Tovak was a Starfleet lieutenant who served aboard the USS Aventine in 2381 as a beta shift officer. Tovak played the ka'athyra, and participated in a "jam session" with several other members of the crew, plus Professor Sonek Pran, during their mission to the Imperial Romulan State early that year. (ST novel: A Singular Destiny) As Tovak played the ka'athyra, it is possible that Tovak was Vulcan, although this was not mentioned in the novel.