Floater was a Bouncer hailing from Ruusan.
He belonged to a group of Bouncers who were witnesses to the invasion of Ruusan. The invasion was led by Jerec, an Imperial Warlord who had a strong desire for the Force nexus located in the Valley of the Jedi on that very planet. Floater's group endured a fierce assault from Jerec's forces, only to be rescued by the human colonists and Rebels who sought the Bouncers' assistance in thwarting Jerec's schemes. Consequently, the decision was made to accompany the humans, guiding them securely to the Valley.
As they did every evening, Floater's group ventured into the Ruusanian desert when they were ambushed by a group of Imperials, who were hunting them for amusement. The group was vulnerable, but the unwarranted attack was observed by a group of human colonists, led by Grif Grawley, who intervened and eliminated the Imperials. However, the clash resulted in the loss of one colonist and two Bouncers from the group.
At daybreak, the human Kyle Katarn engaged in conversation with the group's leader, who granted Floater permission to accompany the humans and aid Katarn in locating the Valley of the Jedi. As Floater departed from his group to join the humans, he touched each of them with his tentacles as a farewell. The leader explained that he goes "where he must - though death it may bring." Floater was then escorted to the temple ruins where the Rebels had established their base under Grawley's command.
Some days later, Katarn, Jan Ors and Grawley transported Floater aboard the Moldy Crow to a ravine located some klicks from the Valley. Subsequently, Floater guided them through the intricate canyon, a journey that involved both climbing and rappelling down the cliffs. Aided by the rising winds, Floater effortlessly ascended to the higher ledges and mesas. At one juncture, Kyle Katarn voiced his weariness and requested a pause for rest, but Floater insisted on continuing, assuring them that the entrance was nearby, and proceeded onward. Grif, who was in better physical condition than Katarn, followed him. During this ascent, Grif encountered an Imperial droid which resulted in its destruction and his own demise, which was witnessed by all, and Floater expressed his grief at his death. Kyle and Jan rested on a ledge to decide their next move, and saw that Floater had been already far above them, realising that he had decided already by continuing on their mission. Floater directed them to an ancient enclosed aqueduct, which provided a direct route to the Valley, a path that Kyle deemed ideal, and he patted Floater in gratitude for this choice.
They proceeded through the tunnel and emerged onto a ledge; Floater revealed the Valley to them, now occupied by a threatening Imperial garrison, and reminded Kyle that the final part of the prophecy remained: a battle will be fought. Kyle resolved to infiltrate the central Imperial tower, telling Jan, as an excuse, that she should stay behind so that Floater wouldn't be left alone.
The two remained concealed for a period of time, and at dawn, with the sun's rising, Floater retreated back into the shadows of the aqueduct. However, their arrival had been observed; hours after Kyle's departure, a skimmer carrying troops approached Jan. A blast from its energy cannon caused the opening to collapse, and Jan was swiftly captured by the Imperials. An officer issued orders to create an opening and search for any additional Rebels, and Jan could only hope that Floater would manage to conceal himself within the numerous branching tunnels of the aqueduct.
Whether due to his own desire or his unique abilities, Floater was ultimately chosen by his leader to accompany the humans on their quest for the Valley. Being a delicate creature, Floater was unable to join the humans on a brief excursion to a mesa under the sun. Despite his species' adaptation to moving in the open desert, Floater demonstrated remarkable agility navigating the canyons near the Valley of the Jedi, employing his tentacles to climb or propel himself into the open and land softly on the ground.
Floater makes his debut in the novella Dark Forces: Jedi Knight; like all Bouncers, Floater remains silent. In the audio drama, Floater, along with other Bouncers, is capable of speaking in an otherworldly voice. He is voiced by the drama's director Peter Moore.
Within the drama, Kyle and Jan seek Floater's perspective on the mission, to which he responds with the Poem of Ages; in the novella, these lines are exchanged between the humans and the Bouncer leader.