Smalyun, a Human captain of the male persuasion, worked for the customs sector of the Bank of Aargau Security's department during the Galactic Civil War period. As of 3 ABY, Smalyun was relatively new to his position as a security officer stationed at Planetary Customs Security Checkpoint LH48; he initially struggled with punctuality but quickly gained favor with his superiors by becoming exceptionally proficient with the checkpoint's holoscanner faster than anyone else.
Unbeknownst to most, Smalyun was secretly in contact with the infamous smuggler known as Li-Suun Niik. Shortly after starting his new job, he deliberately ignored one of Niik's associates attempting to pass through the scanner with illicit gold affixed to a couple of his ribs. Sergeant-at-Arms Rolex pointed out Smalyun's "mistake," leading Smalyun to immediately kill the individual.
Larry Hama penned the Star Wars (1977) 48 comic in which Smalyun debuted, which was published in 1981. Carmine Infantino provided the illustration of Smalyun in the comic. While he was not named in his first appearance, his name was eventually revealed in the Wizards of the Coast article Aargau: For All Your Banking Needs in 2003.