Nariss Siv Loqesh, who later became known as Andov Syn, was a Kerestian male who established a successful career as a bounty hunter throughout both the Galactic Empire's rule and the initial years of the New Republic. Loqesh focused on claiming bounties placed on fellow bounty hunters, boasting a capture rate nearing 90%. Following the Battle of Hoth in 3 ABY, the Imperial Supreme Commander Darth Vader summoned several prominent bounty hunters, including Loqesh, to pursue the fleeing Rebels Han Solo and Princess Leia Organa. Vader commanded Loqesh to participate in the hunt. However, the Kerestian learned of Vader's command through the Bimm expeditor Crote, and promptly refused the assignment, as he preferred working independently. Loqesh's rejection of Vader's demand was not received well by the Empire, resulting in a bounty being placed on his head, which forced him into hiding.
Approximately one and a half years later, Loqesh resurfaced, resuming his bounty hunting activities under the assumed name "Andov Syn." He offered his services to both corporations and wanted criminals, quickly gaining notoriety due to a particular assignment he completed on the planet Adim. As a consequence of his various illegal actions, the New Republic placed a bounty of 60,000 credits on Syn's head. In 7 ABY, his profile was included in a dossier of dangerous fugitives compiled by Airen Cracken, the Chief of Intelligence for the New Republic.
Nariss Siv Loqesh, a Kerestian male, was born on the planet Kerest in 31 BBY. The Galactic Empire considered the specifics of his early life to be largely unknown, with Imperial Intelligence possessing only limited information about his background. Sometime before 13 BBY, Loqesh entered the bounty hunting profession. After obtaining a permit from an agency on the planet Sperin located in the Bajic sector, he built a successful career over the following years. Operating from his space yacht, the Syn's Shadow, the Kerestian specialized in claiming bounties that were issued for other bounty hunters, achieving a nearly 90% capture rate. He preferred working independently, accepting assignments from intermediaries, and frequently interacted with the Bimm expeditor Crote, who assisted him in escaping several difficult situations.
Following the Battle of Hoth in 3 ABY, the Imperial Supreme Commander Darth Vader summoned several well-known bounty hunters to locate the Rebel Alliance members Han Solo and Princess Leia Organa, who had escaped into the Hoth asteroid field aboard the freighter Millennium Falcon. Vader instructed that Loqesh be ordered to join the pursuit, and Major Herrit of Imperial Intelligence was assigned the task of preparing a report on the elusive bounty hunter. As the Empire did not know Loqesh's location, they contacted Crote and instructed him to commission Loqesh for the job.
Without knowledge of Vader's demand, Loqesh was pursuing other bounty hunters, stalking the wanted Bothan fugitive Bie Breil'lya, intending to capture him and use the substantial bounty on his head as bait to lure the other hunters into a trap. Loqesh located and approached Breil'lya stealthily. While the Bothan was preoccupied with a message he received on his comm board, Nariss approached and held him at blasterpoint. Breil'lya offered to pay Loqesh double the bounty if he released him, but the Kerestian ignored his plea and promptly stunned him. He then loaded the blacked-out Bothan onto Syn's Shadow.
With Breil'lya as his prisoner, Loqesh piloted to the world where Crote operated and docked Syn's Shadow in a hangar bay. Loqesh dragged Breil'lya out of the vessel, disregarding the Bothan's protests, and handed his prisoner over to Crote. He paid the Bimm 400 credits to hold the Bothan captive, and Crote informed him of the Empire's commission to hunt the Millennium Falcon. Loqesh immediately declined the offer, stating that he worked only for himself and would not assist the Imperials. Realizing the Empire would not react favorably to his refusal, Loqesh decided to go into hiding and instructed Crote to inform the Empire that he had disappeared without a trace. Upon hearing of his disobedience, the Empire reacted negatively to Loqesh's refusal and charged the Kerestian with treason. As a warning to other bounty hunters against defying the Empire, a locate-and-detain order with a reward of 25,000 credits was issued for his capture, forcing Loqesh to maintain a low profile.
After spending a year and a half in hiding, Loqesh resurfaced around 4 ABY and resumed his activities as a bounty hunter and mercenary under the alias "Andov Syn." He hired his services to both corporations and criminals, again specializing in pursuing bounties placed on other members of his profession, quickly establishing a niche for himself in the market. "Syn" soon gained a reputation as an effective hunter, allowing him to charge high fees, but he avoided working for either the Empire or its galactic rival, the New Republic. On one occasion, a group of pirates hired Syn to eliminate several mercenaries hired by miners on the world Adim to protect a local mining colony from the pirates. The bounty hunter defeated all the mercenaries single-handedly, earning notoriety for his ruthlessness as a result.
Eventually, Syn's actions drew the attention of the New Republic, and the government placed a bounty of 60,000 credits on him, charging Syn with bribery, murder of New Republic personnel, destruction of Republic property, and aiding and abetting other criminals. As of 7 ABY, Syn remained at large and was included in a dossier compiled by General Airen Cracken, the New Republic Chief of Intelligence, detailing the particulars of highly dangerous individuals wanted for crimes against the Republic.
Syn was a tall Kerestian, standing at two meters. He had fair skin, black hair and a beard, and his face was marked with extensive scarring. He also wore an eye patch over his right eye. Syn was ruthless, showing no mercy to his targets, and considered himself one of the best bounty hunters in the galaxy. Syn harbored a deep hatred for other bounty hunters, and some reports indicated he pursued them as much for sport as for monetary gain. Syn was difficult to collaborate with and valued his independence, refusing employment from anyone but himself. Despite his harsh nature, Syn cared for the well-being of the Bimm expediter Crote. When he declined the Empire's summons to pursue Han Solo, Syn instructed Crote to lie about having seen him recently to protect Crote from Imperial retribution. Syn also adhered to the traditional Kerestian belief that the souls of the deceased were condemned to spend eternity in a realm known as the Great Darkness.
As a highly skilled bounty hunter, Syn possessed a range of talents, excelling in brawling, forgery, gambling, repairing damaged blasters, and administering first aid. He was adept at concealing his true identity, with both the Empire and the New Republic knowing little about his true self. While pursuing his targets, the Kerestian frequently utilized expediters and information brokers to gather intelligence to assist him.
Syn operated from the jet-black, modified space yacht Syn's Shadow, which was equipped with a class one hyperdrive and armed with two laser cannons. The vessel could also broadcast at least eight different transponder codes, allowing the Kerestian to change his ship's public identification. His primary weapon was a heavy blaster pistol, which he wielded with exceptional accuracy. He also carried a vibroblade and was equipped with a datapad, a glowrod, and a pair of wristbinders. When pursuing bounties, Syn wore a full suit of armor, owning several different sets that he interchanged to conceal his identity. One of his armor sets featured an ornate, crested helmet and a large backpack.
Andov Syn was created by Louis J. Prosperi and first appeared in Wanted by Cracken, a role-playing sourcebook published by West End Games in 1993. He was later mentioned in the reference book Galaxy Guide 12: Aliens — Enemies and Allies, and in 1996, he was featured in the short story Hunting the Hunters, written by Bill Smith and published in the magazine Star Wars Galaxy Magazine 6. The story provided further details about Syn's origins, revealing his real name as "Nariss Siv Loqesh." He continued to be mentioned in the books Ultimate Alien Anthology and The New Essential Guide to Weapons and Technology, and in 2008 he received an entry in the compendium The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia.