Kariya Vao was a Twi'lek female lieutenant of the Free Twi'lek Militia, and the lover of its leader, Captain Velisk. Born on Ryloth, her village was destroyed by a Republic airstrike, due to a navigational mistake. Her family was killed, and she would have died as well if she was not rescued by Velisk, as the Militia examined the village. After that, Vao swore loyalty to him and pledged to avenge her family by fighting the Republic in the Confederacy of Independent Systems. The two survived to the end of the Clone Wars in 19 BBY, at which point, the Militia joined the Confederacy Reborn movement of CIS Admiral Zan Radek. Vao served as Velisk's executive officer aboard their flagship, the Providence-class carrier/destroyer Shadow Hand, during their offensive against the Galactic Empire.