Mitth'ras'safis

Mitth'ras'safis, known by his core name of Thrass, was a Chiss born to parents belonging to a minor family within the Chiss Ascendancy. His father died approximately one week before Thrass's birth, preventing an assassination attempt on the Patriarch of the Mitth family, Mitth'oor'akiord, who was traveling discreetly. Upon returning home, the appreciative Patriarch invited Thrass's mother to Csilla, the Chiss capital and homeworld, offering to rematch her to the highest-ranking Mitth available to a commoner, a ranking distant relative. She accepted this proposal.

Since Thrass was already born before his mother's rematching, he should have been a ranking distant as well. However, the Patriarch manipulated the rematching date, making it appear that Thrass's mother had been rematched before his birth. Consequently, Thrass was officially born as a Mitth cousin. This discrepancy initially bothered Thrass when introducing himself with his family rank, but he eventually grew accustomed to it. During his childhood, Thrass observed Patriarch Thooraki twice from afar while he visited the family homestead. Later, as a middager, he had a third opportunity to glimpse the family head while learning protocols for transporting documents between Avidich, a major Chiss colony world with a significant Mitth presence, and Csilla. During two of his visits to Csilla, Thrass also had the chance to view the official Mitth art collection stored in the homestead.

As a lower-ranking member of the Mitth family, Thrass was assigned the duty of welcoming new merit adoptives to their rematching dinners, a task often avoided by higher-ranking members. Around 39 BBY, Thrass had been performing this duty for three years and had welcomed eleven merit adoptives during that time. Unlike many of his peers, Thrass enjoyed this duty because he was curious to identify the traits that made these individuals worthy of being rematched into the family. By this point, Thrass had achieved the rank of Aristocra within the Mitth.

Thrass's next assignment was Mitth'raw'nuru, whose core name was "Thrawn." He was a merit adoptive rematched from the Kivu family on the planet Rentor and transferred to the Taharim Academy as a cadet in the Chiss Expansionary Defense Fleet. Before the rematching dinner on Avidich, Thrass approached Thrawn in the reception room, assuming the new merit adoptive felt disoriented. Thrass greeted the cadet, welcomed him to Avidich, introduced himself and his role, and assured Thrawn that he shouldn't feel overwhelmed. However, Thrawn defied the Aristocra's expectations by revealing that he had been analyzing the art in the reception room. He had determined that one artist had created three landscape paintings and two statuettes, despite the artworks being frequently rotated and lacking identifiers. Thrass was skeptical but, to his surprise, found Thrawn's deduction to be accurate. The works had been created by the legendary Patriarch Mitth'omo'rossodo, who had lost all four of her sons in the Final Assault on Csilla that occurred centuries before their meeting. The two reflected on the tragedy, with Thrass suspecting that Thrawn had experienced a similar deep loss—unbeknownst to the Aristocra, the loss of his sister Kivu'rik'ardok. The Aristocra apologized and resumed the welcoming procedures.

During the dinner and official ceremonies, Thrass observed Thrawn, noting that while the younger man performed his part with proper deference, he was somewhat awkward in social situations. Thrass also noticed that Thrawn's attention often drifted to the artworks displayed on the walls of the grand banquet hall, and he wondered what the young cadet deduced from them. During the open conversation time after the ceremony, Thrass had another opportunity to speak with Thrawn and offered to show him the artworks collected by the Mitth Patriel of Avidich. Unfortunately, there was not enough time for a tour because Thrawn was scheduled to return to the Taharim Academy on Naporar, the planet housing the headquarters of the Expansionary Defense Fleet, early the next morning. Since the young cadet was already working off fifty downmarks, he could not afford to be late. Thrass explained to Thrawn that the Mitth had wanted to unveil three new military merit adoptives, including the young cadet, to impress the Irizi family's Patriel of Avidich, whose family rivaled the Mitth and were always eager to recruit promising officers. After promising to look Thrawn up if he visited Naporar during Thrawn's training, Thrass wished the younger man good night and returned to his duties to socialize with the other guests.

Over the next two years, Thrass occasionally reviewed Thrawn's Taharim records to monitor his progress. He noted a cheating charge against the younger man and how skillfully the cadet proved his innocence with the help of General Ba'kif and Senior Cadet Irizi'ar'alani. Overall, Thrass's assessment of Thrawn's records led him to believe that he had great potential and would become a fine officer one day.

