The Vaks, a sentient species, originated from the planet Primea, situated within the Unknown Regions. Their governing body was the Vak Combine. Their physical traits included pale amber skin, short, dark hair, and lackluster brown eyes. Surrounding civilizations frequently asserted the Combine's inability to make decisive choices. A common practice among the Vaks was wearing hooded robes, providing protection from both sunlight and rainfall. One Vak individual stated that their kind did not form friendships with other species, although General Yiv the Benevolent aimed to integrate them into the Nikardun Destiny.
Chiss Senior Captain Mitth'raw'nuruodo gleaned insights into Vak philosophy from their artistic expressions, revealing their value for both collective unity and individual identity. Vaks possessed a concept known as thought lines, which represented both individual and group viewpoints. Nevertheless, Thrawn later understood, thanks to Admiral Ar'alani, that the Vak's inclination to consider all perspectives did not equate to all perspectives holding equal importance. He later explained that their artwork would lack a clear focal point if all lines were equally impactful. The determination of which thought lines held greater significance than others hinged on trusting a line of thought, a factor more important than simply favoring certain lines. Thrawn reached this conclusion following the battle over Primea. During the conflict, he exposed Yiv's fabrication of a message, casting doubt on the general's prior statements to the Vaks. However, Ar'alani's earlier realization stemmed from Vak history, as neighboring powers took care to avoid killing Vaks.
Ar'alani recognized the immense value the Vaks placed on the lives of their own people. The death of a Vak meant the permanent loss of their thought lines, thereby compromising their capacity to gather information and preserve their culture. Consequently, during the battle, Ar'alani strategically influenced the Combine to dispatch patrol boats to support the Chiss heavy cruiser Springhawk, which led to the Nikardun forces destroying the vessels. In response, the Vaks aligned themselves with the Chiss in the conflict.