Syril Karn worked as a Preox-Morlana Corporation deputy inspector at the headquarters on Morlana One. When an unidentified man killed two Pre-Mor employees in an altercation, Karn worked all night to write a report for his superior – who ordered him to declare it an accident. But Karn, a stickler for law and order, couldn’t leave it be. He directed his overworked subordinates to dig deeper and put out a bulletin. After they received a tip from Ferrix, Karn finally got a face and a name: Cassian Andor.

He assembled a security force, which included the overzealous Sergeant Linus Mosk, to bring in his suspect. But he hadn’t expected the involvement of Luthen Rael, a rebel who was on Ferrix to recruit Andor, and their target evaded them amid a violent outburst. As a result of the botched raid, the Empire arrived at Pre-Mor headquarters and assumed authority. Karn returned home to Coruscant, where his mother, Eedy Karn, belittled him for his failures and lack of prospects for the future. She called in a family favor to get him an interview at the Bureau of Standards, where he was offered a fresh start.

A short time later, the Imperial Security Bureau called on Karn to question him about Cassian Andor. He attempted to persuade Lieutenant Dedra Meero to let him assist in her investigation, but she wasn’t interested in him or his help. Karn became obsessed with Meero. He waited outside the ISB office more than once in the hopes of running into her. One morning, his efforts paid off. Meero was taken aback when he admitted as much, and she informed him that his actions bordered on being illegal. She warned him not to come near her again.

Not long after, Mosk contacted Karn with information about the death of Cassian’s mother, Maarva. Karn, with Mosk at his side again, traveled to Ferrix on their own mission to find Andor at the funeral. Instead, he spotted Meero. As the people started fighting back against the Imperial presence, Meero was caught up in the fray. Karn retrieved her and took her to safety. Shaking and shocked to see him, Meero barely managed to thank him – her first kind words to him.