Around the time of Thrawn's graduation in 37 BBY, Thrass was visiting his mother when he was unexpectedly invited to a meeting with Patriarch Thooraki. The Patriarch had heard a rumor that the Stybla family planned to lure Thrawn away from the Mitth. He wanted Thrass to go to Naporar, meet with Thrawn, and ensure the newly commissioned lieutenant remained with the Mitth. When Thrass asked if he could offer Thrawn additional incentives to stay, Thooraki refused, suggesting he simply remind Thrawn that Mitth friendship was valuable. Despite the limited offer he could make, Thrass took the assignment seriously. However, he wondered why it was worth sending someone to Naporar to counter another family's advances toward a mere merit adoptive, especially from a relatively low-ranking family like the Stybla.

Thrass arranged a meeting with Thrawn at a bistro on Naporar. A few minutes before Thrawn was scheduled to arrive, Thrass was joined by Stybla'ppin'cykok, the Senior Aide to Patriarch Stybla'mi'ovodo, who was also there to meet Thrawn and offer him a position with the Stybla. Thrass mocked the Stybla for their decline from their former status as the first Ruling Family. However, Lappincyk countered that they had willingly stepped down and compensated for their lack of influence by staying well-informed about the successes of other families. The two discussed what each family could offer Thrawn and what they saw in him. Finally, Thrass claimed that the Stybla only saw Thrawn as a prize, while he saw the young officer as his friend. Hearing Thrass's declaration of friendship, Lappincyk chose to withdraw and only politely introduced himself to Thrawn when the younger man arrived, leaving the two somewhat bewildered Mitth to enjoy their lunch together.

After Lappincyk's departure, Thrass briefly wondered if the Stybla had been serious about recruiting Thrawn or if the entire situation was an elaborate political scheme orchestrated for Patriarch Thooraki's benefit. Years later, Thrass directly asked Thooraki if the scheme had been designed to benefit Thrass himself and if the Patriarch had colluded with the Stybla to encourage Thrass and Thrawn to become close friends. At the time, however, Thrass quickly dismissed the thought. Instead, he was interested in learning more about how Thrawn and Ziara had refuted the cheating charge during his training. He planned to use the story to demonstrate that the Mitth were the finest of the Ruling Families, but Thrawn pointed out that certain details might not support such a biased statement.

As Thrawn rapidly advanced in the Expansionary Defense Fleet, Thrass gained prestige within the Mitth, eventually becoming a syndic. Four months after the pirate attack at Stivic, Thrass was still the newest member of the Mitth contingent in the Syndicure. Consequently, the other syndics delegated unpleasant tasks to him. Among these tasks was an order from syndic Mitth'urf'ianico to analyze data collected from the patrol cruiser Parala during the Stivic incident. Thrass's usual work focused on agricultural production and distribution, making military matters outside his expertise. However, he had already taken note of the event because both Thrawn and Ziara had been involved. Thrass's co-worker, who assigned him the task, informed him that he needed to have his report ready before lunch. The task could not be given to the techs, who would have been more suited for it, because Thurfian wanted to keep the fact that he even had the data from the Parala a secret from everyone except the syndics. Thrass had previously noticed that Thurfian seemed to dislike Thrawn and privately wondered if the higher-ranking syndic wanted the data to either vindicate or condemn Thrawn and whether he should slant his analysis accordingly.

When he presented his findings to Thurfian, Thrass attributed the entire incident to Mid Captain Clarr'os'culry's imagination. He argued that the modulations in the ranging lasers did not correspond to the trade languages, Taarja and Sy Bisti, that Thrass compared them with. Additionally, the laser's modulator disk had been replaced shortly after the incident, suggesting that the disk had been faulty during the pirate attack. In his analysis, Thrass had intentionally started with the two most commonly used trade languages and avoided comparing the modulations with other local trade languages, such as Minnisiat or Meese Caulf, even though the Garwians defending the planet Stivic had initially hailed the Chiss using the former. Thrass's lackluster report and verbal deflection of Thurfian's accusations against Thrawn ultimately annoyed the older syndic. Thurfian began insulting Thrass's ability to manage his position in the Syndicure and finally dismissed the younger man from his office.

On his way back to his workstation, Thrass wondered whether his or Thurfian's loyalties were clouded by their emotions. In the end, he decided that his decision to cover for Thrawn was an act of loyalty to the Mitth family in general. He, and perhaps more importantly Patriarch Thooraki, believed that the young officer had a bright future and would bring great honor to the family. Seeing that it was nearly lunchtime and Thrawn should have completed his report to the Defense Council, Thrass decided to invite his friend for a meal.

