Renn Volz, a Kesselian male of the human species, held the position of professor and was also an inventor. In the year 0 ABY, he engineered the Ionic Ring Ship, a device capable of manipulating the weather patterns of a planet. Volz's initial intention was to alleviate the hardships faced by those inhabiting unstable worlds. However, the Galactic Empire swiftly seized control of his Ionic Ring, aiming to utilize it for the devastation of planets held by the Rebel Alliance. Captain Bzorn, an Imperial officer, used Volz's daughter, Mira, as leverage, compelling Volz to devastate the planet Rion. Subsequently, Bzorn attempted a similar act against Volz's own homeworld, Little Kessel. Nevertheless, Mira managed to escape and, with the assistance of a Rebel crew, thwarted Bzorn's scheme. Volz then opted to destroy his Ionic Ring to prevent its further exploitation by the Empire.
Originally hailing from the Seswenna system, Renn Volz demonstrated significant academic potential, earning a scholarship to the esteemed University of Byblos. He eventually ascended to the roles of Professor and inventor. During the Imperial Era, he established himself on Little Kessel, where he raised his daughter, Mira, and pursued various advanced projects. Despite harboring private opposition to the Galactic Empire's policies, he carefully navigated the political landscape to secure funding from both Imperial and corporate entities. Volz's inventions included an innovative sub-space image transmitter and the Ionic Ring Ship, a unique starship designed to control a planet's weather from orbit. Volz conducted his research and development in a concealed laboratory located on Little Kessel, hidden within the depths of the Great Fungi Forest. By the time 0 ABY arrived, Volz's Ionic Ring was ready for testing, which he and his daughter successfully carried out by stabilizing the turbulent weather of the planet Zerm.
However, Volz's work on Zerm was abruptly interrupted when an Imperial Navy detachment, led by Captain Bzorn, boarded his ship. Bzorn, dispatched personally by Darth Vader, was tasked with locating and destroying worlds supporting the Rebel cause. Bzorn forcefully took control of the Ionic Ring and kidnapped Mira to ensure Volz's cooperation. The planet Rion became Bzorn's initial target. After its inhabitants refused to surrender their Rebel base, Bzorn coerced Volz into using the Ionic Ring to transform the planet into a frozen wasteland. Little Kessel was next on Bzorn's list, and despite his anguish, Volz subjected his homeworld to earthquakes and devastating cyclones. Yet, Volz soon reached his limit and refused to continue the assault on his planet, accepting whatever consequences might follow. Unbeknownst to Volz, Bzorn's bluff had been exposed: Mira had escaped Imperial custody before Rion, joining a Rebel crew and making her way to Little Kessel. There, she used Volz's sub-space image transmitter to send a message to the Ionic Ring, informing her father of her safety. Overjoyed, Volz then witnessed Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, and Chewbacca, Mira's Rebel companions, storm the Ionic Ring's control room, initiating a firefight that resulted in Bzorn's death. Fearing the Empire's potential misuse of the Ionic Ring, Volz activated the ship's self-destruct sequence before narrowly escaping and joyfully reuniting with his daughter on Little Kessel.
Volz, an innovative scientist, firmly believed that scientific advancements should benefit all beings, leading him to despise what he perceived as the Empire's divisive policies. However, he managed to keep his feelings private, publicly expressing sufficient support for the Empire to secure funding for his projects. Volz's sole desire was to utilize his creations to aid the people of the galaxy, and he was horrified by the prospect of their use for violent purposes. Nevertheless, Volz considered his daughter Mira to be the most important aspect of his life, and his desire to protect her surpassed his desire to protect innocent lives. Even that had its limits, however, as he was willing to submit to whatever Captain Bzorn had in store for him and his daughter in order to stop the attack on Little Kessel.
Renn Volz made his debut in The Second Kessel Run, a comic strip story arc penned by Russ Helm and published in 1980. In the comic, Volz was illustrated by Russ Manning. Volz later appeared in the 2001 Star Wars Roleplaying Game supplement titled Rebellion Era Sourcebook, which presents a contrasting account of his life compared to The Second Kessel Run. The Rebellion Era Sourcebook depicts Volz as having been conscripted by Grand Moff Tarkin and forced into Imperial service at the Maw Installation, where he was compelled to create the Ionic Ring. According to the sourcebook, Volz, isolated at the Maw, was unaware that the Empire was utilizing his inventions for destructive purposes.