A cesspool of the downtrodden, the Refugee Sector on Nar Shaddaa is home to both the unfortunate and criminals alike. Offering their protection for credits, the criminal organizations that control the sector tax the populace outrageous sums. Unable to provide these fees, refugees are forced to work under hazardous conditions producing glitterstim and adrenals for their overseers. Some of these refugees are addicted to the substances themselves—for which the cartels increase the price of their tithes in exchange for a share of the product.

Crammed with stalls and makeshift hovels, several of the sector’s inhabitants find refuge on the streets and in the alleyways. Those who managed to avoid the dangers of drug production can be found selling their limited and often defective goods to others. Behind these stalls a selective stock of black market wares is hidden, reserved for mercenaries and thugs.

Littered with garbage, it is obvious that no maintenance droids have been programmed to maintain the sector. The surrounding towers have fallen into decay, bits of debris falling every so often into the middle of the street. The duracrete streets are covered in a film of filth and chemicals from the abandoned warehouses, making movement cumbersome when traveling through the most inhabited areas.

Patrols armed with blasters and vibroswords come through these areas regularly, making a show of force to advertise the merits of their ‘protection’ while extorting the occasional shopkeeper. Screams and shouts are a common enough sound, which is never in the refugees’ best interests to interfere in.

It wasn't the most glamorous posting, but then, intelligence work usually wasn't. Still, he'd delivered the message to SenNet's contact without incident. So far, so good. Except it wan't. Since arriving on Nar Shadda, Hyle had been plagued with a feeling of unease, which he had learned to trust, because it usualy meant trouble. He had concealed himself and his presence in the Force until making the delivery, but it didn't seem to have warded off his sense of forboding.

The alley was empty and quiet, and this was unusual, and probably dangerous. There was a hooded figure at the opposited end. Hyle couldn't perceive anything from this figure which was worrying in itself, people hid themselves from the Force for reasons, which usualy didn't bode well for someone. Hyle leaned against the paltry cover of the stanchion and drew his blaster carbine, steadying the barrel with his right hand. He loosed off a three shot burst. Whoever his opponent was, he was clrealy ready for him, having already startd moving to cover before Hyle had even squeezed the trigger. Hyle was sure one of the shots had at least winged his opponent, but it didn't seem to have checked him. Was it energy reesistant armour or some Force technique. Hyle wasn't sure, and suspect it may have been both.

He considered his options. Losing his pursuer in the crowd wasn't an option. For one thing there was no crowd, and if he was caught, and the fights came to sabres, he risked being exposed, not to mention killed. No, the only thing for it was to end hit here, quickly and quietly. Whatever he had delivered was safe, and he could take cold comfort that what happened to him now would not longer jeopardise the mission.

His opponent had shot back a couple of times. Heavy pistol? Hyle had a slight advantage in firepower, although this wouldn't be of much use against a trained Force user. He couldn't keep opponent's head down forever, so he could only hope that this hooded apparition had the same scruples he did when it came to using a lightsabre in a crowded place.

Thousands of places of ill repute existed in the galaxy, and Xolarin had been to a great many of them. But sometimes there was a reason to go to a specific place over others. Nar Shaddaa was a trove of trade and trouble, but it also had something that was often difficult to find: shoddy reproductions of working arms and equipment.

The Knight was on a mission to find some of these, hopefully untraceable, and deliver them as trade goods back in Eden City. The faulty items would be payback for the thugs and criminals who were getting in his way in District IV.

Before the newly-recruited House Liath leader could get a conversation going with one of the pedlars, one who was really just giving him a name, something felt wrong in a more sudden, foreboding way. Someone was watching him, and something told Xolarin that that someone was pulling a weapon to aim right at him. Xolarin quickly jumped behind a pillar in the alley to avoid shots, one nicking his cloak - how rude! Not wanting to draw much attention, he pulled his blaster instead of his lightsaber, squeezing off a few rounds in return.

Who was this guy? Xolarin thought to himself. Did someone from Odan-Urr hunt him down? That was not Master Turel’s style. Did Plagueis come after him? He would likely be dead by now. This had to be something else.

The Dark Jedi took a quick peek at his opponent after his last shot, getting a more precise location, and then began to toss loose items of metal and scrap at the man. Xolarin’s command of the living Force that surrounded everything and everyone was quite potent, and it allowed him to try to hit the man with a barrage of projectiles with little effort. Xolarin’s hand flitted back and forth as he watched the objects do the same, eventually realizing the man could take a beating. But the onslaught continued until Xolarin’s concentration would be interrupted.

Whoever the robed figure was, he was much more skilled in his use of the Force than Hyle was. Hyle's skills tended towards the personal, granting greater endurance or perception, and was no match against one who could use the Force as a force of nature. The most he could do was endure, and perhaps use his own small skill at telekenesis to lesson the impact of the rain of detritus.

He also made a mental note to buy some flashbangs or something that could provide a much needed distraction. It was obvious that avoiding getting caught would no longer be enough, and that he would have to be able to fight his way out when, and not if, it became necessary.

His opponent was concentrating on pelting him with scrap, perhaps he could use this focus to his advantage. Hyle reached out with the Force, attempting to contact the very mind of his opponent, were he delivered a crude telepathic "shout" in order to distract him, with the suggestion of a presence behind him. "Too late!"

Hyle then leapt behind another stanchion. Loosing another volley of shots as he broke cover.

Crouching low, and concentrating on conceiling himself from view and the Force itself, he slowly, deliberately made his way to the crossing of the alley, hoping to ghost away from this uneven confrontation, and lose himself in the streets.

“Karking…” Xolarin muttered to himself, noticing the younger man getting out of the way of most of the Knight’s flying objects. A few managed to slam into him, but his opponent was quite resourceful and agile.

Xolarin stepped back behind the pylon and closed his eyes briefly. His pause only lasted a few seconds, but to his mind and body it felt longer. For the Dark Jedi was able to call on the Force around him and re-energize himself, focusing not only on where this unknown enemy might go next but also on his next plan of action.

There was a distant muffled sound of commotion outside the alley, perhaps people noticing the blaster fire exchange, and perhaps some of the corrupt police forces coming to investigate. The two combatants were out of sight for the time being, but that would not last long.

Xolarin knew exactly what he wanted to do, but he had to time it perfectly. As the Force fueled him and flowed through him, it all became clear. He moved quickly and came out from his cover, taking a flash grenade out from his belt and tossing it over to where his opponent was heading. Unfortunately, given Xolarin’s physical acumen, it would not land anywhere near where he wanted. It would go off, but would not affect Hyle’s weapons.

The good news is that this was just a diversion, and seemed to have worked, if only a little. Xolarin saw his aggressor right where it was revealed to him through his connection to the Force and, before the Grey Jedi could attempt anything like another blaster assault, raised his hands up at the same time and then pushed them both forward towards Hyle. What resulted was a mass of energy spreading out from Xolarin towards the other, knocking down several crates and thrusting trash around. The younger man was clever, but this wave would get him and slam him back onto his keister.

Xolarin saw the expected dazed look in his opponent, with a curl of his lip hitting his own face. The Dark Jedi then moved quickly to exit the alley and get clear of law enforcement and crowds. He would have to meet his contact another day, which was annoying. But the real quandary was who this Jedi was and if he was here on a mission or purely by happenstance. Xolarin would have to wait to figure that one out.