When their duties allowed, Thrass and Thrawn met, often in one of the bistros conveniently located near the Defense Force headquarters. During one of their meetings, Thrawn began teaching Thrass to play Tactica, a board game that, according to Thrass's rueful statement, played to Thrawn's strengths and against his own. Nevertheless, Thrass came to enjoy the game. Eight weeks after Thrass's introduction to the game, they had another opportunity to play together, and Thrawn complimented Thrass on his improving understanding of the game. While they played, they discussed how theatrics could be useful in Thrass's political field in the Syndicure. Thrass also pointed out that theatrics had their uses in other fields when applied in moderation.

Their game was interrupted by a scream from another table, where one of the occupants feigned a medical crisis, drawing everyone's attention. When Thrawn pointed out that one of the other occupants of that table was missing, Thrass noticed the man sneaking behind the café's counter, clearly intending to rob the place while the cashier was busy assisting the man suffering from the attack. Since only Thrass and Thrawn had noticed the diversion, they decided to prevent the robbery because the patrollers would not arrive quickly enough. Thrass decided to demonstrate how to use theatrics to redirect people's attention. He stood up and called to the man hiding behind the counter, asking if he had a spare jector that could be used to help. Having exposed the thieves, Thrass positioned himself between the man behind the counter and the door, while Thrawn positioned himself behind him to prevent the initial diversion team from escaping.

When the robber pulled a knife to attack Thrass, he prepared to use a chair as a shield. However, it turned out to be unnecessary because the thief saw Thrawn defeat the man who had pretended to be sick and decided not to engage the two Mitth. With the situation resolved, Thrass asked if one of the other patrons could call the patrollers to collect the thieves and return the stolen money. After the commotion subsided, the two Mitth returned to their table to find a fresh platter of food as a thank-you gift from the café's manager. Before resuming their game, Thrass asked Thrawn about his combat moves and whether he had learned them during his fleet training or developed them independently. Thrawn replied that the fleet had provided the basics, but he had further developed them on his own. Thrawn also complimented Thrass on his use of theatrics in handling the situation. As they continued their game of Tactica, Thrawn instructed Thrass on the use of a sortie option that could be employed if the player's main strategy failed.

Thrass was on Naporar for a meeting at the Expansionary Defense Fleet headquarters following Thrawn's demotion to Mid Commander after the skirmish above Solitair and his elevation to Trial-born within the Mitth. He was also there to discuss the assignment of the Springhawk to Thrawn. His return trip to Csilla was delayed, and he was summoned to an emergency meeting at the Stybla stronghold. He was greeted by Senior Aide Lappincyk and quickly escorted to Patriarch Lamiov's office, where Thrawn and the head of the Stybla family were already waiting. Lamiov explained that about five hours before their meeting, a Stybla cargo ship had been hijacked en route to Sposia. Patriarch Thooraki had offered Thrass and Thrawn to help retrieve the missing ship. When studying the records of the hijacking, Thrawn concluded that the thieves were likely from the Clarr family, and Thrass suggested that Lamiov contact Patriarch Clarr'ivl'exow to join forces in tracking down the culprits. During the meeting, Thrass noticed that Thrawn was somewhat annoyed by Lamiov's and Lappincyk's lack of keen observational skills. While the two Patriarchs conversed, Lappincyk escorted the two Mitth to a lounge where they could rest and work. Thrass asked about Thrawn's reaction. Thrawn corrected that he was not annoyed but disappointed in the Styblas. Thrass pointed out that most people were not as observant as Thrawn.

The two Mitth began working to determine what cargo on the ship was of particular interest to the Stybla Patriarch, where it had been loaded, and if that was why the hijackers had attacked the ship. They worked independently for three hours, during which Thrawn focused on another line of thought and ignored Thrass's attempts to engage him in conversation. When Patriarch Lamiov returned, Thrass had made little progress in analyzing the cargo manifests. However, Thrawn had discovered that at least one of the hijackers was a high-ranking member of the Clarr and that the Stybla leader intended to send a patrol ship to pursue them and had ordered Senior Aide Lappincyk to prepare it for their use. Thrawn promised to deliver the lost cargo to the Stybla Patriarch, and Thrass realized that their mission had not only their own Patriarch's blessing but that Thooraki had suggested to Lamiov that the Stybla employ his and Thrawn's skills. With the alliance between the Patriarch and the two Mitth confirmed, Thrawn revealed that he believed he knew where the hijackers were going. He, Thrass, and Lappincyk set out in pursuit.

