- "I function at the pleasure of Kwikhaul Livery Corporation."
- ―SK-89
Kwikhaul Livery Corporation, also known simply as Kwikhaul, was a company that provided taxi service on the planet Kwenn. Its headquarters was located on Zyboh Key, an island of the Gem Cities of Kwenn. In 33 BBY, due to low tourism on Kwenn, the owner, Fraxa, replaced all its drivers with droids. As the drivers rioted outside Kwikhaul's complex, the Jedi Masters Plo Koon and Saesee Tiin arrived and handled the dispute.
Description[]
- "Masters Plo and Tiin are operating a taxi service."
"You mean they've got the only speeder and Saesee is stuck driving all of us around."
"I spoke precisely. They are operating a taxi service." - ―Jedi Masters Ki-Adi-Mundi and Yarael Poof
Kwikhaul Livery Corporation,[1] also known as Kwikhaul Livery[2] or simply Kwikhaul, was a livery business that provided taxi service within the Gem Cities of Kwenn on the planet Kwenn. The company was headquartered at a complex on Zyboh Key, an island of the Gem Cities. As the use of airspeeders was forbidden on Kwenn—with transports being restricted to those that remained close to the ground, such as hovering repulsorcraft—Kwikhaul maintained a pool of landspeeders, which traveled between Kwenn's islands via the interconnecting bridges. The company also operated speeder buses for tourism as well as a number of boats.[1]
Kwikhaul's speeders featured an autopilot that functioned over short distances. When aberrant operation was detected, the autopilot would lock the controls and direct the vehicle back to the company's depot. Kwikhaul employed organic drivers, though also utilized droids, including units of a general-purpose model, as tour guides;[1] in 33 BBY,[3] the company's organic workers were replaced by the droids. Kwikhaul's droids were not permitted to defy traffic regulations or allow passengers to drive, and they were also informed of the locations of organized criminal activity so as to know where to avoid. Kwikhaul charged its passengers a surcharge for destinations located several bridges away.[1]
History[]
- "Tourism is down. The livery business has cratered. I can't afford organic drivers!"
- ―Fraxa
During the Republic Era, Kwikhaul Livery Corporation was owned by the Muun executive Fraxa. Over a third of the company's daily traffic consisted of transporting corporate executives to and from the spaceport. Rising criminal activity in the Slice led to a fall in tourism; additionally, many corporations chose to relocate out of the region, including from Kwenn. As a result, Fraxa became unable to afford to pay her drivers.[1] In 33 BBY,[3] although some of Kwikhaul's workers had driven for decades, Fraxa replaced the company's workforce with its droids, who were untrained in the specialty of driving. That same day, the infuriated drivers gathered in vehicles outside Kwikhaul's compound in protest of their replacement, tearing apart the droid drivers of cabs that had been directed back to the complex.[1]
Jedi Masters Plo Koon and Saesee Tiin, arriving on the planet as part of a mission to aid the people of Kwenn undertaken by the members of the Jedi Council, caught a cab piloted by the Kwikhaul droid SK-89 from Capital Key Spaceport on Capital Key, intending to travel to the Bivall Colony on Parva Key. The Jedi were concerned upon learning they were SK-89's first fare after she nearly crashed into a speeder bike, but at Koon's reassurance, the droid kept to a slower pace and used her background as a tour guide to inform them about Kwenn. However, SK-89's speeder was surrounded by several irate drivers who began to collide against the vehicle. Tiin, despite the droid's protests, took control of the speeder and increased speed, though additional vehicles emerged to pursue them as they crossed to Zyboh Key. As the speeder neared Kwikhaul's headquarters, its autopilot took over, returning the vehicle to the depot, where a crowd of rioters intent on destroying SK-89 were waiting for them.[1]
Behind the scenes[]
Kwikhaul Livery Corporation first appeared, and was identified by that name, in the novel The Living Force, written by John Jackson Miller[1] and published on April 9, 2024. It was first mentioned on February 26 of that year in an article on StarWars.com that previewed the exclusive Barnes & Noble edition of the map of Kwenn included in the novel, which featured the label of Kwikhaul Livery.[2]
Appearances[]
- The Living Force (and audiobook) (First appearance) (First identified as Kwikhaul Livery Corporation)
Sources[]
The Jedi Council Debates Its Future in Star Wars: The Living Force - Exclusive Excerpt on StarWars.com (backup link) (First mentioned)
Notes and references[]
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 The Living Force
- ↑ 2.0 2.1
The Jedi Council Debates Its Future in Star Wars: The Living Force - Exclusive Excerpt on StarWars.com (backup link)
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 According to
"Launchpad" — Star Wars Insider 224, The Living Force takes place one year before the events of Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace, which corresponds to 33 BBY per Star Wars: Timelines.