A former financial journalist of the male persuasion and belonging to the Balosar species, Caern Adan transitioned into a role as an agent for the Alliance to Restore the Republic's intelligence branch. He continued this service with its successor within the New Republic during the Galactic Civil War. Post-Battle of Endor, concerned about the enduring Imperial forces, Adan enlisted Imperial defector Yrica Quell alongside other pilots to form a diverse squadron known as Alphabet Squadron, tasked primarily with locating the 204th Imperial Fighter Wing.
Caern Adan once worked as a financial journalist, penning articles that explored conflicts within the InterGalactic Banking Clan and the financial stability of the Corporate Sector. His life took a turn when the Galactic Empire apprehended him. He languished in prison for twenty-seven months, never informed of the charges against him or the reason for his arrest. During his imprisonment, Adan developed a dependency on alcohol, grappled with numerous fears, and became increasingly radicalized against the Empire. Upon his release, he chose to join the Rebel Alliance. During his incarceration, he crossed paths with Kairos and IT-O, a former Imperial torture droid. They orchestrated an escape, leaving behind Ver Iflan, the individual who had reprogrammed the droid.
Following the demise of Emperor Sheev Palpatine at the Battle of Endor, the Galactic Empire experienced a power vacuum due to the lack of a designated successor. Numerous planets and systems declared allegiance to the Rebel Alliance, which then evolved into the New Republic. Despite this expanded support, the New Republic's military faced challenges in transitioning from a rebel force to a government responsible for protecting its citizens. Adan, along with other members of the newly established New Republic Intelligence, firmly believed that intelligence operations were crucial for maintaining the New Republic's stability. Consequently, Adan advocated for an enhanced role for New Republic Intelligence in the war effort, specifically focusing on identifying threats that the Senate did not consider immediate priorities.
His primary concern revolved around the 204th Imperial Fighter Wing, an elite group of TIE fighter pilots led by Colonel Shakara Nuress and known as 'Shadow Wing'. However, the military, preoccupied with securing control over major hyperlanes across the galaxy, did not view Shadow Wing as a significant threat. Adding to the challenges of Adan's ambitions for the intelligence service, Chancellor Mon Mothma openly expressed her intentions to demilitarize the New Republic once the war concluded.
Therefore, Adan resolved to assemble a team of intelligence officers dedicated to locating and neutralizing the 204th Imperial Fighter Wing. Accompanied by a reprogrammed Imperial IT-O droid on Traitor's Remorse, he successfully recruited Quell, a former 204th pilot, to join his cause.
Adan formed a squadron to facilitate the dismantling of the 204th. He enlisted Nath Tensent, a former Alliance pilot, and recruited Kairos, Quell, Wyl Lark, previously of Riot Squadron, and Chass na Chadic, formerly of Hound Squadron. Subsequently, he persuaded General Hera Syndulla to base his new squadron within her Barma Battle Group, specifically on her flagship, the Lodestar.
The Lodestar battlegroup subsequently engaged in the Cerberon system campaign. The Troithe operation extended over several weeks, during which Quell and Adan convinced General Syndulla to devise a trap for Shadow Wing. Following the capture of the capital, preparations were made for the trap. Kairos sustained injuries during the fighting, and when Adan visited her, he was overpowered, captured, and subsequently sold to the Empire at an auction.
Quell and Tensent successfully rescued him, although he had endured torture. Upon their return to the Lodestar, Colonel Soran Keize, unknowingly circumvented the trap by leading Shadow Wing in a direct assault on the system, resulting in the destruction of the New Republic assault ship but also trapping them on Troithe. Quell, IT-O, and Adan escaped aboard a freighter. Their vessel crashed on a planetoid within the system, which was unstable and on a trajectory toward a black hole. They spent days searching for a means of escape, but Adan's wounds became infected, ultimately leading to his demise.
Adan was a proponent of increased funding for New Republic Intelligence, viewing it as essential for dismantling the remaining Imperial strongholds. He intended to leverage Alphabet Squadron to persuade the New Republic Senate that demilitarization remained a viable strategy and that Intelligence could proactively prevent future threats, thereby obviating the need for continued warfare by fleets. Adan had a preference for Corellian red wine. He harbored guilt over abandoning Iflan and the other prisoners, retaining IT-O as a constant reminder. However, he managed this guilt by striving to do good.
Caern Adan made his debut appearance in Alexander Freed's 2019 novel, Alphabet Squadron.