tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67929256793404679922024-02-22T11:09:50.566-05:00Matt Adams - Superheroes, Sci-Fi, and a Touch of the FantasticThe official blog of unofficial author Matt Adams. It's a Matt, Matt, Matt, Matt World...and you're living in it.Matt Adamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07960407647609637681noreply@blogger.comBlogger641125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6792925679340467992.post-61454071890182514822023-12-29T06:32:00.000-05:002023-12-29T06:32:27.457-05:00Studicus Selects 2023<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyQuko_TlJqXQ-gLROuh39Fz3gsjqimVAeEM1-37AXjL11ajsA-q2tqTgMD7mVwTz-G9s8wiqzI83VY-6LNbTa1hjNChdj5nI79tFNvl6aHyV9PKr2wXYjg1Ge81eWTl6ULaBC245VezWjaxvxBDfnUy-A6lf0gZMedw2GQuPQ88GxLrcauVWICvhSjXIv/s2000/Studicus%20Selects%20templates.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="2000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyQuko_TlJqXQ-gLROuh39Fz3gsjqimVAeEM1-37AXjL11ajsA-q2tqTgMD7mVwTz-G9s8wiqzI83VY-6LNbTa1hjNChdj5nI79tFNvl6aHyV9PKr2wXYjg1Ge81eWTl6ULaBC245VezWjaxvxBDfnUy-A6lf0gZMedw2GQuPQ88GxLrcauVWICvhSjXIv/w640-h512/Studicus%20Selects%20templates.png" width="500" /></a></div><p>Once, long ago, I posted on the internet as Studicus, an in-joke nickname related to a skit from high school. When I first started blogging, I called my year-end entries "Studicus Selects." The tradition has continued since 2005...although I skipped 2006 for some unknown reason. </p><div>You'll find past entries here (scroll down for the 2023 picks):</div><div><span><br /></span></div><div><span><b><a href="https://www.mattadamswriter.com/2022/12/studicus-selects-2022.html" target="_blank">Studicus Selects 2022</a></b><br /></span><b><a href="https://www.mattadamswriter.com/2021/12/studicus-selects-2021.html" target="_blank">Studicus Selects 2021</a><br /></b><div><b><a href="https://www.mattadamswriter.com/2021/01/studicus-selects-2020.html" target="_blank">Studicus Selects 2020</a><br /></b><div><b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.mattadamswriter.com/2019/12/studicus-selects-2019.html">Studicus Selects 2019</a></span></b><div><b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.mattadamswriter.com/2018/12/studicus-selects-2018.html">Studicus Selects 2018</a></span></b><br /><b><a href="https://www.mattadamswriter.com/2017/12/studicus-selects-2017.html"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Studicus Selects 2017</span></a></b><br /><b><a href="http://www.mattadamswriter.com/2017/01/studicus-selects-2016.html"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Studicus Selects 2016</span></a></b><br /><a href="http://www.mattadamswriter.com/2015/12/studicus-selects-2015.html"><b>Studicus Selects 2015</b></a><br /><b><a href="http://www.mattadamswriter.com/2014/12/studicus-selects-2014.html">Studicus Selects 2014</a><br /><a href="http://www.mattadamswriter.com/2013/12/studicus-selects-2013.html">Studicus Selects 2013</a><br /><a href="http://www.mattadamswriter.com/2012/12/studicus-selects-2012.html">Studicus Selects 2012</a><br /><a href="http://www.mattadamswriter.com/2011/12/studicus-selects-2011.html">Studicus Selects 2011</a><br /><a href="http://flyingtrapeezius.blogspot.com/2011/01/studicus-selects-2010.html">Studicus Selects 2010</a><br /><a href="http://flyingtrapeezius.blogspot.com/2009/12/studicus-selects-2009.html">Studicus Selects 2009</a><br /><a href="http://flyingtrapeezius.blogspot.com/2008/12/studicus-selects-2008.html">Studicus Selects 2008</a><br /><a href="http://flyingtrapeezius.blogspot.com/2007/12/studicus-selects-2007.html">Studicus Selects 2007</a><br /><a href="http://flyingtrapeezius.blogspot.com/2005/12/studicus-selects-2005.html">Studicus Selects 2005</a></b></div></div></div></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Best Howard, Howard Category. </b>I think Howard's had a pretty successful year. Our little Chihuahua dachshund dropped a little bit of weight as recommended by his veterinarian. During the summer, he loved lying on a blanket and taking in the sun on the patio. He still experiences a bit of anxiety from time to time, and he hates being away from his mommy, but he remains, as always, the Quintessential Very Good Boy. Yes, he's a repeat winner in this category.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK1IgtDReYNcjZpwvAyOiIv3b5T2ZLX2J6tzPrp3IOYQ7KwXf80CGDrUfeDrZzXrjwlhyphenhyphenp05jYC5LJR3Em3iq2dQLkqOAxVXBkZkQhUhujIyyPlQ_y-2W70g6Q8kcPc4cYE8Bnwz-UBKHMvjDqz8_k7K0DB6P5Ck6xxTFgm9_ufcIbrMvghrykmkWFn6uB/s4080/PXL_20230603_214720325.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4080" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK1IgtDReYNcjZpwvAyOiIv3b5T2ZLX2J6tzPrp3IOYQ7KwXf80CGDrUfeDrZzXrjwlhyphenhyphenp05jYC5LJR3Em3iq2dQLkqOAxVXBkZkQhUhujIyyPlQ_y-2W70g6Q8kcPc4cYE8Bnwz-UBKHMvjDqz8_k7K0DB6P5Ck6xxTFgm9_ufcIbrMvghrykmkWFn6uB/w400-h301/PXL_20230603_214720325.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Howard is adept at snuggling with any blanket.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpD5IugxbCyRgmA0zXgml3oVe3Och4xKZX5Oz1u2KsGzZKpmDqTodQI6SzRDMxEXtkUfTYKQb_BmT5T1hLW206MV8BPDhc-ZyY3gwFuW3vRxRpcJ0I1nnIcAJ0g9UlIw-LgqQbCcpXVzpZUpRKTvpdiWccewpEzAsMwYaj1_yHERYeB7VjDlzuIpqnL5AK/s4080/PXL_20230815_214641996.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4080" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpD5IugxbCyRgmA0zXgml3oVe3Och4xKZX5Oz1u2KsGzZKpmDqTodQI6SzRDMxEXtkUfTYKQb_BmT5T1hLW206MV8BPDhc-ZyY3gwFuW3vRxRpcJ0I1nnIcAJ0g9UlIw-LgqQbCcpXVzpZUpRKTvpdiWccewpEzAsMwYaj1_yHERYeB7VjDlzuIpqnL5AK/w400-h301/PXL_20230815_214641996.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Howard with his current favorite toy, Chop-Chop.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipDoGGpBSu2Cny-7lehQ-bZAT9gVt-kMgkokRYIx9qzEvPPxp2rpiQ4Xv7ijJP7_2tosKVuEqOwQvKOno6qfRtfBk7iYuIpBbJGWiYw_JSlQitQnn7QurDPDh1D3FqqZFhLZL_Ncn6q7fTR2_9Q7quLnItmzMxxFa04YcdHf1WmV1i_d2czoKqGy0A2NSe/s4080/PXL_20230826_173041786.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4080" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipDoGGpBSu2Cny-7lehQ-bZAT9gVt-kMgkokRYIx9qzEvPPxp2rpiQ4Xv7ijJP7_2tosKVuEqOwQvKOno6qfRtfBk7iYuIpBbJGWiYw_JSlQitQnn7QurDPDh1D3FqqZFhLZL_Ncn6q7fTR2_9Q7quLnItmzMxxFa04YcdHf1WmV1i_d2czoKqGy0A2NSe/w400-h301/PXL_20230826_173041786.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I spent many afternoons sitting out on the porch while Howard lay on a blanket in the sun.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2dLw_jmh9e66Wb5gGwuriFnDpj-ZR2B4BYZDvvPNGhdpUAYg4bUnFwagjnTrcJh9T2ilotE2qsJeboY0GcH0YC31X6Xby3ghyIm66-8V7DB-1dJ9btcbpJ027cauxb8-7zjxW147eJtPH3xcpbUxIINtxXz_sXj5uroLW5h9eFHIN73z_SXkDNwYnP7Bh/s4080/PXL_20230909_000218387.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4080" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2dLw_jmh9e66Wb5gGwuriFnDpj-ZR2B4BYZDvvPNGhdpUAYg4bUnFwagjnTrcJh9T2ilotE2qsJeboY0GcH0YC31X6Xby3ghyIm66-8V7DB-1dJ9btcbpJ027cauxb8-7zjxW147eJtPH3xcpbUxIINtxXz_sXj5uroLW5h9eFHIN73z_SXkDNwYnP7Bh/w400-h301/PXL_20230909_000218387.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just a Noble and Very Good Boy.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5QPGr8Gpc5HOfUAzQdosg-oEhHi6IKtADlz4zvtOMDJCu-r69HB_eMwc51U6xzI4Q6bqhFwK3Z6iQo_6xxeBxfq7aWKL50SuL0chu9GP5ocRSiznDNKDZvDT_LZdzCgcZi9BNc6a368A2uSmcaWdiOUETEQVH8DTnleUGcK5fJpXOmaV3GkN_rXX6wMHS/s3280/PXL_20230922_135235363.MP.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2464" data-original-width="3280" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5QPGr8Gpc5HOfUAzQdosg-oEhHi6IKtADlz4zvtOMDJCu-r69HB_eMwc51U6xzI4Q6bqhFwK3Z6iQo_6xxeBxfq7aWKL50SuL0chu9GP5ocRSiznDNKDZvDT_LZdzCgcZi9BNc6a368A2uSmcaWdiOUETEQVH8DTnleUGcK5fJpXOmaV3GkN_rXX6wMHS/w400-h300/PXL_20230922_135235363.MP.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snack time!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1iIUntqY1S17d87tjz-JGUjIcQZlVrY28C02UVCF3LxVVSa9NAClRiOKTP83s_1d2EyfbK4V_4A94x3mMlLf3jZ7nIvT77Hx111crwjPgppAzrIMFcurqFfA5v-9P4TcX-6mj3IwUPH-wj5pu7R3ZTety3XUxQwJw1hJ9C8qNj7ei8_5uLjFsjj3kFWUG/s4080/PXL_20231030_205543652.MP.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4080" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1iIUntqY1S17d87tjz-JGUjIcQZlVrY28C02UVCF3LxVVSa9NAClRiOKTP83s_1d2EyfbK4V_4A94x3mMlLf3jZ7nIvT77Hx111crwjPgppAzrIMFcurqFfA5v-9P4TcX-6mj3IwUPH-wj5pu7R3ZTety3XUxQwJw1hJ9C8qNj7ei8_5uLjFsjj3kFWUG/w400-h301/PXL_20231030_205543652.MP.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pretty sure he was angling for some food here.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><b>Best Turtle, Northern Map Turtle Category. </b>After learning the surprising news last year that Willy was, in fact, a girl, we took a different approach to spring and made sure we got her out of her tank frequently to see if she needed to lay eggs. She definitely laid a few--including some in her tank--and is now in winter mode, when she sleeps more, moves less, and rarely basks. We'll still let her out for walkabouts. She also got a new canister filter this year, an upgraded model of the one we originally bought in 2017. Willy is also a repeat winner.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZjywgr9ujGp0SEatd699yrrvx0YCf7x_l5X084Xxm2tan-81dOukLnd2dfXyeIltO1fMBzDe4d1RHsvgydPvqamn4STlLOGAAEmJKXESSUt1LJHtLfAIfmVSNYVte97sfC82QKZjbMd-IbxC0itBwl91m_YpXW9yi7bAGSILJxq8GgysGtBwTbstWuQ6r/s4080/PXL_20230326_185912058.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4080" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZjywgr9ujGp0SEatd699yrrvx0YCf7x_l5X084Xxm2tan-81dOukLnd2dfXyeIltO1fMBzDe4d1RHsvgydPvqamn4STlLOGAAEmJKXESSUt1LJHtLfAIfmVSNYVte97sfC82QKZjbMd-IbxC0itBwl91m_YpXW9yi7bAGSILJxq8GgysGtBwTbstWuQ6r/w400-h301/PXL_20230326_185912058.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Willy led me on quite the odyssey through the neighborhood one afternoon.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbSwtv3_LLBB4VDV8lKB8epfiCjwXWK0FkEKgPNpoYiD7GqGGutfT103RHq4Muv7HRESYN7XUGM-nTKOpAyI705MpoSsf5t9blfnw9odoD9eI5O9h5dQMLLP3zdffPJKIMEyF6ICNdCKaIlrKE1ZH48ll9W4FtnwA0k5y-srCtUOsTBuPzPz0scxzpSVNX/s4080/PXL_20230327_214431926.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4080" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbSwtv3_LLBB4VDV8lKB8epfiCjwXWK0FkEKgPNpoYiD7GqGGutfT103RHq4Muv7HRESYN7XUGM-nTKOpAyI705MpoSsf5t9blfnw9odoD9eI5O9h5dQMLLP3zdffPJKIMEyF6ICNdCKaIlrKE1ZH48ll9W4FtnwA0k5y-srCtUOsTBuPzPz0scxzpSVNX/w400-h301/PXL_20230327_214431926.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just a northern map turtle looking as casually as she can.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7GV_D3aMevphnxS7ixVQbGwwUb9tC0O9W4xbLNiWsRZ4cxdbU3Zm5Xr8jGww9g-7y9EpM4mGxeYq_Pl1fw4ulofcho_RRicVFz0iP52l2DvAOpGAyT2ky1jbmxwXH3d7s2pcl16-1ChWih1Fy3jLsFEOIzPKAcwvD4bmdT-lywc1lmFrW1QO-Z_uAhKWe/s4080/PXL_20230508_195402344.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4080" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7GV_D3aMevphnxS7ixVQbGwwUb9tC0O9W4xbLNiWsRZ4cxdbU3Zm5Xr8jGww9g-7y9EpM4mGxeYq_Pl1fw4ulofcho_RRicVFz0iP52l2DvAOpGAyT2ky1jbmxwXH3d7s2pcl16-1ChWih1Fy3jLsFEOIzPKAcwvD4bmdT-lywc1lmFrW1QO-Z_uAhKWe/w400-h301/PXL_20230508_195402344.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Willy laid one of her eggs on the ramp in her tank.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsg_yIQ11ARxJjHSIVDtmGesGOF7seMn6OpBJrDefxOGTxomrAkIPjUaLk13aLp6qIhwqhIPrff9pFqDvVzGcjBjqXw5QkORdpXuRi8GBqPUENpb5EnMIByJcZvbNP7pZ9rjAw3SvAb6s4TwWsXT6g7UGi9Q1aWDiU_Fpjffp5CURGQ-9BLlG6_ZKj85Cr/s4080/PXL_20231007_231626047.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="3072" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsg_yIQ11ARxJjHSIVDtmGesGOF7seMn6OpBJrDefxOGTxomrAkIPjUaLk13aLp6qIhwqhIPrff9pFqDvVzGcjBjqXw5QkORdpXuRi8GBqPUENpb5EnMIByJcZvbNP7pZ9rjAw3SvAb6s4TwWsXT6g7UGi9Q1aWDiU_Fpjffp5CURGQ-9BLlG6_ZKj85Cr/w482-h640/PXL_20231007_231626047.jpg" width="482" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the new canister filter. Very exciting, I know.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj75DIEnFf9FEL_4upp4tY9m8FvGBak2bydXBoUYCFr_CwIR70bBd2rLM9yDE5EPvwio-bAraealRB_SvcbBC87iajquuhAC5iZHsa9a6qBGkLvs283Wr3lEUjKPGNQKag-lCfcUl7YeaDzAvMWg63PV0htbj_YtD3X5kYkyxA5vg6lrvZhPvw0hjHhfQ70/s4080/PXL_20231120_190748716.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4080" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj75DIEnFf9FEL_4upp4tY9m8FvGBak2bydXBoUYCFr_CwIR70bBd2rLM9yDE5EPvwio-bAraealRB_SvcbBC87iajquuhAC5iZHsa9a6qBGkLvs283Wr3lEUjKPGNQKag-lCfcUl7YeaDzAvMWg63PV0htbj_YtD3X5kYkyxA5vg6lrvZhPvw0hjHhfQ70/w400-h301/PXL_20231120_190748716.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">She's never a big fan of being bothered while basking.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><b>Most Inconvenient Moment, Four-Way Stop Category.</b> An idiot driver rammed her SUV into Anne's car back in May. It happened at a four-way stop not far from home. No one was hurt and the car eventually got fixed. It took a month or so for the repairs, and our loaner was a Toyota RAV4. It could've been much worse, of course, and while the other driver was clearly at fault, the insurance companies reached an impasse and we had to pay our deductible. Again, could've been worse.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9CDMoWtTCxesxpWgrTKKrVU3kbJBt6DYNVZbgABCMgFnJ5aYWMOS8XVsmW-OMrW4zzRq3Toby33vZ60w8sBPE3_pwlEzy0rvU10tZzcSYmXqvAZOXldtycS3uHROjTZcRn6jmGTJljodEEEWY0VJDDHdOwvjdjr6t7qWSK4jZTPVqV7AWHjiWpvF4QnsU/s4080/PXL_20230516_002714554.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4080" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9CDMoWtTCxesxpWgrTKKrVU3kbJBt6DYNVZbgABCMgFnJ5aYWMOS8XVsmW-OMrW4zzRq3Toby33vZ60w8sBPE3_pwlEzy0rvU10tZzcSYmXqvAZOXldtycS3uHROjTZcRn6jmGTJljodEEEWY0VJDDHdOwvjdjr6t7qWSK4jZTPVqV7AWHjiWpvF4QnsU/w400-h301/PXL_20230516_002714554.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is what happens when the other driver ignores the rules of right-of-way. Thanks for that, by the way.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif2E7xA7b9TsKu_6wnpQiAKsb-q_fOCzMre48-_PfPUvgnJXdffLHX517EEG61aMILbkizGguIIGzDJRArr9j0goM16L1kUBeWWj_4yj3NUhyvUnIrTqYMPE55bJ-P-q_lCzmmCeSN7AUehuZDakdJZeRG9Wz1Y1KSIIgNjVvoUj3qY6sWa2Y7zNqAOwSc/s4080/PXL_20230518_131318896.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4080" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif2E7xA7b9TsKu_6wnpQiAKsb-q_fOCzMre48-_PfPUvgnJXdffLHX517EEG61aMILbkizGguIIGzDJRArr9j0goM16L1kUBeWWj_4yj3NUhyvUnIrTqYMPE55bJ-P-q_lCzmmCeSN7AUehuZDakdJZeRG9Wz1Y1KSIIgNjVvoUj3qY6sWa2Y7zNqAOwSc/w400-h301/PXL_20230518_131318896.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Promised a sensible vehicle, we initially ended up with this giant Ford SUV. The rental place eventually let us swap it with a RAV4.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkBmH-t5mTZ9UxgaDO1to66t26dyi58f_cM4N_hF446FFgXWCOCJJ2x-66XTEoZBHy40PS-JlXjtAW5floSkzlnT2MtjF6NYbdenfen3vsTgPiBhIlW4050PyjNooV7VuxxBsziJGBjjUp8MzIylIH_rMur2bgxRAuwDoP9W71jbUu7Tm94kQAkZreanLd/s4080/PXL_20230616_233630235.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4080" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkBmH-t5mTZ9UxgaDO1to66t26dyi58f_cM4N_hF446FFgXWCOCJJ2x-66XTEoZBHy40PS-JlXjtAW5floSkzlnT2MtjF6NYbdenfen3vsTgPiBhIlW4050PyjNooV7VuxxBsziJGBjjUp8MzIylIH_rMur2bgxRAuwDoP9W71jbUu7Tm94kQAkZreanLd/w400-h301/PXL_20230616_233630235.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It was a relief to finally get the car back!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><b>Most Inconvenient Moments, Tire Category. </b>I thought I'd scheduled a car appointment at Skillman in Avon, except I didn't realize I'd scheduled it for the wrong Skillman by mistake. When I showed up for the appointment, I wasn't on the schedule and they couldn't squeeze me in (which is understandable). So, I headed home and less than a mile away from the four-way stop near our house, I hit a pothole and ended up with a flat tire. I was able to get the car in the next day for a new one. Then, in August, while driving on the brand-new I-65 split through downtown Indy, I hit another pothole and completely shredded the same freaking tire! A couple of people were nice enough to help me change it to the spare, and I was able to get a same-day appointment for a new tire. The rim, however, needed to be replaced.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4XT2tUrnvaoODHUYsnl1DS_WHd1unyQbe7rEaFIIfRqxE9WQVJDDiqEVJLYmH0mQe-ZwwIF0wMWYD-AiL7FYRSD_0WEK30jpLSfBWBnzyWiHME0CkkRdSBUZzWDlgvaEpbHDzNvETlOIpFfmVycP4HOSot6Gwi8zLOE9SDE0rSh26LQUBVJsscIOHtojR/s4080/PXL_20230612_223414471.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4080" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4XT2tUrnvaoODHUYsnl1DS_WHd1unyQbe7rEaFIIfRqxE9WQVJDDiqEVJLYmH0mQe-ZwwIF0wMWYD-AiL7FYRSD_0WEK30jpLSfBWBnzyWiHME0CkkRdSBUZzWDlgvaEpbHDzNvETlOIpFfmVycP4HOSot6Gwi8zLOE9SDE0rSh26LQUBVJsscIOHtojR/w400-h301/PXL_20230612_223414471.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The first flat here was pretty conventional.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXAmO7KFWMXbMTg9SewKVMW5hZu2154bwRDuHO81_fc9V1jaaHXMqApzDkVdLhz9q0cYI0_qZcC3wdpVDyqhNU97ZGU9pQ9rMKLs9ZrgAA4MarnM4DCvqzMisReAPmaqUtYhwMwZcSzFI5f0RxtkAzAXXXsWZ9707B_kg4OqxQVq_a3abHWgs73Vbd4Tcx/s4080/PXL_20230816_175924160.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4080" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXAmO7KFWMXbMTg9SewKVMW5hZu2154bwRDuHO81_fc9V1jaaHXMqApzDkVdLhz9q0cYI0_qZcC3wdpVDyqhNU97ZGU9pQ9rMKLs9ZrgAA4MarnM4DCvqzMisReAPmaqUtYhwMwZcSzFI5f0RxtkAzAXXXsWZ9707B_kg4OqxQVq_a3abHWgs73Vbd4Tcx/w400-h301/PXL_20230816_175924160.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This tire hit the mother of all potholes. Completely shredded, as you can see.</td></tr></tbody></table><div><b>Best Trip, Old Hickory Category.</b> While traveling to Tennessee for our annual family reunion, we decided to make a detour to the Hermitage, the home of Andrew Jackson. We really enjoyed going through the mansion and learning things about seventh president and his colorful life as a military commander and politician. We're glad the house itself is air conditioned for the modern era, but walking around the grounds on a hot, muggy day was a less gladsome tiding. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggJS7zhHHYPd1aQ7aa_nN2xcmYrZyQePHn5B1FzVEw861y-PeQ5uPsZBeL3hVACQEMsoOysH5AL3-ICdEPZYeIYbB4Ti0dKt1dOjlzcSX9_vXAtm3dL2qUTEpZF5gsVdRYzbGIzKUt3X3yi6Usp8bV07CPQXlYloVHN7XdNsm1v_OAhozxhLqOHjExf55L/s4080/PXL_20230713_183553116.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4080" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggJS7zhHHYPd1aQ7aa_nN2xcmYrZyQePHn5B1FzVEw861y-PeQ5uPsZBeL3hVACQEMsoOysH5AL3-ICdEPZYeIYbB4Ti0dKt1dOjlzcSX9_vXAtm3dL2qUTEpZF5gsVdRYzbGIzKUt3X3yi6Usp8bV07CPQXlYloVHN7XdNsm1v_OAhozxhLqOHjExf55L/w400-h301/PXL_20230713_183553116.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdPb6Z73dyrl5gayjJhhHCuOZj7zKkiET3hfEsCS5O7CXNdXS4o4coge9xIRudjUMKfMM-8nb3qQXg_ecBjdGH04oG70UhcL-tdHMWVMs9qu2r7gjl_UKZrIxwVfjWGni-K7fI5hq5tFmhMAR_R0AgbdCFYKhNBjGg8AtKtQVcqBesZScF1gb6oqtamG_z/s4080/PXL_20230713_183713829.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4080" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdPb6Z73dyrl5gayjJhhHCuOZj7zKkiET3hfEsCS5O7CXNdXS4o4coge9xIRudjUMKfMM-8nb3qQXg_ecBjdGH04oG70UhcL-tdHMWVMs9qu2r7gjl_UKZrIxwVfjWGni-K7fI5hq5tFmhMAR_R0AgbdCFYKhNBjGg8AtKtQVcqBesZScF1gb6oqtamG_z/w400-h301/PXL_20230713_183713829.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXQPlUrzWJhnl78ebK5T6Gd4dyJ3RHtytdxQz-bRy10H3nc49Yy5GxHSDOKoMtZWZchyAmr69nIXg7Gj92DL2-fOEr29iHtFmm5ZgGbe2j6rMWrxxnqIfdvU8u6N9CJ6cCblQ2e0OMb6kKvnlpHrp1rsPKbQaiCo5I-AjrOBAYWmvpcD9JEl6aFllHaUZp/s4080/PXL_20230713_163848010.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4080" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXQPlUrzWJhnl78ebK5T6Gd4dyJ3RHtytdxQz-bRy10H3nc49Yy5GxHSDOKoMtZWZchyAmr69nIXg7Gj92DL2-fOEr29iHtFmm5ZgGbe2j6rMWrxxnqIfdvU8u6N9CJ6cCblQ2e0OMb6kKvnlpHrp1rsPKbQaiCo5I-AjrOBAYWmvpcD9JEl6aFllHaUZp/w400-h301/PXL_20230713_163848010.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7YhmgF_CJiiw7vqtlkO8AKeTSJwxccp0vERAen3Cw-z1neTqBQlsusMZR2HU74cIQvsNI3Uwu0WrtYSq-EHXyoBZnaP15LTnriVNo5HwAFrigZoLqg6c2GWY6bOrT1mGZDVAbxKAm5Y1x6fejr8_OMxrL6OfybjzLM_sZCKc2br8DGthMnmLTn-vSTT-A/s4080/PXL_20230713_174600196.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4080" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7YhmgF_CJiiw7vqtlkO8AKeTSJwxccp0vERAen3Cw-z1neTqBQlsusMZR2HU74cIQvsNI3Uwu0WrtYSq-EHXyoBZnaP15LTnriVNo5HwAFrigZoLqg6c2GWY6bOrT1mGZDVAbxKAm5Y1x6fejr8_OMxrL6OfybjzLM_sZCKc2br8DGthMnmLTn-vSTT-A/w400-h301/PXL_20230713_174600196.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div><b>Best Trip, Homecoming Category.</b> It's been 20 years since I graduated from college. Anne and I hadn't been to Homecoming for a few years, so we decided to head back to mark the occasion. The campus looks great. Old Main looks great. Shirk Hall looked like Shirk Hall. We toured a few new spots--like a technology center, the new science building, and the e-sports facility. Just a handful of the Class of 2003 made the trip, but it was great to be back.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX3SlgcYZ6lvF4DXg0yhVD9EtvD-giWcYYa4pv-drsB_Utia_AzRuI0J2_cJzGWhaqK_w_5dUIGTWC0GIEBCIxhW_D1oHo3LRafhOGdWnkM-bREV2nEg3qTTI8aJU8quA-LepyWeb4pt7oKFiOWN6T8JL5fwHhBp72a2ypbjvJ7yoloJe_aKJPXe_ECBB6/s3280/PXL_20230930_135544077.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3280" data-original-width="2464" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX3SlgcYZ6lvF4DXg0yhVD9EtvD-giWcYYa4pv-drsB_Utia_AzRuI0J2_cJzGWhaqK_w_5dUIGTWC0GIEBCIxhW_D1oHo3LRafhOGdWnkM-bREV2nEg3qTTI8aJU8quA-LepyWeb4pt7oKFiOWN6T8JL5fwHhBp72a2ypbjvJ7yoloJe_aKJPXe_ECBB6/w300-h400/PXL_20230930_135544077.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Anne and me on the FC campus</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWTLaZB7V8zskoVskKTCy4TPeWDn9tV-yjW5G35gkDxz7GduKIbwhwRiJtPGTVG3rwbCKD2IDDl8JTVWPYmYup2igO_NZXz5yejuPTHLuhUu4aegi_aMbUabTw58uYS6Ei3OeveEbzmZWT4r1ftRatEySg5pg1QkNuFzRQWJ4w-qpOcb4pD0GV3iuvMCL_/s4080/PXL_20230930_141937316.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="3072" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWTLaZB7V8zskoVskKTCy4TPeWDn9tV-yjW5G35gkDxz7GduKIbwhwRiJtPGTVG3rwbCKD2IDDl8JTVWPYmYup2igO_NZXz5yejuPTHLuhUu4aegi_aMbUabTw58uYS6Ei3OeveEbzmZWT4r1ftRatEySg5pg1QkNuFzRQWJ4w-qpOcb4pD0GV3iuvMCL_/w301-h400/PXL_20230930_141937316.jpg" width="301" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I missed it when President Moseley welcomed the Dalai Lama to campus, but now I feel like I was there all along.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsBhoYeNAn8KI6-5dOpjWfBkcqHn0-lY6V3rUu_BlSOvrRou29DnF7amYM8yIpzR8LonCm_ACodWgpmxaWKhIz4XbRHljWitPZ9udQCi3q29Z469xe53c1pml2s7OCsXwCr8tA5IhO5tgIKV6cvzQ6B6B8riu3QvFFHzPRGvhXq7ipHEkca2uX6UaYNAgZ/s4080/PXL_20230930_145124444.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4080" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsBhoYeNAn8KI6-5dOpjWfBkcqHn0-lY6V3rUu_BlSOvrRou29DnF7amYM8yIpzR8LonCm_ACodWgpmxaWKhIz4XbRHljWitPZ9udQCi3q29Z469xe53c1pml2s7OCsXwCr8tA5IhO5tgIKV6cvzQ6B6B8riu3QvFFHzPRGvhXq7ipHEkca2uX6UaYNAgZ/w400-h301/PXL_20230930_145124444.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Wellhouse</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_hbdSn42IkbyfW02dlXTsUkZj8YdkmEFEEt3N9r8un4jMdADBKGptjAROl-ZecYOmnO-EclYAzuC7it6jPCu6M0gz_RGne_WQAnuCOvN2vgV-Wgn7Tl17gXBkptWtxR6u1IrOW_kM7yjVSNJSgREY7FB8e_g5z6fkiDviHK9HSzjBuKzZk4nF6rNcm4vM/s4080/PXL_20230930_145135988.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4080" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_hbdSn42IkbyfW02dlXTsUkZj8YdkmEFEEt3N9r8un4jMdADBKGptjAROl-ZecYOmnO-EclYAzuC7it6jPCu6M0gz_RGne_WQAnuCOvN2vgV-Wgn7Tl17gXBkptWtxR6u1IrOW_kM7yjVSNJSgREY7FB8e_g5z6fkiDviHK9HSzjBuKzZk4nF6rNcm4vM/w400-h301/PXL_20230930_145135988.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Venerable Old Main</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib63REjtQEew7ARLJGPp4grPUkTjtVpelM5ZOag39JbhyMKo8xs_ERFGsZg-ny9IYs8dIxtgIsVDivuBP0UrL9gHuytV4iQnWWveejD496oTN-yOsLC1VUHy5DGrIJ7ShgbKHIshSDUf8VJbL27zUCS-XkD9FYnVL0lYmQlDhnVIKmYujhMUDVXPq8RByp/s4080/PXL_20230930_145148007.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4080" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib63REjtQEew7ARLJGPp4grPUkTjtVpelM5ZOag39JbhyMKo8xs_ERFGsZg-ny9IYs8dIxtgIsVDivuBP0UrL9gHuytV4iQnWWveejD496oTN-yOsLC1VUHy5DGrIJ7ShgbKHIshSDUf8VJbL27zUCS-XkD9FYnVL0lYmQlDhnVIKmYujhMUDVXPq8RByp/w400-h301/PXL_20230930_145148007.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Johnson-Dietz--I used to live there</td></tr></tbody></table><div><b>Biggest Project, Christmas Category. </b>Back in college, I did a radio show called the <i>Saturday Morning MattPack </i>in which I played crooners like Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Bobby Darin. I recorded my shows on cassette so my parents could listen to them (Franklin College's radio signal was incapable of making it to Williamsburg!), and my father has continued to listen to them for years. But tapes degrade over time, and I set off to make digital copies of the shows. I spent much of December making digital recordings of the cassettes, which I planned to give to Dad for Christmas. He can still listen to the old tapes, of course, but those digital backups will last forever-ish.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Biggest Birthday, Lordy, Lordy, Look Who's 40 Category.</b> It was somewhat inconceivable to me when I turned 40 in 2020. It's even more inconceivable that Anne turned 40 this year! Anne's birthday and my birthday fall within eight days of each other in July, so we hold a weeklong-ish celebration called "The Festival of Anne and Matt." This year's festival included trips to see <i>Barbie </i>and the newest <i>Mission: Impossible </i>movie along with stops at the Oaken Barrel and our annual pilgrimage to Red Lobster (Anne loves the Lob, but I'm kinda "meh" on seafood, so she has me take her once a year on her birthday). She didn't want me to make a big fuss, so I didn't, but that won't stop me from writing about it here.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Best Utility Infielder, Funeral Arts Category.</b> Anne has had quite the year at work. For a time, she was assigned to a project to help modernize the record-keeping system at several cemeteries around the area. That meant frequent trips around Indianapolis to different cemeteries to catalog things. She would spend a few weeks at one place and then move on. Her "homebase" was a downtown office. Before this project, she'd worked at a cemetery on the southwest side.</div><div><br /></div><div>Long story short, she ended up going back to the original cemetery because the person hired to replace her simply couldn't hack it there. She constantly messed things up, communicated poorly, and often yelled at people on the phone. Anne's former coworkers--now again her current coworkers--basically flashed the "Anne Signal" and are overjoyed to have her back! </div><div><br /></div><div><b>The Year in Writing. </b>This wasn't the most productive year I've had from a writing standpoint, but I did manage to finish a book based on my experiences in college radio. The basic plot is my take on an '80s-style "slobs vs. snobs" comedy (think <i>Caddyshack </i>or <i>Revenge of the Nerds</i>) but set in 2000 at a small college in Fairlane, Indiana. Everything is a stand-in for Franklin College. The story revolves around a power-mad trustee who wants to turn the campus' non-commercial alternative rock station into a commercial news-talk station. Hilarity, I hope, ensues.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3BpouhDYrwG4-_H5iMOQmSQXmmgqa3ZCFNC5619RRHIaKwHiYC2jDGI_c6IL1gwmmVZr9opYXEaJ89dmqzUjv70SFceRo7pCqYL2PfNKidDFt6PQqsgM-2todcxDEvJKsOE7GCyTZXT1qMkm07cUg1n29aEV3yDswzQ9PuXsQlrhYXX2G10MxVYsU5S3C/s6667/College%20Radio%20cover%20(4).png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6667" data-original-width="4167" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3BpouhDYrwG4-_H5iMOQmSQXmmgqa3ZCFNC5619RRHIaKwHiYC2jDGI_c6IL1gwmmVZr9opYXEaJ89dmqzUjv70SFceRo7pCqYL2PfNKidDFt6PQqsgM-2todcxDEvJKsOE7GCyTZXT1qMkm07cUg1n29aEV3yDswzQ9PuXsQlrhYXX2G10MxVYsU5S3C/w400-h640/College%20Radio%20cover%20(4).png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is a temporary cover for a proof copy.</td></tr></tbody></table><div>I'm not sure if I'll try to get it published or pull a <i><a href="https://www.mattadamswriter.com/p/sega-cd-summer-central.html" target="_blank">Sega CD Summer</a> </i>and do it myself. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Best Anniversary, Movie Category.</b> <i>Return of the Jedi </i>turned 40 this year. The movie hit theaters on May 25, 1983. This has always been my favorite <i>Star Wars </i>movie. It was the first one I saw and one of the first memories I have of going to the movie theater. I grew up obsessed with <i>Star Wars</i>, and <i>Jedi </i>was the primary reason for that. To celebrate the anniversary, I <a href="https://www.mattadamswriter.com/2023/05/lets-celebrate-40th-anniversary-of.html" target="_blank">wrote a post about the movie</a> and also penned six original pieces of fan fiction (with accompanying commentaries) to celebrate the milestone and <i>Jedi's </i>influence on this <i>Star Wars </i>fan. <a href="https://www.mattadamswriter.com/2023/05/lets-celebrate-40th-anniversary-of.html" target="_blank">You can find it all here</a>. Disney/Lucasfilm also treated fans to a re-release in April.</div><div><br /></div><div>The most popular short story turned out to be <a href="https://www.mattadamswriter.com/2023/05/an-older-code-40-years-of-return-of-jedi.html" target="_blank">"An Older Code,"</a> if you were wondering.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBRBhl0CrBDZR62Rgf1ayQOirMbpYq2q9LjrvRdPAeqcwLq7BlZfLvvB2wc-dXw0FeujYnPVrYPI7Dushoo8rP9mloTclensLfHRjh0NGfxFzIW-HIFeQJyw2Nd195cFaoFzSjvv5E4m-ATpc_8bAen_jTp8dAAXbyNW6RS23SyBz5Rea7nS0g3TYSEQ/s2068/Jedi%20Anniversary%20(1).