sally did know about this, she'd ask me: 'Is it worth it'?" Roman folded his arms. "Now that I think about that conversation, I'm confident that what we're doing tonight is worth the risk. Sally might not think so, but she's not been through what me and Seth have been through. We've fought and bled together, shared laughter, friends, everything. While I could also say the same for me and Sally, she simply hasn't done it as much as me and Seth have over the years. And for the most part, Seth is like family to me. And families protect each other, no matter what." Roman walked over to Ahsoka, and said: "Now you ought to get some rest. We've got a long day ahead of us, and I'd prefer that you're as rested as possible. It may be that you need it."

Ahsoka nodded and left, as did Tails.

"To bed then?" Ashley asked Roman.

Roman nodded. "Yeah. To bed." With that, he and Ashley went upstairs. Tonight, they would either succeed in rescuing Seth, or die trying.

The stage is set, and the pieces are all in place. The next few chapters will make up the epic conclusion to this story, the outcome of Roman's decision.

With that said, thank you all so much for taking the time to read this chapter. If you enjoyed it, then leave a review in the appropriate section, letting me know what it was that you enjoyed and to tell me what I can do to improve for next time. In the event that you really enjoyed it, then favourite and follow this story, so that you will be notified as to whenever I post a new chapter.

Again, thank you for reading, and I will see you tomorrow (Hopefully!) With the next chapter, in which Elias and his allies depart for their intended journey to Mustafar.

T-Rock14