An uninvited guest

[Liam Jinn]

Takes place about a year before the battle of Endor.

Cilpar. This was the planet the Force had led the Jedi Master to. It had been nearly ten years to the day, since he had arrived. He had spent the first few years exploring the geography of his surroundings, as well as the massive ruins and temples, soon turning his knowledge into a trade, making a modest living as a guide.

While the local spaceport provided customers, it was a dangerous place for a Jedi to venture to. Luckily, the only person who knew of his past, at least on this planet, was Liam himself. Over the years, the Imperials had come to accept him as 'just one of the locals' and didn't bother him much.

His home, at first, was nothing more than a fallen rotted limb from one of the massive trees, which he'd squeeze into to escape the elements or to sleep. Eventually he came across an abandoned shelter that consisted of two rooms. It was secluded enough for him to keep up with his training, and also had the added benefit of stretching room.

He conviently took a detour around his home, when a customer wanted to visit the Temple of Ronks*, to keep his 'safe haven' hidden from outsiders. These were dangerous times for Force Users, and he didn't need any unwanted attention focused on his little abode.

The sun had just begun to set after another long day's work - taking a group of five through the mountain trail west of the spaceport, leading to a relativily small barter town. Liam was nearly home, maybe twenty minutes away, when he decided to stop at a stream and wash off the stench he'd managed to capture sometime during the day.

Besides, his out-dated peice of junk swoop had decided to quit working, once again, which meant he had to walk the rest of the way.

* A name Liam had given a Temple for the carnivorous creatures that had made it a nesting ground during the nights. His house lies directly in the path between this Temple and the spaceport.

[Adia Issoris]

Not all of the Jedi had participated in the Clone Wars. Liam Jinn was one of many, and while it was thought he had died during the purge along with thousands of others, Adia had found no evidence for Liam’s life or death two years prior. Perhaps he had decided to stop being a Jedi, eschewing the corrupt methods that had brought their downfall. Only the shadow of Vader and Palpatine kept them hidden.

Jedi were excellent at hiding, Liam in particular. He had moved from planet to planet before settling on sparsely populated Cilpar. The jungle planet existed economically because of its old temples and exotic plant extracts, and Liam was an apt guide, according to some of the locals. She had taken a public transport with legitimate fare, and a box of lethal cargo.

Adia had spent the better part of the week learning the area. While not a native, 50 years of extensive combat and tracking training applied made her far better at adapting than your average Stormtrooper. Aside from some Ronks, there was little that worried the Emperor’s Hand, hidden in the jungle. Her red hair was hidden beneath a light weight helmet, her face covered with a dark grey balaclava, her body beneath thin fabric of the same color. She wore no cloak to snag bits of the jungle.

She glanced at her chrono. Liam was late. Darkness would be no obstacle for her. She could see as well in it as daylight. He would come home, and he would be greeted by a terrible surprise. Adia waited, crouched comfortably against a tree, a fair distance away. Unless she was being sought out, no one would see her.

[Liam Jinn]

The jungle completey egulfed Liam as he made his way home. As the minutes wore on, the light slowly retreated, hiding itself behind the peaks of the neighboring mountains. This was the time of the day the Jedi Master truely loved. The sight of distant crimson rays protruding over even the darkest and highest of mountaintops, gave him hope.

He had not forgotten how days were back when the galaxy was still a Republic, before a Sith Lord had control over the galaxy and in turn declaring it an "Empire". Palpatine's rule had brought about dark days, and it was sometimes difficult to expect any change. Though the Jedi Order had been destroyed, he hoped, no, he knew the Jedi were not completely obliterated. If he survived the purge, then there had to be others.

This thought danced in his head as he walked. He was almost certain that he wasn't the last survivor. Jedi were trained well, yes, more than a few could have survived. As the foilage finally broke, he shook the thoughts from his head. He was hungry, and his house was in sight. This was the usual routine for Liam, thinking about what once was, what could be, then replacing all thoughts with the idea of food.

Did I even eat today? he thought as he walked up the trail to his front door.

[Adia Issoris]

Adia removed the remote detonator from her belt as Liam approached the door. A small, mirthful smile eased its way onto her face. She waited. His hand approached the door knob. She pressed the “arm” key. He twisted the doorknob, and the Emperor’s Hand pressed the detonator.

Three blaststicks quickly consumed the oxygen in Liam’s small shelter. For a few milliseconds, the structure was collapsing inward. The structure, and everything in it, quickly changed direction, and headed away from the explosives. The shock wave shattered most of the wood furnishings, turning them into missiles, along with everything else. She obscured herself completely behind the tree as Liam was engulfed in the explosion.