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1166" data-original-width="2068" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBRBhl0CrBDZR62Rgf1ayQOirMbpYq2q9LjrvRdPAeqcwLq7BlZfLvvB2wc-dXw0FeujYnPVrYPI7Dushoo8rP9mloTclensLfHRjh0NGfxFzIW-HIFeQJyw2Nd195cFaoFzSjvv5E4m-ATpc_8bAen_jTp8dAAXbyNW6RS23SyBz5Rea7nS0g3TYSEQ/w640-h360/Jedi%20Anniversary%20(1).png" width="500" /></a></div><div></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Movies Year in Review.</b> As I did last year, I'll split my long list of entertainment stuff into two sections: movies we saw at the theater and stuff we watched via streaming. Let's start with the movies first. As usual, there may be some spoilers.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Ant-Man & the Wasp: Quantumania.</b> The third movie in the <i>Ant-Man </i>series reached for something epic and fell short. It was enjoyable enough--Paul Rudd is always fun--but the attempt at sweeping narrative stakes doesn't work with this particular character, who excels with smaller, lighter adventures.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Return of the Jedi.</b> Still rules.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.</b> This was a solid wrap for the misfits in the Guardians crew. Packed with humor, action, and heart, it's one of the better MCU movies in the latest round. It's also very, very sad at times. Some very tough moments of animal abuse make it a difficult watch, and there was one moment in which everyone at my screening broke down in tears. You need a strong constitution to watch it, and even then, I doubt you'll want to revisit it.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>The Little Mermaid.</b> I almost forgot this movie came out this year. It's <i>The Little Mermaid </i>except with people. You've got talking, singing sea creatures. They attempt to give Prince Eric a meatier backstory and he gets an absolutely mediocre song.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. </b>The sequel is just as imaginative and fun as its predecessor, delivering a story that spans the multiverse while delivering great characterization and plenty of surprises. Miles is a tremendous character, and it's nice to see him get his time in the spotlight--a spotlight he shares with infinite Spider-Men and Spider-Women.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>The Flash.</b> A quick aside: when I went to see this one with my buddy Krildog, the movie cut off about 30 minutes in. We'd been warned beforehand of problems with the projector, decided to risk it, and ended up with a couple complimentary movie passes before being shuffled off to a different showing and picking up the action from there.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbps_qFOPGuMZ5TZmdkskyYI-w1aQCqZM9TUWfVs6WYptwA5ylE8M1fXZqgttC-Uz9hq34KolXgGmPtGqTmO0GAOgpHCpSCep_GeIbmn4nyjc-UQuErA0MJNCvhEtlLrIawbwCRHtcWy87B_22RZsCRkH6iRWfJYKMlMNOQ4P4xANFm3OP5VAMrR_9HhxA/s2736/Batman.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1432" data-original-width="2736" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbps_qFOPGuMZ5TZmdkskyYI-w1aQCqZM9TUWfVs6WYptwA5ylE8M1fXZqgttC-Uz9hq34KolXgGmPtGqTmO0GAOgpHCpSCep_GeIbmn4nyjc-UQuErA0MJNCvhEtlLrIawbwCRHtcWy87B_22RZsCRkH6iRWfJYKMlMNOQ4P4xANFm3OP5VAMrR_9HhxA/w400-h209/Batman.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He's Batman. Forever.</td></tr></tbody></table><div>As for the movie itself, I thought it was a heartfelt exploration of love and loss--how we're not necessarily equipped to handle things we wish we could change. It was also great to see Michael Keaton back in action as Batman--<i>Batman '89 </i>still has a place place in my heart--and I found the movie very enjoyable with a heartbreaking ending. Your mileage will vary based on your tolerance for Ezra Miller and some...interesting...CGI choices, but I think it's worth a watch.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. </b>Harrison Ford returns as his signature character for the final, final, final <i>Indiana Jones</i> movie. This one is about a fading hero who finds himself unable to change with the times around him. Pressed into duty one last time, Indy teams up with his goddaughter to prevent Nazis from acquiring a device purported to find "fissures in time." Though initially very grumpy, Indy does find some of his trademark charm and the movie takes a big swing at the end.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifUh0m3YfIC48oVW4B6BPtBUD24I7ung3oqD5A1yLSSA68wProswn58iDvZ1hXcrLDohtGYLcRL1dUaHKxb0Bm4tkExAhyphenhyphenAYww0QgYoguFNbgYtR25qEthSIF9LNZRRhOW2d5A5kN1BR8fV1jbMJaWQwwjdlQoPyGv19coDqszZJOPGJWYzbX_y5i235kh/s2736/FireShot%20Capture%20013%20-%20Vudu%20-%20Indiana%20Jones%20and%20the%20Dial%20of%20Destiny%20-%20www.vudu.com.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1145" data-original-width="2736" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifUh0m3YfIC48oVW4B6BPtBUD24I7ung3oqD5A1yLSSA68wProswn58iDvZ1hXcrLDohtGYLcRL1dUaHKxb0Bm4tkExAhyphenhyphenAYww0QgYoguFNbgYtR25qEthSIF9LNZRRhOW2d5A5kN1BR8fV1jbMJaWQwwjdlQoPyGv19coDqszZJOPGJWYzbX_y5i235kh/w400-h168/FireShot%20Capture%20013%20-%20Vudu%20-%20Indiana%20Jones%20and%20the%20Dial%20of%20Destiny%20-%20www.vudu.com.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dr. Jones</td></tr></tbody></table><div>That big swing is definitely a better finale than "interdimensional beings" taking off for those "spaces between the spaces." It's more fantastical than the opening of the Ark, <i>Temple of Doom's </i>bridge sequence, or the discovery of the Holy Grail. They definitely <i>went for it</i> here, and I respect that.</div><div><br /></div><div>Part of me, however, wishes the movie just took place in the classic Indy vs. Nazis era of the incredibly satisfying opening sequence.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Transformers: Rise of the Beasts. </b>The <i>Transformers </i>movie continuity is pretty much mush, but it doesn't really matter. This is a solid entry in the series, not as charming as <i>Bumblebee</i>, but still a good time. I'm sure fans of <i>Beast Wars </i>really got a thrill out of it, but I'm a <i>Generation One </i>guy at heart, so I say Peter Cullen forever. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Mission: Impossible -- Dead Reckoning, Part One. </b>A dumb title for a great movie. Unfortunately, Ethan Hunt and company got swallowed up by Barbenheimer at the box office, but you shouldn't miss this entry on the long-running "Tom Cruise tries to kill himself on camera" subgenre. The MacGuffin isn't necessarily great--we've seen the killer computer thing before--but crackling action sequences give the whole thing life. Plus, Henry Czerny is back as Kittridge!</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGX9zqNUkdwc0oG6F6Fgo-6xtr9CabN4KCVg-WNV9rOSD9tS6D6a50JRsNjnqahqoug2AVzTDsPAUQtUgLg-BLK02CZAJLYIE9kWd3XX8Ejs1B7kQkEYZ2pUMg5fvpTtNp9kUVpdN2Qy9kWTH7Vplbq8HZLvX52u8lqpC9UDS_NaoMXjZ_xnarAG-Y99u1/s1280/New%20Project%20(5).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGX9zqNUkdwc0oG6F6Fgo-6xtr9CabN4KCVg-WNV9rOSD9tS6D6a50JRsNjnqahqoug2AVzTDsPAUQtUgLg-BLK02CZAJLYIE9kWd3XX8Ejs1B7kQkEYZ2pUMg5fvpTtNp9kUVpdN2Qy9kWTH7Vplbq8HZLvX52u8lqpC9UDS_NaoMXjZ_xnarAG-Y99u1/w400-h225/New%20Project%20(5).jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I had no use for Ryan Gosling until <i>Blade Runner 2049 </i>and <i>Barbie</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div><b>Barbie.</b> As the unexpected smash of the summer, we'll be dealing with this pop culture phenomenon for years. Margot Robbie brought Barbie to life, but for me, it was Ryan Gosling's Ken who brought life to the movie. His put-upon Ken was highly entertaining, delivering unto us the earworm "I'm Just Ken" and his Mojo Dojo Casa House. Oh, the movie also has plenty to say about gender roles and society, so it's not just empty calories. Low-key MVP: Michael Cera. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3. </b>They made another one. It was cute.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>The Marvels. </b>This one landed with a resounding thud at the box office, serving as a cautionary tale for a brand that's churned out some mediocre shows and movies lately. Two of the three main characters required viewers to sink several hours into TV shows to care about them and their backstories. Generally, it was fine and I would watch it again. But even its most "out there" idea--a planet where the native language is singing--felt undercooked, as if the filmmakers liked the idea but either didn't want to or weren't fully allowed to commit to it. For <i>X-Men </i>fans, though, the mid-credits sequence was pretty awesome. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Napoleon.</b> Hmmm. Ridley Scott and Joaquin Phoenix team up to bring us a bloated biopic about the famed military commander and French emperor. It's kind of unfocused and requires a little more geopolitical knowledge of the time period than most viewers will possess. I found it to be kind of a slog myself, keeping this figure of history at a decided distance.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Streaming Year in Review. </b>We definitely spent a lot more time watching stuff at home than we did at the movie theater. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Night Court.</b> NBC resurrected <i>Night Court</i>, a staple of syndicated afternoon programming for my brother and me in the 80s and 90s. The new show followed the "rebootquel" format (or "legacy reboot") in which new characters are thrust into the same setting/world as a popular intellectual property with a character or two from the original version included as mentor figures.</div><div><br /></div><div>The new <i>Night Court </i>drew decent ratings. I liked most of the characters and was glad to see John Larroquette back as Dan Fielding. I think the new show is enjoyable enough, tapping into some of that manic <i>Night Court </i>energy even though it lacks Harry Stone, Bull Shannon, Mac Robinson, and Christine Sullivan.</div><div><br /></div><div>Perhaps the best thing about the new <i>Night Court </i>is that it gave Anne and me an excuse to rewatch the old <i>Night Court</i>, which is available on Freevee, Amazon's ad-supported streaming service. We very much enjoyed getting reacquainted with the old gang, and it was clear the old formula still worked. The show also gave us this incredible screenshot:</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU2fTYOGVKf5OPRDgU_a8I1qjjFZ49Zrqt7rljWpRfHOwjvQ47rRynezXIQSjs8PAsaU_K_ianrDaO6QDxsGlPwmunkf1wyg7c3cSvUtJRJ1z6xwdi5DR7Sft14pE-sOjYW7L0Z3uCtaduFrXmQJA0NamgYjHZonWHF6FiZ6mX4-QWQchKzBnA9G66qsjT/s4080/PXL_20230211_034232303.MP.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4080" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU2fTYOGVKf5OPRDgU_a8I1qjjFZ49Zrqt7rljWpRfHOwjvQ47rRynezXIQSjs8PAsaU_K_ianrDaO6QDxsGlPwmunkf1wyg7c3cSvUtJRJ1z6xwdi5DR7Sft14pE-sOjYW7L0Z3uCtaduFrXmQJA0NamgYjHZonWHF6FiZ6mX4-QWQchKzBnA9G66qsjT/w400-h301/PXL_20230211_034232303.MP.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rest assured, this had something to do with Dan Fielding</td></tr></tbody></table><div><b>Frasier.</b> Someone else got the rebootquel treatment this year--one Frasier Crane. His new show on Paramount Plus sent Dr. Crane from Seattle back to Boston to reconnect with his son. It's pretty clear what the show is going for here, portraying Freddy as a blue-collar firefighter in the vein of Frasier's father, with Frasier's penchant for high society setting up another cultural clash. While Niles and Daphne are nowhere to be seen, their son (Frasier's nephew) takes on the role of the show's nebbish character.</div><div><br /></div><div>We have yet to make it through the new version of <i>Frasier,</i> mostly because we decided to watch the old <i>Frasier </i>and then go back to the sequel series. I can't imagine the new show touching the heights of the original one, which is absolutely brilliant and packed with memorable, lovable characters. The chemistry between Kelsey Grammer and David Hyde Pierce, in particular, is something you can't easily replicate, and John Mahoney is irreplaceable. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Ahsoka. </b>I'm not sure how more casual <i>Star Wars </i>fans will feel about <i>Ahsoka</i>. The show is really more of a sequel to <i>Rebels </i>and <i>The Clone Wars</i> than it is an expansion of the <i>Mandalorian </i>universe. Yes, the new <i>Star Wars </i>canon reintroduced Ahsoka in <i>The Mandalorian</i>, but the other characters in the show originated elsewhere.</div><div><br /></div><div>To people who've only seen the <i>Star Wars </i>movies, the character of Ahsoka doesn't make much sense. When did Anakin have a Padawan? Why didn't he ever mention her in <i>Revenge of the Sith?</i> Who is Sabine Wren? Why is she important? Who's this Ezra guy everyone seems so worried about? The green Twi'lek lady? Who is Thrawn and why is he such a threat?</div><div><br /></div><div>The show doesn't spend much time answering these questions and expects the audience to be up-to-date on just about everything. Personally, I liked the show, but I've seen <i>Rebels </i>and have a passing knowledge of <i>The Clone Wars</i>. Finding Ezra was A Big Deal and seeing Grand Admiral Thrawn was The Big Deal for this longtime <i>Star Wars </i>fan.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9ow7SEx19RUhVnQkQsdKEP-laBWlsKS7kDNng0wPEAK0vkxzA-Jd3fhVdPzFGWSEggyrznUuduR35lKqIvmAe_59ZD-PItJpTqZ58Uh6zYw-h4y5rcyLAg_UBs3NBvvWDuXnvHXFPdqIzP1jkVaqaWJ8UAlmCVw4-nFDokEOZTxghXnfqrBL1NPbDr0sT/s1656/Thrawn.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="989" data-original-width="1656" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9ow7SEx19RUhVnQkQsdKEP-laBWlsKS7kDNng0wPEAK0vkxzA-Jd3fhVdPzFGWSEggyrznUuduR35lKqIvmAe_59ZD-PItJpTqZ58Uh6zYw-h4y5rcyLAg_UBs3NBvvWDuXnvHXFPdqIzP1jkVaqaWJ8UAlmCVw4-nFDokEOZTxghXnfqrBL1NPbDr0sT/w400-h239/Thrawn.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I've wanted to see this guy in the flesh since 1991</td></tr></tbody></table><div><i>Star Wars </i>introduced me to Thrawn in 1991, when <i>Heir to the Empire </i>hit bookshelves and took us back to a galaxy far, far away. He was just as terrifying as Darth Vader, although he intimidated enemies through his intellect instead of any Dark Side prowess. A truly great villain, he first returned in animated form in <i>Rebels</i>. It was a thrill to see him become part of "real" <i>Star Wars.</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>If I had any criticism of <i>Ahsoka</i>, it was that Ray Stevenson's Baylan Skoll was perhaps the show's most interesting character, yet it didn't do enough with him. I think the intention was to follow Skoll into a second season, but Stevenson died last year, which will likely leave the character's journey unfulfilled unless the show recasts him. That lack of fulfillment isn't the show's fault--no one could have known Ray Stevenson would die--but failing to fulfill the promise of the character when a second season is never guaranteed is certainly a misstep. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>The Mandalorian. </b>I'd almost forgotten this show's third season aired in 2023. It seems like such a long time ago! This time, Mando and Grogu team up with other outcast Mandalorians to reclaim their homeworld.</div><div><br /></div><div>It felt like some of the "side trip" episodes stalled momentum on the show's overarching plotline, but that's really nothing new for <i>The Mandalorian</i>, which sometimes eschews serialized storytelling in favor of a more episodic approach. But the finale really landed, and it's always terrific to see Mando and Grogu together.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>A Haunting in Venice. </b>The third outing with Kenneth Branagh as the famed Hercule Poirot takes place in Venice, as the title suggests. This mystery involves a seance and a murder, with Poirot skeptical that supernatural forces are at play. Branagh is good in the role, but I'm not sure if any more of these movies are necessary.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Fast X. </b>The <i>Fast </i>franchise gets bigger, louder, and dumber with its latest sequel. We didn't get the chance to see this one in the theater, and that's fine. Sure, we missed out on some of the big-screen spectacle, but the movie was kind of a mess. At least the ever-reliable Jason Momoa got the chance to vamp around with the <i>Fast </i>crew. Try not to get too pissed off by the absurd cliffhanger of an ending.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Shazam: Fury of the Gods.</b> Shazam is back. This time, he's ticked off some gods. Another box-office failure for the fizzling DCEU/Snyderverse. It still has some entertaining moments, and is worth a look on a lazy afternoon.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Blue Beetle. </b>This DC movie also tanked at the box office. The Blue Beetle is a longtime comic book character--a kind of gadget-based Batman who's had a few different versions. I found this one enjoyable, with some earnest performances from the cast and a nice family-centric story. It's a little formulaic, though, and brings little new to the genre.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>65.</b> Adam Driver fights dinosaurs. The dude is always watchable and gives it his all, whether he's in a blockbuster, arthouse cinema, or a cheesy actioner. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9qoWDbpt-4r-Raho5Oo7Ag05hbzATSsw1MP9bEcGVMOSZ4c1m_u38eV1kCIj0rkAnUQ_paWIieyBPwZ52OFTmjfjK4Ums7sTaDFKoca4D3X_mob2A6EKXzK34vgbc9lHfGsdPF4rxTdA7jwq1K-YBDpXNa8d2aDMP_wCYrr5yRBlelwdKv1djzJmvH5MR/s2736/Loki.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1228" data-original-width="2736" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9qoWDbpt-4r-Raho5Oo7Ag05hbzATSsw1MP9bEcGVMOSZ4c1m_u38eV1kCIj0rkAnUQ_paWIieyBPwZ52OFTmjfjK4Ums7sTaDFKoca4D3X_mob2A6EKXzK34vgbc9lHfGsdPF4rxTdA7jwq1K-YBDpXNa8d2aDMP_wCYrr5yRBlelwdKv1djzJmvH5MR/w400-h180/Loki.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A truly glorious purpose...</td></tr></tbody></table><div><b>Loki.</b> Season 2 gave us more Tom Hiddleston, and I will never complain about that. The guy owns the screen as Loki, giving us some of the best MCU stuff of the year (although that bar is admittedly a bit low this year). Some great supporting players (Owen Wilson, Ke Huy Quan, Sophia Di Martino, and am I allowed to say Jonathan Majors?) complemented Hiddleston well, and the finale was the culmination of a fantastic character arc that saw <i>Avengers </i>Loki, over the course of two seasons, because something greater.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Secret Invasion. </b>This should've been fantastic. Marvel's inability to turn a show with Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury into something entertaining says a lot about the current state of all things MCU.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Dark Winds.</b> This AMC show is definitely worth watching with compelling characters and a moody atmosphere. Based on a series of mystery novels set in the Southwest, the show follows Navajo police officers as they try to unravel a conspiracy. Zahn McClarnon gives a great performance. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Reservation Dogs</b>. This FX show's third and final season follows a quartet of indigenous teens in Oklahoma on a series of misadventures. It's heartfelt, authentic, hilarious, and emotional. It's a shame we won't get more of these characters, but sometimes it's best to leave on top. And this show did. <i>Dark Winds' </i>Zahn McClarnon has a supporting role in the show.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Gen V.</b> This spinoff of Amazon's <i>The Boys </i>is coarse and inappropriate like its progenitor. <i>Gen V </i>gives us some likable characters and a compelling central mystery. You'll find the requisite gross-out jokes, this time in a college setting, so if you can stomach <i>The Boys</i>, you know what to expect.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>The Bear.</b> I'm not exactly a "high art" guy, but this show is a hit with critics and people who like TV, a crossover audience that doesn't always intersect. Filled with memorable characters and tense moments, the show gave us a couple of this year's best episodes, with "Forks" and "Fishes" both topping some Best of 2023 lists.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2qNbe3EeHa078cSTg8SSdQQ11Ucenn_dpPUsOGF98PgC9g430ksx9H800Z2V5V4J1l3NrtoxOntmK7BXdiqRqnaY5H2z3JntATuhcx5WBsNUGIyQOBoWph6LbnsaOzIOjAfpHMwB76QwK64WwQaewTotwfLVzsZi-mvJOyvzNzxA9wxFeU9IT2V6n2iVx/s2736/Only%20Murders.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1460" data-original-width="2736" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2qNbe3EeHa078cSTg8SSdQQ11Ucenn_dpPUsOGF98PgC9g430ksx9H800Z2V5V4J1l3NrtoxOntmK7BXdiqRqnaY5H2z3JntATuhcx5WBsNUGIyQOBoWph6LbnsaOzIOjAfpHMwB76QwK64WwQaewTotwfLVzsZi-mvJOyvzNzxA9wxFeU9IT2V6n2iVx/w400-h214/Only%20Murders.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The murder-solving trio</td></tr></tbody></table><div><b>Only Murders in the Building.</b> Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez return for another season of madcap mystery fun in New York. This time, Paul Rudd is the murder victim, and while one of the central twists of the show is a little predictable, the journey makes it all worth it.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem. </b>No matter your age, there is some permutation of <i>TMNT </i>that'll click for you. This version cribs its art style from <i>Across the Spider-Verse</i>, and it's a fun watch. The Turtles have terrific chemistry, and there all kinds of little nods longtime fans will enjoy.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>BS High.</b> This incredible documentary makes you want to punch a wall one minute and laugh the next. It's about Bishop Sycamore, a "high school" that somehow conned some of the country's top prep teams to put its football team on the schedule. But the school didn't exist and the players got taken for quite the ride by an unreliable, lying coach. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Jury Duty.</b> This Freevie show fabricated a trial and cast a regular guy to star in what he believed to be a documentary about jury duty and the court system. I don't think the premise will ever work again, but my goodness, did it strike gold. Things get more and more out of hand throughout the proceedings, and James Marsden's inclusion--playing a heightened, spoiled actor version of himself--absolutely landed. The show is full of laugh-out-loud moments.</div>Matt Adamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07960407647609637681noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6792925679340467992.post-24355949669882438572023-05-11T22:39:00.000-04:002023-05-11T22:39:01.741-04:00Let's celebrate the 40th anniversary of Return of the Jedi!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBRBhl0CrBDZR62Rgf1ayQOirMbpYq2q9LjrvRdPAeqcwLq7BlZfLvvB2wc-dXw0FeujYnPVrYPI7Dushoo8rP9mloTclensLfHRjh0NGfxFzIW-HIFeQJyw2Nd195cFaoFzSjvv5E4m-ATpc_8bAen_jTp8dAAXbyNW6RS23SyBz5Rea7nS0g3TYSEQ/s2068/Jedi%20Anniversary%20(1).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1166" data-original-width="2068" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBRBhl0CrBDZR62Rgf1ayQOirMbpYq2q9LjrvRdPAeqcwLq7BlZfLvvB2wc-dXw0FeujYnPVrYPI7Dushoo8rP9mloTclensLfHRjh0NGfxFzIW-HIFeQJyw2Nd195cFaoFzSjvv5E4m-ATpc_8bAen_jTp8dAAXbyNW6RS23SyBz5Rea7nS0g3TYSEQ/w640-h360/Jedi%20Anniversary%20(1).png" width="500" /></a></div><br /><div>It's hard to believe <i>Return of the Jedi</i> came out 40 years ago!</div><div><br /></div>The movie opened on May 25, 1983. It's the third and final movie in the original trilogy. I still remember seeing it as a kid. The movie ran for a long time and got a rerelease in 1984, so that may have been when I saw it. Seriously, I was not very old, but I still remember the rancor and the big space battle at the end.<div><br /></div><div><i>Jedi </i>is my favorite <i>Star Wars </i>movie. I once argued with a middle school teacher about it being the <i>best</i> of the <i>Star Wars </i>movies. He was convinced that honor belonged to <i>The Empire Strikes Back</i>, and while 13-year-old me disagreed, 42-year-old me can at least see where he was coming from. "Favorite" doesn't always mean "best," and people can certainly make an argument that the original <i>Star Wars </i>(or<i> A New Hope</i>, if you prefer) is the best of the three. </div><div><br /></div><div>A couple stories about the movie. First of all, we didn't own a copy of it for a long time. I remember a Friday pizza night when my family went to the video store to rent a movie and came out with <i>Return of the Jedi </i>even though we'd already watched it several times. I'm pretty sure this whole thing exhausted my mom, who was probably thinking <i>NOT AGAIN</i> when her sons plucked <i>Jedi </i>off the shelf.</div><div><br /></div><div>Yes, Mom, we wanted to see it again. Because it is the best <i>Star Wars </i>movie.</div><div><br /></div><div>Or at least our favorite.</div><div><br /></div><div>The movie premiered on a local network affiliate some years later. My brother was having eye surgery in Indianapolis at the time, and my parents were away to be with him, so I was with my grandmother for the weekend. I was all amped up to see the movie, but more importantly, I had a fresh VHS tape in my grandmother's VCR so I could record it and watch it over and over (so long, video rental fees!). </div><div><br /></div><div>Disaster struck. </div><div><br /></div><div>I hit record, but the VCR didn't respond. As I <i>freaked out</i>, my grandmother finally called my uncle, who calmly informed us that you had to hold down the record and play buttons at the same time in order to get her VCR to tape something. We missed the opening crawl and Vader's arrival on the second Death Star. My taped-off-TV version of <i>Jedi </i>started with with Threepio and Artoo walking to Jabba's palace.</div><div><br /></div><div>I finally got proper home releases of all three movies for Christmas in 1991 or 1992. The "uncut" version of <i>Jedi </i>finally had the opening crawl and Vader's arrival ("Perhaps I can find new ways to motivate them"). It was also missing awkward splices from skipped commercials (the old pause-record method), station logos, and the "edited for television" disclaimers.</div><div><br /></div><div>To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the other <i>Star Wars </i>movies, Del Rey released anthologies featuring forty stories, one to commemorate each year since release. The <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Certain-Point-View-Star-Wars-ebook/dp/B06XZ8WL34/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1682555414&sr=8-3" target="_blank"><i>A New Hope </i>version</a> came out in 2017, while <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Certain-Point-View-Empire-Strikes-ebook/dp/B089S7FPLB/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1682555414&sr=8-4" target="_blank">the <i>Empire </i>version</a> came out in 2020.</div><div><br /></div><div>This year, it's <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Certain-Point-View-Return-Jedi-ebook/dp/B0BVHC1QHZ/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2P78PI73GGZPO&keywords=from+a+certain+point+of+view&qid=1682555414&sprefix=from+a+certain+point+of+view%2Caps%2C157&sr=8-1" target="_blank"><i>Return of the Jedi</i>'s turn</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>I would <i>love </i>to say I have a story in the anthology, but I don't have that kind of clout or renown. Still, I decided to write a few stories of my own. These are pure fanfiction, nothing more. While I keep up on <i>Star Wars</i>, I've not read every comic and novel in the Disney era. Thus, I chucked out <i>Star Wars </i>canon. A few things are nods to the old <i>Legends </i>continuity.</div><div><br /></div><div>Will the stories conflict with something established elsewhere? Probably. Do I care? Not one bit.</div><div><br /></div><div>I had several ideas! Probably not enough to write 40 individual stories, but you never know. I finally settled on writing six of them...since <i>Return of the Jedi </i>is Episode VI. </div><div><br /></div><div>Here are the summaries:</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.mattadamswriter.com/2023/05/a-whole-case-of-trouble-40-years-of.html" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1166" data-original-width="2068" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifl8z9LN7eBAipDFPu_sLsw57miPo9sLshGEn9jDsAFuJt6fleXsY_EQkvZBEY8NZjMCAgbM59yyIUqEBQjf_vDZCQ9gU0948FXBDzZ-zpqhPwu_6OYKx8SZeUs4CczCCJd8G3WnVN4tUbuC9idlT-KQdts-PKIPyk9KbL8S9Nhv6CieS78_04nNZ7Rw/w640-h360/Lando%20Case.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><b><div><b><br /></b></div><a href="https://www.mattadamswriter.com/2023/05/a-whole-case-of-trouble-40-years-of.html" target="_blank">A Whole Case of Trouble</a>. </b>Lando Calrissian, working deep undercover in Jabba's palace to lay the groundwork for Han Solo's rescue, encounters a stylish spacer with a big problem and a rare, expensive case of liquor.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.mattadamswriter.com/2023/05/many-bothans-lived-40-years-of-return.html" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1166" data-original-width="2068" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg95Fa-qc1mfiVWbuJMRhDsQ_Zxn5wvIC77q4zsKKSERcG6B8NwzpUC0MeUlsTzGpfNzgXOzAZYuPBIKAIR6PhP3jQsTGqUSzSh7raLhJaNlYNVnnD8TlH7Z-wG5gd6KX2mgLjgge8LGAI-wJgqo27EIUq8VVIBzWHZM0cCcrJ-d_B--YIlNOyyM4UQ-A/w640-h360/Bothans%20Lived.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><b><div><b><br /></b></div><a href="https://www.mattadamswriter.com/2023/05/many-bothans-lived-40-years-of-return.html" target="_blank">Many Bothans Lived</a>. </b>A Bothan spymaster's network uncovers plans for a new Death Star, setting off a calamitous series of events.