It had been nearly a year since Ahsoka had been on Coruscant. She had a constant worry that being at the heart of the Empire would jeopardize her fledgling Rebellion. However, the planet had over 2000 levels, giving her a sense of security. Upon arrival she boarded a transport and went fifty-nine levels down, about as low as one could go and still see natural light. Ahsoka stood in an alley to wait for her old friend to arrive. It was over an hour of strange smells, drunkards, and horrible poverty until she finally saw her.
"Senator Chuchi, it isn't safe for you to be in that sector with such light security."
The Pantoran in regal attire consoled her guard captain, "It's quite alright. I'll be far safer here than in the Senate with the Emperor's spies everywhere," Riyo saw Ahsoka out of the corner of her eye, "Captain, I give you leave. Go home for the night."
The man was obviously struck by this order, "Ma'am. I can't."
"Go. I will be fine." She said indignantly.
He left after a respectful bow, leaving the Senator. Once he was out of sight, Riyo ran towards the Jedi with her arms outstretched.
"Oh, Ahsoka. How I've missed you," The Pantoran embraced the Togrutan, "Where have you been, my love."
The weary Jedi smiled, "It doesn't matter. I'm here now and we're alone," the two engaged in a deep kiss as Ahsoka held Riyo close to her, neither of the women had felt this happy in ages.
"Where will we stay? I have no doubt my apartment has been compromised by the Empire," The Senator's voice was filled with worry, "If they learn about you, they'll send an Inquisitor after you."
Ahsoka cupped her face, "Don't worry, my love. There is an inn a few levels down. It's not fit for a Senator but…"
Riyo cut her off with a kiss, "I'm sure it's perfect."
The two lovers wore simple disguises as they traversed down five levels. All throughout the journey, the Rebel was lost in her thoughts. The truth was that she did not come to the capital just to see the Senator. She was about to ask Riyo to join the Rebellion and serve as an agent, an act that could easily get her arrested or worse.
"Is this it?" Riyo shattered Ahsoka's almost trance-like state, "Darling, are you okay?"
"Oh, yeah. Of course. This is it," the Jedi quickly gathered her thoughts.
The Togrutan approached the innkeeper, an elderly Rodian woman.
"Greetings, ma'am. My friend and I would like to rent a room just for the night."
The woman looked up at the two women then looked down to her records.
"We only have one room left and I'm afraid it only has one bed."
"Umm. That's fine," Ahsoka and Riyo shared uncomfortable glances.
"Oh, it's so great to see two young girls be such good friends," the obliviousness on the Rodian's face made the two lovers chuckle, "Here's your keycard and your room is just down the hall."
"Thank you very much ma'am." Ahsoka said through stifled laughter.
The Jedi and the Senator entered their room and immediately laid down. Both of them exhausted from fighting a nascent war and trying to secure freedom for Pantora respectively. All Riyo wanted to do was hold her close and never let go again. The two drifted to sleep in each other's arms. Together again.
When Riyo woke up the next morning, she reached out for Ahsoka but she wasn't. She immediately assumed the worst. She had read countless reports of how the Inquisitors dealt swiftly and silently with what was left of the Jedi. If any of that happened to her true love because of her own actions…
But her fears were quickly assuaged when Ahsoka entered the room with food.
"Sweetie, what's wrong?" the Jedi put down the food and put her hand on Riyo's cheek, "You're sweating. Was it a nightmare?"
The Pantoran removed the Togrutan hand from her face and clasped it in front of her heart, "I thought you had been taken."
"Never, my love," they gazed into each other's eyes until Ahsoka broke away, "w-we should eat."
Riyo could tell something plagued her love's mind but she knew eventually Ahsoka would open up to her. So, they ate the cheap carry out the Jedi had bought with her ten credits.
"It's good," said the Senator as she swallowed what she assumed was an eyeball of some alien species.
Ahsoka grinned, "You don't have to lie Riyo. I wanted to get some Pantoran grub, but that's way too expensive for a rebel like me."
The two laughed and continued to eat until the Rebel put her tray down.
"I didn't just come here on a whim, my love."
Riyo nodded with a smile, "I know, dear. Was it for mission? You don't have to stay with me. The work you're doing is more important than either of us."
"Well, actually you are the mission." Ahsoka said, looking deep into Riyo's amber eyes, "Some of the other rebels believe we should find a contact in the Senate and they…chose you."
Silence overtook the room. The Pantoran looked straight ahead, her brow furrowed.
"I would never ask you to do something so dangerous," the Jedi reached for her love's hands, "I love you too much to put you in that level of danger."
"Oh, Ahsoka, my love. Of course I'll do it," The Senator pulled her Rebel into an embrace, "It makes so much sense. I sit on the Armed Services and Intelligence Committees. I have access to troop deployments, Inquisitor reports, political prisoner camps, and so much more."
No emotion could be seen on Ahsoka's face, "But you'd be in so much danger. Y-you know what the Empire does to traitors."
"I do know," she looked down, "But, like I said, what you're doing, what we will do together. It's so important. We can't back down from this."
The Jedi allowed herself to smile, "Okay. If you're in, so am I."
"I should be able to use my secure transmitter in my office to send you coded messages that reveal pertinent information to you and your rebels," enthusiasm grace Riyo's voice, "this risk we're taking will be worth it, my love, I guarantee it."
"I know," Ahsoka caressed Riyo's cheek, "in these messages you'll refer to me as Fulcrum and yourself as Cipher. Okay?"
The Senator nodded her head, "Okay, Fulcrum."
The two held each other closer than ever before, their lips locked in a pure expression of love.
"I need to get back to my office before today's session begins," Riyo hesitantly broke their embrace, "I'm sorry Ahsoka."
The smallest of sighs escaped the Togrutan's mouth, "I understand. I need to leave as well."
"Until next time, Fulcrum."
"Goodbye, Cipher."