Debris rained down for the next twenty seconds. The Hand waited until the storm stopped. She reached down and picked up her electrostaff. The heavy weapon felt light and familiar in her hands. Adia held it readied as she moved towards the blast site, and tried to extrapolate where the Jedi’s body was. It was unlikely that Liam had survived, but with Jedi, one had to be sure.

[Liam Jinn]

As Liam's hand touched the doorknob, his eyes flashed wide open. Everything seemed to slow around him, and with all the strength he could muster, he leapt backwards, just as the house blew apart.

Flames licked at his heels and debris pelted him as he flew backwards. After a good twenty meter flight, he threw his hands out and caught hold of a tree limb, pulling himself up and squatting on it, taking a moment to catch his breath.

They finally found me he thought, as he looked over his wounds.

He was scratched to hell, his clothes were singed, and his left shoulder had a deep gash in it, but other than that, he was fine. Debris was still raining down on what was once a nice little spot of land that he called home, but it was starting to thin. Seven more seconds passed before it completely died down.

Though it was dark, the moon lit the area well enough for the Jedi Master to see. Slowly, a figure crept out of it's hiding spot and moved towards the wreckage, and it seemed to be looking for him, or what might be left of him. He jumped to a higher branch and sighed.

"You know, I liked that house." he shouted to his attacker. "Do you have a name, bounty hunter?"

[Adia Issoris]

Damned Jedi and their precognition. Adia said nothing while Liam spoke. Instead, she shifted the staff to her right arm and drew her heavy blaster pistol. She did not shoot Liam. Instead, she shot the limb he was crouched on in three rapid shots. Nothing happened for a moment, and then the branch gave way with a groan, spilling the Jedi into the brush below. She holstered the pistol again, and advanced to where Liam should have landed. But he was a Jedi Master, and they were never where they were supposed to be.

The Hand took a deep breath and concentrated. Her eyes flicked about, but that other sense was searching for the Jedi. He was not moving, but where? Adia knew he was near by.

Perhaps she had to play his game. Master Jinn’s dossier indicated he was something of a rogue and had an odd sense of humor.

”My name is Adia Issoris.” She said, resting her staff’s end on the ground, and placed a hand on her hip.

[Liam Jinn]

Liam landed on the ground with an almost practiced ease, tucking and rolling through the brush, keeping his distance from the bounty hunter. As soon as he rolled back onto his feet, he leapt back out into the open, landing quietly on a charred peice of his old residence, about 15 meters away from Adia.

"Well, Adia..." he said as he ripped a peice of his shirt and began tying it around the wound on his shoulder, "I feel it's only fair to warn you that you're not the only bounty hunter I've happened to cross paths with..."

He winced slightly as the cloth tightened over his wound.

"...and most likely, you will not be the last. So to save us both some trouble, I will permit you to leave," a small grin crept across his face, "only if you promise never to come back."

Though it appeared he wasn't keeping much attention focused on her, it was far from the truth. The Jedi always had at least some sort of eye focused on her, and he would let the Force guide his actions, if she declined his offer and insisted upon killing him.

"That's fair eh?"

[Adia Issoris]

Adia responded with a quick draw. She filled the space between them with blasts. Liam ducked behind a tree while she advanced mechanically, shooting within milimeters whenever he emerged from cover. The shooting stopped when Adia was within five meters. She holstered the blaster, and brought her staff up, readied. The tips crackled with energy.

“Come, Jedi.” She could hear him breathing behind the tree. Her staff whipped around, forcing the Jedi to move or be electrocuted. Adia manipulated the heavy weapon as if it were carbon fiber. The old Jedi was agile, and his precognition was as keen as ever. It wasn’t enough to overcome her onslaught and mount an offence. If he was waiting for her to tire, it would be the mistake that would cost Liam his life.

[Liam Jinn]

I wonder why they don't ever accept my offer..

Adia was quick and precise with her strikes, keeping the Jedi Master on his toes. He could feel the energy pulsating from the tip of her staff as it passed inches from his head. She had been trained well, and from the looks of it, she could keep this up for quite awhile; longer than Liam felt comfortable dodging her attacks. As the tip passed through the space he had only a second before been standing in, he threw a hand out in her direction, delivering a force push that sent Adia off her feet and flying back about 3 meters.

"Sorry, I'd love to stay and chat, but I really must be going now." He said as he began running through the jungle. "We should do this again sometime, only...at your house."

This was his territory, and he knew exactly where he was going. The Temple. He took a sharp right and started a full out sprint. If she followed, which he was sure she would, she'd have a surprise or two coming her way. Besides, he needed to grab his weapon anyway.