</div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.mattadamswriter.com/2023/05/terror-bears-40-years-of-return-of-jedi.html" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1166" data-original-width="2068" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFU3fRG08cfG-shKSjmX_Ok-dcwrsWNTZhM3f9YwGFrVrfNhq-o8-wPIRiASk2xWmuOe12gpXgK-0YtReWQNxcu3SumAfrslS5l7PcmHXybSZYNA2mb2lS7IU31lMvEnX9e1Tfjj48UUZ4xeWSlDZO-84z1Ea4PEDgFxTEy1sZH8NDBg6TI53wnpd-wA/w640-h360/Terror%20Bears.png" width="500" /></a></div><b><div><b><br /></b></div><a href="https://www.mattadamswriter.com/2023/05/terror-bears-40-years-of-return-of-jedi.html" target="_blank">Terror Bears</a>.</b> An elite group of stormtroopers, cut off from Imperial forces during the Battle of Endor, tries to outwit fearsome jungle warriors with grisly results.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.mattadamswriter.com/2023/05/the-fall-of-palpatine-40-years-of.html" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1166" data-original-width="2068" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSCaXNflQ4kybt1eii2LVI0nH66awL2dlfK96jcpBl7jd2aURTNsLezsNfRDGWhCa7COqvKHtkTQGDvRI8qnhwohhBDghLiD-vtYXmK9DwkMGTZSiHxfoLU_uZ1F-QAINZP7zzigDvxnP9uBAwbk88F1nCWn1Dm7pIP9AoNR8lhLFGZnLKoZp7VULKoA/w640-h360/Fall%20of%20Palpatine.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><b><div><b><br /></b></div><a href="https://www.mattadamswriter.com/2023/05/the-fall-of-palpatine-40-years-of.html" target="_blank">The Fall of Palpatine</a>. </b>As he plummets toward apparent oblivion, Emperor Palpatine reflects on his failed plot to destroy the Rebel Alliance once and for all with a daring gambit above the forest moon of Endor.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.mattadamswriter.com/2023/05/turncoat-40-years-of-return-of-jedi.html" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1166" data-original-width="2068" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFxslTSMBLMT-VnLf2cgjtES9hfp75Py5TRE7sRU7YsJbfQZIPAjPWVd9gtGiQAnz6TIAhs76DEifhrDCxJ4ubJbHEWAL10yJYC_uKAshSjAPzn4CSQjn-RndRc8IuMA4DTG__UTkEPYKna_NMImy_ProC3Qxm6jyWMDZS4kps7kO_Y9YblNrzZA367g/w640-h360/Turncoat.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br /><div><b><a href="https://www.mattadamswriter.com/2023/05/turncoat-40-years-of-return-of-jedi.html" target="_blank">Turncoat</a>. </b>An Imperial spy embedded within a Rebel squadron loathes everything about her wingmen until the Empire reveals its true nature.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.mattadamswriter.com/2023/05/an-older-code-40-years-of-return-of-jedi.html" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1166" data-original-width="2068" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuVwzdCijixu2iQYDk6uHq94tLmZ8E1bleu_xdQjA1pCwWduf23tLe72lc3PUpNIhkOlKDJNPtHPaM_XrY76te4YEEBeGcEp12E1rtY6vu1uM84XXqGOm2Tw8iuXr9xjjog5-KQ_xuBfjcwlRGy5gFk94FvS_eHfsbvonCyUfgKK-F1m9R-_pm9AZgVg/w640-h360/An%20Older%20Code.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br /><div><b><a href="https://www.mattadamswriter.com/2023/05/an-older-code-40-years-of-return-of-jedi.html" target="_blank">An Older Code</a>. </b>An Imperial technician on the <i>Executor </i>recognizes a shuttle carrying an older code, a clear violation of protocol. Why does no one seem to care? Didn't they finish the Imperial-mandated security training?</div>Matt Adamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07960407647609637681noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6792925679340467992.post-50653102256150701602023-05-11T22:32:00.003-04:002023-05-27T09:30:41.361-04:00Commentary: An Older Code<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj63HvvfwBeCge5IpNmFQ5iy-Dipc8dyvEmi9_TIbhl_CsteTcQIYqIexjOiOjGR9Knv__KLoNJTJd21FEqrMlJlFOqqZEh4Ra3y7wcK5gg_zS0QF-WcUeFvpGAlLWMVvjDqawX_ZS41Bwrmxtq2YmKYfAD2etaTKxFQ3i7ej8Ox24gZRdFBDmK9hoGSA/s500/Older%20code%20commentary.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="150" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj63HvvfwBeCge5IpNmFQ5iy-Dipc8dyvEmi9_TIbhl_CsteTcQIYqIexjOiOjGR9Knv__KLoNJTJd21FEqrMlJlFOqqZEh4Ra3y7wcK5gg_zS0QF-WcUeFvpGAlLWMVvjDqawX_ZS41Bwrmxtq2YmKYfAD2etaTKxFQ3i7ej8Ox24gZRdFBDmK9hoGSA/s16000/Older%20code%20commentary.jpg" /></a></div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">This is <a href="https://www.mattadamswriter.com/2023/05/an-older-code-40-years-of-return-of-jedi.html" target="_blank">commentary for </a></span><a href="https://www.mattadamswriter.com/2023/05/an-older-code-40-years-of-return-of-jedi.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px;">“</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">An Older Code.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px;">”</span></a></b></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">This story is inspired by a pivotal scene in <i>Return of the Jedi</i> in which Darth Vader allows a shuttle carrying a technical crew for the forest moon to land even though it's carrying an older code.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">I understand why this
happens. Vader senses Luke aboard the shuttle and lets it pass because he’s
more interested in turning Luke to the Dark Side than adhering to protocols.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">I always wondered what
other personnel aboard the <i>Executor </i>thought about this. Admiral Piett
was going to let the shuttle pass even though it had an “older code.” That
sounds risky given the strategic importance of the forest moon and the Death
Star II project. How did rank-and-file personnel react?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">The story set out to
explore what Piett meant by “an older code,” why such a code would exist, and
what policies would be in place to handle the situation we see in <i>Return of
the Jedi</i>.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">If the Imperial tech <a name="_Int_f4DR2Ajm">has</a> a name in canon, I couldn’t find it. I used the
decidedly <i>Star Wars-</i>sounding name Zarn Kellam. He’s a relatively
low-ranking tech on the bridge of the <i>Executor.</i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">How intolerable must it
have been to serve in the Empire? In addition to the Empire’s general
soul-crushing nature, Zarn deals with “corporate” annoyances as well. In this
story, he <a name="_Int_LNad2xld">has to</a> attend, via remote, an IT training
seminar. Anyone who’s ever worked in a corporate environment <a name="_Int_SUTsFpjD">has to</a> empathize with the poor guy.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">The security virtual
meeting is basically anti-spam training for Imperial officers. It’s a reminder
that Imperial workstations are reserved for Imperial business, lest any
employees download TikTok on their consoles.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">It is quite big of the
Empire to grant, with “supreme generosity,” some downtime for its beleaguered
servants. Note how the position of IT security head has changed multiple times
in the span of a few years. Again, for anyone with experience with a
corporation, this is commonplace. People change jobs and titles all the time
and there’s always someone new in charge of something.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Spam in the <i>Star Wars </i>universe
<a name="_Int_0GtXYdfb">has to</a> exist, right? “VaderCreds” is totally a riff
on crypto. Sorry, crypto bros.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">You can absolutely <i>feel </i>the
weariness in Zarn when presented with a list of <i>Executor </i>officers who
failed to pass their security training. It’s up to him to make sure they take
it again and pass. Among the ship’s officers, he finds only Piett tolerable.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">But the security training
also includes a major change in Imperial policy: the Empire is accelerating its
timetable for the expiration of the “master code.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">In my version of the <i>Star
Wars </i>universe, the master code is distributed fleetwide every few months so
ships can “prove” they’re part of the Imperial fleet. With a recent uptick in
Rebel activity, Imperial High Command is concerned Rebels may try to steal
ships <a name="_Int_67NyJvvL">in order to</a> infiltrate Imperial space—the
Moddell Sector in particular.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">This change in policy is
important, and Zarn believes his commanders need to follow it. Zarn doesn’t
sound like a particularly dedicated Imperial, but he does believe in following
the rules, if just because it will keep Imperial High Command off his back.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">I <a name="_Int_GTAH53Vz">wanted
</a>Zarn to have at least one friend on the ship. The brief interaction between
the security training and the pivotal <i>Tydirium </i>scene is designed to give
Zarn a little more personality.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It also
shows us that four of his superiors are lazy and stupid. While Zarn holds Piett
in somewhat high esteem, he <a name="_Int_LcqrSpEv">doesn’t have</a> much use
for the other officers. He and his friend believe the officers should be held
to higher standards.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Would the Empire care if
you lost your life savings in a VaderCreds scam? As Zarn tells his friend, they
absolutely wouldn’t care <a name="_Int_9T9qgkID">as long as</a> you showed up
for your next shift.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Zarn is likely joking about
his friend asking an “ISB question,” but there’s probably some paranoia
involved here. The Imperial Security Bureau is basically the gestapo of the
Galactic Empire, with agents who observe and report on dissident behavior.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">His friend’s story isn’t
apocryphal at all. It’s literally what <a name="_Int_YU0Pjs6y">happens</a> in
the first <i>Star Wars </i>movie. General Tagge voiced his concerns about the
rising threat of the Rebellion. Those concerns were summarily dismissed by
Admiral Motti. Who blew up the Death Star? The Rebels. Who was right? Tagge.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">The “Bantha” app is
basically a <i>Star Wars</i> version of Discord I made up. Imperial personnel
aren’t supposed to use it, as it’s on a long list of “banned apps.” Zarn’s
friend makes the wrong read here, though, and believes the Empire is preparing
to attack the Rebel fleet. Instead, the Imperials will hang back and let the
Rebels come to them.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Zarn and his friend are
both clearly worn down by the Galactic Civil War and Imperial culture in
general. They hope an end to the war—one that’s coming soon—will mean they can
take a trip somewhere or get a different job. I guess that would make them
casual fascists?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">We saw Felucia, of course,
in <i>Revenge of the Sith</i>. I’m not sure it’s a place you’d want to visit,
but it does have some beautiful flora.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Zarn is excited by the idea
of doing something different with his life. Reminder: <a name="_Int_8GkBhmzB">the</a>
<i>Executor </i>explodes during the Battle of Endor.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Back on the bridge, Zarn
checks the energy shield integrity and notes a technical crew boosted the
“output of their prefab bunker.” This is a direct reference to intel from “Many
Bothans Lived.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Ugh. Small talk with the
admiral. At least Piett is personable, I guess?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">It’s funny to think of an
Imperial admiral getting a performance review, isn’t it? Did he have to rank
himself on a five-point scale? Did his evaluation lead to a pay increase? Did
he have to create vague “goals” for the upcoming year?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">You can tell Piett is
amused by the security training and doesn’t consider it very important.
However, for Zarn’s sake, he’ll commit to <a name="_Int_CJ6GogfP">finish</a> it
despite being in the middle of a war. Heck, maybe he can convince the deadbeat
officers to take care of their stuff.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">The rest of the scene plays
out like it does in the movie, with the <i>Tydirium </i>arriving and requesting
deactivation of the deflector shield.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Zarn notes that the pilot
sounds “bored.” It’s a reference to Harrison Ford, who may not have given <i>Jedi
</i>his most inspired Han Solo performance. I’ve never had a problem with it,
but some fans believe he didn’t bring his “A” game to <i>ROTJ </i>and didn’t
want to be in the movie. Legend says he wanted Solo killed off.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Zarn immediately notices
the older code. New protocols mean the <i>Executor </i>should stop and detain
the passengers for questioning. The rules do have a little wiggle room allowing
fleet commanders “limited discretion” under extenuating circumstances, but the
shuttle doesn’t appear to be in distress or anything like that.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Vaguely worded policy FOR
THE WIN!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">I feel like “more than two
dozen people” would be larger than a typical technical support crew, but Piett
knows his stuff. Poor Zarn finds himself quoting the Imperial IT flunky from
earlier.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">What does a dark wind feel
like? Darth Vader. What does Darth Vader feel like? A dark wind. Is this a strained
analogy? Absolutely.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">This is Zarn’s moment of
truth. When Vader shows interest in the shuttle, Zarn is certain the Dark Lord
will vindicate him. Surely, he’ll follow the “stop and detain” order. He’s the
last line of defense against a violation of Imperial policy! After all, Piett
was about to clear the shuttle, even though it transmitted an “older code”
that’s a clear violation of protocol.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Zarn’s faith goes
unrewarded. Vader lets the shuttle pass.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Zarn is a mystifying
mixture of fear and outrage. Vader can feel it. This author readily admits the
brief scene between Vader and Zarn is an indulgence. Most of these stories
don’t include interactions with main characters, although I suppose Zarn also directly
interacts with Han Solo via the comm.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Zarn wants to <a name="_Int_7uab0o5E">report</a> Vader. He wants to <a name="_Int_ZgTdXhPv">report</a>
Piett. They didn’t follow the rules. Protocols and policies keep the Empire
safe!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">But Zarn initially backs
down. He even feels like he’s being Force-choked, although that’s all in his
head. Vader would Force-choke an admiral for dropping out of lightspeed too
close to a system, but he wouldn’t necessarily bother with a lowly technician who
was trying to do the right thing, especially since Vader’s thoughts are
centered on Luke and the Rebel incursion.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">To Zarn’s surprise—and
because Vader was in a good mood that day—Vader encourages him to file a
report.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">When his shift is over,
Zarn is determined to write up a report detailing how Piett and Vader violated
Imperial policy. The poor guy only has time to get a sandwich from the
“fast-serve kiosk.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px;">”</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">He even quotes Vader in the
report, writing that “while no man is above the rules, sometimes there are more
important things than protocol.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">I imagine, years down the
road, some archivist coming across a report from before the Battle of Endor in
which Darth Vader, Dark Lord of the Sith, completely ignored Imperial protocol.
This revelation would appear in a book about the Galactic Empire and spawn
dozens of news articles.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">“Even in his downtime, Zarn
Kellam served the Empire.” Kind of sad, isn’t it? Work-life balance clearly
isn’t an Imperial priority.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Poor Zarn doesn’t even see
the notification that Piett finished his security training.</span></p>Matt Adamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07960407647609637681noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6792925679340467992.post-36438670671896363752023-05-11T21:38:00.024-04:002023-05-12T14:25:02.730-04:00Commentary: A Whole Case of Trouble<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuN10-ocueRfcpntzfFzO1KC4c27cIvR7KKQRsz6jp3y1LOm3AhRUwuMLpDGHOnrhqRlWIJ_jzTpcYzgnZoybDvoLUsdAfMIQHAJPOI8B_fewlxiQyhb31FNBmsyePedDsnDOHHO8Wblo7pNJk-abR0Mxg_EMzarqeY4ZrtKZZ9Wh6x_P8WQrSgT9AsQ/s500/Case%20of%20Trouble%20commentary.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="150" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuN10-ocueRfcpntzfFzO1KC4c27cIvR7KKQRsz6jp3y1LOm3AhRUwuMLpDGHOnrhqRlWIJ_jzTpcYzgnZoybDvoLUsdAfMIQHAJPOI8B_fewlxiQyhb31FNBmsyePedDsnDOHHO8Wblo7pNJk-abR0Mxg_EMzarqeY4ZrtKZZ9Wh6x_P8WQrSgT9AsQ/s16000/Case%20of%20Trouble%20commentary.jpg" /></a></div><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">This is <a href="https://www.mattadamswriter.com/2023/05/a-whole-case-of-trouble-40-years-of.html" target="_blank">commentary for </a></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://www.mattadamswriter.com/2023/05/a-whole-case-of-trouble-40-years-of.html" target="_blank">“A Whole Case of Trouble<span style="font-size: 12pt;">.<span style="font-size: 12pt;">”</span></span></a></span></b></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">This is the first story I
wrote when I decided to dip my toes into the </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;">ROTJ </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">fanfiction pool. It’s
the only one featuring a main player in the </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;">Star Wars </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">universe as the
POV character. Some of the other stories mention characters like Darth Vader,
Han Solo, Luke, and Leia, but they primarily focus on side characters.</span></p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">This filename for this one
is simply “Lando story.” It’s one of two in which the filename doesn’t match
the final title; <a href="https://www.mattadamswriter.com/2023/05/the-fall-of-palpatine-40-years-of.html" target="_blank">“The Fall of Palpatine”</a> was originally titled “As I Have
Foreseen It.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">In my version of events,
Lando has been embedded as a guard in Jabba’s Palace for a few months. I make no
real determination of a timeline here, and again, I’m sure this conflicts with
newly released canonical material in one way or another.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">I like the idea of Boba
Fett knowing Lando was disguised as a guard and doing absolutely nothing about
it. He’s more interested in collecting credits from Jabba and waiting to see
what happens when Solo’s friends inevitably try to rescue him, which is
infinitely more fun than simply turning him in.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Plus, as Lando tells us,
the overconfident Fett would likely get a much higher bounty for the whole
Rebellion Collectors Set. Reminder: the “galaxy’s greatest bounty hunter” is
defeated by a man who can’t see.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Yes, Lando, there are
rookie Jedi. They’re called “padawans,” although we didn’t find this out until
1999, 16 years after <i>Return of the Jedi </i>came out.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Lando assumed the identity
of Tamtel Skreej while masquerading as one of Jabba’s guards. There’s not a ton
of material surrounding this character.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">I distinctly remember a
Quarren being featured on the card art for Luke Skywalker’s <i>ROTJ </i>action
figure. Is Oz the same guy? It doesn’t matter all that much. The
implication in the story is that Oz is serving Jabba as part of some indentured
servitude arrangement. He wants to get out.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">“Some poor spacer who
dumped a shipment of spice during a delivery” could also describe Han Solo, who
later becomes a “coffee table” at Jabba’s Palace.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Lando digs the spacer's jacket. For
a man who appreciates high fashion and the finer things in life, living for a
few months at Jabba’s grimy, dingy palace among Jabba’s grimy, dingy minions is
rough.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Who was Jabba’s last
protocol droid? How long had the Hutt been without one? Those questions went
unanswered for years, although a one-shot comic gives the droid a name and a
background. His name is Eightyem and he ends up accidentally betraying Jabba at
the behest of a rogue, leading to his disintegration. At least that’s what the
summary I read told me.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">I had originally written
the part for a blue protocol droid with a female voice. But the comic’s release
in late March led me to make a change to line things up with the current canon.
I’m not <i>obsessed </i>with aligning these stories with canon, but if I can
add a touch here or there, I will.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">How many recreational
substances is Jabba taking? Imagine how much stuff a creature Jabba’s size and
weight had to take to stay high—and how much he’d really have to consume to
sustain his drugged-out existence.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">I guess I’ve imagined
Jabba’s Palace as kind of an opium den.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">It’s absurd how awful
things are at Jabba’s Palace. Lando shares the story of another rogue who ran
afoul of the Hutt and paid back his debt, only for Jabba’s minions to kill him
because they liked his boots. He wonders if the stylish spacer will suffer a
similar fate.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">I use three asterisks (***)
to denote a section break in manuscripts. My <i>ROTJ </i>stories use the
Imperial logo or Rebel Alliance symbol, depending on the affiliation of the
narrator. For “A Whole Case of Trouble,” I used Colt 45 cans. I’ll get to that
in a bit.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">This section opens with
Lando reflecting on the betrayal at Bespin. I know people get angry at Lando
for betraying Han, and I understand that, but there were millions of people in
Cloud City. When the Empire showed up unannounced, he didn’t have much choice.
I think, in the back of his mind, he always thought he’d figure out how to talk
his way out of it. But there’s no talking your way out of it when Vader’s
involved.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Vader would indeed know
“all too well when a gambler was bluffing.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Can you imagine ever
getting a good night’s sleep after encountering Darth Freaking Vader? Wouldn’t
you constantly feel like you were short of breath—that an invisible hand was
squeezing your throat?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">“He’s so spiced up, he
thinks the Galactic Senate’s still in session” went through a few different
iterations to note the passage of time in the <i>Star Wars </i>universe.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">“He’s so spiced up, he
thinks Valorum’s still chancellor.”</span></li><li><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">“He’s so spiced up, he
thinks Alderaan’s still running tours.”</span></li><li><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">“He’s so spiced up, he
thinks Tarkin’s still a grand moff.”</span></li><li><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">“He’s so spiced up, he
thinks the Republic’s still in charge.”</span></li></ul><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Some of them felt a little
too forced or specific coming from a common spacer. I finally settled on the
Galactic Senate one.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Given the vigor with which
bounty hunters pursued Han Solo, the spacer’s probably right about her
inability to simply disappear.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Twinburst Ale is supposed
to be a pricey liquor in the <i>Star Wars </i>universe catering to high-class
customers with expensive taste. Lando liked the stuff so much that he bought a
stake in the company. In recent months, the Empire banned the ale and branded
Lando a traitor. The Empire claims it destroyed every bottle, but given the
vastness of the universe, it feels like a few cases slipped through the cracks.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">The spacer plans to extort
Lando for the credits she needs to pay off Jabba.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">How did she know Lando’s
identity? I left this ambiguous in earlier versions of the story. She
recognized something about Lando when meeting him in the palace. That’s fine. It
works.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">But while reading through
the story again, I thought maybe something needed to <i>trigger </i>that
recognition. I added an interaction and a few lines of dialogue, with the key
phrase being “works every time.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">His use of the phrase made
her recall an ad for Twinburst Ale in which Lando uttered the same words. A
little on the nose, perhaps, but I felt like the story needed something here.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Just imagine Baron
Administrator Lando Calrissian, replete in one of his many dashing outfits,
hanging out with some beautiful women in Cloud City to advertise an alcoholic
beverage. Class, sophistication, it’s the Lando Calrissian—and Billy Dee
Williams—way.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">The whole idea for the ale,
and the commercial, stemmed from <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4zkkB_gY0E" target="_blank">the famous Colt 45 ads</a> featuring one Billy Dee
Williams, who often said “works every time.” It’s also the reason for the
unique section breaks in this story.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">We next go to a scene
featuring Lando and Oz, who are playing what is essentially <i>Star Wars Racer </i>in
what passes as the lounge area. I initially made this a skiff racing game
before changing it to podracing instead. Given the Boonta Eve Classic and all
that, there’s no harm in a prequel reference. Plus, I’m not sure how fast those
skiffs from <i>Return of the Jedi </i>actually go. Pods look like they’re a lot
faster.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Another prequel reference:
Geonosis. I don’t recall a podracing level being set there, but the catacombs
and such would make for some interesting scenery.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Poodoo. Indeed.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">I have no memory of Quarren
drinking beer, but they’d have their own mass-market brand, right, kind of like
the Bud Light of Quarren? Nice of Lando to hand his friend one of them, even if
it “smelled like a sea breeze carried on winds near a noxious factory.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">And here’s another
complication for Lando: one of Jabba’s guards, Gronko, runs a customs scam.
Having gotten aboard the spacer’s ship, he’s seen the Twinburst Ale and knows
selling it could be lucrative. This really puts Lando in a bind. As he notes,
if Gronko steals the ale, the spacer can’t sell it to Lando and she’ll likely
make her only remaining play by giving Lando up.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">A quick aside here on the
Han Solo rescue. What was the plan, exactly? Obviously, it’s important for
Han’s friends to infiltrate the palace. Luke gives Artoo his lightsaber as his
ace in the hole. Lando’s on standby to keep an eye on things. Leia and Chewie
get there to break Han out. Luke, I guess, is there as a Plan B. When he’s
unable to bargain with Jabba, what did he plan to do?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Surely, the plan didn’t
call for Luke to land in the rancor pit or for Jabba to throw some of the group into the Sarlacc pit <i>just </i>so Luke could get his lightsaber
and save everyone.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">My view is that Leia and
Chewie were the first phase of the rescue and Luke was the backup plan.
Everything that happens after Luke shows up is improvisation. It all works
out—just try not to think too hard about it.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">The tasteful spacer has an
awesome Nubian freighter. Goodness, a lot of prequel stuff in this story.
Didn’t realize it until this commentary.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Stang! </span></i><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">One of my all-time favorite
made-up curse words. I remember this from some <i>Star Wars </i>comics and
novels. Couldn’t resist using it here. For a college project, I once portrayed
a sportscaster named “Stang Kittridge” for a segment on <i>Star Wars </i>sports,
which included events like tauntaun racing and the Endor Olympics.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Observant readers would
probably see where this was going when Lando mentioned Gronko was a Clawdite, a
shapeshifting species first seen in <i>Attack of the Clones </i>(again with the
prequels!). Gronko posed as the spacer to fool her copilot in a bid to steal
the Twinburst Ale.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Then, Lando and the spacer
turn the tables on Gronko, with the spacer announcing herself as customs.
