Picket Force Six, belonging to the Chiss Expansionary Defense Fleet, was assigned a mission focused on the Vak Combine. Its purpose was to eradicate any remaining Nikardun military presence some months following the defeat and capture of Yiv the Benevolent. This operation was a component of the Nikardun campaigns, a string of engagements aimed at eliminating the surviving elements of the Nikardun Destiny from areas within the Chaos region neighboring Chiss and its allies.
During the assignment within the Vak Combine, Admiral Ar'alani along with Senior Captains Thrawn and Lakinda came to the conclusion that the Ascendancy had almost completely removed the Nikardun from that sector. They had cleared out most of the Nikardun facilities that were listed on General Yiv's questis. After a victory against Nikardun forces in an unidentified system, Ar'alani authorized Thrawn and his ship, the Springhawk, to proceed with his next mission.
As the Springhawk made its way to Rapacc, Ar'alani's vessel, the Vigilant, and Lakinda's ship, the Grayshrike, conducted an investigation of listening post KR20, the location of which was obtained during the interrogation of Yiv. Surprisingly, they discovered that all Nikardun forces had already been annihilated by weaponized asteroids that also functioned as missile launchers. They then traveled to the last known Nikardun base, Listening post KR21, and investigated, only to find that it too had been destroyed.
The Vak people felt gratitude towards the Chiss Ascendancy for their assistance in liberating their homeworld of Primea from the Nikardun Destiny's forces during the battle over Primea. They subsequently requested aid from the Chiss in eliminating the remaining Nikardun elements within their territory. Although the Chiss Syndicure would typically oppose such intervention due to the Ascendancy's Non-intervention policy, they were sufficiently persuaded by the threat posed by the remaining Nikardun forces to permit the Expansionary Defense Fleet to make an exception to that policy.
Following the mission, Admiral Ar'alani sent Lakinda aboard the Grayshrike to deliver a message to Thrawn on the Springhawk, ordering their return to Csilla. Lakinda intercepted Thrawn and the Springhawk above the Magys' homeworld and assisted in defending the Springhawk against attacking forces. Following this brief engagement, Lakinda and Thrawn journeyed back to Csilla together.
Later, the Vigilant went back to Listening post KR21, and discovered that, despite previously finding it abandoned, the Grysk hegemony was now utilizing it to produce counterfeit starships. The Vigilant and the Grayshrike engaged in a battle at the listening post, where they were able to defeat the Grysks.
The Vak Combine mission serves as the initial chapter in the 2021 novel titled Thrawn Ascendancy: Greater Good. It also acts as a mechanism for introducing the protagonists to the Nikardun campaigns, thereby bridging the gap with the prequel novel to Greater Good, which is Thrawn Ascendancy: Chaos Rising.