The Hyperspace Marauder is owned and operated by the smuggler Lo Khan and his Yaka cyborg partner Luwingo. Lo Khan had the Marauder converted from a normal large freighter into an effective smuggling ship.
The ship measure 165 metres long, making it one of the larger smuggling vessels. This can be a hindrance, although Khan shrugs it off by saying it allows him to carry even more contraband. The Marauder is just one of many such ships licensed to transport military equipment to the Deep Galactic Core, where the reborn Palpatine had based himself.
Unlike most smuggling ships, the Hyperspace Marauder has very little in the way of weaponry. Indeed, for many years it had been unarmed until Khan decided that a pair of 700-Penetrator laser cannons might be handy. Although slow, it makes up for its lack of weapons with some heavy-duty shields, allowing it to take a lot of punishment in order to make good its escape. But in fact this lack of defence is all part of Lo Khan’s plan.
Khan has had a computer and communications system installed on his ship that can take control of any aggressors’ computers. While the attackers are busying themselves with trying to break through the Marauder’s hull, they suddenly find themselves alienated from their own vessel. Through this Lo Khan can turn off their weapons, shields, and life-support.
Some smugglers would use this power to its deadliest ends, but Khan is a generous being, and usually lets the captives live; although only after he has taken what he wants from their ship. While his ship then makes the jump to hyperspace, those who attacked him find that they might have life-support, but only low-level ion-thrusters to propel them through space.
During his career Lo has worked on both sides of the Civil War, carefully not making too many enemies. The smuggler almost always travels the civilised routes of the galaxy, finding that playing it safe and being alive is better than asking for trouble and being dead.
When Palpatine had come back to once again take the galaxy, Lo Khan found himself caught up in events. Salla Zend had hidden the Millennium Falcon inside the Marauder with Khan’s permission, believing the ships to be safe with Lo. They had not reckoned on the capabilities of the giant Imperial Hunter-Killer probots, who detected the Falcon in the Marauder with their advanced scanners.
Salla and Shug Ninx managed to outrace the probots, but the Marauder was not so lucky. Lo Khan and Luwingo found themselves stranded on Byss when the Imperial impounded their vessel. Weeks later, however, they managed to take back their ship during the confusion of a New Republic attack.
They were able to pay the New Republic back shortly afterwards when they used the Marauder to rescue New Republic forces and Lando, who had made a secret assault on Byss.