Rutau was a male Human who served as a lieutenant in the First Platoon of Besh Company in the Second Battalion, a unit in the Imperial Army's Fifth Infantry. Stationed on Balmorra during the Cold War between the Galactic Republic and the Sith Empire, where his unit was tasked with uploading viruses to the Okara Droid Factory. However, the platoon was wiped out when they were spotted by a probe, and though Rutau was shot in the firefight, he was the only survivor. He later gave the viruses to reinforcements sent by Major Tyrus.