Their patrol ship, the Jandalin, arrived in the Glastis 3 system twenty-seven hours after the hijackers had left it and began searching for the Stybla cargo ship, which had been left drifting toward the Defense Force blackdock because the hijackers could not risk the lives of their victims, fearing the severe punishments in the family accords between the Clarr and the Stybla. Seeing that there was a vast area where a partially derelict ship could be floating, Thrawn devised a plan to contact the Stybla freighter and instruct them to open both fuel and oxygen tanks and ignite the mixture to create a plume that would reveal their position. Thrawn's location trick worked, and soon the two Mitth and Senior Aide Lappincyk were aboard the freighter and interviewed its captain. To Lappincyk's dismay, the group discovered that the hijackers had taken every crate of cargo from the freighter, including the special cargo that had worried the Stybla so much. After listening to the captain's story, Thrawn assured the Senior Aide that he believed he knew where the hijackers were going. However, the discovery was somewhat disconcerting because the probable target system, Pleknok, was of interest to both the Chiss and the Paataatus, who had fought a brief battle over the survey rights of the system nineteen years earlier. Realizing that they were now racing not only the Clarr but also the Paataatus, Lappincyk hurried their departure from Glastis 3.

It took thirty-two hours for the Jandalin to arrive at Pleknok. Because their patrol vessel possessed a far superior speed compared to the transport used by the hijackers, they managed to get there slightly before their targets. They were also accompanied by a Clarr light cruiser, the Orisson, under the command of Captain Roscu, a former colleague of Thrawn from the Parala. Roscu still held a grudge against the Mid Commander due to his circumvention of the Chiss non-intervention policy during the Stivic incident. Roscu tried to order the Jandalin to depart, but the Senior Aide firmly refused to abandon their cargo. As Senior Aide Lappincyk's rank wasn't high enough to overrule Captain Roscu, Thrass suggested to the Stybla that Thrawn, being an active member of the Expansionary Defense Fleet and a member of a Ruling Family, might have the authority to do so. Surprisingly, Lappincyk didn't just allow Thrawn to speak with Roscu; he officially transferred command of the Jandalin to him. However, due to their strained past relationship, Roscu was unwilling to cooperate with Thrawn and refused to allow the Stybla to take the cargo before handing the hijackers over to the Clarr for punishment.

Upon the hijackers' arrival in the system, Thrawn initially intended to observe which of the orbiting ships they planned to meet. However, a group of six Paataatus warships appeared and headed towards the hijackers, whose ship had been crippled by the Orisson's plasma sphere. The presence of aliens greatly alarmed the Stybla representative, while the Clarr cruiser began to withdraw from the situation. They claimed that their only option was to destroy the hijackers' ship to prevent the Paataatus from acquiring the cargo, but Lappincyk rejected that course of action. Thrass questioned whether their small patrol ship, armed with only three spectrum lasers and two Crippler nets, could effectively confront a Paataatus light cruiser and five gunboats. Thrawn swiftly plotted a course for the Jandalin that would enable them to deploy the Crippler nets in the path of the approaching Paataatus ships, luring the enemy into them and disabling their systems. Witnessing the complex maneuvers Thrawn had ordered for the patrol ship, Thrass was reminded of the intricate tactics his friend had employed during his time at Taharim Academy, which had led to accusations of cheating during a training exercise.

Thrawn utilized the Jandalin's lasers to target the main drives of several Paataatus gunboats, damaging them but not completely destroying them. Meanwhile, the Paataatus light cruiser and one of the remaining gunboats were ensnared by the Crippler nets. When the Paataatus ships decided to retreat, Thrass realized that Thrawn must have anticipated all the necessary maneuvers to deploy the nets and disable the other gunboats. He marveled at Thrawn's ability to predict the course of the battle so far in advance. This was even more impressive considering it was based solely on intuition and knowledge of a battle that had occurred nineteen years prior. With the Paataatus threat neutralized, Captain Roscu resumed her advance towards the disabled hijacker transport. Given her superior firepower and larger crew, the Stybla patrol ship was at a disadvantage in challenging the Clarr's demands.

As the Jandalin prepared to reach the hijackers first, Thrawn understood that Captain Roscu was prepared to do anything to get her Orisson to the criminals before the Stybla. The race intensified, and the Orisson launched a plasma sphere to disable the Stybla ship. However, Thrawn anticipated this move and ordered the pilot to execute an emergency stop, allowing the plasma sphere to pass harmlessly in front of the Jandalin before resuming their pursuit of the target. Thrass, a member of a Ruling Family and part of the Syndicure with significant influence, deemed Captain Roscu's decision to fire on the Stybla ship illegal. He warned Roscu to stand down, but the Clarr captain initially refused to believe that a Mitth Syndic was aboard a Stybla ship. Thrass informed the Clarr that he and Thrawn were there at the request of Patriarch Thooraki, casually referring to Thrawn as his brother in the same sentence. This implied that Thrawn's rank within the Mitth family was considerably higher than the merit adoptive most military officers were, as Syndics were never below the family status of a ranking distant. Thrass's declaration surprised both Roscu and Thrawn, but it achieved the desired effect. Roscu finally allowed the Stybla patrol ship to retrieve their stolen cargo, after Senior Aide Lappincyk promised that the Clarr would then be allowed to take the hijackers and their ship and do with them as they pleased. With the reluctant deal with the Clarr finalized, Thrass, Thrawn, and Lappincyk collaborated with the patrol ship crew to transfer all of the Stybla's stolen cargo to the Jandalin, while Roscu and the Orisson waited nearby, ready to take possession of the transport and the criminals once the cargo was returned to its rightful owners. Their mission accomplished, Senior Aide Lappincyk sent a report back to Patriarch Lamiov, and the Jandalin turned back home, returning the stolen cargo to Naporar.

