Kiviett
- "Whatever happens to me, they can't say I didn't warn them."
- ―Lieutenant Kiviett
Kiviett was a male 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 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
- "We didn't make it to within a kilometer of the tree house city."
- ―Kiviett on how he and others in IX3244-B failed to reach Bright Tree Village
Kiviett was a male 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. At some point after the Battle of Yavin, Imperial Survey Teams were assigned to find a construction site for the Empire's Death Star II battlestation.[1]
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 the moon's remote location, Dark Lord of the Sith Darth Vader viewed 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 believing 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 making 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.[2] The Ewoks, however, led them in circles and confused even the team's best scouts. 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
- "Just keep me away from those Ewoks, okay? They make me very nervous."
- ―Kiviett, expressing his fear of the Ewoks
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, as well as dismissing Kiviett's suggestion to apply 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 also was 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[3]—although Kiviett's report which was ignored by Toss indeed discussed the need to further study Endor's creatures.[1]
In 4 ABY,[2] Lieutenant Kiviett was still serving as IX3244-B's second-in-command when the Alliance defeated 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]
Personality and traits
- "This whole Ewok thing ... I saw it coming from the very beginning. It's not my fault."
- ―Kiviett about the Empire's defeat
Kiviett disagreed with Toss and Vader's assessments of Endor being 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]
Indeed, when the Ewoks started beating their drums and spooked the already-lost IX3244-B team members, Kiviett and the others blindly fired their weapons in an attempt to stop the pounding drums. They hastily retreated to the shuttle, and Kiviett's embarrassment was only compounded by Toss's laughter. Kiviett 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.[1]
Kiviett was not surprised that the Ewoks played a role in the Empire's defeat. He believed the Empire was doomed, but also big and powerful, and 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.[1]
Appearances
"Imperial Scouting Party" – Galaxy Guide 5: Return of the Jedi (First appearance)- "Imperial Scouting Party" – The Movie Trilogy Sourcebook
- "Imperial Scouting Party" – Galaxy Guide 5: Return of the Jedi, Second Edition
Sources
- The Illustrated Star Wars Universe (Indirect mention only)
- The Official Star Wars Fact File 11 (END10, The Battle of Endor) (Indirect mention only)