In 40 ABY, Ben Skywalker discovered a Sith Meditation Sphere he named Ship. This ancient entity was designed to instruct Sith. To fulfill this role, it contacted the Lost Tribe of Sith on Kesh, sharing insights about the galaxy and guiding them to leave their isolated world. Ship then assisted them in building a Sith armada with the goal of destroying the Jedi. Ship was subservient to dark side users with strong wills, communicating telepathically via the Force. His initial contact within the Lost Tribe was the Sith, Vestara Khai. However, as the Tribe's power grew, Ship was forced to obey a far stronger entity: the dark side being Abeloth. Under Abeloth's command, Ship led a strike team from the Tribe to Abeloth's planet, initiating the events of the Lost Tribe of Sith emergence. Ultimately, the Jedi and Sith defeated Abeloth, and Ship aided Vestara Khai in escaping the Jedi to find other Sith within the galaxy.
Ship, a Sith Meditation Sphere with a male programming, featured a round cockpit and resembled creations of the Yuuzhan Vong, yet was inorganic and displayed a rusty red-orange [color](/article/color-legends]. Its primary weapon launched substantial spheres at targets. The interior was spartan. The pilot would sit in the cockpit's center in a meditative pose, communicating with Ship mentally.
The initial recorded use of Ship occurred in 40 ABY when Ben Skywalker discovered it on the planet of Ziost. Ben piloted Ship to the Anakin Solo, presenting it to Jacen Solo, who then gifted it to Lumiya. Ship surprised Lumiya by claiming to have sought her out. While Lumiya was using Ship, she was tracked to Hesperidium by Mara Jade Skywalker. The two former Emperor's Hands engaged in a duel, and Lumiya's survival would have been unlikely without Ship's intervention. Ship intervened because its purpose was the training of combatants, and it opposed the demise of its "students". Consequently, Ship permitted the duel but prevented either combatant's death.
Later, Lumiya employed Ship to tail Jacen to the Hapes Consortium, where she learned of his lover and child. Although Lumiya and Ship assisted Jacen by attacking Mara Jade Skywalker's pursuing StealthX, they were assaulted by Jacen, who wanted to conceal his relationship with Tenel Ka.
Following Lumiya's death at the hands of Luke Skywalker, Alema Rar seized control of Ship, which was being held at the Roqoo Depot by the Hapans. Her first act upon taking command was to pilot Ship to the Jedi Academy on Ossus, and then to Korriban, where she conferred with the One Sith.
After her visit to Korriban, Alema Rar journeyed to Kashyyyk, where she utilized Ship to save Darth Caedus's life during the subsequent battle.
Later, Ship transported Alema to Lumiya's asteroid, where they clashed with Jedi Knights Zekk and Jaina Solo. During this confrontation, Zekk accessed forgotten Dark side training from the Shadow Academy and convinced Ship to seek a more suitable master. Ship then fled from the Home and was pursued by the Poison Moon to Ziost. Dician, the commander of the Poison Moon, attempted to persuade Ship to join the One Sith, but Ship rejected her. Ship believed it unwise for her cult to remain hidden, preferring to seek out individuals more inclined to seize what they desired.
Later, in 41 ABY, Ship arrived on Kesh, where he encountered the Lost Tribe of Sith; specifically, a young human female named Vestara Khai. Sensing Khai's ambition to become a Sith Master, Ship offered to instruct her in the ways of the dark side of the Force. Over the following two years, Ship aided the Tribe in constructing a small Sith armada by helping the Sith attack and capture other starships they encountered in space. However, in 43.5 ABY, Ship abruptly departed Kesh, much to the consternation of the Circle of Lords, who planned to recapture it.
The Sith team pursued Ship to a planet controlled by Abeloth. Abeloth had summoned Ship and now held complete dominion over it. After suffering losses due to Abeloth's interference, the strike team abandoned the planet, leaving Ship behind.
Subsequently, Luke and High Lord Taalon's Sith strike force returned to the Maw to confront Abeloth. Jaina Solo accompanied Luke to destroy Ship in her StealthX. Under Abeloth's control, Ship attacked the StealthX until it was severely damaged, then abruptly departed the planet for space. This coincided with Abeloth being subdued and losing control over both Ship and the paranoid Jedi.
However, Abeloth had not died, as she had led others to believe, and had disguised herself as the deceased Dyon Stadd to deceive the Jedi and Sith. Despite being weakened by the Jedi and the loss of one of her host avatars, Abeloth regained control of Ship and used him to lure the Sith and Jedi to the Pool of Knowledge to distract them while she stole the Jade Shadow and escaped her planet.
Ship remained enslaved to Abeloth during events such as her battles with the Jedi on Nam Chorios, her alliance with the Lost Tribe of Sith, and her rule over both the Tribe and the Galactic Alliance. During the Liberation of Coruscant, Abeloth fled on Ship with Vestara Khai and Ben Skywalker as captives. When Abeloth was killed by Ben and Vestara, and her remaining avatars were destroyed, Ship was freed from her control. He then rushed to rescue Vestara from the Jedi whom she had betrayed on Coruscant. There, he declared her a Sith Lady and informed her of another faction of Sith in the galaxy who would need her experience with the Skywalkers and his Sith training knowledge. The two then departed to join this new order.