R5-Q3 was an astromech droid who was owned by the bounty hunter Arlain Zee. During the Clone Wars, Zee was imprisoned by the Galactic Republic alongside various other captured bounty hunters aboard the Venator-class Star Destroyer Tempestuous. Posing as a Republic serving droid, R5-Q3 entered Zee's cell to deliver him a meal and deactivated the cell's force field, allowing Zee to escape. The droid then proceeded to free the Iktotchi Volan Das and several other bounty hunters. While the other prisoners were quickly recaptured, Zee was successful at fleeing the vessel, escaping by downloading his consciousness into R5-Q3.