Sturves held the rank of Commander within the military forces of Darth Krayt's Galactic Empire, participating in the conflict known as the Skirmish on Dac. His command was based on the Acklay Battle Fortress, identified as the Sea Lion, from which he and his combat group sought to locate and eliminate Mon Calamari refugees.
According to the Sith scientist Vul Isen, Sturves's capabilities as a commander were lacking, his initial entry into the Imperial Military being at a relatively low level. He was eventually elevated to the rank of Commander after the coup led by Darth Krayt. The defection of numerous officers from the Imperial Army to the deposed Emperor Roan Fel, who then formed his Empire-in-exile, created a void in the command structure. Sturves was promoted to fill this void, despite his inadequate skill set for the role. As a Commander, Sturves was given authority over an Acklay-class mobile fortress named the Sea Lion.
Following the order from Emperor Darth Krayt to eliminate ten percent of the Mon Calamari population on Dac, with the remaining population to be sent to extermination camps, Sturves and the crew of the Sea Lion were dispatched on a mission to locate Mon Calamari civilians who had sought refuge in the planet's oceans. Sturves's unit discovered a settlement of Mon Calamari refugees, and he directed Shark Squadron, a squadron of Shark subfighters, to obliterate the settlement. However, Mon Calamari Rangers under the leadership of Tanquar, arrived in their Krakana fighter craft to defend the vulnerable civilians. As Shark Squadron began to suffer losses, Sturves instructed Lieutenant Troax to deploy seatroopers into the water to subdue the Rangers. Alpha Squadron was deployed to address the threat, but they were engaged by Imperial Knight Treis Sinde. Sinde swiftly eliminated the squadron and then infiltrated the Sea Lion.
Sturves was unprepared for Sinde's attack, and the Imperial Knight destroyed the Sea Lion's docking bay, leading to the ship being flooded. To prevent the loss of his ship, Sturves made preparations to withdraw from the battle. Lieutenant Troax ordered Shark Squadron to return and provide cover for their retreat, enabling Sturves to escape and initiate repairs on his damaged ship. Subsequently, Sturves submitted a report detailing the incident to Darth Azard, the Sith Lord who had been assigned to oversee the massacre. Azard and the Sith scientist, Vul Isen, had been occupied with the creation of a Sithspawned creature known as the Sea Leviathan. Based on Sturves's report, the Sith gained knowledge of the general location of the Mon Calamari Rangers and decided to deploy the Sea Leviathan in that area to provoke their enemy.
Sturves made his initial appearance in the 2009 comic Legacy (2006) 32, which marked the beginning of the Star Wars: Legacy's Fight Another Day story arc.