Once safely back at the Stybla stronghold on Naporar, Patriarch Lamiov, Senior Aide Lappincyk, and the two Mitths convened in the Patriarch's private office. The crucial piece of equipment sat in its protective cargo crate on the Patriarch's desk. As a reward, Thrawn requested permission to learn the exact nature of what they had saved. He reasoned that it must be a weapon, as nothing else falling into alien hands would elicit such a strong reaction from Senior Aide Lappincyk when the Paataatus threatened to acquire it, while also being small enough to be stored in such a compact box. Thrawn further argued that, as a warrior, he would be more effective if he knew what kind of weaponry was available. Thrass added that it likely originated from an alien source, given the cargo ship's route to Sposia, where the Universal Analysis Group (UAG) was headquartered. The UAG specialized in studying alien artifacts, attempting to reverse-engineer them to improve Chiss technology. Initially hesitant, Patriarch Lamiov relented when Senior Aide Lappincyk pointed out that the two Mitths were naturally inquisitive. It would be safer to reveal the entire story than to allow them to investigate on their own, potentially breaching the UAG security measures that the Stybla had worked so hard to establish.

Lamiov explained that millennia ago, during the Chiss's initial exploration of the wider galaxy, when the Stybla were the sole Ruling Family guiding the nascent Ascendancy, their explorers had brought back a weapon known as the Starflash, along with instructions for its use and information about its effects. The Stybla deemed the weapon too dangerous for use and concealed it within the Bastion, a facility specifically constructed to safeguard such items and which later evolved into the Universal Analysis Group. The weapon remained dormant in the vaults for centuries, until a devastating alien attack threatened the Chiss with extinction. In desperation, the Stybla turned to the long-hidden weapon. It was a single-use weapon, and its activation would be suicidal for its operators, but the Mitth family volunteered their warriors for the task. This explained to Thrawn what had happened to Patriarch Mitth'omo'rossodo's four sons and the tragedy in her life that he and Thrass had pondered years earlier, when studying her artworks in the Mitth's Avidich reception room. Lamiov further explained that the success of the operation and the Mitth's willing sacrifice led to their family's elevation among the Ruling Families. The event also inspired the selection of their family symbol, the blazing sun. Thrass found it ironic and painful that the event had actually diminished the energy output of Csilla's sun, making the actual star less blazing, and then commemorating it in their family crest.

Thrawn requested to see the actual item they had rescued, and Lamiov granted his wish, explaining that the Stybla had salvaged what they could of the Starflash and occasionally studied its components, seeking less destructive applications. Thrass accepted the Patriarch's explanation, but Thrawn pointed out that the piece before them did not appear to have been damaged by violence and that the broken outer components were merely camouflage, concealing the fact that the actual item was still fully functional. Lamiov admitted that the Mid Commander was correct and that the Stybla possessed a second Starflash, and that the tachyon flow synchrotron accelerator they had recovered had indeed come from that. The Patriarch explained that while all the Patriarchs of the Ruling Families and their Senior Aides knew about the history of the Starflash, only the Stybla Patriarch, his Senior Aide, and the top Defense Force personnel (currently Supreme General Ba'kif and Supreme Admiral Ja'fosk) knew about the existence of the second weapon, referred to only as "the second item." With Thrass and Thrawn now privy to the secret, a total of six individuals in the entire Chiss Ascendancy were aware of the functional Starflash hidden in the most secure of UAG vaults.

With their mission completed, Thrawn prepared to depart for the Springhawk, which had been awaiting its new commander for an extended period. However, Patriarch Lamiov requested that they remain for a few more hours, as the Stybla Patriels and other dignitaries were gathering for a special ceremony to honor Thrawn for his role in recovering the important technology. Lamiov explained that the Stybla intended to offer Thrawn the appellation odo to add to his name, which in Tybroic, the ancient family language of the Stybla, meant "guardian" or "protector." While Thrawn appreciated the honor, he was uncertain whether the Mitth leadership would approve of such a name change. The Patriarch assured him that he would have the opportunity to discuss it with Mitth Patriarch Thooraki himself, who would be attending the ceremony.