Gronko doesn’t last long; serves him right for stealing the jacket.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">By the way, the spacer was
jobbing Lando the whole time. He’s a little off his game after the whole Bespin
thing. She planned to take Lando’s credits <i>and</i> keep the ale the whole
time.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">The “my fence seems
confident” line is a reference to <i>Ocean’s Eleven</i>. The spacer isn’t
moving Incan matrimonial headmasks, however.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">“Yours, Tendra.” The
stylish spacer is Tendra Risant. In <i>Legends </i>continuity, she and Lando
get married. She’s been erased in the new canon. I’ve restored her in my
version of <i>Star Wars </i>continuity, although the two meet under
significantly different circumstances than they do in the novels. It’s really
just meant to be a fun Easter egg for fans who may have remembered the
character.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Lando really is a softy,
giving that bottle of Twinburst Ale to Oz so he can finally get off-world. Good
dude, that Lando.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">We come back to Fett at the
end of the story. This time, Lando acknowledges the bounty hunter by raising
his glass. He knows the droids will soon arrive and they’ll finally have a
chance to save Han.</span><o:p></o:p></p>Matt Adamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07960407647609637681noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6792925679340467992.post-49108465809587465742023-05-11T21:38:00.023-04:002023-05-12T14:23:34.718-04:00Commentary: Many Bothans Lived<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMvQ0BFTo-lYMlajNyO9AQlghM636ou18qYJsWTl5ji23ge4JhnA6rZ836_ZmFJKyt11Yf4q-wN4ygM8zPfwbOmFxzo9fdiYqA9D1vFBXwuNAVKN_bNpoSZyK1f0akvRO-DF-Cn5sKfuFS9yiAi4ujEUKQ1O_Nf67Sr468ki5-Uzm9D8ev47n4oSRGig/s500/Bothans%20commentary.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="150" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMvQ0BFTo-lYMlajNyO9AQlghM636ou18qYJsWTl5ji23ge4JhnA6rZ836_ZmFJKyt11Yf4q-wN4ygM8zPfwbOmFxzo9fdiYqA9D1vFBXwuNAVKN_bNpoSZyK1f0akvRO-DF-Cn5sKfuFS9yiAi4ujEUKQ1O_Nf67Sr468ki5-Uzm9D8ev47n4oSRGig/s16000/Bothans%20commentary.jpg" /></a></div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><i><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">This is <a href="https://www.mattadamswriter.com/2023/05/commentary-many-bothans-lived.html" target="_blank">commentary for </a></span><a href="https://www.mattadamswriter.com/2023/05/commentary-many-bothans-lived.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px;">“</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Many Bothans Lived.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px;">”</span></a></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">The story’s title plays on Mon Mothma’s enigmatic line from <i>Return of the Jedi</i>: “Many Bothans died to bring us this information.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">New <i>Star Wars </i>canon
has mentioned Bothans a few times, but I don’t believe we’ve seen or interacted
with any in new material. In the <i>Legends</i> continuity, Bothans and their
homeworld were much more fleshed out. They played a major role in many stories,
including the <i>Heir to the Empire </i>trilogy and subsequent novels.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">They’re ascribed feline/mammalian-like
qualities in <i>Legends</i> continuity, with furry bodies and pointed ears.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">The main character of this
story, Lort Br’lya, is heavily influenced by Borsk Fey'lya, a key figure in <i>Legends</i>-era
stories. Fey’lya was a politician and high-ranking member of the Bothan Spynet
who rose to great heights in the post-Empire era. He was often an adversarial
figure, a skilled bureaucrat who manipulated others and prioritized personal
power over the good of the state. Vainglorious and stubborn, he harbored an
animosity toward Admiral Ackbar that led to a bitter rivalry between the two.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">To be perfectly honest, I
could’ve used Fey’lya in this story. In fact, I went back and forth on it. In
the end, I decided to create another character with similar traits in hopes Fey’lya, like Thrawn before him, will one day resurface in Disney-era canon.
He was never nearly as popular of a character as Thrawn, but his machinations
during the New Republic era stretched from its beginning in <i>Heir to the
Empire </i>through the <i>New Jedi Order </i>storyline. Few expanded universe
characters achieved as much influence (and elicited more anger) than Fey’lya.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">I imagined the Bothan
Spynet as a decentralized group of cells operating as information brokers
across the vast <i>Star Wars </i>universe. Some of them have friends in high
places, while others befriend low-ranking techs or politicians to milk them for
information. I use a lot of spy tropes in this story—dead drops, codenames,
coded messages—to show a side of <i>Star Wars </i>we don’t see much of aside
from <i>Rogue One </i>and <i>Andor.</i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">In my imagination, the Bothan
Spynet is a vast apparatus rivaling the Empire’s own intelligence division.
Lort, the group’s highest-ranking official, is one of the few figures given
access to all the information coming in from across the galaxy. Analytical and
calculating, he possesses the uncanny ability to take small pieces of
information and use them to form a larger picture.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">One of the more difficult aspects
of writing stories about the Death Star II plans is making sure the characters
have stakes. The Emperor, after all, manipulated events to make sure the plans
fell into Rebel hands to set up what he foresaw as the “final showdown” against
the Rebel Alliance. The whole operation, from the Emperor’s view, is a trap. As
a writer, that really twists you into some narratively tough situations. If the
Empire “let” the Rebels get the plans, then what sacrifices are the Rebellion
and Bothans actually making?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">I took the view that, yes,
it’s definitely an Emperor-engineered trap. But he allowed the plans to fall
into the hands of the Bothan Spynet with the dual purpose of finally destroying
the Spynet itself. The group’s existence had angered and rankled the Emperor
for years. It’s also important to remember the Rebellion’s spies, leadership,
and rank-and-file have no idea they’re being manipulated. To them, this is a life-or-death
situation. If they can’t get the plans to Rebel leadership, the consequences
for the galaxy are dire. They view this as their best chance to destroy the Empire
once and for all.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">While the Bothan Spynet provides
vital aid to the Rebellion, Lort and his colleagues don’t have the most
favorable view of Rebel Intelligence. They see the Rebellion in pragmatic
terms and have little affection for Rebel leadership, viewing them as a means
to rid the galaxy of Imperial blight.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">In a light revisionist view
of <i>Rogue One</i>, the Bothan Spynet heard rumblings of a “planet killer” and
passed the information to the Rebels. Based on my interpretation of the Spynet,
this makes a lot of sense. The Bothan spies, however, play no role in the movie
or the <i>Andor </i>series.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">For a while, Lort and his
spies believe rumblings of material linked to a “planet killer” are related to
the first Death Star. Those rumblings grow increasingly loud and more frequent,
however, and they realize the Empire is working on a second, larger battle station.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">In this and other stories, I
portray the Empire as a complicated bureaucratic machine. When its people follow
its policies and protocols, the Empire wins. When people become complacent or
fail to do their due diligence, the Imperial apparatus suffers. In the case of the
second Death Star, an independent contractor fails to properly conceal a shipment
manifest, allowing spies to find a single mention of “kyber.” This leads to
further scrutiny on the part of Lort and his agents.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Even then, the Rebels are
reluctant to take the news at face value. They’ve already defeated one Death
Star, as Lort notes, and are not looking forward to dealing with another. They’re
in denial.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">The Moddell Sector is part
of the Outer Rim and includes the Endor system. At least that’s what several <i>Star
Wars </i>wikis tell me.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Lort refers to his cousin
by her codename. It’s vital to Lort that his agents conceal
their true identities. He wants to keep his spies as safe as possible. While he
makes an attempt at cold detachment in his communications with her, he can’t
quite fully commit to it. The two were very close as children and have a great
deal of affection for one another. While she may not be the highest-ranking member
of the Spynet, he puts a lot of stock in what she reports.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">The prefab bunker mentioned
in their exchange is the same one we see on the forest moon in <i>Return of the
Jedi</i>. I like the idea of the Empire ordering a standard bunker and plunking
it down on the planet. The bunker, however, needed a reinforced power grid to
project the energy shield around Death Star II. “Aierzon” is meant to be a
playful invocation of Amazon.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">I mention Bothawui as the
homeworld of the Bothan people. In <i>Legends </i>continuity, it was a typical,
temperate terrestrial planet. It appears current canon has turned it into a gas
giant. I will stick with <i>Legends </i>continuity for my purposes.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">The “invalid code” comment
from Saber plays into another story, “An Older Code.” With Rebel activity on
the rise, the Empire changed its protocols regarding old and outdated codes.
That story also suggests the Empire has difficulty coordinating such orders
across its vast fleet. It would appear, based on what occurs in that story, that
the Empire again failed to follow its new policy to “stop and detain” ships
with invalid or older codes. That’s probably a good thing for the Spynet.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">The Empire has also
reassigned many of its ships, which mysteriously disappear from their prescribed
patrol routes. This comes to the delight of smugglers and spice runners, who no
longer have to worry about Imperial entanglements while shipping their
ill-gotten cargo. The idea here is that the Imperials are moving the fleet to
the Moddell Sector as part of the Emperor’s plan to entrap the Rebel fleet.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">I mention three Star
Destroyers. The <i>Devastator </i>is the large ship seen pursuing Leia’s
blockade runner at the beginning of <i>Star Wars</i>. It’s the first Imperial
ship <i>Star Wars </i>fans of a certain age ever saw. The <i>Devastator </i>served
as Darth Vader’s flagship until he assumed command of the <i>Executor,</i> the
Super Star Destroyer first seen in <i>The Empire Strikes Back</i>.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">The <i>Vigilance </i>was
under the command of Rae Sloane, a prominent and popular character in the
new canon.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Lort definitely recognizes
something amiss with current Imperial behavior. It’s not like the Empire to essentially
“abandon” its patrols. It’s not like the Empire to allow Rebel leaders to
openly flaunt anti-Imperial ideas. There must be a reason for this, he believes,
although he can’t quite grasp it.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">He fails to see the trap.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Myr’la mentions Mount
Tantiss. The location, which initially appeared in <i>Heir to the Empire</i>, served
as the Emperor’s storehouse of technology and weapons. It became part of the
current canon continuity thanks to the animated TV show <i>The Bad Batch</i>. It
serves much of the same purpose as a repository of weapons, technology, and
cloning. It’s pretty much Crazy Old Palps’ House of Fun and Destruction.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">While the Bothan Spynet
sometimes has an antagonistic attitude toward Rebel Intelligence, Lort makes it
clear he stands against the Empire. His thoughts about the price of overthrowing
tyranny mirror, in some aspects, Luthen Rael’s viewpoint in <i>Andor.</i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Armed with information
about the Death Star II plans, Lort convenes a meeting of his intelligence
chiefs. For once, they all agree on something. Bothans, by nature, are obsessed
with the acquisition of power and personal prestige. For the intel chiefs to be
all-in on the operation carries a lot of weight.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Lort suggests “For Alderaan”
is a rallying cry for the Rebellion. I was thinking of <i>Rogue One</i>, in which
we hear some Rebels utter “For Jedha!” after the Death Star destroyed the moon’s
holy city.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">It appears the dangerous
operation to acquire the Death Star plans succeeds. It soon becomes apparent,
however, that something is awry. One by one, Bothan Spynet cells are discovered
and destroyed. Agents are killed. It’s clear the Empire is somehow tracking the
Spynet.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Everything goes straight to
hell.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Before long, Lort gets a priority
transmission from Myr’la, who drops all pretenses of protocol and implores her
cousin to make sure their sacrifice matters. She calls him by his real name on
the transmission, something that would typically anger Lort. In his grief,
however, he doesn’t care. His cousin is gone, and the Spynet he dedicated his
life to building and preserving is crumbling right before his eyes.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">He's defeated. Hopeless.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">As the Spynet disintegrates and
his agents die, Lort reflects on how, in his younger days, he would’ve been
concerned about how fellow Bothans would have viewed his failures. This goes
back to the idea that the Bothan people are very class driven and aristocratic
in nature, their society fueled by prestige and power.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">The automated looping
message for Spynet agents to steer clear of Lort’s base recalls the message
sent to Jedi in the wake of Order 66 in <i>Revenge of the Sith</i>. Lort even mentions
the Jedi Purge to Guardian in a subsequent passage.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Lort is content to sit and
wait for a Star Destroyer to arrive and end him once and for all.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">“This is Guardian,” I hope,
reads as a hopeful line to the audience. It <i>means </i>something.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Let me just say I love
droids in <i>Star Wars</i>. In “Turncoat,” an astromech named Fate saves the day.
In this story, an astromech named Elfie basically saves the Rebellion. Yes,
heroes have blasters and lightsabers and starfighters, but they also speak
binary sometimes.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Elfie disabled the tracking
mechanism embedded in the plans, allowing Guardian to escape without being
tracked to Lort’s base. He shows Lort the same plans we see during the briefing
scene in <i>Return of the Jedi.</i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Guardian’s real name is Ray’lo.
Only after I wrote the story did I realize it sounded a lot like “Reylo,” the
portmanteau used by “shippers” of Rey and Kylo Ren. You can call it a reference
if you want, but it’s not meant to be. Just like the relationship between Rey and
Ben Solo.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">A late addition during
revisions was the line about the Emperor overseeing construction of the Death
Star. The <i>ROTJ </i>briefing makes this a Big Deal, and while the Death Star
plans are definitely important, knowing Palpatine would be on the Death Star—and
the implication that it would mean the destruction of the Death Star would
result in the death of Palpatine—was something I needed to address.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">When it comes to short
stories, I’ll often use repetition to reinforce a point or make a world feel
familiar to the reader. “Terror Bears” uses some (“We called ourselves the Dread
Forge”). So does “Turncoat” (“She told the Rebels her name was Kail Tremal/But
she was really Sevra Brack, TIE-XS75”).</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">In this story, I have a
list of names and codenames. In the original version, it used to be longer, and
I utilized it a few more times.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">I cut a couple instances off the list. I also trimmed a few names from it because I didn’t even refer to some
of the individuals in the story itself. The only ones Lort really interacts
with are Sunrise, Saber, and Guardian, while the others are mentioned in
passing.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">To the reader, the rest of
the names are somewhat meaningless, even if they’re mentioned in the story. The
important point is that to Lort, they mean something. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">The last line turns around Mon Mothma's most famous line. While the Rebellion focused on the fact "many Bothans died," Lort reminds us all "many Bothans lived" to make sure the Rebellion had a fighting chance.</span></p>Matt Adamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07960407647609637681noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6792925679340467992.post-2480628862302097482023-05-11T21:38:00.021-04:002023-05-12T13:50:08.836-04:00Commentary: Terror Bears<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdfd8oT0lZRVA_pdvr0hTrIDQJZ9uNqV6oySySPKan5AhPvXKBaFSvb6iZXMIPDmdTDRHu8r8nwEB3Kz09YQdyp6Qt_6tcPlSEckJ86mNuMwyRfaND52WVVRWKqdEcIyjaxzg6jo3N0O577UnLFItVROwwOhgn0KfKIYqlmm0V3M1xv_2A3rPT1pXVJQ/s500/Terror%20Bears%20commentary.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="150" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdfd8oT0lZRVA_pdvr0hTrIDQJZ9uNqV6oySySPKan5AhPvXKBaFSvb6iZXMIPDmdTDRHu8r8nwEB3Kz09YQdyp6Qt_6tcPlSEckJ86mNuMwyRfaND52WVVRWKqdEcIyjaxzg6jo3N0O577UnLFItVROwwOhgn0KfKIYqlmm0V3M1xv_2A3rPT1pXVJQ/s16000/Terror%20Bears%20commentary.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;"><div style="color: black;"><i style="font-size: 12pt;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;"><br /></span></b></i></div><div><i style="font-size: 12pt;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">This is <a href="https://www.mattadamswriter.com/2023/05/terror-bears-40-years-of-return-of-jedi.html" target="_blank">commentary for </a></span><a href="https://www.mattadamswriter.com/2023/05/terror-bears-40-years-of-return-of-jedi.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">“</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Terror Bears.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”</span></a></b></i></div><div style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Dread Forge isn’t a reference to anything particular from </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;">Star Wars</i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> canon. I was simply looking for something that sounded intimidating on the surface.</span></div></span><p><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">I’ve never had a problem with Ewoks. I always liked them and thought they were brave. Also, you can’t defeat Imperial forces by being cute and cuddly. The Ewoks <i>used Imperial helmets as drums</i>. What happened to the Imperials who wore them? I’m just saying the Ewoks were gonna roast Luke, Han, and company before Threepio showed off his godlike powers.</span></p><p><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">The Empire’s mission briefing on Ewoks referred to them as a “docile but territorial pre-hyperspace civilization with pagan beliefs and a strong connection to the forest.” I’m sure Imperial researchers spent about six minutes coming up with that description. </span></p><p><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Of the six stories I wrote, this is the only one presented from a first-person perspective. The narrator here is a stormtrooper nicknamed Bolt. He’s cocky, like the whole unit. They believe they’re basically on Endor as a formality and have no expectation of failure.</span></p><p><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Throughout the story, it’s readily apparent he’s in denial at the things happening to the Dread Forge, although the realization starts to sink in toward the end of the story.</span></p><p><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">The stormtroopers don’t directly interact with the Ewoks. I wanted to present them as something out of <i>Predator</i>—an all-seeing, unstoppable force. They set traps for the stormtroopers, lurk in the forest, etc.</span></p><p><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">In the hands of a writer more skilled with building terror and tension, this story would feel grimmer in nature. The “kills” come quickly and play broadly. That’s just the way I write.</span></p><p><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Something I liked about <i>Revenge of the Sith</i> was how certain clone units painted their armor or added personal touches to their helmets as the conflict dragged on. I used the same idea for the Dread Forge, with members of the unit painting kill streaks or symbols on their armor and helmets. This had to have happened with Imperial units stationed on backwater planets, right?</span></p><p><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">I like the idea of stormtroopers calling the Emperor “Old Palps.”</span></p><p><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">I gave the stormtroopers nicknames for clarity’s sake and to show they are a tight-knit unit. Trying to keep names like TK-421 straight would confuse the reader (and the author!), so designations like “Cap,” “Therm,” “Pops,” and “Vibro” came to mind.</span></p><p><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">The nicknames and their meanings:</span></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Cap: "The Captain”</span></li><li><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Therm: Specialist with thermal detonators</span></li><li><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Vibro: Expert with vibroblades</span></li><li><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Pops: Resident “Old Guy”</span></li><li><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Tracker: Unit’s “capable scout”</span></li><li><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Cinder: Plays with fire</span></li><li><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Bolt: Strikes quickly like a lightning or blaster bolt</span></li><li><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Mags: Always has extra blaster magazines</span></li><li><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Nines: Unexceptional, professional ninth member of the unit</span></li><li><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Spanner: Techie named after the hydrospanner tool mentioned in <i>The Empire Strikes Back </i></span></li></ul><p></p><p><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">The unit gets cut off from the rest of the Imperial force. Overconfident, they believe they’ll easily handle the Ewok threat and press deeper into the forest. This decision is a grievous tactical error.</span></p><p><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">In the original version of the story, I had Bolt giving orders even though I’d written a character named “Cap.” Some light rewriting fixed the issue, putting Cap in charge of the Dread Forge and correctly framing Bolt as a member of the unit instead of its leader.</span></p><p><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">In the middle of the chaos, the narrator stops to ponder why Imperial units have specific armor for specific environments, while stormtroopers are running around the forest sans camouflage. </span></p><p><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">I namechecked Corellia and Ryloth because they’re a couple recognizable <i>Star Wars</i> planets. Corellia is Han Solo’s home planet and played a role in several stories in the <i>Legends </i>continuity. It’s still quite relevant in current canon. Ryloth is the home planet of Twi’leks. It’s appeared in both canon and <i>Legends</i> continuity, although I remember it most for being mentioned in one of the <i>X-Wing</i> books, where it was the source of a potent pharmaceutical substance called ryll.</span></p><p><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">The “Ewoks in the cave” scene was inspired by a similar gory scene in the movie <i>Bone Tomahawk</i>. The Kurt Russell indie movie starts out like a typical western before it takes some, um, unforeseen turns.</span></p><p><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Bacta. Of course, the stormtroopers have fast-acting bacta patches for pain relief in the field.</span></p><p><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">While members of the Dread Forge are dealing with their Ewok tormentors, the rest of the Empire has its hands full with Ewok and Rebel forces. The sounds of battle aren’t that far away in the form of clanking AT-STs, zooming speeder bikes, and screeching blaster bolts.</span></p><p><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">How did the Ewoks sneak up on them in a cave? And why doesn’t “capable scout” Tracker notice them? Don’t think too hard about it. The author didn’t.</span></p><p><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Did anyone really think Pops was still alive?</span></p><p><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">I like the little detail that Pops was one of the first non-clone stormtroopers. The dude has seen it all. And he got an arrow right through the eye for it.</span></p><p><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">The BlasTech E-11 is the standard-issue blaster of Imperial stormtroopers. The toy version I had growing up was painted white to make sure no one mistook it for a real weapon.</span></p><p><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Is Vibro getting crushed by a giant rock a bit too much? A bit too comical? Probably. The timing here is everything.</span></p><p><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">What is a mag-tube? Well, the story describes it. More or less, it’s a bazooka for thermal detonators. There’s probably some obscure reference somewhere in <i>Star Wars</i> canon for such a weapon.</span></p><p><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Why did Therm’s thermal detonator go off even though he disarmed it? Let’s just say sometimes the Empire went with the lowest bidder and this particular detonator had an unfortunate faulty mechanism. Kaboom.</span></p><p><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Even though the rest of the unit is gone, even though he’s seen Vibro and Therm die right in front of him minutes before, Bolt still holds out hope of rescuing Nines and restarting the Dread Forge after the Empire’s inevitable victory on Endor. The exploding Death Star II should dispel any such notions, dude.</span></p><p><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Shouldn’t be a real mystery what happens to Bolt at the end. Is the Ewok with the axe the same one from the cave? Maybe. Maybe not.</span></p>Matt Adamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07960407647609637681noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6792925679340467992.post-32733390948705046192023-05-11T21:38:00.010-04:002023-05-11T21:46:09.510-04:00Commentary: Turncoat<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6ml763sbVUOpFcvnE2x1gSycL1g2KuP2TOmM3qfKIU3XgcainJQYEwzA_7s6Y7--hgllcMQq6XG_09Apjkn0cyMYu99W96TYCDKMCAOrOTBJ3tVm8SY6e4zvqIKRxe-Uljajag_OkGzHDnwuz_8VoPrxrEtXlRKWjdTeIK6YhZ8bhyZW7bYZJML-PYw/s500/Turncoat%20commentary.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="150" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6ml763sbVUOpFcvnE2x1gSycL1g2KuP2TOmM3qfKIU3XgcainJQYEwzA_7s6Y7--hgllcMQq6XG_09Apjkn0cyMYu99W96TYCDKMCAOrOTBJ3tVm8SY6e4zvqIKRxe-Uljajag_OkGzHDnwuz_8VoPrxrEtXlRKWjdTeIK6YhZ8bhyZW7bYZJML-PYw/s16000/Turncoat%20commentary.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><i><b>This is <a href="https://www.mattadamswriter.com/2023/05/turncoat-40-years-of-return-of-jedi.html" target="_blank">commentary for "Turncoat."</a></b></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">“Turncoat” is my love
letter to the </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;">X-Wing </i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">and </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;">Wraith Squadron</i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> series. Their spiritual
successor in current canon is </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;">Alphabet Squadron</i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">. The story opens with a
“</span><i style="font-size: 12pt;">dramatis personae,</i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” which I distinctly recall showing up in several </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;">Star
Wars </i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">EU novels.</span></p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">It’s helpful in stories
with a large cast, which a fighter squadron would always have. Bronze Squadron
includes twelve members with numbered designations. While writing it, I kept
the names and designations in a list at the bottom of my Word document. This
was helpful to me, so I added the </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">dramatis personae </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">section at the top
to help familiarize readers with the characters.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">This is the longest entry
of my</span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> ROTJ</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> stories.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">The main character is Sevra
Brack, an Imperial TIE pilot who’s working undercover as a spy and embedded
within a Rebel fighter squadron. An Imperial loyalist, she’ll serve the cause
until the bitter end. She loathes the Rebels, their janky starfighters, and
their pilots.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Pretty much everything
about the Rebel Alliance annoys her. She misses the structure and order the
Empire brought to her life. She misses being able to treat aliens as
second-class citizens. She misses her sweet, sweet TIE Interceptor. She doesn’t
understand why the Rebels allow pilots to fly antiquated, inferior
starfighters.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Rebels’ best fighters
are X-Wings and A-Wings. The Y-Wings are slow but powerful. A Wookiee pilot
flies a beat-up ARC-170, an X-Wing precursor first glimpsed in the prequel
trilogy.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">The alien wingmen are
typical </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Star Wars</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> species, no real deep cuts. We’ve got a Duros, a Bith,
a Twi’lek, and the aforementioned Wookiee. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">One of the pilots is Hapan—meaning
he’s from Hapes, a planet first mentioned in </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Courtship of Princess Leia</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">,
an absolutely </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">wild </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">EU book featuring a matriarchal society and a
romantic suitor named Isolder who attempts to woo Leia, much to Han’s chagrin.
The Hapan pilot’s demeanor is meant to be over-the-top and kind of in the style
of Chris Hemsworth’s </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Thor</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">. In the <i>Legends </i>EU, Hapans were famously isolationist, making Aldar's inclusion a bit of a stretch.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">A couple other planets
mentioned include Corellia and Chandrila, both important worlds in the </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Star
Wars </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">universe. Corellia also got a mention in “Terror Bears.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">The message exchanges
between Sevra and her Imperial superiors did not appear in the original version
of the story. I wanted her to have some interaction to show she was working as
a spy. Sending coded messages to report on her squadron’s activities ended up
being the solution.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Sevra would gladly take out
Mon Mothma if given the order. You can tell she’d really like to destroy the
shuttle. However, she’s under orders to keep “MM” safe.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Home One </span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">is the ship Admiral Ackbar
helms in <i>Return of the Jedi</i>. The Mon Cal cruiser is the Rebel Alliance’s
flagship. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Would a normal Imperial know anything about Eadu, a planet seen in </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Rogue
One? </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Maybe. Maybe not. At the very least, Sevra is a spy and it’s one of
the mountainous planets I could think of that we see onscreen.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Sevra does seem confused by
certain aspects of her orders. The Empire has been trying to kill Mothma for a
while, yet she’s not ordered to take her out. And what’s this about a “final
offensive?”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">She is forming a begrudging
respect for the Rebels, however. That becomes more and more apparent throughout
the story. She still prefers her TIE Interceptor, though.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">As for her thoughts on
other species? She still thinks of Wookiees as “things” and has zero interest in
getting to know her fellow pilots, especially the non-human ones. She really is
the Empire’s best.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">As in “Terror Bears,” I
enjoyed giving some of the pilots nicknames. Wookiees always have long names, so
shorthand is almost always a requirement. Other nicknames include “Roo” and
“Goalie,” although those names aren’t nearly as long.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">The group scene with the
pilots is meant to show their sense of camaraderie. Sevra is playing a role
here, but she’s doing it well. We get an idea of the pilots’ personalities.
It’s most important to establish Roo and Nova, as they play a big role in
what’s to come and have a personal impact on Sevra. To a lesser extent, we also
need some insight into Aldar and Pollux.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I love a good mission
briefing scene or a heist setup. Each of the original trilogy movies has a
scene like this: in </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Star Wars</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">, it’s the attack on the first Death Star;
in </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Empire Strikes Back</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">, it’s the defense and evacuation of Hoth; in </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Return
of the Jedi</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">, it’s the final offensive. Here, we learn about the mission
parameters.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I was always fascinated by Imperial
interdictors, a class of ship capable of preventing other vessels from jumping
to lightspeed. They’ve never played a role in a </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Star Wars </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">movie that I
can recall, although they appeared in expanded universe material and the </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Star
Wars Sourcebook</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">The ship they’re trying to
protect is a Skipray Blastboat. It’s a small vessel that packs a decent punch
for its size. My hazy memory tells me Talon Karrde’s mercenaries used Skiprays
in </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Heir to the Empire</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">. We later learn the pilot’s codename is Scimitar.
I’ll come back to that.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">The idea that the Rebels
are attacking an interdictor head-on without a capital ship is insane, but
Bronze Squadron is adept at hit-and-fade missions. The operation, honestly,
does strain credulity. On the other hand, this is a critical mission with a
tight timeline and with no other ships nearby, Bronze Squadron has no other
choice.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">The briefing provides Sevra
with information about one of her key objectives. Whether she meant to or not,
Bronze Leader reveals the Rebel fleet is gathering near Sullust. She is, of
course, eager to pass this information along to her superiors. However, it
seems they already knew, based on their reply. The Empire’s reluctance to guarantee
her safety really nags at her.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">The brief scene of Sevra
getting into her X-Wing serves a couple purposes. First, it implies there’s
some bond between her and Nova, although she doesn’t reciprocate. She shows her
animosity toward non-humans with her flippant response to his genuine concern
for her. She also derides her astromech for insisting people call it “Fate.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">When I decided to make a
Wookiee one of the pilots, I realized someone would have to translate his radio
transmissions for him. I defaulted to having the pilots’ astromechs take care
of it.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Rebels have early
success in their mission by surprising the interdictor. Pollux gets too cocky,
however, and ends up getting blown to bits, despite the warnings of Aldar and
Bronze Leader.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Giving the “Flying Daggers”
a yellow stripe was inspired by the First Order’s red-accented fighters from
the sequel trilogy. Also, the squadron’s nickname is totally on the nose, as
TIE Interceptors pretty much look like flying daggers thanks to their unique pointed, angled wings.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">At one point, I had the
Flying Daggers pegged as Sevra’s old unit. The idea didn’t complicate the
story, but it also didn’t add much to it, so I scrapped it.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Ah, Bronze Eleven and
Bronze Twelve. Although it doesn’t become a running joke, exactly, the idea
here is that pilots get killed or transferred so often that it’s not worth
getting to know their names. Sevra also implies she may have been responsible
for some ship “malfunctions” that exacerbated the problem.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">From a practical
standpoint, I already had ten named characters with backgrounds in the story. I
didn’t want to add additional characters for the readers to track. My solution
was to keep the characters unnamed and provide only their designations.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">While Roo and Nova
antagonize each other, they’re good pilots and friends. Consider it a friendly
rivalry between the two.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">At roughly the midpoint of
the story, Sevra acknowledges that Nova’s disappointment in her hurts. She’s
not turned away from the Empire yet—that comes much later—but she’s starting to
think about things a little differently.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">On a few occasions in the
story, the Rebels have a chance to finish the job or make their own escape. But
instead of being the cold, efficient killers of the Imperial Navy, they risk
their lives to save their wingmen. Even though Sevra failed to save Nova
minutes ago, he’s more than willing to save her.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Sevra doesn’t understand it
because the idea is antithetical to Imperial ideology.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">She eventually chooses
self-preservation and momentarily reflects on the challenges of being a spy.
Her role requires her to kill Imperial pilots. There is a disconnect here,
though. While she doesn’t like killing other Imperials, she lacks the
self-awareness to understand that the Empire is willing to sacrifice its
personnel in exchange for intel. The acquisition of information is more
important than the </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">people </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">who serve the Empire. While she understands
this on the surface, it doesn’t sink in on a deeper level.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">A quick refresher on
starfighter speeds. Y-Wings are slow. X-Wings are faster. A-Wings are the
fastest in the Rebel fleet. TIE Interceptors can outrun them all. Gil’s ancient
ARC-170 is slower than the Y-Wings, although the Wook gets plenty out of it.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">While providing cover for
the Y-Wings, Roo’s engines take a direct hit and disable his ship. Nova’s first
instinct is to save him, much to Sevra’s chagrin and disbelief. It takes an
impassioned appeal from Roo himself to remind Nova that they must complete
their mission; otherwise the Empire will continue to oppress the galaxy.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">This, Sevra understands.
