During the Galactic Civil War, Dorin Millavec served as a commander aboard the Imperial-class Star Destroyer known as the Crucible. His initial encounter with Nas Ghent involved Ghent's unsanctioned arrival aboard the Crucible piloting a Headhunter-type fighter. Although irritated by this unauthorized entry, Millavec maintained composure, remarking on the audacity of infiltrating the fleet with such an outdated fighter. He then commanded stormtroopers to engage Ghent, but Darth Vader intervened, halting the attack. Vader, lightsaber drawn, informed Millavec that Ghent was under his protection, threatening Millavec's life should Ghent be harmed. Millavec was then tasked by Vader himself with assisting Nas Ghent in the creation of the Black Eight Squadron. Believing this situation threatened his chances for advancement, Millavec sought to undermine Ghent's efforts.
Initially, he attempted to get Ghent killed during a fabricated training exercise. He assigned Ghent a faulty TIE fighter and instructed Ghent's wingmen to target him, under the pretense that he was an enemy agent. This scheme failed when Ghent, driven by his survival instincts, utilized his piloting abilities to eliminate his attackers. When Ghent confronted him in anger, Millavec managed to evade responsibility by asserting that it was a test sanctioned by Vader.
Following the failed assassination, Millavec opted to assemble Black Eight from the most violent and unstable individuals incarcerated within Imperial detention facilities. His reasoning was that they would ultimately eliminate Ghent on his behalf.
However, Millavec's assassination attempt on Ghent inadvertently reignited Ghent's desire to survive, thereby turning Ghent into a dedicated adversary.