A Kadas'sa'Nikto woman named Irei, who possessed Force-sensitivity, conceived of the Shroud. Her aspiration was to construct this device and employ it to shield individuals like herself from the reach of the Galactic Empire. While striving to remain inconspicuous, she served as an apprentice at her parents' droid repair business. After developing romantic feelings for Chellwinark Frethylrin, an Imperial analyst in training, she sought to persuade the other woman to join her in hiding. However, Frethylrin declined to desert her post and instead attempted to conceal Irei through data alteration, which inadvertently attracted unwanted scrutiny to Irei.
Irei, a female Nikto of the Kadas'sa'Nikto subspecies, was sensitive to the Force. Living during the Imperial Era, she was compelled to conceal her connection to it. Even though her Force abilities weren't strong enough for formal training, they were sufficient to expose her to danger from the Galactic Empire. While keeping her abilities a secret, she worked as an apprentice at her parents' droid repair establishment in their town. Eventually, she encountered Chellwinark Frethylrin, a Keshiri woman undergoing training as an Imperial analyst, and they fell in love. Irei eventually revealed to Frethylrin—whom she affectionately called "Chell"—that she possessed Force-sensitivity.
Frethylrin began to question her own allegiance due to Irei's anxieties about the potential actions of the Empire and her conviction that individual choices held significance. Irei was frequently under observation, partly because her parents were employed by the local Imperial garrison, which meant they were in regular contact with Imperial officers and stormtroopers. Frethylrin started manipulating routine surveillance data to obscure Irei and altering documents and reports that mentioned her. Simultaneously, Irei hoped that the pair could escape and conceal themselves, leading her to conceive and design a device known as the Shroud, which she believed would facilitate their escape. She dedicated a year to its development and implored Frethylrin to desert, but Frethylrin refused, motivated by her apprehension and the idealistic notion that she could reform the Empire from within.
Frethylrin's efforts proved counterproductive, drawing unwanted attention to Irei. The Empire set fire to the repair shop, leading Frethylrin to assume that Irei had been captured or killed. However, the Nikto girl had actually managed to escape.
Irei, like other Kadas'sa'Nitko, had green and scaled skin. She also possessed clawed feet and hands; when feeling anxious, she had a habit of chewing on one of her hands until it bled. Being taller than Cal Kestis, who stood at 1.82 meters, her embrace made the human man feel small and fragile in comparison.