The mission must take precedence. She applauds Roo for having some common
sense, something she feels is sorely lacking among the Rebels. She does,
however, take exception to the pilots’ “bro-tastic” exchange.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Once the gravity well
projectors are disabled, we hear from Scimitar. That’s the codename of Lort
Br’lya, the spymaster from “Many Bothans Lived.” After securing the Death Star
II plans, he needs help getting them into the Rebellion’s hands. None of the
pilots know the nature of the intel in Br’lya’s possession; they’re only aware
it’s important.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">With the hyperspace lanes
open, the Rebels are free to make the jump to lightspeed. They disappear off
Sevra’s scopes. She plans to stay behind so she can rejoin the Imperials, but
Bronze Leader won’t leave until everyone else is safe.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Sevra feigns a hyperdrive
malfunction, eliciting a furious protest from her droid, Fate. She activates
her coded transmission and is stunned when the Imperials, instead of helping
her, attack her ship. She had a special message guaranteeing her safety.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Bronze Leader, Berix, tries
in vain to save Sevra, going out in spectacular fashion. Sevra’s as confused as
she’s ever been as the TIEs converge on her. Why are they trying to kill her?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Basically, the Empire got
what it needed out of her. With the intel she provided received and the Rebels’
final offensive coming soon, she no longer has value as a spy. She’s an
expendable asset.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">But while the Empire she
loved tried to kill her, two Rebel pilots risked their lives to save her. Bronze
Leader died while lowkey MVP Gil blasted her out of a jam and saved her skin. This
all forces Sevra to reassess everything, especially when her handlers stop
responding to her messages.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">She’s still in denial aboard
</span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Home One </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">until she takes a good look at the members of Bronze Squadron.
As they reflect on their losses, she reflects on everything they’ve sacrificed.
To paraphrase the good doctor, her small heart grew three sizes that day.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">She’s now ready to leave
Sevra Brack behind and embrace life as Kail Tremal, Rebel pilot.</span> </p>Matt Adamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07960407647609637681noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6792925679340467992.post-295389967418763502023-05-11T21:38:00.009-04:002023-05-11T21:45:50.337-04:00Commentary: The Fall of Palpatine<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz3uX8WRN8N2M3E4qvhTReDIFYKGSB5cPQ73HVMhoZ2GIuI35wuQaVgnxbOi9DwsLsCbqlkRO8c08eplfFD1RxV69SgHykBdnRQZYqPzroQeaQ6wxPT0MaB8nwSK6W21Z4qbtg1OUEI5sWO81SoyXASTU-6RHIdyXMVEGDV-hH7DIBXa5lLll-nuQzGQ/s500/Fall%20of%20Palpatine%20commentary.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="150" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz3uX8WRN8N2M3E4qvhTReDIFYKGSB5cPQ73HVMhoZ2GIuI35wuQaVgnxbOi9DwsLsCbqlkRO8c08eplfFD1RxV69SgHykBdnRQZYqPzroQeaQ6wxPT0MaB8nwSK6W21Z4qbtg1OUEI5sWO81SoyXASTU-6RHIdyXMVEGDV-hH7DIBXa5lLll-nuQzGQ/s16000/Fall%20of%20Palpatine%20commentary.jpg" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;"><i><b>This is <a href="https://www.mattadamswriter.com/2023/05/the-fall-of-palpatine-40-years-of.html" target="_blank">commentary for "The Fall of Palpatine."</a></b></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">I’ve always wondered what
was going through the Emperor’s head as he plummeted to his death after his
minion tossed him down a reactor shaft. This is a (sometimes serious) glimpse into the
mind of Sheev Palpatine, a leader of unmatched hubris. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">The gist of the story is
that the man with all these plans and machinations didn’t see his own fall
coming—although he still kind of did because </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Star Wars </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">canon requires
it.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">This story, the shortest of
my </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">ROTJ </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">entries, probably includes the most references of any of the
stories, with nods to everything from </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Rogue One </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">and </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Phantom
Menace </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">to </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Heir to the Empire </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">and </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Rise of Skywalker. </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I originally titled it "As I Have Foreseen It" (that's still its filename in Word, in fact) until I changed it to "The Fall of Palpatine."</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Some early namechecks:
Darth Vader/Anakin Skywalker; Orson Krennic, the true genius behind the Death
Star; Galen Erso, okay, the </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">true </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">true genius behind the Death Star;
Obi-Wan Kenobi; and Grand Moff Tarkin.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Yoda, never named, is
simply “that little green annoyance.” Luke Skywalker, never named, is simply
the “Son of Skywalker.” Leia, never named, is simply the “Daughter of
Skywalker” (or the “Son of Skywalker’s sister”). I see this as Palpatine’s way
of dehumanizing some of his most powerful antagonists.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">A few of these stories
build on each other, at least a little bit. “Many Bothans Lived,” “Turncoat,”
and “The Fall of Palpatine” mention the Bothan Spynet and Palpatine’s plot to
draw the Rebels out into a final conflict. “Terror Bears” and “An Older Code”
give us the boots-on-the-ground view of the result. Only “A Whole Case of
Trouble” is unrelated to the larger assault on Endor.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">This story also serves as a prequel of sorts to another piece of fanfiction I wrote a couple years ago called <a href="https://www.mattadamswriter.com/2020/02/gary-sith-eternal-star-wars-story.html" target="_blank">"Gary the Sith Eternal,"</a> which details the process of bringing Palpatine back to life.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Though not explicitly
stated, the Emperor paraphrases the infamous “Tarkin Doctrine,” established by
the late grand moff. It basically states that fear was the only effective tool
to keep star systems in line. Tarkin was a big fan of the Death Star.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">One thing that nags at
Palpatine—and really at many </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Star Wars</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> fans—is his inability to detect
Leia in the Force. This also applies to Vader, whom we know interacted directly
with Leia in </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">A New Hope</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">. He sensed the Rebel pilot was strong in the
Force while he pursued him in the Death Star trench yet didn't feel any connection with Leia? It’s just one of those
things, I suppose, we’ll have to accept.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I love a good alternate
universe. Heck, I love a </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">bad </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">alternate universe. It was fun coming up
with some different possibilities for </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Star Wars</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">. Most of them are
vaguely defined, but it’s interesting to ponder what would’ve happened if
Palpatine had done things differently. As a kid, I imagined an end to </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Return
of the Jedi </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">in which Anakin survived and wore a white version of his armor
as he served the New Republic to atone for his many sins.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">My brother and I also did a
skit during a high school variety show called </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Return of the Really Clumsy
Jedi</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> in which Luke kept stepping on Vader’s hand at the end, leading to an
argument between father and son that ended in a comedic chase. Like I said, I
love a </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">bad </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">alternate universe.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">One of the themes of these
alternate outcomes is that Anakin, uncorrupted by Palpatine, had an inner light
and goodness that foiled his plans. In another, Anakin never met Padme but
still became Darth Vader. Though angry and dangerous, he couldn’t hold his own
Galactic Empire together.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Again pondering Leia,
Palpatine sees a future in which she took over the Galactic Senate. She
Force-choked Bail Organa in that version of events. In another, Leia displays
her mastery of the Force and arrives on Death Star II to confront Palpatine and
Vader, replacing Luke.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Palpatine has visions of
the First Order, the Final Order, and Ben Solo. It’s through Ben, named after
Vader’s mortal enemy, that Palpatine glimpses his final victory. This is
intended to set up the events of the sequel trilogy.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Can you imagine a universe
full of Death Stars? The Emperor certainly can. I also like the comical future
in which an apprentice kills Palpatine and destroys all of existence with a
superweapon. Good lord, the Emperor and the Empire loved superweapons.
Darksaber, the Sun Crusher, and World Devastators get a mention. I added the
Galaxy Gun late while working on this very commentary.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I can’t believe I almost
forgot about the ridiculous Galaxy Gun!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Can Palpatine envision
something even larger? Oh, yeah. Starkiller Base.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Palpatine could’ve killed
the New Republic from within. It would’ve made the most sense, right? But his
vanity wouldn’t allow something like that to play out. He would prefer the
quick and easy path, even if the quick and easy path meant, um, decades of
perfecting clone bodies and finding ways to preserve his own Force essence.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Recent episodes of </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">The
Mandalorian</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> informed some of this section about the faltering New Republic. It’s clear the New Republic
can’t defend itself or its members. It has little idea of how to govern the
galaxy it just liberated from the Empire. For fans disappointed in the way the sequel trilogy played out--that the "final" Rebel victory was anything but final--I feel like Lucasfilm is laying the groundwork to explain why. I think of it a little like the aftermath of World War I in that fledgling world governments didn't take strong enough measures to keep the peace, resulting in a second global conflict just a few decades later.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Palpatine sees an
alternate future in which Grand Admiral Thrawn brings the new government to its
knees. We may see a </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">real </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">version of this in the new canon, with
Thrawn returning for </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Ahsoka</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">. But the version the Emperor sees here is
literally just the </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Heir to the Empire/Dark Force Rising/The Last Command </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">trilogy
from Timothy Zahn.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Pretty on-the-nose
references in this part to Mara Jade, Luuke “Evil Clone” Skywalker, Thrawn,
Joruus C’Baoth, and Captain Pellaeon.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">The “little green
annoyance” makes another return before Palpatine’s “next future,” which features events
from </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Star Wars: Dark Empire</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">, a ‘90s comic book story. In that six-issue
series, a youthful clone of Palpatine turns Luke to the Dark Side, threatens
the galaxy with World Devastators, and generally just </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Rise of Skywalkers </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">everything.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I could not, </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">absolutely
could not</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">, resist using the “Dark science. Cloning. Secrets only the Sith
knew” line from Episode IX. If there’s a context in which that line makes
sense, it’s this one.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">The “new leader” his
followers would craft is, of course, Supreme Leader Snoke, who turns out to be
far more incompetent than Palpatine. Heck, Sheev appears in all three
trilogies. The dude resurrected himself through the Force! Snoke got bisected by an emo kid's lightsaber.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I believe it was </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Jedi:
Fallen Order </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">in which we learned Ilum became Starkiller Base. Operation
Cinder has been mentioned in books and </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Battlefront II</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">. These are a
couple new canon things I’m familiar with.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I figured Palpatine
would've seen a vision of Rey at some point. He doesn’t pull on the thread long
enough to realize it will end badly for him.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">In the end, all that
mattered was that he would return. Somehow.</span></p>Matt Adamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07960407647609637681noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6792925679340467992.post-67944785656861156822023-05-11T21:37:00.010-04:002023-10-25T06:15:27.702-04:00Many Bothans Lived: 40 Years of Return of the Jedi <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKrg8D14EMroOp5OblUSEAMVlRBX98OwCOr6OodQjKSwg94rDfk3_XHdXOWYfAATJQWUX5-DFeGp9sxaJNLn4Wy2jYrRxAu9cN1QlHiDnF122bBm7NDKIVMtU4-bIQQEENb2CtN4Vf1KzhPApcEfIeo_Ps4MFfFbP2_5K7BFjNN_gteE-yiYqEjHn4Zw/s2068/Bothans%20Lived.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1166" data-original-width="2068" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKrg8D14EMroOp5OblUSEAMVlRBX98OwCOr6OodQjKSwg94rDfk3_XHdXOWYfAATJQWUX5-DFeGp9sxaJNLn4Wy2jYrRxAu9cN1QlHiDnF122bBm7NDKIVMtU4-bIQQEENb2CtN4Vf1KzhPApcEfIeo_Ps4MFfFbP2_5K7BFjNN_gteE-yiYqEjHn4Zw/w640-h360/Bothans%20Lived.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><p>Myr’la. Sunrise.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Pal’ryk. Saber.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Jeslin. Spear.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Torsk. Strike.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Ray’lo. Guardian.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Breton’la. Skimmer.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Picbacca. The Wook.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Jar-EE. Dewback.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Names and codenames. People. His
people. Bothans.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Lort Br’lya—Scimitar—knew them
all, thousands of them. His Spynet spread far and wide throughout the galaxy,
with his agents reporting in whenever and however they could. Coded
transmissions, dead drops, even physical documents. One inventive spy tied a
scroll to a homing <i>graal, </i>which flew all the way to Spynet HQ to deliver
an important message. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">These things were never clean,
never easy. Large-scale spying operations couldn’t be. It took a certain type
to smile in the face of their enemy, gain their trust, and steal information
right from under their nose. It took even more moxie to send back the
information without being caught or suspected, and Bothans were better at it
than anyone in the galaxy. Some attached themselves to high-ranking Imperial
officers. Others dined with lowly techs, their lips made loose by fruity drinks
and the comfort of chatting with a friend. They befriended influential bankers,
politicians, union bosses, contractors, air traffic controllers, hostesses,
dancers, pirates, and scoundrels. Anyone could have a vital piece of
information that, when combined with other pieces, helped Lort synthesize the
bigger picture.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Often, those pieces didn’t immediately
add up.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Spynet’s operatives and
informants heard whispers of increased Imperial presence along the Outer Rim.
At first, this meant very little. After all, the Outer Rim was home to multiple
remote systems that could be challenging to staff. But going back as far as
five years, shipments of materials and personnel arrived in the Moddell Sector
with surprising frequency. Work orders and manifests provided little clarity on
the nature of the shipments; even some of Lort’s best slicers couldn’t scrape
details from the Imperial databanks they’d once cracked with ease.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">When Spynet leaned about a
“planet killer” and passed that information to Rebel Intelligence (an oxymoron
if one ever existed), the Rebellion took on the Empire with a full-frontal
assault on Scarif. It all led to the discovery of the Death Star and the
critical Rebel victory in the Battle of Yavin. All the personnel and materials,
Lort and his advisors believed, had been part of the original Death Star
project.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">But the whispers didn’t go away when
the Empire’s ultimate weapon turned into stardust.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Reports continued to come in
from the Moddell Sector. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">The breakthrough came from an
Imperial contract shipping company that had done a poor job of securing its internal
database. Sure, the Imperial databanks were nearly impenetrable, but sometimes the
contractors doing the Empire’s bidding made a mistake. A slicer scraped a
single mention of the word “kyber” from a shipping manifest. The contractor
quickly recognized the error and corrected it, but the damage was done.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">In the spy world, proof was never
really proof. No one believed you even when the information had been vetted at
the highest levels. Spynet massaged its information, the naysayers alleged, and
Bothans couldn’t be trusted. Rebel Intelligence, though shrewd and often
ruthless, wouldn’t act on Spynet tips without independent verification. Even
when the shipping company responsible for the kyber error abruptly ceased
operations, the Rebels were hesitant to buy in.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">They’d already destroyed one
Death Star, after all. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">They had no desire to worry
about another one.<o:p></o:p></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDexdeM-qoi4vuvbN8yfxCipEVoaUpB_MQsHIZ1GeCO2iIvqMzbm8rmTShnJkScq7ECjAWfvJu6EmlJhVpYaPRdAG9NJKzqLnIQm3M9Q1FNY5y9wJpCHfNrOYNDEYJdzUdEYjKpV9HsZNOQn--ndJe9t4hNZprv7m8qd4WnThOGT-8EmHHqiHrRcT6CA/s800/Rebel%20break%20(1).png" style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="800" height="50" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDexdeM-qoi4vuvbN8yfxCipEVoaUpB_MQsHIZ1GeCO2iIvqMzbm8rmTShnJkScq7ECjAWfvJu6EmlJhVpYaPRdAG9NJKzqLnIQm3M9Q1FNY5y9wJpCHfNrOYNDEYJdzUdEYjKpV9HsZNOQn--ndJe9t4hNZprv7m8qd4WnThOGT-8EmHHqiHrRcT6CA/w200-h50/Rebel%20break%20(1).png" width="200" /></a></div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">One of the many viewscreens in
Lort’s main data center trilled to signal an incoming transmission. It came
from his cousin, the inscrutable Myr’la. Codename: Sunrise. Though the cousins
had been close since childhood, protocol dictated discretion. That meant
sticking to protocol.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Lort checked the encryption. “The
line is secure, Sunrise. What do you have?”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“We have confirmation of the
project in the Moddell Sector. A freighter delivered a prefab Imperial bunker
to a small moon there fifteen months ago. It’s called Andor or Endor. My team
tells me this bunker is tied to another planet killer.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Lort took a deep breath and
attempted to hide his annoyance. “Something that happened fifteen months ago is
hardly news. Activity in that region pointed us to Moddell some time ago.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“We’ve been searching for
verification, Scimitar. This is it. The information is new. We didn’t know
there was a bunker at that location.” Myr made no effort to hide her annoyance
as her image flickered in the holo transmission. “This is fresh intel. The Empire
commissioned an Aierzon utility crew last week to address a power stability
problem. Something in that facility drew enough energy to overload the whole
bunker. Prefabs are meant to be self-sufficient. The Imperials are using the
bunker for something other than its intended purpose.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Lort stroked his chin; perhaps he’d
been too dismissive of his cousin. “Interesting. Have you been able to obtain a
work order or any other documentation?”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“We’re working on it. The kyber
fiasco was good for us, but it also made the Empire plug the gaps in outside
databases. They’ve locked things down. We got this intel based solely on a
fluke. One of our operatives happened to know a member of the utility crew sent
to address the problem. I couldn’t even calculate the odds of that happening.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Lort sighed. “Excellent work,
Sunrise. Keep me apprised of any further developments.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“I will.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“And Sunrise?”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Yes?”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Do be careful.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Myr’s hologram disappeared. He
thought about the summers they spent together as children on Bothawui, but the
memory had only a moment to take root before another transmission came through.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">He checked the encryption. “The
line is secure, Saber.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Pal’ryk’s dark fur rippled in
agitation. Lort’s second-in-command loathed reporting in for field duty, but
circumstances required it. “Our attempt to pierce through the Imperial blockade
at the Moddell Sector failed, Scimitar. Our contact provided the crew with an
invalid code. He assured us it would work, but the fleet has accelerated its
expiration cycles. Fortunately, the captain was able to talk his way out of
being boarded. It’s a good thing the Empire doesn’t consider a garbage scow to
be a threat.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“No doubt they would’ve had a
few questions about the scanners conveniently missing from the ship’s
manifest,” Lort said.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“They would’ve killed the entire
crew on the spot. We were able to place some long-range buoys near a debris
field. They should go undetected for a while. While the information takes some
time to ping back to us, we’ve picked up some massive energy surges. We can’t
get a solid read on the signature. However, the output matches an orbital
bombardment. That’s all I have for now.” Pal’ryk bowed his head and signed off.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Lort had pieces. Some small,
some large. All would eventually come together to form a picture.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">He simply had to see it.<o:p></o:p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDexdeM-qoi4vuvbN8yfxCipEVoaUpB_MQsHIZ1GeCO2iIvqMzbm8rmTShnJkScq7ECjAWfvJu6EmlJhVpYaPRdAG9NJKzqLnIQm3M9Q1FNY5y9wJpCHfNrOYNDEYJdzUdEYjKpV9HsZNOQn--ndJe9t4hNZprv7m8qd4WnThOGT-8EmHHqiHrRcT6CA/s800/Rebel%20break%20(1).png" style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="800" height="50" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDexdeM-qoi4vuvbN8yfxCipEVoaUpB_MQsHIZ1GeCO2iIvqMzbm8rmTShnJkScq7ECjAWfvJu6EmlJhVpYaPRdAG9NJKzqLnIQm3M9Q1FNY5y9wJpCHfNrOYNDEYJdzUdEYjKpV9HsZNOQn--ndJe9t4hNZprv7m8qd4WnThOGT-8EmHHqiHrRcT6CA/w200-h50/Rebel%20break%20(1).png" width="200" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">To the delight of smugglers,
several reports indicated the Empire was pulling back fleet resources. It made
it easy for spice-runners to go from point to point without worrying about any
Imperial entanglements. Multiple sources indicated Star Destroyers were
abandoning their normal patrol routes and systems. They included the <i>Vigilance
</i>and the <i>Devastator. </i>Lort’s agents lost track of Vader’s <i>Executor</i>,
a rather alarming development considering the size of the thing.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">It all marked a noticeable
change in Imperial strategy. Over the last two years, the Empire had squeezed
the Rebellion at every turn, rooting out secret bases and outposts. No lead was
too small for an Imperial hit squad to land and ask questions later. They
delighted in slaughter, even when Rebels were nowhere to be found. A local
population would suffice, especially if non-human. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Over the last few months,
Imperial patrols had become less frequent. The single-minded effort to kill
Rebels and their sympathizers took a back seat to something else, presumably
the new Death Star project. High-ranking leaders in the Rebellion suddenly
discovered they could step into the light and openly defy the Empire without bringing
a squad of Death Troopers to their doorstep.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">No one trusted these latest
developments, least of all Lort. The Empire was well funded and patient while
the Rebels were underfunded and desperate. Analysts within Spynet predicted the
Empire was simply drawing out as many Rebel leaders as possible to bring down
the hammer and crush the Rebellion once and for all. Swift Imperial justice
would end the Rebellion any day, his analysts said.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">It had yet to occur.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Clearly, though, the Empire was
encouraging Rebel leaders to assemble without fear of reprisal. It <i>had </i>to
be a trap. Again, Lort had pieces large and small. He could not put them
together just yet.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Another transmission.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Myr’la. Sunrise.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“The line is secure. What do you
have for me?”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“The utility work on the Endor
bunker involves a massive energy shield. Looking at the specs provided by our
contact, the shield would cover an object larger than the first Death Star,”
Myr’la said. “We’ve had no visual confirmation, but the pieces are there.
Massive amounts of manpower and materials. At least one confirmed kyber
shipment, and many more we probably don’t know about. An Imperial pullback
meant to provide additional security.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“This is all speculation, Sunrise,”
Lort pointed out. “Informed speculation, but speculation nonetheless.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“A long-range buoy picked up the
navigational beacon for the <i>Executor</i>. It appears to be heading toward
the Moddell Sector. It’s only the largest ship the Empire’s ever built,” Myr’la
said. “The Empire’s best serve on it, and we’ve got a source who’s friendly
with a radar tech.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“I haven’t heard from Dewback in
a month,” Lort said. “I have no idea where the <i>Executor </i>has been. I only
know it abandoned its prescribed patrol route. Given current circumstances, it
appears to track with current Imperial methodology.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“I have one more tidbit to
share, but you’ll need to confirm this report. Skimmer has a source in Mount
Tantiss who claims to have access to schematics for the new battle station. I
can’t tell you how valuable this information would be to the Rebellion.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Myr’la talked as if Spynet and
the Rebellion were separate entities with different goals when they were more
like different shades of the same color. She almost made it sound like Spynet
was a paid information broker that only turned over vital intel when the price
was right. The price to overthrow tyranny was never just “right.” It was high,
all-consuming. The Rebels on Scarif became legends for their sacrifice.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Lort harbored no grand illusions
of martyrdom. He preferred to monitor his agents and synthesize information
from his sources. But if Spynet had the chance to get its hands on the Empire’s
plans, he had to take the risk. He called a meeting of his intel chiefs.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">He’d formed the picture.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">They had to act.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">And quickly.<o:p></o:p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDexdeM-qoi4vuvbN8yfxCipEVoaUpB_MQsHIZ1GeCO2iIvqMzbm8rmTShnJkScq7ECjAWfvJu6EmlJhVpYaPRdAG9NJKzqLnIQm3M9Q1FNY5y9wJpCHfNrOYNDEYJdzUdEYjKpV9HsZNOQn--ndJe9t4hNZprv7m8qd4WnThOGT-8EmHHqiHrRcT6CA/s800/Rebel%20break%20(1).png" style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="800" height="50" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDexdeM-qoi4vuvbN8yfxCipEVoaUpB_MQsHIZ1GeCO2iIvqMzbm8rmTShnJkScq7ECjAWfvJu6EmlJhVpYaPRdAG9NJKzqLnIQm3M9Q1FNY5y9wJpCHfNrOYNDEYJdzUdEYjKpV9HsZNOQn--ndJe9t4hNZprv7m8qd4WnThOGT-8EmHHqiHrRcT6CA/w200-h50/Rebel%20break%20(1).png" width="200" /></a></div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">The intel chiefs all agreed: Spynet
had to make it a priority to infiltrate Mount Tantiss and acquire plans for the
second Death Star. Analysts doubted the massive battle station would have the
same thermal exhaust port defect that brought down its predecessor, but
technical readouts could hold the key to a weakness. Everything had a weakness,
from a remote Imperial outpost to a secretive Rebel cell to the decentralized
nature of Spynet itself.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">For once, the top-ranking
officials in Spynet set aside their egos. This was tough for Bothans to do, as
cultural status played a central role in their society. Each member of Spynet would
want to take credit for the successful recovery of the plans in order to
glorify their house and uplift their status on Bothawui. Spearheading such a
major operation could open doors to the highest offices in Bothan politics and
launch a career to the Galactic Senate (if the Rebels were actually able to
reinstate it).<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">But Lort’s fellow intelligence
chiefs surprised him. Each understood the gravity of the situation and
recognized the importance of preventing the Empire from utilizing another Death
Star. No other planet could suffer the fate of Alderaan, a shining example of
culture and civil disobedience. Its loss lingered; “for Alderaan” remained a
stirring battle cry. Neither Lort nor his intel chiefs would allow it to happen
again.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Spynet thrived on both
simplicity and complexity. Different operatives ran various schemes to gain
trust and claw away vital information. The decentralized nature of the network,
which operated in cells not unlike the Rebel Alliance itself, meant that
sometimes not everyone was aware of a major operation at the same time. But
simple commands and code words delivered at timely intervals allowed those
disparate cells to act as one when needed.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Really, it all came down to
people.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Myr’la. Sunrise.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Pal’ryk. Saber.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Jeslin. Spear.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Torsk. Strike.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Ray’lo. Guardian.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Breton’la. Skimmer.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Picbacca. The Wook.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Jar-EE. Dewback.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Names and codenames. People. His people. Bothans.</p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDexdeM-qoi4vuvbN8yfxCipEVoaUpB_MQsHIZ1GeCO2iIvqMzbm8rmTShnJkScq7ECjAWfvJu6EmlJhVpYaPRdAG9NJKzqLnIQm3M9Q1FNY5y9wJpCHfNrOYNDEYJdzUdEYjKpV9HsZNOQn--ndJe9t4hNZprv7m8qd4WnThOGT-8EmHHqiHrRcT6CA/s800/Rebel%20break%20(1).png" style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="800" height="50" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDexdeM-qoi4vuvbN8yfxCipEVoaUpB_MQsHIZ1GeCO2iIvqMzbm8rmTShnJkScq7ECjAWfvJu6EmlJhVpYaPRdAG9NJKzqLnIQm3M9Q1FNY5y9wJpCHfNrOYNDEYJdzUdEYjKpV9HsZNOQn--ndJe9t4hNZprv7m8qd4WnThOGT-8EmHHqiHrRcT6CA/w200-h50/Rebel%20break%20(1).png" width="200" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">An infiltration team hitched a
ride on a freighter and landed, undetected, on Mount Tantiss. Lort knew it for
a fact. Led by Strike, his highly competent spec ops chief, the team planned to
infiltrate the command center, download the plans, and get the hell out. Each
member of the ten-person squad would take their own copy of the file and go
their separate ways. If fortune smiled upon them, at least one would make it to
a Spynet safehouse.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Lort awaited word from Strike or
any member of his team.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Four days after the
infiltration, he still waited.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">His sources believed three
members of the team had already died, two by blaster and one by bad luck (a
depressurized cargo bay that was not supposed to be depressurized).<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Incoming transmission. Pal’ryk.
Saber.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“The line is secure, Saber.
What’s your report?”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Spear made it to the Spynet
safehouse in Onblat City. As soon as he arrived, a Star Destroyer dropped out
of hyperspace and launched an orbital bombardment. No survivors. We were also
in contact with Skimmer, the Wook, and Guardian. An Imperial fleet arrived
immediately at Gelonda III and destroyed the enclave there. Skimmer is among
the casualties. The Wook made it to the safehouse on Cassiter and boarded a ship
bound for Sunrise’s base. As soon as he left, another orbital bombardment
followed. The Cassiter cell is gone. Guardian disappeared from our scopes.” Overcome
by the reports, Lort sank into his chair. Was Tantiss a trap? “We’re burning
assets at an unsustainable rate, sir.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Is there any good news?”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“The plans are heavily
encrypted. Remote transmissions are impossible right now, and it’s apparent the
Empire is tracking us. We have nothing.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“I asked for good news, Saber.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“If I had any, I’d deliver it,
sir.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Reports flooded in from throughout
Spynet. Imperial arrivals, orbital bombardments, strike teams. He received a
priority alert from Myr’la. She spoke before he even confirmed the line was
secure.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Imperial... bombardment... ”
The signal broke up. He couldn’t understand what she was saying as interference
scrambled the transmission. The lights behind her flickered and the room shook.
Lort knew what it all meant. Myr’la’s post was compromised, and the Imperials would
show no mercy. He caught her last words in crystal-clear audio fidelity. “Don’t
waste it. Please don’t waste it, Lort.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">The use of his real name was the
highest breach of protocol.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">For once, the Bothan to whom
protocol meant everything suddenly cared nothing about it.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Myr’la. Sunrise.” Lort reached
out toward the hologram, knowing full well the futility of it all, as her image
flickered away.<o:p></o:p></p>
<div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDexdeM-qoi4vuvbN8yfxCipEVoaUpB_MQsHIZ1GeCO2iIvqMzbm8rmTShnJkScq7ECjAWfvJu6EmlJhVpYaPRdAG9NJKzqLnIQm3M9Q1FNY5y9wJpCHfNrOYNDEYJdzUdEYjKpV9HsZNOQn--ndJe9t4hNZprv7m8qd4WnThOGT-8EmHHqiHrRcT6CA/s800/Rebel%20break%20(1).png" style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="800" height="50" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDexdeM-qoi4vuvbN8yfxCipEVoaUpB_MQsHIZ1GeCO2iIvqMzbm8rmTShnJkScq7ECjAWfvJu6EmlJhVpYaPRdAG9NJKzqLnIQm3M9Q1FNY5y9wJpCHfNrOYNDEYJdzUdEYjKpV9HsZNOQn--ndJe9t4hNZprv7m8qd4WnThOGT-8EmHHqiHrRcT6CA/w200-h50/Rebel%20break%20(1).png" width="200" /></a></div></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">In less than a week, Lort’s
beloved Spynet collapsed. The Death Star plans were a trap, leading the Empire
to his well-protected and most essential bases of operation. They used those
leads to find and eliminate more cells. If his calculations were correct, it
would take approximately another week for the Imperials to bring about the
irreparable destruction of the whole enterprise.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">In his younger days, Lort
would’ve been concerned about how the collapse would affect his status in the
Bothan aristocracy. Surely, no one who’d been in charge of such a catastrophe would’ve
been worthy of a high-ranking office. They would’ve shamed their house and
perhaps been subject to public humiliation, stripped of their ancestral lands
and titles. Perhaps assigned, as a mercy, to a job of low standing from which
their family name could never recover.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Those days were long past. Lort
no longer cared about his house or status. He cared about Myr’la. Of his many
cousins, she had been his favorite. They’d spent many summers together on
Bothanwui, warmed by the planet’s breathtaking sun. She loved to watch the
sunrise in the morning on those vacations; they sneaked off together well
before their clan leaders awoke. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">He had failed her, just as Spynet
had failed the galaxy.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">All the pieces had been there.
