During the era of the Galactic Empire, Pepin served as the navigator aboard one of Emperor Palpatine's Lambda-class shuttles. He assisted Darth Vader, alongside Erv Lekauf, in suppressing a mutiny of stormtroopers on the shuttle, which was instigated by Sheyvan, an Emperor's Hand. Pepin lived through the conflict.
Karen Traviss drew inspiration for Pepin's moniker from Dany Pépin, a Star Wars enthusiast from Quebec, previously an administrator for SithClan.Net, the mind behind the Star Wars En Direct web radio program, and the producer/director of Traviss' Omega Squad: Targets audio drama.