Bartaph, a Human woman of the female gender, held the rank of colonel within the Republic Army. She served during the Galactic War, a conflict between the Galactic Republic and the resurgent Sith Empire. Following the disappearance of Warden Graal amidst the chaos of riots triggered by the Imperial attack on the prison planet Belsavis, Bartaph was dispatched to Belsavis to assume the role of the prison's new warden.
Once the Hero of Tython had successfully defeated Executor Krannus, thus preventing his scheme to obliterate Belsavis, Bartaph met with the Jedi as they readied themselves to depart from the world. She had discovered their collaboration with the prisoner Pak Taldine in order to overcome Krannus. Bartaph pressed the Hero of Tython for an explanation regarding their partnership with Taldine, exposing his background as a well-known criminal. However, the Hero of Tython defended Taldine, asserting that the Zabrak's assistance had been indispensable to their objective.
Despite her lingering doubts, Bartaph eventually chose to trust the Hero of Tython's assessment, permitting Taldine to maintain his collaboration with the Republic, as he had done under the previous Warden Playt.