When the Empire's Wookiee slave trade was shut down in 4 ABY, a Nagai known as Knife plotted to revive it and recruited Vargi into his fold. Vargi sought to enslave every member of Chewbacca's family, and Knife had Mallatobuck; her son, Lumpawarrump; and Chewbacca's father, Attichitcuk; kidnapped. Chewbacca soon returned home from his duties with the Alliance of Free Planets to visit his family, and he too was captured by Vargi, Knife, and their team of Wookiee outlaws. When Chewbacca's Human companion, Han Solo, attempted to free his partner, Vargi began to pummel both of them. Chewbacca only fought back when he discovered that his family had been freed, and he overpowered and defeated Vargi. Other Wookiee captives revolted, and the attempted revival of the Wookiee slave trade was averted