He’d finally seen the picture—a way to hurt the Empire at its most critical
point. But for all he thought he’d seen, he’d missed the truth. What could have
been a killing blow to the most pervasive evil in the galaxy instead became the
tool of his own destruction.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">He kept the lines open for any
remaining members of Spynet. An automated looping message advised them to go as
far underground as possible and use their lowest-profile, cleanest forged
identity. They were no longer safe. Even returning to Bothanwui posed too much
risk. He told them to pick a remote world in the Outer Rim, some wild frontier
where the Empire held little sway. Such places, though limited, still existed.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">For while the Empire pretended
it was everywhere, the galaxy was far too large for it to live up to that
threat, even if its surveillance apparatuses and probe droids were formidable.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">His Spynet numbered in the tens
of thousands. So many Bothans, especially in the last decade, sacrificed so
much to stop the Imperial juggernaut. The Empire acted as if people were made
to be ruled, intimidated, and beaten down. It made oppression the currency of
its realm, as if giving oxygen to a whisper of freedom could spark a
revolution.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Lort believed. It’s why he spent
nearly two decades establishing the finest spying apparatus the galaxy had ever
seen. From the Core Worlds to the Outer Rim, Spynet listened, watched, and
lurked in the shadows. Its members cajoled and influenced, rarely in
heavy-handed fashion, to obtain access and information moffs would kill to possess.
He prided himself on protecting his members, providing safe passage and new
identities to those who may have unwittingly compromised themselves.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">And as the movement grew, it
included many non-Bothans. He would never admit it to someone from his home
planet because his brethren were proud and sometimes nationalistic
opportunists, but he came to regard any member of Spynet, no matter their
planet of origin, as an honorary Bothan.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Names and codenames. People. His
people. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">On the verge of his greatest
triumph, many Bothans died.<o:p></o:p></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDexdeM-qoi4vuvbN8yfxCipEVoaUpB_MQsHIZ1GeCO2iIvqMzbm8rmTShnJkScq7ECjAWfvJu6EmlJhVpYaPRdAG9NJKzqLnIQm3M9Q1FNY5y9wJpCHfNrOYNDEYJdzUdEYjKpV9HsZNOQn--ndJe9t4hNZprv7m8qd4WnThOGT-8EmHHqiHrRcT6CA/s800/Rebel%20break%20(1).png" style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="800" height="50" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDexdeM-qoi4vuvbN8yfxCipEVoaUpB_MQsHIZ1GeCO2iIvqMzbm8rmTShnJkScq7ECjAWfvJu6EmlJhVpYaPRdAG9NJKzqLnIQm3M9Q1FNY5y9wJpCHfNrOYNDEYJdzUdEYjKpV9HsZNOQn--ndJe9t4hNZprv7m8qd4WnThOGT-8EmHHqiHrRcT6CA/w200-h50/Rebel%20break%20(1).png" width="200" /></a></div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">It wouldn’t be long until a Star
Destroyer parked itself just outside his base and started blasting away. He’d
managed to stay hidden for so long, why not give up the game now? His fate
should be the same as those who’d counted on him.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">As if to confirm his fears, the
scanner beeped to signal the arrival of an incoming ship.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Though certain the Empire had
arrived, he checked the monitor to confirm it. He would be insulted if anything
other than the <i>Executor </i>showed up to destroy the greatest spy network
the galaxy had ever seen.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">But something struck him
immediately: the ship didn’t appear large enough to be a Star Destroyer, let
alone a Super Star Destroyer. Heck, the little speck looked to be only slightly
larger than a TIE on the scope. The enhanced view showed a beat-up T-65 X-wing with
black and gold trim. He didn’t recognize the snubfighter, although the pilot
transmitted the proper code.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Scimitar, do you read? Do you
read?” a voice said through static.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Pilot, your presence in this
system is a direct contravention of orders from Spynet Command. You are to exit
this system immediately and go to ground. For your own safety, get as far away
from here as possible.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Negative, Scimitar. I have an
urgent parcel to deliver. This is Guardian.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDexdeM-qoi4vuvbN8yfxCipEVoaUpB_MQsHIZ1GeCO2iIvqMzbm8rmTShnJkScq7ECjAWfvJu6EmlJhVpYaPRdAG9NJKzqLnIQm3M9Q1FNY5y9wJpCHfNrOYNDEYJdzUdEYjKpV9HsZNOQn--ndJe9t4hNZprv7m8qd4WnThOGT-8EmHHqiHrRcT6CA/s800/Rebel%20break%20(1).png" style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="800" height="50" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDexdeM-qoi4vuvbN8yfxCipEVoaUpB_MQsHIZ1GeCO2iIvqMzbm8rmTShnJkScq7ECjAWfvJu6EmlJhVpYaPRdAG9NJKzqLnIQm3M9Q1FNY5y9wJpCHfNrOYNDEYJdzUdEYjKpV9HsZNOQn--ndJe9t4hNZprv7m8qd4WnThOGT-8EmHHqiHrRcT6CA/w200-h50/Rebel%20break%20(1).png" width="200" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Lort stood with his hands behind
his back as the starfighter landed in the main bay. He had dismissed base
personnel some time ago and retrieved a ladder so the pilot could make his way
down. A dark-furred Bothan dressed in an orange flight suit clambered down the
ladder as his astromech trilled and beeped in its socket. The pilot undid his
chinstrap and let his helmet fall to the plasteel floor. “It’s bad out there,
Scimitar.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Lort held up a hand. “You can
call me Lort, Ray’lo.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“But Spynet protocol dictates—”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Spynet is no more.” He forced a
bittersweet smile. “A great purge not unlike the one that wiped out the Jedi
some years ago. The copied plans essentially acted as homing beacons. For the
last week, Star Destroyers and Imperial kill squads have surgically wiped us
out. It’s just a matter of time before they find us.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“With all due respect,
Scimitar,” the pilot said before noticing Lort’s severe look of displeasure, “I
mean, Lort, the Imperials aren’t following me. They lost my trail three days
ago. You wanna know why?” He walked toward the back of the X-wing and activated
the lift for his droid companion; a vacuum tube suctioned itself to the astromech’s
domed head, lifted the entire unit out of its socket, and placed it gently on
the deck. “Elfie disabled the tracking mechanism and cracked the encryption,
all while calculating frequent jumps to keep the Empire off our tail. We finally
lost ‘em for good.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Cracked the encryption? What do
you mean?”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Show him, Elfie.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">The green-and-black astromech
bounced excitedly on its feet and gibbered in its signature language of
electronic bleats and boops before projecting an image of a large green planet
surrounded by a smaller red sphere. Upon closer inspection, it appeared to be an
unfinished Death Star.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Show him the generators.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">The planet disappeared as the
astromech zoomed in on the Death Star. The larger image gave Lort a better look
at the battle station, which was clearly still under construction. Three
columns in the interior of the massive structure glowed yellow.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Targeting the three generators
at the center will destabilize the Death Star and destroy it.” The image
simulated proton torpedo and rocket strikes to the three structures; the
station disappeared in a shower of spark and flame. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“We must deliver this to Rebel
Command as quickly as possible,” Lort said. It sounded more like a question
than a statement. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Ray’lo—Guardian—put a hand on his shoulder. “We also learned the Emperor is overseeing the final stages of construction. We can end this once and for all. The Death Star, the Emperor, the entire Empire.” </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Lort did his best to stay
composed. They would say many Bothans died to bring the critical information to
the Rebellion. But as he thought of his friends and colleagues, of family
members and secret operatives, he saw it differently.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Myr’la. Sunrise.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Pal’ryk. Saber.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Jeslin. Spear.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Torsk. Strike.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Ray’lo. Guardian.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Breton’la. Skimmer.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Picbacca. The Wook.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Jar-EE. Dewback.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Names and codenames. People. His
people.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">In his heart, many Bothans
lived.</p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.mattadamswriter.com/2023/05/commentary-many-bothans-lived.html" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="150" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMvQ0BFTo-lYMlajNyO9AQlghM636ou18qYJsWTl5ji23ge4JhnA6rZ836_ZmFJKyt11Yf4q-wN4ygM8zPfwbOmFxzo9fdiYqA9D1vFBXwuNAVKN_bNpoSZyK1f0akvRO-DF-Cn5sKfuFS9yiAi4ujEUKQ1O_Nf67Sr468ki5-Uzm9D8ev47n4oSRGig/s16000/Bothans%20commentary.jpg" /></a></div>Matt Adamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07960407647609637681noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6792925679340467992.post-77160663762573818732023-05-11T21:37:00.009-04:002023-05-11T22:32:47.921-04:00An Older Code: 40 Years of Return of the Jedi<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXG30Nyqz3CSJC94bDSHHYyQQM2ikI3crnS2suT32jM4axzoSyiEUn2GCd1rkLyBEonzDwQpIB2dZTkpXKbsW7svPHKEKSpYR3FOJBk-zC7hc2HDmJuDyRgVX1RtyB6MKWYKEXretNwlkWjTdttSdHkG4vLcZ8e1tY09DHQ7ZAoj--JUXHCq3ghEqN_Q/s2068/An%20Older%20Code.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1166" data-original-width="2068" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXG30Nyqz3CSJC94bDSHHYyQQM2ikI3crnS2suT32jM4axzoSyiEUn2GCd1rkLyBEonzDwQpIB2dZTkpXKbsW7svPHKEKSpYR3FOJBk-zC7hc2HDmJuDyRgVX1RtyB6MKWYKEXretNwlkWjTdttSdHkG4vLcZ8e1tY09DHQ7ZAoj--JUXHCq3ghEqN_Q/w640-h360/An%20Older%20Code.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><p>Imperial technician Zarn Kellam
stared at the wall as the head of Imperial information technology droned on
during the latest “important” holo-seminar on security protocols. How many
times had he been in his quarters, in his off-hours, listening to someone
discuss the importance of workplace security?</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">The answer: forty-six.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">The Empire had held forty-six
separate remote work sessions. These mandatory “training workshops” always fell
outside his normal duty hours, meaning he’d wasted forty-six hours—nearly <i>two
whole standard cycles</i>—of downtime listening to the head of information
technology discuss “simple things you can do to keep the Empire strong and
secure.” The speakers changed at an alarming rate, with Jek Pernu being the
latest mouthpiece for IT security.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">So many others had preceded him:
Pirn Swalt, Garvey Dellog, Tinner Klep, Dod Kedricks, Haller Daviess, Sheeto Glurg...<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">They were all very forgettable
types personifying the very best in Imperial efficiency. Serious in demeanor
with smartly pressed uniforms and hats worn without any panache, each sounded
authoritative and uber-competent. Then, without warning, someone would replace
them the next week and last varying amounts of time until another one ascended
to the role.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">So far, Pernu (who managed to
last eight months, a new high) had delivered the usual warnings about using
Galactic Empire workstations for personal messaging, app, and banking.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“These secure workstations are reserved
for Imperial business only,” Pernu said, sounding even more judgmental than
normal. “What may appear to be a harmless program may in fact be something that
compromises Imperial security. We are not immune to the scourges of data mining
and electronic espionage. Simply do not open any non-work-related programs. Use
your downtime, downtime the Empire grants you with supreme generosity, for
personal business on the personal terminals in your quarters.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><i>Just like the personal
terminal I’m watching this remote holo-seminar on</i>, Zarn thought.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Now to the matter of your
holo-message inbox. Over the last four weeks, we have sent messages that appear
to originate from Imperial High Command,” Pernu said. “However, these messages
are fundamentally flawed, featuring poor grammar and AI translations. In many
cases, the video is out of sync. I’m pleased to reveal that not a single member
of the technical staff fell for these attempts to steal personal information.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Zarn could only shake his head.
How could anyone with common sense fall for such a clear scam? The one he
received featured Lord Vader pitching some pseudo-currency called “VaderCreds”
that promised “most impressive returns.” Vader made a direct appeal for Zarn’s
banking information. Why would a high-ranking member of the Empire be involved in
something like that? Why would he send a message on official Imperial channels
promoting it?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">The simple answer: he wouldn’t.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Zarn reported the message before
deleting it, as was protocol for suspicious communications. Any remotely
competent tech would do the same. Only a moron would fall for such an obvious
scam.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Pernu shifted on his feet and
cleared his throat. “Despite outreach efforts and extensive training workshops,
I must report the unfortunate reality that some fleet commanders did not react
to the exercise with the expected amount of caution. We have reassigned
training for these individuals in hopes of bridging some of these gaps.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Zarn hoped Piett wasn’t one of
them. The admiral struck him as a competent commander, but having Vader breathing
over your shoulder couldn’t be easy. When the Emperor’s right-hand man watched
your every move, even a fake message could sway a person simply out of
obligation. Maybe.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“I’m sending a list of fleet
commanders to the respective techs on their ships. You are entrusted with
monitoring their training, which must be completed within seventy-two standard
hours. Imperial IT will send an automated reminder before the window closes.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Zarn’s console beeped. He
sighed; an alarming number of the <i>Executor </i>command staff had failed the
security check, including Piett. A closer look at the message found that the
admiral hadn’t actually <i>failed </i>the test, he’d simply ignored it. Zarn
could see it one of two ways: either Piett saw the message and was smart enough
not to respond without marking it as suspicious and deleting it, or he’d simply
ignored it. Both outcomes were superior to having him fail it, as officers Shelba,
Prenze, Tuk, and Granze had.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“As you know very well,
protocols are vital to the security of the Empire,” Pernu said. “We must be
disciplined and encourage discipline among those we serve and those we serve
under. Open a dialogue with your fleet commanders and section chiefs who have
overlooked these vital training messages.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Zarn didn’t want to “open a
dialogue” with any of them. He found just about every officer aboard the <i>Executor
</i>unbearable and self-important. Piett, the highest-ranking among them,
appeared to have the most common sense of the lot. Zarn’s Imperial colleagues
often talked of vain commanders who couldn’t reason their way out of a trash
compactor, men and women who played petty mind games and thirsted for power as
they sought to enter the upper echelons of High Command.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Piett didn’t lack for ambition.
He’d taken over for a commander who died right in front of him, but the fact
he’d survived the whole Bespin blunder showed Vader had faith in the man. Of
all the bureaucratic oafs and vainglorious loons Zarn had met and heard about,
Piett appeared to rise high above them in terms of competency and strategic
acumen.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“I now turn to a significant
change in Imperial policy,” Pernu said. “At the direction of Imperial High
Command, we have accelerated the timetable for the expiration of our master
code. As you are aware, the standard had been a new master code every month,
with codes up to two months given leeway because of unfortunate communication
delays across our vast Empire. High Command gives fleet commanders discretion
in accepting these older codes.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Pernu’s image flickered as he
attempted to deliver a real-time hologram to hundreds of ships across the
Empire’s vast fleet. “Because of an increase in Rebel activity, we are now
changing the master code every week, retroactive to two days ago. Codes older
than a month are no longer acceptable based on Imperial Intelligence
assessments. Fleet commanders still have limited discretion under extenuating
circumstances.”</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Pernu cleared his throat. “Any capital ship, starfighter, freighter, or transport attempting
to enter Imperial territory with an invalid code must be immediately stopped
and its crew detained for questioning. We are cognizant of gaps in our
communications and how some ships in remote areas may not have received these
directives. That is why this is a ‘stop and detain order’ instead of a ‘disable
or kill order.’ Imperial intelligence believes the Rebel faction has taken
advantage of deficiencies in our protocols to gain tactical advantages. These
new procedures, when implemented correctly, will lead to a safer, more
prosperous Galactic Empire. I thank you for your time. Long live the Emperor.”</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Long live the Emperor,” Zarn,
on autopilot, repeated as he switched off Pernu’s message and turned his
attention to the fleet commanders who’d been fooled by something called
“VaderCreds.”<o:p></o:p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYLDiNnGLn4qDGa536DoqkskWxCDCOvLGsQFS_xWDj-UkGaYvOsoScHSKAaRGLPWYuR7cvG_yxHKZDMQrz2v0tdnRGGmDxRQC87fiGCzpzldxD2AfHl2GXhQnUErI-cymBi0qCXFivd5WmgxcmwzJGeaShpUK0wi6uV3SS-9roiV6RezQPyfdSmo9l6w/s800/Rebel%20break.jpg" style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="800" height="50" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYLDiNnGLn4qDGa536DoqkskWxCDCOvLGsQFS_xWDj-UkGaYvOsoScHSKAaRGLPWYuR7cvG_yxHKZDMQrz2v0tdnRGGmDxRQC87fiGCzpzldxD2AfHl2GXhQnUErI-cymBi0qCXFivd5WmgxcmwzJGeaShpUK0wi6uV3SS-9roiV6RezQPyfdSmo9l6w/w200-h50/Rebel%20break.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“This whole rollout doesn’t make
a whole lot of sense to me.” Kamel Tarth nursed a cup of caf in the mess. “Changing
the master code, I get it. Narrowing the window, I get it. But the old
protocols called for ‘disable or kill’ when it’s clear a code is old or forged.
That bullshit about ‘gaps in our communications’ is pretty stupid.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“As you know very well,
protocols are vital to the security of the Empire.” Zarn affected Pernu’s
haughty delivery. “Especially when it becomes apparent that fleet commanders
have failed my little test.” The two shared a laugh.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“The usual suspects,” Kamel
said. “Shelba, Prenze, Tuk, and Granze.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">The same four officers failed
Imperial IT’s policies and procedures check, which consisted of a four-part
questionnaire in which they simply had to acknowledge they’d received and read
the Galactic Empire’s policies and procedures handbook. One of the questions
asked them to name the <i>ship they served on</i>, which all four answered
correctly. They all answered incorrectly when asked to name the date of the
Galactic Empire’s founding. Two of them—Prenze and Tuk—answered it was
“optional” to stop a ship suspected of carrying Rebel forces, a response that
necessitated a visit from the Imperial Security Bureau to the <i>Executor</i>
along with an additional “intensive” training module. Both officers somehow
managed to pass.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“I don’t know why the Empire
puts up with those guys,” Kamel said. “We’re all held to higher standards. Why
aren’t they?”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“It’s simple,” Zarn said. “Even
though they consistently fail our silly ‘security checks,’ their battle
efficiency ratings are extremely high. I’ve looked at the numbers. Each of them
does a very good job of managing their resources during an engagement. Imperial
IT can say all they want about security tests, but the Empire really cares
about a commander’s competency when it matters. It doesn’t care if their
moronic officers lose their life savings in a VaderCreds scam.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“I’d care if I lost <i>my </i>life
savings on something called VaderCreds.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Yeah, but the Empire wouldn’t,
just as long as you showed up to your next shift.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“You’re probably right.” Kamel
shrugged. “Do I detect a little bit of snark there regarding our glorious
mission with the Empire?”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Zarn spun his drink in his
hands. “That sounds like an ISB question, buddy.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“We are legion.” Both techs
laughed. “But I’m just saying you sound a little down on things, that’s all.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Zarn shook his head. “It’s not
that. I just wish our officers took the security tests a little more seriously.
VaderCreds aside, our systems are more vulnerable than Imperial IT wants anyone
to believe. We’ve done a good job of locking things down, but the Rebels have
some damn good slicers. They’ll find a vulnerability, especially when we insist
none exists.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“You know, I heard an old story
that’s probably apocryphal. A general aboard the Death Star—Tagge was his name,
I think—dared to suggest that the Rebellion posed a threat to the Empire. He
voiced these concerns in a meeting of several generals. Tarkin was there, I
think, and Vader showed up, too. But Motti, you know, was dismissive of the
whole thing. What happened? Tagge was right—the Rebels were a threat. And
everyone in that room, with the exception of Tagge and our dear Lord Vader, got vaporized
because they didn’t take things seriously. There’s a lesson in there.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Yeah—don’t sit in a room with a
bunch of admirals and generals and moffs unless you want to get vaporized,”
Zarn said.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Kamel shook his head and let out
a <i>tsk</i>. “The lesson is that you’re right. Vulnerabilities exist in our
systems no matter how hard we try to protect them. The Rebels can get to us.
Now, I’m seeing a lot of chatter on Bantha about some of the fleet movements
we’re making.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“You’re not supposed to be on
that app,” Zarn said. “It’s on the banned list.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“The restrictions are easy
enough to bypass. Besides, the app uses end-to-end encryption. As long as you
keep to private servers, you can learn a lot about the state of things.” Kamel
leaned in close and dropped his voice to a conspiratorial level. “A lot of
users are saying a final offensive is imminent. We know where the Rebel fleet
is located, the <i>entire </i>fleet, and are awaiting orders from High Command
to make the jump to lightspeed and end this thing once and for all.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“I really don’t think we should
be talking about this,” Zarn said. “It’s a violation of regs.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“It’s just chatter, bud. Could
be right, could be wrong. Imagine if it’s right, though. We take out the whole
Rebellion in one fell swoop, and then the Emperor lets everyone know the new
Death Star is ready. The Galactic Empire will rule for a thousand years. And we
can finally stand down from the military. We could get a job in the private
sector or something, put down some roots and leave this fleet life behind.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“The pay bump would be nice,”
Zarn said. “I’d take a trip somewhere. I hear Felucia’s got some outstanding
sights.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Kamel sat back and stretched out
his arms. “See? That’s what I’m talking about. This Galactic Civil War feels
endless. What if we finally ended it? What if we bring peace and prosperity to
the entire galaxy?”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">To be honest, it was a nice
thought. Life in the Imperial Navy, even just in the technical corps, meant
working strange hours, keeping copious records, and following more regulations
and protocols than he could ever remember. If they could defeat the Rebellion,
maybe he could reclaim a little of his own life for once. He hadn’t known much
of the outside world since his days at the Imperial Academy, moving from one
ship to the next and one planet to another.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">No more loyalty tests. No more
banned apps. No more security holo-seminars.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">It sounded pretty good.<o:p></o:p></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYLDiNnGLn4qDGa536DoqkskWxCDCOvLGsQFS_xWDj-UkGaYvOsoScHSKAaRGLPWYuR7cvG_yxHKZDMQrz2v0tdnRGGmDxRQC87fiGCzpzldxD2AfHl2GXhQnUErI-cymBi0qCXFivd5WmgxcmwzJGeaShpUK0wi6uV3SS-9roiV6RezQPyfdSmo9l6w/s800/Rebel%20break.jpg" style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="800" height="50" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYLDiNnGLn4qDGa536DoqkskWxCDCOvLGsQFS_xWDj-UkGaYvOsoScHSKAaRGLPWYuR7cvG_yxHKZDMQrz2v0tdnRGGmDxRQC87fiGCzpzldxD2AfHl2GXhQnUErI-cymBi0qCXFivd5WmgxcmwzJGeaShpUK0wi6uV3SS-9roiV6RezQPyfdSmo9l6w/w200-h50/Rebel%20break.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">On the <i>Executor’s </i>bridge,
Zarn checked the arrivals and departures schedule. He saw no incoming or
outgoing shipments from the forest moon. That was odd, he thought, because
things were almost always coming and going, with shuttles shipping personnel to
and from the moon or freighters delivering supplies. Energy shield integrity
remained strong; it’s a good thing they’d had a technical crew boost the output
of their prefab bunker a few months back.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“How are things looking, Technician
Kellam?” The question came from Admiral Piett. Though he managed a large crew,
he knew the name of everyone who served on the bridge, even a low-ranking
technician.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“All systems check out, sir,”
Zarn answered. “The energy shield is operating at maximum capacity.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Excellent.” Piett sighed and
put his hands behind his back. “I’m greatly pleased by a high level of
efficiency.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Yes, sir.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“I did have another question for
you. I noticed a message from Imperial IT about some security test. Is this important?”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Protocols are always important,
admiral,” Zarn replied. “The security check is a fleetwide exercise. Every
technician across the entire Empire passed the test. It’s a very simple matter
of—”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“I should not ignore it, then?”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Well, sir, Imperial IT tracks
these things and reports to, you know, High Command. They’re very, um,
enthusiastic, I guess you could say, about making sure everyone is up to speed
on the latest important security policies. I wouldn’t ignore it.” <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“You mean, you wouldn’t ignore
it <i>again?” </i>Piett said with a subtle smile.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Zarn released a heavy, relieved
breath. “The records say, sir, that you didn’t even take the test the first
time. Maybe the original message bounced out of your inbox or something. It’s
been known to happen.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“And fleet commanders have also
been known to ignore ‘important security checks,’ especially those requiring attendance
at a holo-workshop.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“That’s your prerogative, sir.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“High Command brought it up at
my performance review. The moff in charge of my evaluation didn’t seem to care
about the exercise. But if it’s important to you, Kellam, then I will give
Imperial IT some of my very valuable time in the middle of a war.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“You’ve always led by example,
sir,” Zarn said. “Perhaps completing the security check would influence some of
our other commanders to take it more seriously.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“I received the same report you
did,” Piett said. “And while I won’t name any names, it doesn’t surprise me
that some of the officers have failed in their duties. I believe you make a
good point. Perhaps by completing the exercise, I can convince my subordinates
to do the same.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Zarn’s console beeped. “We have
a shuttle incoming, sir.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Piett stood somehow even
straighter. “We have nothing on the schedule for today.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“No, sir.” Zarn checked the
transponder. A <i>Lambda-</i>class shuttle called the <i>Tydirium </i>approached.
A records search showed the shuttle hadn’t checked in with Imperial forces in several
months. He activated his comm. “We have you on our screen now. Please
identify.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Shuttle <i>Tydrium, </i>requesting
deactivation of the deflector shield,” the pilot said. He sounded bored.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Zarn bit his lower lip. “Shuttle
<i>Tydirium, </i>transmit the code for shield passage.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Transmission commencing.” The
pilot somehow sounded even more bored.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Zarn tapped on his screen. “This
is code is older than three months, Admiral. I don’t think we can let them
pass.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Piett leaned over Kellam’s
shoulder. “The new protocols just went into effect, Technician Kellam. Surely,
we must give ships some leeway for a few days, don’t you think?”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Well, Admiral—” <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Besides, protocol gives me
broad discretion when it comes to accepting older codes, does it not?”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Zarn took a deep breath and
gathered his thoughts. He needed to choose his next words very carefully. “It’s
true that the new protocols still give fleet commanders discretion, but ships
broadcasting an older code are subject to a ‘stop and detain order.’ The
shuttle transmitted an older code, sir, and that means the new protocols call
for us to stop it. We should absolutely not allow it to pass unchallenged.” The
shuttle appeared to be keeping its distance.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“It seems you love protocols
more than some droids do,” Piett said.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Protocols are vital to the
security of the Empire.” Part of Zarn died inside when he realized he’d quoted Pernu.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Another tight smile from the
admiral. “A scan shows more than two dozen people on the shuttle. That lines up
with a technical support crew.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Zarn checked the records again.
“We don’t have any delayed shipments, sir. The <i>Tydirium </i>isn’t on the
list of ships authorized for passage in this system. We have no scheduled
arrivals, no messages about a delayed crew. I can identify no extenuating circumstances that would necessitate allowing the shuttle to pass unchallenged.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Zarn felt goosebumps. The hair
on the back of his neck and arms stood up. His stomach tightened. Imperial Lord
Darth Vader had a way of sweeping into a conversation like a dark wind. In Zarn’s
early days aboard the <i>Executor</i>, the Dark Lord’s electronic breathing
unnerved him. He thought he’d gotten used to it until he realized Vader stood
right over his shoulder.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Where is that shuttle going?”
Vader said in that commanding voice of his.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Zarn, momentarily frozen,
shifted slightly as Piett punched the comm button on his console. “Shuttle <i>Tydirium</i>,
what is your cargo and destination?”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Parts and technical crew for
the forest moon,” the pilot said. Zarn was surprised the man didn’t yawn while
answering.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Do they have a code clearance?”
Vader asked.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Zarn resisted the urge to pump
his fist in triumph. Finally, someone who valued protocols. Of anyone in the
Empire, Lord Vader would have the utmost respect for security. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“It’s an older code, sir, but it
checks out,” Piett answered. “I was about to clear them.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Vader looked toward some unseen horizon.
Zarn couldn’t read his mind, of course, but he was certain the Dark Lord was grappling
with how to best discipline the admiral for his flippant treatment of Imperial
protocols and procedures.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Shall I hold?” Piett asked.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">The technician waited for Vader
to answer in the affirmative. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">The shuttle needed to be stopped and detained;
those were the new rules set forth by the Empire. In many ways, Vader <i>was </i>the
Empire. He personified those ideals and—<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“No. Leave them to me. I will
deal with them myself,” the Dark Lord replied.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“As you wish, my lord,” Piett
said. “Carry on.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Zarn, stunned by the Dark Lord’s
answer, couldn’t move. Piett broke him out of his trance with a nudge, and Zarn
hit the comm button. “Shuttle <i>Tydirium</i>, deactivation of the shield will
commence immediately. Follow your present course.” He said it with more
confidence than he actually had. The bored pilot didn’t even bother to thank
him.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Well done, Technician Kellam.”
Piett patted him on the shoulder and left to attend to other matters.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Vader’s heavy boots clicked ever
closer. “Technician Kellam, I sense this decision has left you uneasy.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Of course not, Lord Vader.”
Zarn managed not to stutter. Part of him wanted to tell Vader that he’d
violated Imperial protocol. What could he even do? File a report? If that came
across some bureaucrat’s desk, they’d simply mark the case closed and move on,
if they valued their life.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“I don’t think you’re being
truthful with me, Technician.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Did Zarn feel tightness around
his throat? He heard that happened sometimes when people got on Vader’s bad
side. He took a deep, unobstructed breath and realized his mind was playing
tricks on him. “To be honest, my lord, your decision to allow the shuttle to
pass is a direct violation of new Imperial protocols. I just attended a
mandatory workshop about them. Sir.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“If you feel so strongly about a
potential breach of protocol, Technician Kellam, I suggest you file a report.
Perhaps you should file <i>two </i>reports: one with IT and another with ISB.”
