Kiviett was a lieutenant and planetologist who served in the Galactic Empire's Survey Team IX3244-B as second-in-command to Captain Toss. IX3244-B was tasked with finding the construction site for the Imperial Death Star II battlestation, discovering the Forest Moon of Endor, which Kiviett had issues with for a Death Star construction site. His concerns were only compounded when he and others in the team went to Endor and encountered the moon's Ewok species, who led them in circles and made them unable to reach the Ewoks' Bright Tree Village. Kiviett's concerns were dismissed by Toss, although the Ewoks were ultimately essential to the Imperial defeat in 4 ABY's Battle of Endor. Taken prisoner by the Alliance to Restore the Republic, Kiviett offered to join them as a planetologist.

Biography[]

Surveying Endor[]

Kiviett was a lieutenant and planetologist within the Galactic Empire. A member of the Empire's Survey Team IX3244-B, Kiviett was second-in-command, reporting to Captain Toss.^[1] At some point^[1] after 0 BBY's Battle of Yavin^[2] and by 1 ABY,^[3] Imperial Survey Teams were assigned to find a construction site for the Empire's Death Star II battlestation.^[1]

For the team's Mission 759/B,^[4] IX3244-B visited several planets before their survey frigate found the Forest Moon of Endor. Orbital scans revealed that Endor was capable of sustaining Human life. Combined with viewing the moon's remote location as good for a construction site, Dark Lord of the Sith Darth Vader perceived that none of Endor's indigenous life forms could pose a risk for the Empire's presence. Kiviett believed a barren rock with low gravity and a poisonous atmosphere would be better, with no indigenous sentients potentially intervening and no cover for any hostile Alliance to Restore the Republic commando operations. However, Toss and Vader never asked for Kiviett's opinion, believing no indigenous species would be that much a risk and that it would be a waste of time to build life-support systems and domes for the shield generator construction site.^[1]

While IX3244-B's frigate remained in Endor's orbit, further scans showed many primitive life forms on the moon. Toss sent Kiviett and others from the team to the moon to investigate, with Kiviett hearing the captain make a holoreport about how Endor was looking like a great location for the shield generator before the team left. After their shuttle landed on Endor, Kiviett and the other team members attempted to reach^[1] the native Ewoks' Bright Tree Village.^[5] The Ewoks, however, led them in circles and confused even the team's best scouts. At one point, the Ewoks beating their drums further spooked the team members, who fired their weapons in an attempt to get the music to stop. Ultimately wandering for more than two hours and unable to reach within a kilometer of the Ewok village, Kiviett and the others hastily retreated back to the frigate.^[1]

Return to the frigate and eventual capture by the Alliance[]

Upon returning to the frigate, Kiviett reported that Endor's creatures were a potential problem in need of further study. However, Toss ignored the report and dismissed Kiviett's suggestion to apply a forest camouflage to all the Imperial vehicles and armor.^[1]

Because Emperor Palpatine was displeased with superficial reports made by Kiviett's team, he assigned a second team led by Sergeant Pfilbee Jhorn to go to Endor. Jhorn, who was also unhappy with IX3244-B's reports, viewed Kiviett and the others as disgraces to the Imperial Military for failing to mention the presence of such dangers as Gorax, condor dragons, and Sanyassan Marauders^[6]—although Kiviett's report, which was ignored by Toss, indeed discussed the need to further study Endor's creatures.^[1]

In 4 ABY,^[5] Kiviett was still serving as IX3244-B's second-in-command when the remote moon's Ewoks helped the Alliance defeat the Empire in the Battle of Endor. He was taken prisoner by the Alliance and spoke to Alliance historian Voren Na'al about his time with IX3244-B during Endor's initial discovery. Kiviett also offered to join the Alliance as a planetologist.^[1] At another point after the Battle of Endor, Na'al had also interviewed the Ewok Wicket Wystri Warrick, publishing the interview where the Ewok recounted his own personal experiences with Kiviett and IX3244-B's attempt to reach Bright Tree Village, along with later encounters with the Empire and defeating the Empire in the Battle of Endor.^[7]

Personality and traits[]

Kiviett disagreed with Toss and Vader's assessments of Endor as a good location for the Death Star shield generator, although his opinions were not asked for. He found it amusing to look back at how he did not register that the sound of the Imperial shuttle landing on Endor alone was heard by the Ewoks, when he and the others attempted to not be heard. Being a planetologist, Kiviett set his blaster to the stun setting and instructed the stormtroopers with him to do the same. He also compared himself and his group to the Ewoks as three men in light armor and two stormtroopers, being unable to make it to within a kilometer of the primitive creatures' village.^[1]

After retreating along with the others to the shuttle, Kiviett's embarrassment was only compounded by Toss's laughter. He viewed Toss as a blind fool and viewed the latter ignoring his concerns as being eager to take credit for discovering the new Death Star construction site. Kiviett was not surprised that the Ewoks played a role in the Empire's defeat. He believed the Empire was doomed but was also big and powerful and that the Alliance had more work to do before their victory was complete. Kiviett ultimately offered to join the Alliance as a planetologist, although he requested to be kept away from the Ewoks.^[1]

Behind the scenes[]

Kiviett was created by author Michael Stern for "Imperial Scouting Party," a story released in 1990 for Galaxy Guide 5: Return of the Jedi. As the in-universe narrator being interviewed by Voren Na'al in that story,^[1] the IX3244-B team was also mentioned in "The Ewok Defenses," another narrative published in an earlier section of the book.^[7]

Appearances[]

• "The Ewok Defenses" — Galaxy Guide 5: Return of the Jedi (also reprinted in Second Edition and The Movie Trilogy Sourcebook) (Indirect mention only)
• "Imperial Scouting Party" — Galaxy Guide 5: Return of the Jedi (also reprinted in Second Edition and The Movie Trilogy Sourcebook) (First appearance)

Sources[]

• The Illustrated Star Wars Universe (Indirect mention only)
• The Official Star Wars Fact File 11 (END10, The Battle of Endor) (Indirect mention only)

Notes and references[]