The Zeplin functioned as a Victory-class Star Destroyer serving within the fleet of the Galactic Empire. Captain Namuura Din held command of the vessel, an Imperial officer who sided with Admiral Demetrius Zaarin when he abandoned the Empire in the period just before the Battle of Endor.
Because Namuura Din began to favor the goals of the Rebel Alliance, communication occurred between the two factions to discuss his potential desertion. The Zeplin rendezvoused with the Mon Calamari Star Cruiser known as the Link, and as a condition of their agreement, Din provided the Missile Boat named Sealion to the Rebel ship. The Imperials, not wanting the Alliance to gain access to such valuable technology, dispatched a strike team with the objective of intercepting both the Zeplin and the Link.
Unfortunately for the Imperials, the Link successfully jumped to hyperspace with the recently obtained Missile Boat. Darth Vader gave chase to the vessel while skilled pilot Maarek Stele and his squadron attacked the Zeplin. Piloting a Missile Boat, Stele managed to take down the Victory Star Destroyer's shields, allowing Assault Gunboats to render it inoperable. Transports belonging to the Empire, along with the Imperial-class Star Destroyer called the Garrett, rapidly overtook the Zeplin, resulting in the capture of Namuura Din. The Zeplin was then transported to an Imperial shipyard for a thorough examination.