While awaiting the ceremony, Thrass inquired of Senior Aide Lappincyk how many others had been granted the right to use the odo appellation in their name. He learned that Thrawn was only the ninth non-Stybla to receive such a rare honor, and that the appellation was uncommon even among the Stybla themselves. Thrass found the ceremony to be more profound than any he had previously attended, while still reminiscent of the welcoming rituals of the Mitth. The guest list was highly exclusive, comprising only eighteen individuals. Following the official proceedings, Thrass observed that the Stybla Patriels, while outwardly polite, showed little interest in him or his presence. He was then joined by Patriarch Thooraki, who noted that Thrass had been neglecting his mother, only speaking to her briefly. Thrass promised to convey Thooraki's greetings when he next contacted her.

Thooraki inquired whether Thrass was curious as to why only Thrawn, and not Thrass as well, had been granted the odo appellation. Thrass admitted that he had not even considered it, as he felt he had contributed very little. Thooraki revealed that he and Lamiov had indeed considered it. Thrass initially assumed that his status in the Syndicure and as a Mitth cousin had influenced their decision, but Thooraki clarified that if one of the most legendary Mitth Patriarchs, Mitth'omo'rossodo the Tragic, could bear a Stybla honorific in her name, there was no reason for a Mitth cousin to fear adding it to theirs. The Patriarch further explained that the reason Thrass had not been included was that he and Lamiov did not want to draw excessive attention to the fact that Thrawn and Thrass were working as a team. Thooraki then expressed his approval of Thrass's decision to declare Thrawn as his brother, leading Thrass to suspect that the two Patriarchs had been manipulating him from the beginning, even back when Thooraki had sent him to thwart Lappincyk's attempt to rematch Thrawn to the Stybla. While the Patriarch admitted to nudging Thrass towards Thrawn, he emphasized that no one could force bonds of friendship or brotherhood, such as the one that had formed between the two young men.

Observing that Thrawn was surrounded by Stybla Patriels and visibly uncomfortable with their attention, the Mitth Patriarch dispatched Thrass to the rescue. He offered his own shuttle to transport Thrawn to the Springhawk and return Thrass to his duties on Csilla. As a farewell to the young Syndic, the Patriarch expressed his belief that Thrass and Thrawn could elevate the Mitth family to unprecedented heights. Thrass collected his teammate, and they bid farewell to Lamiov and Lappincyk before proceeding to the landing field where Thooraki's shuttle awaited them.

Thrass sensed that something was troubling his friend. Knowing that Thrawn's mission would take him far away and that they might not have another opportunity for a private conversation for a long time, he inquired about what was on Thrawn's mind. Thrawn's concern stemmed from Thrass's casual declaration of him as his brother during their standoff with Roscu, as it was not customary for a family cousin to designate a newly minted Trial-born as such a close relative. Thrawn attempted to dismiss it as a convenient lie for tactical advantage, but Thrass stood firm in his decision to acknowledge the family connection between them. He proposed trading secrets with his new brother, revealing the special circumstances surrounding his birth and how Thooraki had falsified the documents to make Thrass a cousin instead of a ranking distant, as he should have been.

Thrass then asked Thrawn to share the dark memories that had haunted the young cadet on the day they first met, as Thrass had sensed a lingering pain beneath the surface. Thrawn recounted the story of his sister, who had mysteriously disappeared when Thrawn was three and she was five. Thrawn's rematching dinner had been scheduled for her starday, which was why her memory had been on his mind that day. When Thrass asked if she had died, Thrawn replied that he believed she had not, but he did not express his suspicion that she had been taken away to skywalker training. Thrass offered to use his position in the Syndicure to try and track down Thrawn's sister, as records of her fate must exist somewhere. However, Thrawn declined the offer, stating that he would eventually find the time to investigate himself. They briefly discussed what the Defense Council expected Thrawn and the Springhawk to discover in the Chaos. Thrass was privately amused by the idea of them as "brothers-in-arms," collaborating to enhance Mitth influence within both the Syndicure and the military, and working to improve the Ascendancy for all.

