IX3244-B

IX3244-B was an Imperial Military Survey Team under the command of Captain Toss, with planetologist Lieutenant Kiviett as second-in-command. The team was one of the Survey Teams that attempted to find a construction site for the Galactic Empire's Death Star II battle station, and IX3244-B found the Forest Moon of Endor as a potential location. As their survey frigate orbited Endor, Toss sent Kiviett and others to investigate the life forms detected on the moon. While the IX3244-B members on Endor were spooked by the native Ewoks, Toss ultimately dismissed the concerns and went on to publish reports about Endor being suitable as a Death Star construction site.
However, the superficial nature of IX3244-B's reports resulted in Emperor Palpatine sending another Survey Team led by Sergeant Pfilbee Jhorn to Endor. Jhorn additionally viewed IX3244-B as disgraceful for failing to note such dangers as Gorax, condor dragons, and Sanyassan Marauders on Endor. Following 4 ABY's Battle of Endor, Kiviett was still serving as IX3244-B's second-in-command. He was captured by the Alliance to Restore the Republic, and offered to join them as a planetologist.
==Description==
IX3244-B was an Imperial Military Survey Team active by some time following the Battle of Yavin. The team's transportation included a survey frigate and at least one shuttle.
==History==
===Surveying Endor===
When Emperor Palpatine planned the construction of the Death Star II battle station, IX3244-B was one of the Imperial Survey Teams that went to search for locations that would be viable for the Death Star's construction. The team visited several planets before discovering the Forest Moon of Endor in an event that would be reported as Mission 759/B.
Endor was a remote location, which satisfied what Dark Lord of the Sith Darth Vader was seeking as a location for a Death Star shield generator construction site. IX3244-B's scanners also detected the moon could sustain Human life, which Vader also wanted.
===Mission 759/B and later Imperial defeat===
While IX3244-B's frigate remained in Endor's orbit, further scans showed many primitive life forms on the moon. Captain Toss, the commanding officer, sent his second-in-command, planetologist Lieutenant Kiviett, and others from the team to the moon to investigate. After landing on Endor, Kiviett and the other team members attempted to reach the native Ewoks' Bright Tree Village. The Ewoks, however, led them in circles and confused even the team's best scouts. Ultimately unable to reach the Ewok village, the IX3244-B members decided to retreat back to the frigate after more than two hours of wandering in circles.
When Kiviett reported the team's trouble from the Ewoks to Toss, the latter dismissed the concerns, viewing Endor as a great site for the Death Star's construction. However, Palpatine was dissatisfied with the superficial nature of IX3244-B's reports and later sent another Survey Team to Endor. That team was led by Sergeant Pfilbee Jhorn, who viewed IX3244-B as disgraces to the Imperial Military for failing to mention the presence of dangers such as Gorax, condor dragons, and Sanyassan Marauders.The Illustrated Star Wars Universe Ultimately, 4 ABY's Battle of Endor led to the Ewoks helping the Alliance to Restore the Republic defeat the Empire. Kiviett was still serving as IX3244-B's second-in-command when he was captured by the Alliance, and he recounted his experience with the Survey Team while talking to Alliance historian Voren Na'al and offering to join the Alliance as a planetologist. At another point after the Battle of Endor, Na'al had also interviewed the Ewok Wicket Wystri Warrick, publishing the interview where the Ewok talked about his own personal experiences with 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.
==Commanders and crew==
IX3244-B was led by the Imperial officer Captain Toss, and his second-in-command was Lieutenant Kiviett, a planetologist. Including Kiviett, the Survey Team had at least two stormtroopers and three men with light armor.
==Behind the scenes==
IX3244-B was created for "Report to Imperial Command," a short narrative included in 1987's The Star Wars Sourcebook, authored by Bill Slavicsek and Curtis Smith for West End Games' Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game. The unit was expanded upon in "Imperial Scouting Party," a story written by Michael Stern and released in 1990's Galaxy Guide 5: Return of the Jedi, also from West End Games.
The Survey Team would again be mentioned in 1995's The Illustrated Star Wars Universe before being mentioned in 2002's eleventh issue of The Official Star Wars Fact File. That source mentioned Pfilbee Jhorn being a part of IX3244-B, placing him in events from "Imperial Scouting Party," although The Illustrated Star Wars Universe had previously established Jhorn led the team that went to Endor after IX3244-B. This article assumes that Fact File 11 was in error and that Jhorn was not with the initial group during the events previously elaborated upon by "Imperial Scouting Party."
==Appearances==
* 
* 
*
==Sources==
*The Illustrated Star Wars Universe 
* 
==Notes and references==
Category:Imperial military units