Sair Yonka was a Human male from Commenor who served with both the Galactic Empire and the New Republic as the captain of the Imperial II-class Star Destroyer Avarice—later renamed the Freedom. Yonka left his lover Aellyn Jandi behind on his homeworld at a young age and entered the Imperial Naval Academy, proving to be a competent and intelligent officer. He spent several years serving on numerous vessels in the Outer Rim Territories before being awarded the captaincy of the Avarice and tasked with defending Imperial-aligned Outer Rim worlds from pirates. During his time in the Outer Rim, Yonka and Aellyn Jandi entered into an affair.