He placed a gloved hand on Zarn’s console. “While no man is above the rules,
sometimes there are more important things than protocol.” With that, like
another gust of wind, the Dark Lord left.<o:p></o:p></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYLDiNnGLn4qDGa536DoqkskWxCDCOvLGsQFS_xWDj-UkGaYvOsoScHSKAaRGLPWYuR7cvG_yxHKZDMQrz2v0tdnRGGmDxRQC87fiGCzpzldxD2AfHl2GXhQnUErI-cymBi0qCXFivd5WmgxcmwzJGeaShpUK0wi6uV3SS-9roiV6RezQPyfdSmo9l6w/s800/Rebel%20break.jpg" style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="800" height="50" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYLDiNnGLn4qDGa536DoqkskWxCDCOvLGsQFS_xWDj-UkGaYvOsoScHSKAaRGLPWYuR7cvG_yxHKZDMQrz2v0tdnRGGmDxRQC87fiGCzpzldxD2AfHl2GXhQnUErI-cymBi0qCXFivd5WmgxcmwzJGeaShpUK0wi6uV3SS-9roiV6RezQPyfdSmo9l6w/w200-h50/Rebel%20break.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Once his shift ended, Zarn
picked up something from the fast-serve kiosk and went to his quarters. He
arranged his food on the side table and logged back into his personal console. Balancing
his sandwich in his mouth, he tapped away at a detailed report citing the
regulations Admiral Piett and Imperial Lord Darth Vader violated in the
Empire’s most vital operational sector.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">He read over it once more,
cc’ing Imperial IT, the Imperial Security Bureau, and Imperial High Command. He
quoted Vader himself.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“While no man is above the
rules, sometimes there are more important things than protocol.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Zarn smiled, took a bite of his
sandwich, and chewed thoughtfully. His finger hovered over the send button as
he mustered the courage to forward a complaint that would surely ripple through
all levels of the Empire. But before he could do it, Piett summoned him back to
the bridge due to urgent “Rebel activity” on the forest moon.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Even in his downtime, Zarn
Kellam served the Empire.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">He scarfed down what remained of
his dinner, buttoned his tunic, and made sure to put his uniform hat on
straight. His door hissed open as he left, and he missed an urgent, automated
message from Imperial IT.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Four fleet officers still needed
to complete their security training before the deadline.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Piett, at the very least, had
taken the time to fill out his.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.mattadamswriter.com/2023/05/commentary-older-code_11.html" target="_blank"><img alt="" data-original-height="150" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiY8ME1Gks4s6IRrwKMi6jf2J-M8Mh_AlfAcns91j-JaqWZ_YvKzrPodDchrmQPJkwADSMvKEhpr7__l9ft4TKitlGkJDTba-Zi3w24ZWkKOFagwdWNQXPsRK6x8c9W-c-zh5tMxwSoYHTfp22jex63LIfYwsxOo5owOmg-7a_8FbMnoDpd3f-Juaqy3Q=s16000" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p>Matt Adamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07960407647609637681noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6792925679340467992.post-34553926632921225082023-05-11T21:37:00.008-04:002023-05-11T22:17:55.165-04:00A Whole Case of Trouble: 40 Years of Return of the Jedi<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG4Q9zYd1PvfGo7ElPPwCi0TiiB5LSavX1aoptlKEN7jglLdSsMs89-4c3k0vDqECj27-43bATig85jvAbuCAk2Kg3PIkgDkI3I6FBMsGWvrX_w0hpcWjNvqMhiTlwWV6vOeA2hJOKsRXRhvh4n_Z-uNwXG0XgyvvRA_3-XApRsviFJjtk4ZbpTTPeRQ/s2068/Lando%20Case.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1166" data-original-width="2068" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG4Q9zYd1PvfGo7ElPPwCi0TiiB5LSavX1aoptlKEN7jglLdSsMs89-4c3k0vDqECj27-43bATig85jvAbuCAk2Kg3PIkgDkI3I6FBMsGWvrX_w0hpcWjNvqMhiTlwWV6vOeA2hJOKsRXRhvh4n_Z-uNwXG0XgyvvRA_3-XApRsviFJjtk4ZbpTTPeRQ/w640-h360/Lando%20Case.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><p>At first, Lando convinced
himself Fett didn’t recognize him.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Then he realized the game.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">The bounty hunter knew Lando was
deep undercover in Jabba the Hutt’s lair. He knew Lando <i>knew </i>he knew.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Yet Fett did nothing about it.
He didn’t tell Jabba, didn’t flag down one of his Gamorrean guards or alert the
Hutt’s fawning majordomo. He simply went about his business like he always did,
hauling in the undesirables with prices on their heads and collecting his bounties.
It went on like that for weeks, with Fett occasionally nodding to Lando across
Jabba’s smoke-filled den as a way of saying, “I see you.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Early on, Lando couldn’t figure
it out. Why wouldn’t Fett turn him in? While he wasn’t quite as respectable as
he wanted to be, Lando had gotten plenty of notoriety. That change of heart at
Bespin put him on the Empire’s kill list, and that meant a considerable bounty
on his head. Hell, if Lando could hit the tables with that amount of money,
he’d earn back enough to own the universe. He could buy out the whole accursed
Empire, every Star Destroyer, TIE Fighter, and probe droid, with enough scratch
left over to give every stormtrooper and Imperial gunner a decent severance
package.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">But for some reason, the <i>bounty
</i>hunter refused to cash in.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">His initial befuddlement gave
way to the reality of Fett’s gambit. Fett knew Lando had infiltrated Jabba’s
palace to rescue his old buddy. That meant some more high-priced targets would
make their way to Tatooine soon enough. And while Lando would fetch a large
price for Fett, it wouldn’t compare to the package deal he would get for Leia
and the Skywalker kid.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Lando loathed the bounty hunter,
but he knew Fett loathed Jedi even more. He’d relish the challenge of taking
down the last one, even if the Skywalker kid—he probably shouldn’t think of
Luke as a kid, given what he’d seen him do—was basically a rookie Jedi.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">A rookie Jedi? Was there such a thing?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Lando supposed they had to start
somewhere.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Hey, Skreej, we need you in the
main chamber,” Oz grumbled. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Lando, lost deep in thought in
his dusty and decidedly unsophisticated guard armor, sat on a bench in front of
his locker. Jabba’s palace lacked much finery, and everything simply smelled.
No matter how long he spent in a ‘fresher, he doubted he’d ever knock out the
immortal stench of the place.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Lando rose and grabbed his
vibro-ax. “What have we got today?”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">The Quarren’s face tentacles spasmed
in apprehension. “Someone upset the boss. The best situation, you know. Entertainment
for all.” Usually earnest in nature, the Quarren delivered the last sentence
with atypical sarcasm.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Like Oz, Lando didn’t see the
appeal of the “entertainment,” which usually meant someone who’d angered the
Hutt got dragged in front of his dais and sent to the rancor pit, where the
poor creature made quick work of them. Jabba’s gallery of miscreants and
malcontents would hoot and holler and wager on how long the poor sap would
survive. Credits exchanged hands. Lando didn’t enjoy betting on the bleak contest,
but failing to make a wager could raise suspicions.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">He always took the under because
the rancor was deadly efficient.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Hunger would do that to a
creature.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“It’s some poor spacer who dumped
a shipment of spice during a delivery,” Oz said. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Lando accompanied him down one
of the palace’s many dark passages, his boots crunching against gravel or
bones. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">He hoped for gravel.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">He also knew better.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Lando and Oz met a couple of
Gamorreans at the entrance to Jabba’s palace. He expected some hardened
spice-runner with lines in his face. Maybe an eyepatch. Definitely a beard and
a potbelly. But the spacer wore a fine jacket from Coruscant. Lando didn’t need
to look at the label to know it came from Bazra Klin Outfitters, a flattering
cut with a jeweled crest and the shop’s signature epaulettes on either side. Whoever
this doomed spice-runner was, she had good taste.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Lando grabbed her by the elbow,
pushing his way through the crowd as he escorted her to the grate that would
undoubtedly lead to her demise. He noticed she was taller than him, even in his
helmet. The Hutt’s protocol droid, some doomed automaton destined for the scrap
heap on his next bit of bad news, stirred his master from slumber. Jabba’s eyes
flicked open, and he licked his lips with his thick tongue. The scents of spice
and filth radiated from his corpulent body. Lando also caught a whiff of one of
the fruity drinks the Hutt favored.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Jabba bellowed in Huttese, which
his protocol droid dutifully translated, minus the drug-induced slurring. Lando
didn’t have high fluency in the Hutt’s language and even <i>he </i>could hear
the crime boss trip over his own words.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“The mighty Jabba bids you
welcome to his humble palace,” the protocol droid said. Dim lighting and age had taken whatever luster his metal body once had. “He has offered to spare your pitiful life—I
apologize, those are his words and not mine, as I’m merely an interpreter—if
you pay him back the cost of the shipment plus twenty-five percent.”<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Thanks, your grace,” the spacer said with an exaggerated bow. “A galaxy of blessings upon you. May you live forever in wealth and health and your great clan prosper until the end of time. May the great Hutts outlast the Republic and the Galactic Empire. May their—”</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Lando grabbed the spacer by the elbow and led her away from the main chamber. “Time to go.”</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Did I lay it on too thick?” the woman asked.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“With the charm? For the Hutt, it works every time,” Lando said as he escorted her toward the exit.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">The spacer should count herself fortunate; the Hutt rarely granted second chances. In
his months on the job, Lando had witnessed the Hutt give a reprieve to exactly one
of his lowlifes, and that was only because the guy offered enough credits to
buy a star system. He transferred the credits, but some of Jabba’s demented
henchmen assassinated him as he left, mostly because they liked his boots.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">If the spacer managed to save
her own skin, they would definitely kill her for the jacket.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCruDEGrIwrlhurNqvSQoGxU3ULbdt_Jj6s0ouKMQcWwEC9HbGtOIJXA5394l6UPEHo2TGfAkbPmdB4IHil6FEry7S8lTnJd_-LvspEAhSHp927jUUlDU9gNi2o5BIVE5J0jtuGytwTFAYRNvK1sWTfEGzVdoUjys4Pq3dCmW9Tk-hp7i9coqAG1kSPw/s800/Colt%2045%20break.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="800" height="80" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCruDEGrIwrlhurNqvSQoGxU3ULbdt_Jj6s0ouKMQcWwEC9HbGtOIJXA5394l6UPEHo2TGfAkbPmdB4IHil6FEry7S8lTnJd_-LvspEAhSHp927jUUlDU9gNi2o5BIVE5J0jtuGytwTFAYRNvK1sWTfEGzVdoUjys4Pq3dCmW9Tk-hp7i9coqAG1kSPw/s320/Colt%2045%20break.png" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">He hadn’t gotten a good night’s
sleep in the months since the Empire arrived in Cloud City. As baron
administrator, Lando thought it prudent to make a deal. Millions of people
depended on him. They kept the operation small and off the Empire’s radar for a
long time, and they were turning a handsome profit. Tibanna proved lucrative
despite the jaw-dropping startup costs, and he’d managed things well.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Did he like the idea of selling
out a friend?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Absolutely not.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">He did what he always did: try
to make the best out of a bad situation. If he could save Chewie and the
princess and their annoying protocol droid, he could find a way to get Han
back. He’d even tried to convince Vader that putting someone into carbon freeze
would kill them in hopes of sparing his friend the pain of carbonite
hibernation. But he couldn’t deter Vader, who probably knew all too well when a
gambler was bluffing.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">When the dark lord altered the deal—sometimes
Lando still felt his throat constricting in the middle of the night for no
reason—he had to act. That meant open rebellion against the Empire, something
the board really frowned upon. He got Leia, Chewie, and Threepio out and
somehow picked up a rookie Jedi and an astromech droid along the way. Since
Vader’s <i>Executor </i>arrived, Lando hadn’t logged much rest, his
thoughts on Han and the monster in a metal mask.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“You just going to sit there and
stare?”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Lando realized he’d been focusing
on the floor. He didn’t recognize the voice and looked up to see the spacer and
her marvelous jacket. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">An oasis in the cursed deserts
of Tatooine.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“This is a restricted area,”
Lando said. “The Hutt’ll feed you to the rancor if he finds you back here.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">The woman waved her hand
nonchalantly. She had a bag draped over her right shoulder. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“He’s so spiced up, he thinks the Galactic
Senate’s still in session.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Lando glanced around the empty
room. “You’re gonna take that sense of humor all the way to the rancor pit.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“I already talked my way out of
the pit. And believe me, that would be the preferable punishment, if it comes
to that. The last thing I want is to get chained to his throne like some poor
Twi’lek.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">On first impression, his guest
didn’t strike him as much of a dancer. She had a good bit of theatricality when
she talked, though, and cut a lithe figure in the jacket. “All right, all
right. Better to be a snack than a showgirl. I got it. You still shouldn’t be
back here. My advice would be to make a jump to the Outer Rim and deactivate
your beacon.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“The price on my head is big
enough to get Jabba’s hit squad on my trail. They’ll have no problem finding
me, beacon or no beacon. You saw what he did to Solo. Sure, he avoided capture
for a couple years, but now he’s a coffee table. So, running is not an option.
I’ve gotta pay the boss back the cost of the shipment plus twenty-five percent.
And that’s where you come in.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Lando kept his face impassive, a
feat made easier by the heavy guard mask. “Excuse me?”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Oh, I know what you’re gonna
say. You’re just a poor, overworked man making an honest guard’s salary. Never
mind the Hutt pays well for muscle because silence and competency go a long
way. But I know you, Skreej. I do.” The woman reached for her bag, withdrew a
bottle of Twinburst Ale, and handed it to him.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">The bottle had the signature
heft of a top-shelf product with a holo-label that flashed the images of twin
starbursts. The liquor burned going in, going down, and going out, but the
flavor and high were worth it to people with discerning tastes. Lando loved the
stuff. He’d once bartered a whole case for a ship. He later bought an ownership
stake in the company, one of the many things he’d lost of late. The Empire shut
the place down under one of its anti-sedition laws. They’d destroyed every
bottle.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Or so they claimed. It was a big
universe out there.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“A fancy drink like that does
not belong on Tatooine,” Lando said. “And I don’t care how much you think the
Hutt pays, Jabba’s the only one who could afford a bottle. Well, maybe Fett.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“I’ve got a case back on my
ship. Conveniently, selling it would raise enough money to get the bounty off
my back and avoid the rancor pit.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Sounds like you’d better find a
buyer. Quickly.” Lando handed over the bottle.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">The woman tucked it away. “The
stuff is hard to move, Skreej, even on the black and gray markets, and
especially for the amount of credits I need. Could I get rid of a bottle? Sure.
But someone carrying around a case may as well be a Rebel sympathizer in the
eyes of the Empire. A wrong move, a bad deal, and I’ll have worse things to
worry about than the Hutt.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Lando let out an incredulous
chuckle. “I don’t see how some random guard stationed on this giant sandbox can help you.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">The spacer shot him a sideways smile.
“You’re not some random guard, Skreej. I know it. You know it.” She gave him
her comm number, patted his shoulder, and left.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Lando cursed under his breath. He
thought he’d flown under the radar, but the spacer, like Fett, knew he was
undercover at Jabba’s palace.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">She didn’t tell him. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">She didn’t have to.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">The woman’s bottle of Twinburst
Ale featured the exclusive label from the Cloud City Collection. He’d endorsed
it in a series of advertisements, suggesting discerning drinkers who enjoyed Twinburst
Ale “truly belong here with us among the clouds.” It was, he’d informed
viewers, a sophisticated drink “with a flavorful burn that works every time.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Oligarchs, war profiteers, stockbrokers,
business moguls, and high-ranking Imperials loved the stuff.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Until the Empire banned it.<o:p></o:p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCruDEGrIwrlhurNqvSQoGxU3ULbdt_Jj6s0ouKMQcWwEC9HbGtOIJXA5394l6UPEHo2TGfAkbPmdB4IHil6FEry7S8lTnJd_-LvspEAhSHp927jUUlDU9gNi2o5BIVE5J0jtuGytwTFAYRNvK1sWTfEGzVdoUjys4Pq3dCmW9Tk-hp7i9coqAG1kSPw/s800/Colt%2045%20break.png" style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="800" height="80" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCruDEGrIwrlhurNqvSQoGxU3ULbdt_Jj6s0ouKMQcWwEC9HbGtOIJXA5394l6UPEHo2TGfAkbPmdB4IHil6FEry7S8lTnJd_-LvspEAhSHp927jUUlDU9gNi2o5BIVE5J0jtuGytwTFAYRNvK1sWTfEGzVdoUjys4Pq3dCmW9Tk-hp7i9coqAG1kSPw/s320/Colt%2045%20break.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“That spacer’s got some nerve,”
Oz said. The Quarren made an admirable run at Lando’s high score in the guard
lounge’s podracing holo-game. The pristine game machine was the only thing in
the awful place that wasn’t covered in dust and decay; the guards kept it in
tiptop condition, treating the machine as if it were the only thing of value in
the whole godforsaken palace. “The boss must like her, though, to let her buy
her way out. I wish I could buy my way out.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Oz guided his pod through a
flashing green ring and came perilously close to clipping a side wall. He
managed to right the vehicle as he sped toward the next ring. The game awarded
points based on speed, time, and overall damage avoidance. The less damage a pod
took during a run, the higher the multiplier. Lando had always been good with a
fast ship, and he’d excelled at making clean runs in the game. Others matched
him in speed, time, or damage avoidance, but no one could best him in all
three.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">But Oz was making a good run at
it.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">The key would be the final leg
on the Geonosis course, a hairpin turn that went straight into the planet’s
catacombs. Lando had crashed multiple times on that last stretch, which
included the high-speed turn and the most inconveniently placed stone column of
all time.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Oz, still amid a clean run, was
beating Lando’s time and coming through the hairpin turn now at a death-defying
speed. But the back end of the pod clipped the aforementioned column, slowing
him just enough and knocking down his score multiplier. He finished just a few
points off Lando’s record-setting pace.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Poodoo.” Oz slammed his flipper-like
hand against the wall. “The course designer should be thrown into the Sarlacc
for putting that thing right there. I don’t know how you keep avoiding it,
Skreej. I know it’s there, and I <i>still </i>clipped it.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“The first time I ran the
course, I hit the damn thing head on,” Lando said. “It just takes practice, my
friend.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Disgusted, Oz switched off the
game, eliciting grunts from the other guards. “Sorry, fellas. We’ll pick things
back up later.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Lando handed the Quarren a Salty,
the preferred mass-market beer of his people. He opened the can, probed the
scent with his facial tentacles, and took a sip. Oz didn’t quite fit in with
the rest of Jabba’s guards, which meant he and Lando got along fine. Neither
had a taste for nihilism and mayhem, although they both pretended they did
because their surroundings demanded it.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“You think the spacer will pull
it off?” Oz asked.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“I wouldn’t underestimate her.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Is she attractive by human
standards?”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Lando nodded. “I would say she
is attractive by any standards.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Then perhaps Jabba is hoping
she’ll default and become one of his dancers. He likes to do that, you know.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“I’m aware.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Oz took a long drink. To Lando,
the beer smelled like a sea breeze carried on winds near a noxious factory. “Gronko
ran the customs scam on her ship. She wasn’t there at the time, but her co-pilot
caught on pretty quick. Still, he came across a case of Twinburst Ale in one of
the cargo holds. By the sea, you could probably buy a whole star system with
the stuff now.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Lando arched an eyebrow. “Is
Gronko sure it’s authentic? I’ve been reading about counterfeits.” In truth,
he’d read no such thing, but it didn’t hurt to plant the seed. Maybe Gronko would
think twice about carrying out the inevitable plot to steal the ale and resell
it.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“He’d have to open a bottle to
find out for sure. That burn-high is hard to fake.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Though Lando had only been with
Jabba for a few months, Gronko had already run his customs scam numerous times.
He dressed in a uniform, presented some forged authorization documents, and
claimed he was with Customs and Enforcement. Unwitting spacers let him on their
ships to inspect their goods; the wily Clawdite used it as an opportunity to
case the ship and steal anything with resell value. His shapeshifting ability
allowed him to pull the scam off multiple times without being recognized.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Just great. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">If history was any indication, Gronko
had set his sights on the woman and the valuable case of liquor she used as
leverage. The idiot could jeopardize everything. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Lando, Luke, and Leia had a plan
to save Han. Just a few more weeks, maybe even sooner, and they would set in
motion a series of events that would, they hoped, end with Han out of Jabba’s
clutches. Luke would first try to pay off the gangster. When that didn’t
work—Lando knew the Hutt liked having Han hanging on his wall too much—they’d
take Han by force. There were a lot of variables involved.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">But if Gronko stole the ale, the
spacer would have to play her only remaining card.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">She’d beg for her life and tell
Jabba Lando Calrissian was working for him. The price on his head would be too
tempting for Jabba to pass up. The Hutt, who’d made a habit lately of spending
his days in a drug-induced haze, would probably sober up and bolster security.
It would ruin any chance Lando and company had of rescuing Han from Jabba’s Decorator’s
Showcase.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Lando knew he’d have to play
this one carefully.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">He arranged a meeting with the
spacer.<o:p></o:p></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCruDEGrIwrlhurNqvSQoGxU3ULbdt_Jj6s0ouKMQcWwEC9HbGtOIJXA5394l6UPEHo2TGfAkbPmdB4IHil6FEry7S8lTnJd_-LvspEAhSHp927jUUlDU9gNi2o5BIVE5J0jtuGytwTFAYRNvK1sWTfEGzVdoUjys4Pq3dCmW9Tk-hp7i9coqAG1kSPw/s800/Colt%2045%20break.png" style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="800" height="80" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCruDEGrIwrlhurNqvSQoGxU3ULbdt_Jj6s0ouKMQcWwEC9HbGtOIJXA5394l6UPEHo2TGfAkbPmdB4IHil6FEry7S8lTnJd_-LvspEAhSHp927jUUlDU9gNi2o5BIVE5J0jtuGytwTFAYRNvK1sWTfEGzVdoUjys4Pq3dCmW9Tk-hp7i9coqAG1kSPw/s320/Colt%2045%20break.png" width="320" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Lando found her outside her
ship, a resplendent Nubian freighter as exquisite as her fashionable jacket. “You
have yourself a deal. It’s enough to cover the botched spice shipment plus fifty
percent.” He held up a credit chip.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Skreej?” The spacer hesitated
for a split second before eyeing the money. “What’s the catch?”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Leave now and get as far away
from this sand trap as possible. Don’t come back.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">The spacer reached for the chip.
Before she could grab it, a blaster bolt sailed through the air perilously
close to her hand; the chip rattled to the ground. “Stang!” She drew her
blaster, went down on one knee, and aimed in the direction of the shot.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Customs and Enforcement! Drop
it!”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Customs, my ass,” the spacer
said.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Lando held up his hands in
surrender.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">The woman gave him an
incredulous look. “What are you doing?”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“The authorities are here,”
Lando said. “Best do what they say.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">The woman dropped her blaster
and stood. “I hope you know what you’re doing.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“He does.” A figure emerged from
the shadows—a mirror image of the spacer. “Gotta say, it’s a bold move.
Attempting to double-dip by stealing the ale and Skreej’s money.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“I don’t know what you’re—” <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">A crimson bolt downed the
spacer, whose face changed into Gronko’s.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Scheming Clawdite. A jacket
thief, to boot,” the spacer spat. “Thanks for the heads up, Skreej.” She jerked
her head toward Gronko’s smoking forehead. “That's a bad day.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“I assume your co-pilot’s dead?”<i><o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">She shook her head. “Got her on
the comm. He stuffed her in the smuggling hold. Drugged, but alive. So, the
Clawdite’s not a killer, at least.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Lando’s gaze flicked from the
spacer to Gronko and back again. “But you are.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“I’m a problem solver, Skreej,
just like you. You want to keep a lid on the whole thing. A talkative Clawdite
could upend whatever scheme you’re running. I’m assuming plenty of Jabba’s
guards ‘disappear’ without a trace.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Lando fixed his eyes on the
barrel of her weapon. “It is, I’m afraid, an alarming trend.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">She tucked away her blaster,
retrieved the credit chip, and dusted it off. “This will wipe the slate clean.
I’ll pay off my debt and get the hell out of here. Never working for the Hutt
again, I promise you that.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“And the ale? I thought you
couldn’t move it, black or gray market.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“I may have misled you. My fence seems confident.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Lando smiled. “Then I guess our
business here is concluded.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">She shot back a lopsided grin of
her own. “I guess so.”<o:p></o:p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCruDEGrIwrlhurNqvSQoGxU3ULbdt_Jj6s0ouKMQcWwEC9HbGtOIJXA5394l6UPEHo2TGfAkbPmdB4IHil6FEry7S8lTnJd_-LvspEAhSHp927jUUlDU9gNi2o5BIVE5J0jtuGytwTFAYRNvK1sWTfEGzVdoUjys4Pq3dCmW9Tk-hp7i9coqAG1kSPw/s800/Colt%2045%20break.png" style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="800" height="80" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCruDEGrIwrlhurNqvSQoGxU3ULbdt_Jj6s0ouKMQcWwEC9HbGtOIJXA5394l6UPEHo2TGfAkbPmdB4IHil6FEry7S8lTnJd_-LvspEAhSHp927jUUlDU9gNi2o5BIVE5J0jtuGytwTFAYRNvK1sWTfEGzVdoUjys4Pq3dCmW9Tk-hp7i9coqAG1kSPw/s320/Colt%2045%20break.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<div><br /></div><div>“Saw this in the mailroom for
you.” Oz handed Lando a package. “Thought I’d grab it before one of the clerks
decided to ‘inspect’ it.”</div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">The tall box had a surprising
amount of heft. When Lando was assured he and Oz were alone, he opened it to
find a bottle of Twinburst Ale wrapped in a note. He read it out loud, “It
works every time. Yours, Tendra.” Lando chuckled.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Twinburst Ale is good stuff.
Pricey these days, too,” Oz said.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Lando examined the bottle. Even
though it remained sealed, he couldn’t shake his memories of the liquor’s
potent burn and unbeatable high. But opening it now, even in celebration,
wouldn’t help anyone. Keeping it sealed, however, would. He shoved the bottle
into Oz’s chest. “You should have this.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Oz pushed it away. “Skreej, no,
I couldn’t. You could buy your own ship with this.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“So could you. In fact, that’s
exactly what you should do. Go to the Mos Eisley dock master and tell them Tamtel
Skreej sends his regards. He’ll pay you good money for this. You can go home.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Oz’s face tentacles twitched in
gratitude. “I don’t know what to say.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“How about, ‘Yes?’” <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">The Quarren shuffled off and
then turned toward Lando, “You know, it’s been a few days since anyone’s seen
Gronko. You think he bolted?”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“I bet someone caught onto his
customs scam,” Lando said. “He won’t show his face around here again.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Oz practically hugged the bottle
as he headed toward the exit and, Lando hoped, away from Jabba’s palace.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">The Quarren got out just in
time. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">He’d just heard from Luke. In
two weeks, Artoo and Threepio would arrive at Jabba’s palace. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Lando Calrissian could finally
say goodbye to Tamtel Skreej once and for all.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Once back in Jabba’s den, he
looked across the floor at Fett and raised a glass in the bounty hunter’s
direction. The spacer may have taken the rest of the Twinburst Ale, but Lando
and his friends were about to crack open a whole case of trouble.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.mattadamswriter.com/2023/05/commentary-whole-case-of-trouble.html" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="" data-original-height="150" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi6UvdKH-jxkCGoqUxELzCq8EvzWB-K_a6w6jBi1AiFvdCz1pxKOzzQVd5UkXc525pCm1X3B43oFH8WMhrCiu_fB2oeefY1nvj0vk9KbeGPZ_03p0m57aBJ4MEyPNrHee8M_dPjebvHKTvHsdXeGJhyNcQMY-cIDnPa5i4-uvNC-odZ1KpJqRp57wWcHg=s16000" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p>Matt Adamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07960407647609637681noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6792925679340467992.post-48048965170256511072023-05-11T21:37:00.005-04:002023-05-11T21:42:17.513-04:00Turncoat: 40 Years of Return of the Jedi<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFxslTSMBLMT-VnLf2cgjtES9hfp75Py5TRE7sRU7YsJbfQZIPAjPWVd9gtGiQAnz6TIAhs76DEifhrDCxJ4ubJbHEWAL10yJYC_uKAshSjAPzn4CSQjn-RndRc8IuMA4DTG__UTkEPYKna_NMImy_ProC3Qxm6jyWMDZS4kps7kO_Y9YblNrzZA367g/s2068/Turncoat.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1166" data-original-width="2068" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFxslTSMBLMT-VnLf2cgjtES9hfp75Py5TRE7sRU7YsJbfQZIPAjPWVd9gtGiQAnz6TIAhs76DEifhrDCxJ4ubJbHEWAL10yJYC_uKAshSjAPzn4CSQjn-RndRc8IuMA4DTG__UTkEPYKna_NMImy_ProC3Qxm6jyWMDZS4kps7kO_Y9YblNrzZA367g/w640-h360/Turncoat.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>Dramatis personae</i></b></div><div>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><i>Ayona Berix (Bronze Leader, human, X-wing)</i></li><li><i>Kimber (Bronze Two, human, A-wing)</i></li><li><i>Roozal “Roo” (Bronze Three, Duros, A-wing)</i></li><li><i>Goless “Goalie” (Bronze Four, Bith, Y-wing)</i></li><li><i>Aldar (Bronze Five, Hapan, X-wing)</i></li><li><i>Pollux (Bronze Six, human, A-wing)</i></li><li><i>Sevra Brack/Kail Tremal (Bronze Seven, human, X-wing)</i></li><li><i>Mazie (Bronze Eight, human, Y-wing)</i></li><li><i>Nova (Bronze Nine, Twi’lek, X-wing)</i></li><li><i>Gilmorruaam “Gil” (Bronze Ten, Wookiee, ARC-170)</i></li><li><i>Bronze Eleven (human, X-wing)</i></li><li><i>Bronze Twelve (human, X-wing)</i></li></ul><p></p>
</div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><o:p> </o:p></i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYLDiNnGLn4qDGa536DoqkskWxCDCOvLGsQFS_xWDj-UkGaYvOsoScHSKAaRGLPWYuR7cvG_yxHKZDMQrz2v0tdnRGGmDxRQC87fiGCzpzldxD2AfHl2GXhQnUErI-cymBi0qCXFivd5WmgxcmwzJGeaShpUK0wi6uV3SS-9roiV6RezQPyfdSmo9l6w/s800/Rebel%20break.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="800" height="50" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYLDiNnGLn4qDGa536DoqkskWxCDCOvLGsQFS_xWDj-UkGaYvOsoScHSKAaRGLPWYuR7cvG_yxHKZDMQrz2v0tdnRGGmDxRQC87fiGCzpzldxD2AfHl2GXhQnUErI-cymBi0qCXFivd5WmgxcmwzJGeaShpUK0wi6uV3SS-9roiV6RezQPyfdSmo9l6w/w200-h50/Rebel%20break.jpg" width="200" /></a></p></div><div>
<p class="MsoNormal">She told the Rebels her name was
Kail Tremal.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">But she was really Sevra Brack,
TIE-XS75.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Some spies found working deep
undercover difficult. Sevra didn’t. The Empire built her for this, provided her
with training and an unbreakable loyalty to the Emperor and his great war
machine. When it was all over, when she helped the Empire vanquish the Rebels
once and for all, she’d step proudly back into her old life and serve the
Imperial Navy to the best of her ability.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">She’d embedded herself within one
of the Rebels’ ragtag starfighter squadrons. Bronze Squadron was an unassuming
name for an undisciplined and poorly trained group of pilots. The unit’s disorganization
rankled her the most; pilots in an Imperial squadron all flew the same type of
ship. A TIE Interceptor group all flew Interceptors; a TIE Bomber squadron all
flew Bombers; standard TIE units all flew the Empire’s ubiquitous starfighter. Bronze
Squadron, on the other hand, included six X-wings, three A-wings, two Y-wings,
and, for some reason, an absolutely ancient and overmatched ARC-170.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Imperial units were disciplined
and uniform. Corellians flew with Corellians. Out of necessity, sometimes humans
from one world served with humans from a different world. Generally speaking,
the Empire kept like with like. The Rebels, on the other hand, insisted on
intermixing races. She had to serve with a Twi’lek, a Bith, a Duros, and a
Wookiee. Even one of the humans was a Hapan, some cowardly ideal of a man who
actually <i>liked </i>taking orders from women. The rest were unremarkable
humans from unremarkable planets, the least remarkable of them being their
squad leader, Ayona Berix from Chandrila, a planet filled with Rebel
sympathizers.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">But Sevra had to push all that
out of her mind. She had a role to play—and important intel to gather.<o:p></o:p></p>
<div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><o:p> </o:p></i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYLDiNnGLn4qDGa536DoqkskWxCDCOvLGsQFS_xWDj-UkGaYvOsoScHSKAaRGLPWYuR7cvG_yxHKZDMQrz2v0tdnRGGmDxRQC87fiGCzpzldxD2AfHl2GXhQnUErI-cymBi0qCXFivd5WmgxcmwzJGeaShpUK0wi6uV3SS-9roiV6RezQPyfdSmo9l6w/s800/Rebel%20break.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="800" height="50" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYLDiNnGLn4qDGa536DoqkskWxCDCOvLGsQFS_xWDj-UkGaYvOsoScHSKAaRGLPWYuR7cvG_yxHKZDMQrz2v0tdnRGGmDxRQC87fiGCzpzldxD2AfHl2GXhQnUErI-cymBi0qCXFivd5WmgxcmwzJGeaShpUK0wi6uV3SS-9roiV6RezQPyfdSmo9l6w/w200-h50/Rebel%20break.jpg" width="200" /></a></p></div><div></div></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">The simple message went to her
superiors.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><i>Escort duty. High-ranking
Rebel Command, possibly MM. Home One.</i><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">The transmission, sent on an
undetectable microburst frequency, received a succinct reply.<i><o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><i>Leave shuttle undisturbed.