Despite Thrawn's request to drop the matter, Thrass gathered information about Thrawn's sister. His investigation led him to a woman named Irizi'rik'ardok, born Kivu'rik'ardok, who had been adopted into the Irizi family after her service in the Sky-walker corps. His search also uncovered disturbing details about the training methods employed by the sky-walkers, all of which he stored on a data cylinder. Following his meeting with Irizi'rik'ardok, Thrass monitored her movements, noting her marriage to Bomarmo and her relocation to Ardok Ranch on the Chiss Ascendancy farming world Ool, which served as a cover for a Seekers' Shadehouse, one of the secret training locations for sky-walkers.

Within the Syndicure, Thrass worked directly under the Mitth Speaker. During a conversation with Syndic Prime Thurfian, Speaker Mitth'ykl'omi later compared Thurfian to Thrass, observing that both were adept at creating the illusion of giving people what they wanted while actually pursuing their own agendas. Thyklo noted that, in her opinion, Thurfian was even more skilled at this deception than Thrass.

While Patriarchs Thooraki and Lamiov had chosen not to highlight Thrass's close friendship with Thrawn by bestowing the odo honorific upon both of them, word of their bond spread at least as far as the Irizi and Syndic Irizi'stal'mustro. During one of their clandestine meetings in the March of Silence, Zistalmu alluded to it while speaking with his fellow conspirator, Thurfian. Thurfian responded that he had also heard the rumors but could not recall ever seeing Thrass and Thrawn together, as their duties in the Syndicure and Expansionary Defense Fleet did not overlap.

Sometime before 19 BBY, Thrass became involved in Thrawn's operations against Vagaari pirates. Before his departure, Thrass entrusted the data cylinder containing his findings on the sky-walker program to Patriarch Thooraki for safekeeping. During these operations, Thrawn captured a gravity-well generator, which was delivered to the UAG for study. However, these operations also led to Thrass's death.

When a task force belonging to the Chiss Chaf family attempted to claim a massive starship from Lesser Space that had become embroiled in the conflict, Thrass assisted a human pilot in spiriting the ship away. Their initial plan was to conceal the ship on an uninhabited world and then present its technology to the Hierarchy Defense Council. However, the ship's extensive damage prevented them from reaching their intended destination, and the discovery of a group of survivors aboard complicated matters further. Thrass and his companion were left with only one option: to crash the ship, resulting in their deaths, to protect the remaining passengers. The pilot offered to help Thrass escape the impending destruction, but they quickly realized that the suggestion was unfeasible, and both accepted their inevitable fate.

In his final moments, Thrass reflected on his father, who had sacrificed his life to save a stranger, and how he was about to make a similar sacrifice to save people he did not know. He recognized that his actions, while honorable, would bring no glory to the Mitth or the Ascendancy. He also pondered the oath of secrecy he and Thrawn had been compelled to swear to the Stybla, and wondered if there was indeed something beyond death. In his last thoughts, Thrass expressed the hope that one day humans and Chiss might find a way to coexist peacefully. As the ship approached the stone-filled valley they had identified as the least destructive crash site, Thrass's final thought was for his brother, wishing him good fortune.

The Hierarchy Defense Council and the Syndicure were both enraged by Thrass's demise, the loss of the Lesser Space starship, and Thrawn's unsanctioned actions against the Vagaari. As a result, Thrawn was relieved of his command of the Springhawk, and Mid Captain Ufsa'mak'ro took over the ship. Some Aristocra members, such as Thurfian, openly held Thrawn responsible for Thrass's passing, while others, including Thyklo, believed his death was more circumstantial than a result of Thrawn's failings. Even a year later, many Aristocra members vividly remembered Thrass, and even Zistalmu, while plotting with Syndic Prime Thurfian to bring Thrawn down, acknowledged the Mitth's loss after Thrass's disappearance.

Patriarch Thooraki was deeply impressed by Caregiver Mitth'ali'astov (known as "Thalias" in Core) after their discussion during her Trials. Before his death, he instructed his Senior Aide, Mitth'iv'iklo, to give Thalias, a former ozyly-esehembo or sky-walker, the sky-walker data that Thrass had compiled. Following Thrass's data, she traveled to Ool, where she met Thrawn's sister, Borika. Borika revealed that the girls taken from their families to become sky-walkers had their family memories erased during training, and each new Patriarch had to approve the process for it to continue. Thalias later used this information to threaten Patriarch Thurfian with exposure and public outrage, compelling him to listen to Thrawn's plea for assistance during his last stand over the planet Sunrise. Thrawn's preemptive strike against the Grysks over Sunrise was a violation of Chiss Ascendancy laws, and despite some Expansionary Defense Fleet officers seeing it as necessary, Thrawn faced charges.

