The Ambition served the Imperial Navy as a light cruiser of the Carrack-class. This ship became part of Moff Kentor Sarne's military forces in 4 ABY when he declared independence for the Kathol sector from the Galactic Empire, effectively becoming an independent warlord. By 8 ABY, the Ambition was hidden inside a clandestine subterranean hangar on Kal'Shebbol, the sector capital, intended as Moff Sarne's emergency escape planet craft. In 8 ABY, when New Republic forces attacked Kal'Shebbol, Sarne utilized the Ambition to flee, regrouping with his remaining military assets.
The Damorian Manufacturing Corporation produced the Ambition as a Carrack-class light cruiser. Unlike some of its Carrack-class counterparts which could carry up to five TIE Series starfighters externally, the Ambition lacked this capability.
Following the death of Emperor Palpatine at the Battle of Endor in 4 ABY, the Ambition, previously a component of the Imperial Navy, became part of the military forces commanded by Moff Kentor Sarne, the ruler of the Kathol sector, after he seceded from the Galactic Empire. By 8 ABY, this Carrack-class vessel was stored within a concealed underground hangar on the planet Kal'Shebbol, which served as the capital of the Kathol sector. This hangar was carved out of the hills surrounding the Imperial Government Complex and sealed. A clandestine tunnel linked the hangar to the government buildings, with entry points located in both Sarne's personal quarters and his office. Sarne staffed the Ambition with his most trusted and skilled officers and soldiers, intending to use it as an escape route should Kal'Shebbol be targeted by enemy forces.
In 8 ABY, when New Republic forces launched an assault on Kal'Shebbol, Sarne realized that he was on the verge of losing control of the planet. He ordered the Ambition to be prepared for immediate departure, abandoning his command center—from which he had been directing the planetary defense—and instructed several of his stormtroopers to escort him to the vessel. Along their route, they collected a chest containing DarkStryder artifacts that the Moff had stored in his living quarters. During their journey to the Ambition, Sarne and his guards were ambushed by New Republic soldiers from Page's Commandos, who had infiltrated the complex to disable the defensive shields protecting the planet. Sarne managed to temporarily subdue them using a Mindwarper module, a piece of DarkStryder technology, and successfully reached the Ambition.
As the New Republic commandos regained consciousness and started firing upon the vessel, the Ambition initiated its ascent. The hangar roof was detonated to allow the craft to launch into orbit, where it joined the remainder of Sarne's forces in combat against the New Republic fleet. Sarne quickly organized his remaining forces and executed a retreat from Kal'Shebbol, ensuring that he left no hyperspace tracking data for the New Republic forces to follow. Sometime after his escape from Kal'Shebbol, Sarne moved his command from the Ambition to the Imperial II-class Star Destroyer known as the Bastion, from which he then oversaw his remaining forces.
Timothy Zahn penned the short story The Saga Begins, featured in The DarkStryder Campaign in 1995, which included the Ambition. This story acted as a prelude to the roleplaying game series bearing the same name.