Valera, a Human woman and expert in computer systems, belonged to the Gray Griffins. This scouting group worked for the Rebel Alliance during the Galactic Civil War. Following an agreement between the Alliance and the Radell Mining Corporation, Valera's team was tasked with exploratory missions for RMC, leading to their discovery of the planet Alluuvia within the Elrood sector. Unfortunately, The Scourge, a pirate group active in that area, ambushed the Griffins' 3-Z light freighter named Whisper, resulting in Valera and her fellow Griffins being taken captive. The pirates held the scouting team at their base on the planet, causing them to suffer from malnutrition. Ultimately, Alliance operatives freed them, and Valera, along with her teammates, was taken to the planet Elrood to recover.