"You've tramped my garden, of course, but I admire your skills."
- The Old Man to Cipher Nine

The Old Man was the nickname of a human male who served as the leader of Ghost cell

Ghost Cell Organization Planetary and Sector

- an organization of expert assassins and saboteurs that operated during the years of the Cold War. Shortly before the end of the Cold War, the Eagle's terrorist network was supported by the training provided by the Ghost cell. Imperial Intelligence

Imperial Intelligence Organization Galactic Empire

assigned Cipher Nine

Nightstrike (Cipher Nine) Character Major Characters

with dismantling the Eagle's network and saw the Cipher Agent travel to Tatooine, where the Ghost cell had established a base of operations to support the training of its operatives. The Old Man saw an opportunity to lure the Cipher Agent to their camp and replace Nine with a doppelganger to infiltrate Imperial Intelligence. He purposely let Mia Hawkins

Mia Hawkins (Human) Character Minor Characters (TOR)

, a recruit who became dissatisfied with the cell's methods of using civilians for target practice, escape them, knowing that she would go to Imperial Intelligence. The Ghost cell performed a dual task, sending assassins

The Whispering Dust Event Cold War (3653BBY - 3642BBY)

after Cipher Nine in Jundland while at the same time studying the agent's operational tactics. But the Old Man was forced to commit a suicide to avoid being captured by Cipher Bine when Cell's base on Tatooine

Tatooine Planet

was infiltrated

The Assassin's Fortress Event Cold War (3653BBY - 3642BBY)

and all other members of his organization were killed.