Ship was a living, sentient starship isolated within the vast expanse of the intergalactic void. It was among the few survivors of a devastating extragalactic conflict. This mecho-organic vessel, along with its pilot, sought refuge in the void following the annihilation of all life in their galaxy by a plague bomb. Over countless eons of continuous travel through the darkness, the pilot and the vessel merged into a single consciousness. As it engrossed itself in never-ending games, it gradually lost its memories and sanity. In 0 ABY, Ship encountered Rebel leaders Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa, who had inadvertently entered the void due to a hyperdrive failure. Ship returned the two Rebels to their galaxy. After eliminating an Imperial Star Destroyer that was pursuing them, it resumed its voyage through the void.
The being referred to as "Ship" originated as two separate entities: a pilot and a mecho-organic vessel, both participants in a destructive war in a far-off galaxy. The vessel was one of many organic starships used in the conflict. It ultimately emerged as the sole survivor from its side's final battle. The ship's crew journeyed back home, only to discover upon arrival that the enemy had unleashed a plague bomb on their planet, killing the entire population. As the last of their race, the crew hastily returned to the ship. However, the airborne plague could penetrate their armor, and only the pilot managed to reach the vessel alive. Realizing that the plague could spread across planets, the pilot determined that their only hope for survival lay beyond their galaxy, and thus embarked into the intergalactic void. Over time, the ship and its pilot essentially became a unified entity, with the pilot's consciousness integrated into the vessel's self-sustaining organic systems. This new being identified itself simply as "Ship." During its unending journey through the darkness, it amused itself with games while slowly succumbing to madness. Eventually, Ship's travels led it near a new galaxy teeming with life.
While journeying through the void, Ship encountered Zeta Magnus, a violent Arkanian mutant who later became a wanted Republic terrorist and the self-proclaimed Magister of Skye. However, Ship's most significant interaction with inhabitants of the galaxy occurred in 0 ABY, when it came across a damaged Rebel spice tanker that had drifted into the intergalactic void due to hyperdrive damage sustained during a hyperspace jump. Ship brought the damaged vessel into its cargo bay, soon discovering that it carried two individuals: Rebel leaders Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa. Initially mistaking them for parts of one of its games, Ship had a droid engage Skywalker in combat, only to witness the young Human destroy the machine with his lightsaber. Skywalker's victory was unexpected, and Ship realized that the only explanation was that the two Humans were, in fact, real. Immediately perceiving them as enemies, Ship attempted to space the Rebels out of the airlock, but relented upon witnessing their genuine care for each other, which evoked long-forgotten memories of its previous life.
Ship sealed its airlock and invited the two Rebels to the bridge, where it shared its history and formed a connection with the two Humans. During their conversation, Ship approached the edge of the Humans' galaxy, where they were confronted by an Imperial Star Destroyer that had previously pursued Skywalker and Organa. When the cruiser launched a squadron of TIE fighters, Ship responded by utterly destroying the Imperial ships with anti-matter pods, eliminating the threat. With the Imperials defeated, Ship revealed to the Rebels that it had repaired their ship and released them back into the galaxy. Fearing that the war plaguing this new galaxy was too reminiscent of its own past, Ship chose not to remain, continuing its quest for peace in the void between the stars.
As a unified being, the merged "Ship" began to descend into madness during its prolonged and solitary journey through the void, a desolate existence only briefly interrupted by its encounter with Organa and Skywalker. By that point, Ship had nearly forgotten its former life and emotions, consumed by its endless games to the exclusion of almost everything else. Its realization that Skywalker and Organa were real was met with fear and panic, as Ship immediately assumed that the two were adversaries seeking to seize the vessel. However, the Rebels' display of affection rekindled old memories and sentiments within Ship, allowing it to regain some grasp on reality. Although Ship developed a bond with Skywalker and Organa during their brief time together, it ultimately concluded that the void had become its true home, and that any happiness it might find would be found there.
The entity known as "Ship" made its first appearance in Star Wars (1977) 38, which was written by Archie Goodwin and released in 1980. In its appearance within the Marvel Star Wars comic arc, Ship was drawn by Michael Golden.