Commander Riley "LaRoche" Coleman was born at Bounds Gateway in the Djiwal system. Her parents were both members of the People's Djiwal Revolutionary Party; setting her at odds with the status quo from a very young age. However, her rebellion did not manifest itself in confrontational ways. Instead she was drawn to the fantasy of finding some distant system where she, and others seeking to escape the extortion present in the bubble, would be able to find a new home.

She had her first experience with space travel at the age of 13 when she celebrated her birthday by stowing away on a trader ship. She only made it as far as Duamta before getting discovered and shipped back home, but the bug for exploration had already bitten her. She found work at the shipyards during her late teens and saved up every credit she made until she was finally able to buy her first Sidewinder. Her experience with ship maintenance, combined with her inborn patience, quickly made her a formidable explorer.