Free Lance was a heavily modified Nebulon-B frigate under the ownership of the privateer, specifically Urias Xhaxin.
Prior to the Battle of Yavin, the Alliance to Restore the Republic originally commissioned the Free Lance. Later, Xhaxin acquired the vessel from a Hutt arms dealer, trading one hundred grams of hollinium hyperbaride, a two-carat Gallinorean rainbow gem, and a small canister of glitterstim spice for it.
While captained by Xhaxin, the Free Lance became a menace to Imperial shipping within the Mid Rim. Throughout its service as a privateer ship, it seized thousands of tons of Imperial supplies and multiple combat-ready starships for the Alliance.
Following the Battle of Endor, the New Republic discontinued the practice of privateering, thus removing the Free Lance's official authorization. Nevertheless, the new government tacitly permitted Captain Xhaxin's anti-Imperial acts of piracy as they continued the war against the fractured Empire.
Even after peace was established between the New Republic and the Imperial Remnant, the Free Lance persisted as a pirate ship, targeting unreformed Imperials as they attempted to relocate to Imperial Space.
By the year 25 ABY, Captain Xhaxin had conceived a scheme to entice a substantial convoy of unreconstructed Imperials into the depths of space, where he intended to ambush them with the Free Lance. However, a Yuuzhan Vong cruiser preempted the pirate vessel's plan. In the resulting encounter, the Free Lance and its crew were outmatched, as their weapons fire was absorbed by dovin basal voids. The subsequent Vong plasma attack inflicted significant damage upon the ship.
In a desperate attempt to survive, Xhaxin commanded the Free Lance to execute a blind hyperspace jump, followed by another blind jump that destroyed the hyperdrive motivators and exacerbated the structural damage from the battle. Ultimately, the Free Lance became marooned in a system serving as a navigational waypoint between Bastion and the Corporate Sector, where its crew made feeble attempts to continue their piracy.
After escaping from the Free Lance, a freighter reported the activity to the New Republic, prompting the dispatch of Rogue Squadron to investigate. Following a short scuffle, Captain Xhaxin surrendered to the New Republic forces, acknowledging his lack of resources to repair his ship.
The modifications to the ship were relatively minor, including small improvements to the shields, an upgrade to the weaponry, and a high-quality medical bay. The starfighter bays were also reconfigured to launch and accommodate boarding shuttles.
Xhaxin also invested significantly in enhancing the ship's armor, particularly around the engineering section, a decision that proved beneficial when the Free Lance withstood a direct hit from an Imperial Star Destroyer.
The crew of the Free Lance, numbering nine hundred, consisted of individuals who harbored resentment towards the Empire. By 25 ABY, the ship's complement also included two starfighter squadrons of Uglies. Its command staff included :
- Captain : Urias Xhaxin ( Human ) [2]
- First mate : Khwir ( Twi'lek ) [2]
- Quartermaster: Cotetchtle ( Ishi Tib ) [2]
- Engineer: Rabby Mortunk (Human) [2]
- Pilot/Astrogator: Kandar ( Duros ) [2]
- Sensors: Lun Deverin (Duros) [3]
- Gunnery Sergeant: Mirip Pag ( Iotran and former Braceman ) [2]
- Ship's Surgeon: Anet Karl (Human) [2]
- Starfighter control officer: Pen Grasha [3]
- Junior tactician: Vega Sepen (Human) [5]