Prior to 19 BBY by a number of years, the Chiss Ascendancy engaged in a formal mission to Bardram Scoft, which serves as the native planet for the Scofti species. Mitth'raw'nuru, holding the rank of Junior Commander and known as "Thrawn", functioned as a pilot for this endeavor, while Qilori, a navigator from the Pathfinder organization of Uandualon, guided a Chiss diplomatic cruiser through the pathways of hyperspace.
Due to the Scofti culture's propensity for assassinations and forceful takeovers, the Scoftic government was in a constant state of flux. Consequently, newly appointed Scofti leaders, referred to as Prefects, were inclined to overturn the established norms, traditions, artistic expressions, and decorative elements implemented by their predecessors. This resulted in nations maintaining diplomatic ties with the Scofti being frequently compelled to re-familiarize themselves with protocols whenever a change in power occurred on Bardram Scoft.
During their time on Bardram Scoft, Junior Commander Thrawn took note of certain starships that bore a striking resemblance to those used by the pirates who had been actively raiding Chiss merchant vessels near the Ascendancy's territorial boundaries. Upon recognizing that these ships were of Lioaoin origin, Thrawn came to the conclusion that the pirates were receiving support from the Lioaoin Regime, which represented the governing body of the Lioaoi species, who were indigenous to the Unknown Regions.
The Scofti, a species originating from the planet Bardram Scoft in the Unknown Regions, enjoyed diplomatic relations with the Chiss Ascendancy. Each shift in leadership that brought a new Prefect to power within the Scoftic government resulted in the imposition of fresh customs and regulations. This necessitated that neighboring countries dispatch new ambassadors to Bardram Scoft and adapt to these evolving practices. Furthermore, the Scofti experienced frequent power transitions due to the prevalence of assassinations and forceful seizures of authority.
A number of years prior to 19 BBY, the Chiss Ascendancy dispatched a Chiss diplomatic cruiser to Bardram Scoft to deliver an ambassador, following the assassination of the planet's previous Prefect. Mitth'raw'nuru, known by his core name "Thrawn," who held the rank of Junior Commander within the Chiss Expansionary Defense Fleet, served as a pilot for this particular mission. Given the inherent risks associated with hyperspace travel in the Unknown Regions, regional nations relied on Force-sensitive navigators to ensure safe passage. The Navigators' Guild provided these navigators for hire to various entities in the region, maintaining Guild Concourses where spacecraft could acquire their services for their journeys.
The Chiss diplomatic cruiser bound for Bardram Scoft made a stop at one such concourse, specifically Guild Concourse 447, to enlist the services of a Pathfinder navigator from the Guild. This Pathfinder, named Qilori of Uandualon, possessed exceptional skills in navigating using the Force, enabling the ship to reach Bardram Scoft several minutes ahead of the captain's anticipated arrival time.
Prior to this mission, the Chiss had been grappling with pirates who had been attacking their merchant shipping freighters in the outer reaches of their territory for several months. The Chiss Defense Force had not yet identified the perpetrators, and the Ascendancy's preemptive-strike laws prohibited retaliatory military actions until culpability could be definitively established.
Upon the warship from the Chiss reaching Bardram Scoft, Qilori emerged from his navigational trance. He and Thrawn were the only individuals present on the cruiser's bridge. Qilori then inquired about the whereabouts of the other bridge personnel. The Junior Commander then explained that the ambassador was preparing to meet with the new Prefect, explaining that the previous Scofti ruler had been assassinated and the new Prefect had replaced many diplomatic practices. Adhering to Scofti customs, the highest-ranking military officer on board the Chiss cruiser was required to accompany the ambassador and Prefect.
Looking through the viewport, Thrawn noticed a starship of alien design. Thrawn asked the Pathfinder if he recognized the design, leading Qilori to suggest that it was a Lioaoin vessel. Thrawn pointed out its resemblance to the pirate ships that had recently been attacking Chiss freighters. The navigator had heard rumors that the Lioaoin Regime—the government of the Lioaoi species based in the Unknown Regions—had turned to piracy to salvage its struggling economy. However, the Navigators' Guild had strict rules about neutrality that prevented him from informing Thrawn, and Qilori became anxious that Thrawn appeared to suspect the Regime's involvement in piracy. The Junior Commander suggested that the pirates could have acquired their starships from a local manufacturer that also supplied the Lioaoin Regime, alleviating Qilori's concerns.
Thrawn asked Qilori whether he had traveled to Lioaoin space, which the navigator confirmed. Thrawn then inquired if he could travel there from either Chiss space or Bardram Scoft. Qilori confirmed that he could, and then asked Thrawn if he wished to travel to Lioaoin space at that moment. Thrawn clarified that they would not be heading from Bardram Scoft into Lioaoin space, but made a note to remember Qilori's name and his base of operations at Concourse 447. The Junior Commander then suggested that they might collaborate again in the future and introduced himself as Thrawn, stating that he would specifically seek out Qilori's services. The Pathfinder privately dismissed the idea of working with Thrawn again; however, he lied by telling Thrawn that it would be a pleasure.
Despite downplaying his suspicions, Thrawn correctly identified the connection between the Lioaoin Regime and the pirates who had been attacking the Chiss. Furthermore, the Junior Commander reasoned that Qilori knew more than he had revealed, as a secret as significant as a government's support for piracy would certainly reach the Navigators' Guild, who were prevalent throughout the Unknown Regions. Thrawn also recognized the Pathfinder navigators' "style" evident in the tactics of some of the ongoing pirate raids on the Chiss, which led him to discern that the Lioaoin pirates were collaborating with Pathfinders to conduct raids.
After Qilori returned to Concourse 447, Thrawn investigated the Pathfinders, discovering the significant secret that they could track each other through hyperspace. Armed with this knowledge, along with the information he had gathered during the mission, he proposed a response to the raids to Ba'kif, the Supreme General of the Chiss Expansionary Defense Fleet. During their meeting, Thrawn argued that the pirate and Lioaoin ships had notable similarities, but he suggested they attack the pirates alone instead of assaulting the Lioaoin Regime. Ba'kif reminded Thrawn of the Ascendancy's strict preemptive-strike laws, which forbade military action against anyone except forces known to have previously attacked the Chiss.
Despite believing he would be able to distinguish enemy and neutral ships, Thrawn promised he would take no action if he could not differentiate enemies from civilians. The general approved the Junior Commander's mission, believing the Ascendancy's non-response to pirates would send a message of weakness and vulnerability to neighboring nations. If Thrawn could establish the Lioaoin Regime's culpability, a swift and decisive counter-strike would make nearby peoples reconsider attacking the Chiss. As a result, Ba'kif approved the Junior Commander's request for three ships for a mission to the Lioaoin heartworld.
The mission to Bardram Scoft appeared as a flashback within the 2020 novel Thrawn Ascendancy: Chaos Rising by Timothy Zahn, which serves as the inaugural installment in Star Wars: The Ascendancy Trilogy.