The Pythea was an exploratory ship owned by Panha, a female Chiss, and Sarkkin, a male Wookiee. In 25 ABY, the ship intercepted a fleet crewed by the Yuuzhan Vong—a species of extragalactic invaders—bound for the planet Artorias. The crew of the Pythea attempted to contact Artorias, but they were at such a distance that the crew had to reroute all power to the transmission to send it successfully. Realizing the Yuuzhan Vong wanted to take them alive rather than kill them, Panha and Sarkkin sacrificed themselves by ramming the ship into a Miid ro'ik cruiser to prevent the Yuuzhan Vong from capturing them. The message to Artorias, however, was in vain, as the being who had received it, Dulac, was in actuality a Yuuzhan Vong spy.