Supreme General Ba'kif conceived the idea of sending Thrawn into exile, while the Senior Captain himself proposed that the Ascendancy military could use this as a pretense to send him to gather intelligence on the emerging Galactic Empire in Lesser Space. Thrawn was publicly stripped of his military rank and family status, but he was allowed to remain a member of the Mitth family. He was given two days on Csilla to settle his affairs before being taken to the planet designated for his exile. On his final day on Csilla, Thrawn had a private meeting with Admiral Ar'alani and General Ba'kif. During this meeting, the admiral was informed of the plan to prevent her from protesting or demanding Thrawn's return to the Ascendancy. After Ar'alani left, Ba'kif offered Thrawn the medal he had received from the Stybla during the odo ceremony, as well as the Marocsaa subclan ring given to Thrawn by Uingali foar Marocsaa, a Paccosh leader who had allied with Thrawn in the battles against the Grysks. Thrawn asked the general to safeguard the medal, but accepted the ring as a memento. Ba'kif then invited Thrawn to share a final meal, but Thrawn declined, preferring to spend the time alone in the bistro he often visited with Thrass, dedicating the time to remembering his brother. He also praised the general's exile plan, noting its use of theatrics as a diversion and its ability to redirect the opponent's attention, a strategy Thrass would have admired.

Mitth'ras'safis, a Chiss male, possessed black hair, red eyes, and blue skin. In his younger years, Thrass was acutely aware of his family status and felt awkward introducing himself as a cousin. However, by 39 BBY, he had become accustomed to it. He was eager to prove his worth to the Mitth and willing to accept criticism for his shortcomings. Unlike many of his peers, Thrass enjoyed welcoming new merit adoptives and was interested in understanding why a particular individual had been deemed worthy of joining the family. Somewhat reluctantly, Thrass was impressed by Thrawn's ability to make accurate deductions based on artworks. After confirming the young cadet's interpretation of the art, Thrass was curious to learn what else Thrawn could discern about the other artworks displayed at the Avidich compound.

Thrass was humble about his own contributions to the mission to recover the tachyon flow synchrotron accelerator and expressed surprise when Patriarch Thooraki implied that he might be wondering why he had not received the odo honorific that the Stybla had bestowed upon Thrawn. He also possessed a somewhat ironic sense of humor, playfully criticizing himself for allowing Thrawn to persuade him to learn Tactica, a game better suited to Thrawn's military skills than Thrass's political talents.

Thrass was adept at using theatrics to distract opponents or redirect their focus. He found this skill valuable during his time in the Syndicure, but believed it could be useful in any profession, albeit in moderation. He was also skilled at giving people the impression that they were getting what they wanted, while simultaneously pursuing his own agenda. He used this skill to deflect Syndic Thurfian's attempts to prove that Thrawn had acted inappropriately during the Stivic incident.

Thrass was perceptive of people's moods and knew when to use persuasion and when to remain silent, allowing others to reach their own conclusions. He also respected others' privacy, recognizing the hidden pain of loss that Thrawn carried during their initial meeting, but choosing not to pry for information from the new acquaintance.

During his association with Thrawn, Thrass wore a robe in dark grey and yellow, along with a red belt. He carried a questis data-link reader.

Mitth'ras'safis was initially mentioned in the 2020 Star Wars canon novel Thrawn Ascendancy: Chaos Rising, the first book in Star Wars: The Ascendancy Trilogy by Timothy Zahn. The character's core name, Thrass, was revealed in the second book, Thrawn Ascendancy: Greater Good, which came out in 2021. He made his first appearance in the series' final novel, Thrawn Ascendancy: Lesser Evil, released on November 16, 2021. A poster of Thrass, created by Jeremy Wilson, was included in the Barnes & Noble–exclusive edition of Lesser Evil and was revealed leading up to the book's release on October 15.

After Chaos Rising, the decision to continue the "Memories" flashback chapters in the series was uncertain. However, after their return in Greater Good, it was decided that the trilogy needed to conclude with them, and Zahn suggested Thrass as the focus of the chapters in Lesser Evil.

In the Star Wars Legends continuity, the unidentified remains of Mitth'ras'safis appeared in Zahn's 2004 novel Survivor's Quest aboard the Outbound Flight, which consisted of a Central Storage Core and six Dreadnaught-class heavy cruisers. The 2006 novel Outbound Flight, also by Zahn, identified and formally introduced the character. That novel also established Thrass as the brother of Thrawn's Legends counterpart. Many aspects of Thrass's Legends biography were incorporated into canon, including his death aboard a starship from coreward of the Unknown Regions following a battle involving the Vagaari and Thrawn's task force, as well as Thrawn's acquisition of a gravity well projector from the campaign.