Noro Zak was a Baxthrax Jedi Knight during the time of the Old Republic. An insect-like species, Noro Zak sported a double pair of wings, as well as claw-like hands and feet. When Adi Gallia turned up missing on a secret mission to Esseles, Noro Zak was chosen alongside Vel Ardox and Qui-Gon Jinn to travel to Esseles and investigate her disappearance and, if necessary, rescue her. Traveling to Esseles aboard a Republic cruiser, Noro and the Jedi made their first priority to investigate the Trinkatta Starship company, the company manufacturing the droid starships Adi was investigating.

However, before they could enter the factory, they were attacked by the factory's droids that had apparently overrun the factory and were set to kill. Deciding to split up into two groups, Noro Zak, Vel Ardox, and Obi-Wan Kenobi would try to make their way to the droid control center to disable the droids while Qui-Gon searched for Adi. However, the droid's defenses prevented Noro and the Jedi from even entering the factory, and it was Qui-Gon who ended up rescuing Adi Gallia, disabling the droids, and acquiring a skyhopper to help with the Jedi's escape. Qui-Gon then picked up the three Jedi and explained that he had learned the Bartokk assassins were behind the starship mystery and this news required more investigation.

However, Adi Gallia was in a wounded condition and needed immediate medical attention and the Jedi decided that Noro and Vel Ardox would accompany Adi to a Jedi outpost on Rhinnal, while Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan would remain on Esseles to investigate the Bartokk's involvement. While on Rhinnal, a severe storm knocked out the planet's communications, cutting off contact between Qui-Gon's team and Noro's team. During their investigation, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan discovered the Bartokks were on a mission to Corulag to attack the Corulag Academy. However, before they followed the Bartokk's trail, Obi-Wan feared the communication blackout at Rhinnal indicated sinister happenings there, and feared for the safety of Noro, Vel, and Adi.