Rivesh worked in genetic warfare for his kind. He was the designer of a genetic weapon that would kill all Viperox in the universe, to which the Tenth Doctor objected. When the Viperox went to war with his kind, his side lost. His wife, Seruba Velak, had already crashed in Roswell in 1947. As soon as he could, Rivesh went to find her. When his ship was shot down by the US Military near Area 51 in 1953, he was saved by Night Eagle and hidden in a cave. In 1958, Night Eagle took the Doctor, Cassie Rice and Jimmy Stalkingwolf to see Rivesh, who told them his story. Just moments afterwards, Colonel Stark walked in and tried to arrest him.