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The spaceport was loud. Compressed air hissed out as ships landed and settled. Voices carried over the flat landing area, mixing with the sounds of everyday maintenance and busy work. She had parked her small, Starlight-class Light Freighter in one of the port’s five docking bays-- well, that was if you could consider these docking bays at all. It was really just a platform you shared with other ships more than it was anything proper.
Ahsoka rolled her shoulders, leaning back on the inconspicuous freighter as she scanned the crowd. She wore a brown hooded cloak, montrals and lekku just peeking through. She made a mental note to purchase a longer one once this informant mission was over; it still took her by surprise just how fast they kept growing.
Working for the rebellion hadn’t been an easy or thankful job. Of course, she hadn’t expected it to be. Her time as a Jedi-- she nearly winced at the thought of the word-- had long ago prepared her for such things.
No, it was the other similarity of the two groups that bothered her: Secrecy. So much secrecy. Ahsoka hadn’t actually spoken to Bail Organa since she was originally recruited nearly five years ago. All messages she received had been through clandestine agents, all of which were painfully tight lipped. The agent she received this operative from had been particularly furtive. The only thing the rodian said was the code phrase as they handed over the data cylinder-- “By the light of Lothal’s moons”.
The data cylinder was equally cursory. Once decoded, the short message stated that she was to transport and brief a new informant who had previous connections to the Empire’s inner workings. Apparently, all she had to do was wait for the informant to come to her. She had basically been ordered to park at a spaceport and wait.
Ahsoka had never been a patient person.
Sighing, she surveyed the raucous crowd of beings. A BFF-1 Bulk Freighter was being loaded with perforated boxes that held multiple force signatures in each one. She heard the distinct propulsers of a Ginivex-class Starfighter roar into action, and let out a low whistle as it soared into the air, the shimmering red solar sails stretching out rather magnificently. She looked back at the sea of people, feeling a small sinking in her heart when she spotted a group of ETA Interceptors at the docking pad to her left. Alas, these fighters weren’t manned by rebels, as Interceptors were the main class of fighter used by the rebellion; instead, two Trandoshans seemed to stand guard over the half-dozen fighters, the hissing language of their conversation barely distinguishable from the outgasses of idling ships.
She had been waiting for about ten minutes, the final hisses of her own freighter’s compressed air spurts finally gone silent, when she noticed a figure slipping through the crowd. They were dressed in dark garments, a cloak covering any features as they whisked through the masses, going unnoticed while making headway towards Ahsoka’s landing area. Carefully, making note of the people around her, Ahsoka stretched out to the Force, attempting to gauge the new character. Yes… she could sense this was the informant. A strong sense of direction was attuned towards her in the other being. Eyes closing inconspicuously, she bowed her head and leaned back into the hull of her freighter, trying to sense more. A feeling of deep remorse and regret overtook her and Ahsoka looked back up, heart suddenly thudding in her ribs.
Why was that Force signature so familiar?
And why, at the same time, did it feel so displaced?
The figure had disappeared from her line of sight, now past the point where the raised platform blocked her view. A minute passed before she finally spotted the dark hood pop out from behind a turbolift car.
The figure stopped a moment before turning in Ahsoka’s direction, weaving in between beings and the loads they carried. A wind full of dust blew over the crowd, pushing back the thick hood they wore before a hand hastily drew it back down.
But the glimpse had been enough.
Was that kriffing Barriss Offee?
Ahsoka ducked her hood back down, concealing her identity as long as she could before the Mirialan evidently noticed the markings on her montrals. As suspected, she felt a burst of hesitant nerves jump in the Force as the other got close enough to make a conclusion.
So, she hadn’t been told about her agent’s identity either. Good.
Barriss walked until she was two or so meters away from Ahsoka before the latter looked up, her final doubts cast aside as she saw the diamond pattern beneath a pair of widening blue eyes.
Ahsoka wanted to scream. Scream at Barriss, Organa, scream at Mon Mothma and every single rebellion leader or operative that had ever come to the smartass decision to have Ahsoka be the agent to handle the new informant. She stared stonily at the woman, whose cheeks began to color and her mouth parted in shock. No, she definitely had not been told who the rebel agent would be. That, probably plus the fact that Ahsoka was simply alive was enough to startle her.
“Ahsoka?” Barriss managed, voice barely a whisper. “What--?”
“Code?” Ahsoka cut off, face set.
Barriss looked at her. “I--”
“Code, or I leave.”
She shook her head, seemingly clearing her thoughts. “It’s ‘by the light of Lothal’s moons’, but Ahsoka--”
“Follow me.” Ahsoka interrupted , turning on her heel back towards the docking ramp. Without waiting for an answer, she walked inside, hearing Barriss’ footsteps scuff the durasteel ramp behind her. She wove her way to the pilot’s chair and sat down, preparing the takeoff sequence as Barriss took the seat next to her, looking rather bewildered. The hatches hissed shut and the engine roared to life as Ahsoka worked the control board, preemptively calculating hyperspace coordinates in her head. She paid no mind to her new passenger, who was now sitting quietly in her seat, staring at hands crossed in her lap. Though, her own head was still spinning with the jarring nature of the situation. Barriss Offee-- she was the one who deserted the Empire? She was the informant? This woman-- ex-jedi-- agent of the Empire, whatever-- had plagued her mind for years.
Why-- really, who’s idea had it been to have her go nab Barriss on the remote moon?