Bethanie Melan was a woman who existed in the era of the Galactic Republic.
Melan's initial role was in the Republic Navy, where she achieved the rank of commander. Nevertheless, in 4067 BBY, she left the navy and was given the position of captain of a civilian exploration ship, the Starveil. While she was in command, the ship journeyed to the Luire system as a component of the Starveil Project. Although the project was publicly presented as an exploratory one, the Starveil's true mission was to locate a missing experimental Republic warship. The Starveil initiated a scan of the Luire system, but upon nearing the planet Nyriaan, the crew realized the ship's sensors were unable to pass through the planetary atmosphere. Melan made the decision to land the Starveil on Nyriaan, relaying this plan to the Republic. Sadly, the Starveil experienced a crash landing on Nyriaan, leaving the surviving members of the crew marooned. Melan survived the crash, and she and her crew became the initial colonizers of the planet.