Ref Mawber functioned as an agent for the Imperial Security Bureau. He oversaw a network of spies operating covertly within various criminal organizations located on the planet Questal. Moff Bandor, who was assigned to Questal, was the individual to whom Mawber directly reported. Mawber remained unaware of Lanni Peggann, an agent from the Rebel Alliance who was monitoring Bandor's actions and held a comparable position on the opposing side. Mawber's friendship with fellow ISB operative Mar Barezz was common knowledge, as was Mawber's assistance to Barezz in his relentless pursuit of the Rebel agent Tiree.