Joseph van Vleet was a Mesan citizen and scientist, and a member of the Mesan Alignment. When the Alignment initiated Operation Houdini in mid-1922 PD, van Vleet and several of his colleagues were removed from their home planet, their names being listed among the victims of recent "terrorist attacks". He and Anastasia Chernevsky were transferred to the slaving vessel Luigi Pirandello along with their GAUL handler, Seleven Arpino.