The Vagaari pirate operations were a series of operations that involved the Vagaari pirates and the Chiss Ascendancy nation. Led by the Chiss Senior Captain named Mitth'raw'nuruodo, the Chiss stole a gravity well projector from the Vagaari during the first clash against the pirates. Eventually, a starship hailing from the region beyond the Unknown Regions, known as Lesser Space to the Chiss and others in the Unknown Regions, got involved in the Vagaari pirate operations. Syndic Mitth'ras'safis, Thrawn's brother, and a human female stole the starship from the Chaf family after a Chaf task force captured it. The pair then crashed the ship in an attempt to save the people aboard, which, while it would allow the survivors to thrive for generations with the ship's supplies, according to Thrass's human companion, resulted in the pair's death. In their last moments Thrass expressed a wish that one day humans and Chiss might find a way to work together in peace.
The loss of the Galactic Republic technology within the Lesser Space space–faring craft and the death of Syndic Thrass resulted in the Ascendancy's ruling body being unhappy with Thrawn, whose Chiss heavy cruiser Springhawk was taken away as retaliation for his failure. Senior Captain Thrawn of the Chiss Ascendancy sustained injuries during the Vagaari pirate operations, and had to undergo physical therapy at the Chiss Expansionary Fleet medcenter on Naporar.
The Defense Hierarchy Council's displeasure at Thrawn for performing the operations without their authorization and losing the Lesser Space technology was later given as the official reason for Thrawn's command of the Springhawk being taken away. However, Supreme General Ba'kif surmised that the real reason was Chiss family politics. Thrawn's campaign had brought honor and glory to the Springhawk, and therefore the Ufsa family wanted one of their own—Ufsa'mak'ro—to command it. Ba'kif figured that the Ufsa family Syndics quietly exchanged favors with members of the Defense Hierarchy Council so Samakro would be given the Springhawks command. Ba'kif mused that, despite Thrawn's tactical genius, Thrawn had completely missed the politics below the surface in believing the "official" reason he was stripped of the Springhawk.
The Outbound Flight Project as depicted in Star Wars Legends
The Vagaari pirate operations were first mentioned in the 2020 novel Thrawn Ascendancy: Chaos Rising, the first installment of the Star Wars: The Ascendancy Trilogy written by Timothy Zahn. More details were provided in Chaos Risings 2021 sequel, Thrawn Ascendancy: Greater Good, which suggests a connection to Zahn's 2006 Legends novel Outbound Flight.
The Vagaari pirate operations correspond to the Outbound Flight Project from the Star Wars Legends continuity. As with the canon Vagaari pirate operations, Force Commander Mitth'raw'nuruodo conducted an unauthorized preemptive strike against the Vagaari. Syndic Mitth'ras'safis died aboard a starship from coreward of the Unknown Regions in the aftermath of a battle involving the Vagaari and Thrawn's task force. Likewise, Thrawn acquired a gravity well projector from the campaign.
- Star Wars: Timelines