Confirm if MM. Flush out location of Rebel fleet before final offensive.</i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><o:p> </o:p></i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYLDiNnGLn4qDGa536DoqkskWxCDCOvLGsQFS_xWDj-UkGaYvOsoScHSKAaRGLPWYuR7cvG_yxHKZDMQrz2v0tdnRGGmDxRQC87fiGCzpzldxD2AfHl2GXhQnUErI-cymBi0qCXFivd5WmgxcmwzJGeaShpUK0wi6uV3SS-9roiV6RezQPyfdSmo9l6w/s800/Rebel%20break.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="800" height="50" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYLDiNnGLn4qDGa536DoqkskWxCDCOvLGsQFS_xWDj-UkGaYvOsoScHSKAaRGLPWYuR7cvG_yxHKZDMQrz2v0tdnRGGmDxRQC87fiGCzpzldxD2AfHl2GXhQnUErI-cymBi0qCXFivd5WmgxcmwzJGeaShpUK0wi6uV3SS-9roiV6RezQPyfdSmo9l6w/w200-h50/Rebel%20break.jpg" width="200" /></a></p><div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Ease up, Bronze Seven,” Berix told
Sevra over the radio. “You’re flying a little too close.”</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Sevra backed off the throttle as
Bronze Squadron wrapped up its escort mission. Though the escorted party’s
identity remained classified, Sevra believed the shuttle held Rebellion leader
Mon Mothma. Rumors of her presence in the sector ran rampant on both Rebel and
Imperial channels. Sevra’s superiors wanted only to know Mothma’s whereabouts;
she was explicitly forbidden from eliminating her, a disappointing directive now
that she had the shuttle in her crosshairs.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">She only needed to make sure the
transport reached the rendezvous point with <i>Home One</i>, the Rebels’
flagship. Her superiors wanted to know where the fleet planned to gather before
its “final offensive,” a curious choice of words. Why would the Rebels risk summoning
their entire fleet in one place? What intel indicated a “final offensive?” Did
they think they had a chance to defeat Imperial forces?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">The Empire had no
vulnerabilities. It was indestructible. Sure, Rebels won the occasional battle,
but they could never beat the Emperor. The Empire stood for order in a chaotic
world, its principles as rock-solid as the mountains of Eadu. The upstart Rebels
stood no chance, although Sevra <i>almost </i>admired them for their
dedication.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“The shuttle is making its final
approach,” Berix said over the comm. “Steady as she goes.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Sevra stayed with the shuttle
until it drew close enough to dock with <i>Home One</i>. “Shuttle has entered
the docking bay. Bronze Seven disengaging.” She peeled away from the Mon Cal
cruiser. She’d grown comfortable in the X-wing’s cockpit, but the ship still lumbered
when compared to a TIE. Her old Interceptor turned on a whim, sometimes with
dizzying results. Maybe she should’ve requested an A-wing, the Rebels’
speedier, more agile ship.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">But Bronze Squadron needed an
X-wing pilot, and Sevra could fly anything. It didn’t hurt that she’d put in
time on every Rebel starfighter other than the B-wing. And the ARC—but no one
expected the Rebels to actually use one. Bulky and slower than a Y-wing, the
ARC shouldn’t have lasted long in a skirmish. She had to hand it to the Wookiee,
Gilmorruaam, for surviving his share of encounters. A devoted tinkerer, Gil
coaxed every bit of speed out of the archaic snubfighter’s engines. He’d
enhanced the shields and weapons.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">There she was again, thinking of
that <i>thing </i>as a pilot. Giving it a name.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Embedding herself among the
traitors for a year and a half played with her mind sometimes.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">She told the Rebels her name was
Kail Tremal.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">But she was really Sevra Brack,
TIE-XS75.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><o:p> </o:p></i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYLDiNnGLn4qDGa536DoqkskWxCDCOvLGsQFS_xWDj-UkGaYvOsoScHSKAaRGLPWYuR7cvG_yxHKZDMQrz2v0tdnRGGmDxRQC87fiGCzpzldxD2AfHl2GXhQnUErI-cymBi0qCXFivd5WmgxcmwzJGeaShpUK0wi6uV3SS-9roiV6RezQPyfdSmo9l6w/s800/Rebel%20break.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="800" height="50" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYLDiNnGLn4qDGa536DoqkskWxCDCOvLGsQFS_xWDj-UkGaYvOsoScHSKAaRGLPWYuR7cvG_yxHKZDMQrz2v0tdnRGGmDxRQC87fiGCzpzldxD2AfHl2GXhQnUErI-cymBi0qCXFivd5WmgxcmwzJGeaShpUK0wi6uV3SS-9roiV6RezQPyfdSmo9l6w/w200-h50/Rebel%20break.jpg" width="200" /></a></p></div><div></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“You put up an incredible score
in the sim,” Goless, the Bith, said as Bronze Squadron gathered in the mess. Her
squadmates called her Goalie. “It’s almost like you see three moves ahead of
everyone else.”</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“You just have to anticipate
things,” Sevra said. “Study a lot of training holos and pay attention to flight
recordings. You get to know how the enemy thinks. You internalize it, and then
you anticipate it. Before you know it, you realize you’re not even thinking
about your next move. You’re just doing it.” She squeezed some unappetizing-looking
gray paste out of the ration tube. To her surprise, it tasted like barbecue
prath ribs from back home. It sure as hell beat the Empire’s MREs (“engineered
for superior nutrition and hydration”).<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“I think it’s damn impressive.”
The Duros, Roozal (“Roo”), scooted in closer. He was a cocky one, the type who
thought men and women from every species wanted to share a bunk with him. “You
really know how to handle a stick.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Give it up, Wonder Roo,” said
Nova, the Twi’lek. Though his people were known for their grace and sensuality,
Nova played against type. Sure, he knew he was handsome, but he didn’t flaunt
it and had a way of making people feel comfortable. Sevra would’ve found him
endearing if he were a human. “Those come-ons were old during Sith times.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“For a Twi’lek, you’re a
gods-damn bore,” Roo shot back.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“For a Duros, you’re a gods-damn
whore,” Nova retorted.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Fellas, fellas. Easy now.”
Pollux, Bronze Six, put his hands on the pilots’ shoulders. “When it comes to
stick handling, no one in this squadron can beat me.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Roo broke out laughing. “I’m not
sure you meant what you <i>think </i>you meant.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“I’m the best we’ve got.” Pollux
smoothed out his dark brown flightsuit. “Before you know it, I’ll be Bronze
Leader and you’ll do what I say. I promise I’ll be fair.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Of that I have no doubt,”
interjected Aldar. The Hapan always spoke with an aura of theatricality; his
deep voice and chiseled features had gotten many a pilot to shed their
flightsuit. Even Sevra admired his looks. “But the best pilots do not have to
tell you they are the best pilots. They display their ample skill on the field
of battle.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Are you saying I’m all talk?”
Pollux said.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“You have demonstrated
impressive skill on the battlefield, Pollux,” Aldar said. “I mean only to say
that perhaps you should let your actions speak for themselves instead of
informing all of us thusly of your great skill.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Imperial pilots never shied away
from flexing their muscles in a group setting, and Rebels were no different.
Sevra didn’t, however, feel the intense sense of cutthroat competition that
ruled Imperial mess halls.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Listen up, hotshots.” Kimber,
their second in command, slid into the spot next to her. “We’re going to need
everyone at the top of their game. Briefing in five.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“You promised us we had time to
eat.” Mazie, one of the Y-wing pilots, carried two ration tubes in her left
hand and a bottle of some absolutely non-regulation glowing orange hooch in her
right.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Things change in a heartbeat.
You know that.” Kimber gestured toward her ration tubes. “Besides, the food is
portable. You can savor it in the briefing room. And, um, leave the booze
behind.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Mazie frowned. “This day just
keeps getting better and better.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><o:p> </o:p></i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYLDiNnGLn4qDGa536DoqkskWxCDCOvLGsQFS_xWDj-UkGaYvOsoScHSKAaRGLPWYuR7cvG_yxHKZDMQrz2v0tdnRGGmDxRQC87fiGCzpzldxD2AfHl2GXhQnUErI-cymBi0qCXFivd5WmgxcmwzJGeaShpUK0wi6uV3SS-9roiV6RezQPyfdSmo9l6w/s800/Rebel%20break.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="800" height="50" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYLDiNnGLn4qDGa536DoqkskWxCDCOvLGsQFS_xWDj-UkGaYvOsoScHSKAaRGLPWYuR7cvG_yxHKZDMQrz2v0tdnRGGmDxRQC87fiGCzpzldxD2AfHl2GXhQnUErI-cymBi0qCXFivd5WmgxcmwzJGeaShpUK0wi6uV3SS-9roiV6RezQPyfdSmo9l6w/w200-h50/Rebel%20break.jpg" width="200" /></a></p><div></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">"We have a critical mission in
the Outer Rim.” Berix, their squadron leader, called up a holographic map of
the region. She had the bearing of an aristocrat, her chin always up. “As is
usually the case, the details are highly classified. But I can tell you the
Empire has hit multiple Bothan Spynet cells over the last two weeks.”</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">The pilots of Bronze Squadron
exchanged concerned looks; even Sevra knew Bothans kept their bases and
safehouses top secret. How had the Empire managed to pierce the storied Spynet?
She hadn’t received dispatches from other Imperial spies about any impending
operations. She’d make some inquiries. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Vital intelligence must make
its way to <i>Home One</i>. The problem: the pilot carrying the information
can’t get past the Imperial interdictor <i>Ardent</i>,” Berix said. The holoviewer
changed to show the interdictor, which resembled a typical Star Destroyer with bulbous
pods on the top and underside to house its gravity well projectors. “We’re
looking for a single transport with two Bothan passengers and an astromech.
Nothing fancy, just a GAT-12h Skipray without a full crew to make it a viable
threat. It was on its way to Rebel Command when the <i>Ardent’s </i>interdiction
field stopped it by happenstance. The Imperials don’t know it’s there.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Roo raised his hand and spoke
before Berix called on him. “Just standard escort duty, then? Keep the eyeballs
away from the ship until a corvette pounds on the interdictor long enough to
open a hyperspace lane? Sounds simple enough.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Berix shook her head. “Under
normal circumstances, you’d be right. We’d have a capital ship jump in to
hammer the <i>Ardent</i> while we kept the heat off the transport. But we’ll
have to do this one ourselves.” <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Most honored captain, why can’t
we have a capital ship for support?” The question came from Aldar.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Every available capital ship is
on its way to Sullust or already there. Time is of the essence, which is why
this briefing interrupted mealtime.” Berix directed her gaze at Mazie, who held
a ration tube high above her head and squeezed until the gray paste cascaded
into her mouth. “Simply put, Aldar, we can’t afford to wait. I have orders from
Admiral Ackbar himself to deliver this information at any cost.” <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Sevra’s ears perked up at that.
Ackbar? Sullust? The whole Rebel fleet?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Interesting.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><i>Very </i>interesting.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“We’ll have to hit the <i>Ardent
</i>ourselves,” Berix said. “Bronze Nine will lead the assault.” The Wookiee
gave an enthusiastic <i>rawhrrr</i>. “Gil, you’ll put your modified ARC to good
use and hit the shields with your ion cannon to weaken them. Bronze Four and
Bronze Eight—that’s you, Goalie and Mazie—will target the gravity well
projectors with your Y-wings. With those disabled, the Skipray can make the
jump to lightspeed and deliver its critical intel to Rebel Command. The rest of
us will protect our bombers. I want Bronze Seven and Bronze Nine—that’s you, Kail
and Nova—shadowing the Y-wings.” <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Berix crossed her arms. “The <i>Ardent
</i>is shielded and heavily armored. Bear in mind we’re not trying to scuttle
the whole ship—our aim is to take out enough gravity well projectors to bring
down the interdiction field and open the hyperspace lanes. The interdictor carries
at least two squadrons of TIEs, perhaps more. We need to be fast. The longer we
take, the more risk we incur.” She looked around at her pilots. “Once the
gravity well projectors are disabled, we’ll all take different escape vectors
to throw the Imperials off our trail.” <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><o:p> </o:p></i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYLDiNnGLn4qDGa536DoqkskWxCDCOvLGsQFS_xWDj-UkGaYvOsoScHSKAaRGLPWYuR7cvG_yxHKZDMQrz2v0tdnRGGmDxRQC87fiGCzpzldxD2AfHl2GXhQnUErI-cymBi0qCXFivd5WmgxcmwzJGeaShpUK0wi6uV3SS-9roiV6RezQPyfdSmo9l6w/s800/Rebel%20break.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="800" height="50" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYLDiNnGLn4qDGa536DoqkskWxCDCOvLGsQFS_xWDj-UkGaYvOsoScHSKAaRGLPWYuR7cvG_yxHKZDMQrz2v0tdnRGGmDxRQC87fiGCzpzldxD2AfHl2GXhQnUErI-cymBi0qCXFivd5WmgxcmwzJGeaShpUK0wi6uV3SS-9roiV6RezQPyfdSmo9l6w/w200-h50/Rebel%20break.jpg" width="200" /></a></p><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Sevra sent another message to
her superiors.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><i>Heard we were hitting Spynet
targets. Can you confirm?</i><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">She waited several minutes for a
reply.<i><o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><i>Bothan Spynet disabled.
Entire network destroyed.</i><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">The Spynet had been a thorn in
the Empire’s side for two decades. She mourned not its demise, nor did anyone within
Imperial Intelligence. She relayed details of her current mission. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><i>Major operation. Outer Rim.
Skipray with vital information caught in interdiction field of </i>Ardent. <i>High
priority intel. Operation authorized by AA. Rebel fleet gathering near Sullust,
according to squadron leader.<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">That reply came noticeably
quicker.<i><o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><i>Sullust intel received.
Confirmed by two other sources. General fleet unaware of current status for
Outer Rim op. Safety not guaranteed.<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Safety not guaranteed? What did
that mean? She carried a chain-coded message from the Emperor himself granting
her unconditional protection from Imperial forces. She asked for clarification
and waited.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">No response.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><o:p> </o:p></i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYLDiNnGLn4qDGa536DoqkskWxCDCOvLGsQFS_xWDj-UkGaYvOsoScHSKAaRGLPWYuR7cvG_yxHKZDMQrz2v0tdnRGGmDxRQC87fiGCzpzldxD2AfHl2GXhQnUErI-cymBi0qCXFivd5WmgxcmwzJGeaShpUK0wi6uV3SS-9roiV6RezQPyfdSmo9l6w/s800/Rebel%20break.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="800" height="50" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYLDiNnGLn4qDGa536DoqkskWxCDCOvLGsQFS_xWDj-UkGaYvOsoScHSKAaRGLPWYuR7cvG_yxHKZDMQrz2v0tdnRGGmDxRQC87fiGCzpzldxD2AfHl2GXhQnUErI-cymBi0qCXFivd5WmgxcmwzJGeaShpUK0wi6uV3SS-9roiV6RezQPyfdSmo9l6w/w200-h50/Rebel%20break.jpg" width="200" /></a></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Sevra gripped the handrails for
the ladder leading to her X-wing’s cockpit.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Kail! Hold on!” <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Nova, the Twi’lek, waved to her
from the flightdeck. She jumped off the bottom rung. “What is it, Bronze Nine?”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“You saw our orders. We’re basically
wingmen.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“From what I remember, Nova,
we’re the Y-wing’s wingmen,” Sevra said.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“We’re all in this together.”
The Twi’lek’s lekku twitched. If she’d cared to study an alien species’
tendencies, she would’ve recognized it meant something. Nervousness?
Excitement? Sadness? “We have a real chance to make a difference here. Bronze
Squadron drew the Rebellion’s most important mission.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“The Rebellion’s most important
mission was Yavin.” Sevra gripped the siderails again and climbed toward her
cockpit.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“I just want you to know, I’ve
got your back. I’d appreciate it if you watched mine.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Sevra gave him a mocking salute
and settled into the cockpit. She did her checks, tightened her flight gloves,
and secured her helmet. Her astromech, R9-F8, had already loaded the jump
coordinates. The stubborn droid refused to respond to its numbered designation
and insisted upon being called “Fate.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“All fueled up.” Sevra eyed her
gauges. “We’re ready to go.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Berix gave the word. Bronze
Squadron would determine the fate of the galaxy.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><o:p> </o:p></i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYLDiNnGLn4qDGa536DoqkskWxCDCOvLGsQFS_xWDj-UkGaYvOsoScHSKAaRGLPWYuR7cvG_yxHKZDMQrz2v0tdnRGGmDxRQC87fiGCzpzldxD2AfHl2GXhQnUErI-cymBi0qCXFivd5WmgxcmwzJGeaShpUK0wi6uV3SS-9roiV6RezQPyfdSmo9l6w/s800/Rebel%20break.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="800" height="50" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYLDiNnGLn4qDGa536DoqkskWxCDCOvLGsQFS_xWDj-UkGaYvOsoScHSKAaRGLPWYuR7cvG_yxHKZDMQrz2v0tdnRGGmDxRQC87fiGCzpzldxD2AfHl2GXhQnUErI-cymBi0qCXFivd5WmgxcmwzJGeaShpUK0wi6uV3SS-9roiV6RezQPyfdSmo9l6w/w200-h50/Rebel%20break.jpg" width="200" /></a></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">The same interdiction field they
needed to disable dropped Bronze Squadron out of hyperspace alarmingly close to
the <i>Ardent</i>. The wedge-shaped ship sat in the dead of space by itself.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Look sharp, Bronze Squadron,”
Berix said. “Gil, make your first pass.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">The Wookiee roared over the
comm—Fate translated it as “Let’s go!”—and pounded the <i>Ardent </i>with ion
cannon fire. Goalie and Mazie trailed the ancient ARC-170, with Sevra and Nova
hanging behind them for support. Gil <i>rawwhrred </i>again; Fate translated it
as “Open hole.” The two Y-wings accelerated toward the interdictor and dropped
proton torpedoes on the starboard side gravity well projectors.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“The main batteries are powering
up,” Berix said. “Bronze Five and Bronze Six, see what you can do.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Copy, Bronze Leader,” Aldar
said. “They shall taste my fury and then Pollux will deliver unto them some
explosive news.” His X-wing accelerated toward the <i>Ardent</i>, with Bronze
Six’s A-wing following. Aldar strafed the closest batteries with blaster fire,
followed by concussion missiles from Bronze Six. “Pollux, I fear you are
drawing too close to the enemy.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Pull back, Bronze Six,” Berix
said.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“I’m fine, guys,” Pollux said
with typical cockiness. As he made a series of impressive maneuvers to evade
blaster fire, his engine stalled. Aldar tried to provide cover fire, but
Pollux’s A-wing sat exposed as the interdictor’s batteries tracked him. The
ship exploded in a brilliant show of orange, white, and red. Bronze Six blinked
off Sevra’s display.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Gil made a second run with the
ARC, weakening the shields near the next gravity well projector. Mazie and
Goalie pounded the <i>Ardent </i>with proton torpedoes, making a direct hit.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“TIEs are joining this party,”
Nova said. “I’ve got twenty-four marks. Looks like Interceptors.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Sevra’s display showed the TIEs
on an intercept course with the Y-wings. Part of her wanted to let them pass.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Bronze Seven and Bronze Nine,
draw their fire,” Berix ordered. Nova peeled off immediately, while Sevra
hesitated. “Go now, Kail. Go!”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">She yanked her flight yoke left
and met the Interceptors. Fast, maneuverable, and nasty, Sevra loved the
things. This particular squadron featured a yellow stripe on its left wing, the
distinctive mark of the elite Flying Daggers. Nova took out a pair. She got a
clean look at the squadron leader but led it too far.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Straighten those shots out,
Kail,” Berix barked over the comm. “Keep those things away from the Y-wings. I
want Bronze Eleven and Bronze Twelve to go in right now.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">The Bronze Eleven and Bronze
Twelve designations had shifted more than a few times since Sevra joined the
squadron. The pilots had a way of attracting enemy fire or encountering
untimely mechanical failure. Sabotaging X-wings was easy; those S-foils could
be notoriously fickle, after all, especially when someone frayed the main circuit
line after hours.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Need a little help here, Bronze
Seven.” The plea came from Nova. He’d been a nice enough guy, for an alien.
Though a skilled pilot, he couldn’t shake the Interceptor on his tail. Sure,
Imperial starfighters didn’t have shields or hyperdrives, but Imperial aces
could absolutely space Rebels and their sturdier, more heavily armored
snubfighters. She rolled right and attempted, poorly, to get a lock on the TIE
harassing the Twi’lek’s X-wing. “Where are you, Kail? This guy’s close enough
to suck in my exhaust fumes. Kail? Kail?”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Hold on,” Roo said over the
comm. “I’ve got him locked.” A second later, a concussion missile hit home, and
the Interceptor exploded. “You’re clear now, Bronze Nine.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Thanks, Roo. Bronze Seven told
me she’d have my back. Clearly, she was lying,” Nova said.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">For reasons Sevra couldn’t fully
explain, the comment stung. She didn’t even like Nova. Or Twi’leks. Or Rebels.
Why did she care what he had to say? Why did the disappointment in his voice <i>hurt?<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“We’ve got five gravity wells
down, Bronze Leader,” Mazie said. “Can we get the hell out of here?”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Negative,” Berix answered. “The
interdiction field is still in place. Time to hit the underbelly.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“The Interceptors aren’t letting
us distract them anymore,” Nova said. “They figured out the game.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“All wings, protect our
bombers,” Berix said. “Bronze Seven, that means you.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Sevra didn’t even hear her.
Alarmed trilling from Fate broke her out of whatever trance she’d been in. An
Interceptor sprayed blaster fire in her direction, and her front deflector
shields were nearly depleted. Fate transferred some power from her rear
shields, but Sevra wouldn’t last much longer if she didn’t move. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">She dove and went into a spin,
careful not to stall the engines as Pollux had. An X-wing couldn’t outrun an
Interceptor, but avoiding enemy fire would give her shields a chance to
recharge. The other pilot knew it, too, and peppered her ship with blaster
bolts to prevent her shields from regenerating. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Bronze Leader, Kail has a nasty
pustule I’d like to remove,” Nova said. “Requesting permission to render aid.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Berix hesitated for a second.
“Granted, Bronze Nine.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Typical, weak, emotional Rebel
nonsense. They needed to protect the Y-wings, yet the damnable Twi’lek thought
it was important to save her. Sevra didn’t need saving. Never had. “Support the
Y-wings, Nova. I can handle this.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Your deflectors are almost
toast, and you can’t outrun an Interceptor,” Nova reminded her. “Come about,
and I’ll get rid of the problem. Then <i>both </i>of us can help the bombers.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Sevra checked her scopes. She
had no desire to bite it and led the Interceptor right into Nova’s line of fire,
triggering an explosion that set off her proximity alarms. They formed up and
headed toward the <i>Ardent’s </i>underbelly, a chaotic gauntlet of crisscrossing
blaster shots and zigzagging ships.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Embedding herself with a Rebel
fighter squadron involved certain gray areas. The Empire valued the intel she
gathered, but she often ended up in active combat against Imperial forces. She
could only apologize for “missing” a shot a handful of times; when it came down
to it, she put her feelings aside and treated TIEs like enemy fighters because,
for Kail Tremal, they were. So when a pair of Interceptors got a little too
close to Bronze Four, she took them out.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“You got here just in time,
Seven,” Goalie said, the relief unmistakable in the Bith’s voice. “Bronze
Leader, dropping my last payload. We’d better hope it works because we both
know this old bird can’t outrun, well, pretty much anything.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Kimber, Aldar—stick close to
Goalie,” Berix said. “Mazie, what’s your status?”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Not great, Ayona.” Mazie’s
invocation of Bronze Leader’s first name definitely broke regs. In an Imperial
unit, such a brazen breach of protocol would warrant a demerit. As for the
enemy, well, what good were rules for a bunch of Rebels? “I’ve got Interceptors
swarming the closest gravity well projector.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Let’s clear them out, shall
we?” Berix said. “Bronze Seven, Bronze Three, and Bronze Nine—form up at this
mark.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Sevra checked her display. With Roo
and Nova as her wingmen, she amped up the throttle and plunged her X-wing
toward the TIEs. The Interceptors came in fast, but Nova picked off two of them.
She snap-rolled to avoid blaster fire and got a lock, blowing up a yellow-striped
Interceptor.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“My engines took a direct hit,” Roo
said.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Are you dead stick?” Nova
asked.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Not quite, but pretty damn
close,” Roo said.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“If you can move to the
coordinates I just sent, I can cover you,” Nova said.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“We’ve got to clear these TIEs,”
Sevra said. The Rebel weakness for compassion never ceased to amaze and
frustrate her. “The mission has to take priority.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">It took a few seconds for Nova
to reply. “I won’t leave Roo. I’m going in.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Nova, you Twi’lek bastard, the
Empire is a suffocating evil and we’ve got a chance to kill it,” Roo said. “That
means sacrifice, and it happens to be my turn. Clear the path for Mazie, you
gods-damn bore.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">The comm picked up Nova’s
frustrated, resigned grunt. “Sit tight, you gods-damn whore.” Nova swooped in
beside Sevra’s X-wing.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Finally, some people with sense.
She could’ve gone without the bro-tastic exchange, but it meant at least some
Rebels had the balls to do what was necessary. Sevra spun back toward the
gravity well projector and took out an Interceptor. With Nova beside her, they
cleared the field for Mazie’s battered Y-wing to lock onto the target.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Torpedoes away, Bronze Leader,”
Mazie said, sticking to regs for once in her life.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Rebel squadron, this is Scimitar,”
an unfamiliar voice said. “Our nav computer tells us the interdiction field is
down. We need a minute to make the calculations for our jump.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“This is Bronze Leader,” Berix
said. “Work quickly. Bronze Squadron, tell your astromechs to calculate your
jumps along open escape vectors. Meantime, keep those Interceptors busy and
away from the Skipray.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“I regret to inform you we just
lost Bronze Eleven and Twelve,” Aldar said. “I do not have Bronze Three on my
scopes. Has anyone heard from dear Roozal?”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“I’m sitting in a dead X-wing
pondering the essence of life, you moron,” Roo said. “I’d love to know why the
TIEs haven’t finished me off yet.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">To Sevra, it was no mystery. The
Imperials realized his ship wasn’t going anywhere. Prisoners were valuable and
often had plenty to say after an interrogation droid got to them. Hell, the
bots had such a grim reputation that merely threatening Rebels—even seemingly
strong-willed ones—could get them to talk.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Her head snapped up as most of
the Interceptors broke away from the <i>Ardent </i>to head toward the Skipray. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“The Imps spotted the new guy,”
Nova said.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Come to this rally point near
the transport,” Berix said. “Protect the Skipray. Scimitar, do you have an
estimate on that jump?”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Just another minute,” the
unfamiliar voice replied.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“You may not have that long,”
Berix warned.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Sevra came about and trailed the
Interceptor group with her throttle at three-fourths. Interceptors could hit
considerably faster speeds than an X-wing; she couldn’t catch them if she
tried. She got a lock on one of the TIEs and fired her last proton torpedo. The
explosion barely registered with the other Imperial pilots. She admired their
professional stoicism. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">As always, the Empire brought
order to chaos.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Coordinates locked,” Scimitar
said. “We are making the jump.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Let’s get out of here, Bronze
Squadron,” Berix ordered.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">One by one, the remaining pilots
disappeared off her scopes: Bronze Two, Bronze Five, Bronze Four, Bronze Eight,
and Bronze Nine. She would wait until the rest of her squadron left and then transmit
her clearance code to the Imperials. They’d welcome her back into the fold and
she could finally learn whatever it was the Emperor had planned for the Rebels’
“final offensive.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Bronze Seven—Kail—what are you
waiting for?” Berix asked.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Get clear, Bronze Leader,” Sevra
said. “I’m right behind you.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“I don’t jump until everyone
else does,” Berix said. “You have your exit vector. Go. Now.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Sevra tapped her flight helmet.
“I’ve got a hyperdrive malfunction, sir.” Fate, her astromech, trilled in
confusion and informed her that her systems were, without a doubt, functioning
at one-hundred-percent efficiency, something the droid noted was “remarkable”
given the intensity of the skirmish.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“A scan shows your ship is fine.
Get out of here.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“What about Bronze Three?”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“A prisoner of war,
unfortunately,” Berix said. “The <i>Ardent </i>got him with a tractor beam.
Make the jump, Kail. That’s an order.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Sevra activated her Imperial
transmitter. The microburst frequency looked harmless on Rebel channels, but
five-layer encryption would allow the TIEs to see who she really was. It worked
immediately—Interceptors rushed to her location.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Seriously, Kail, what is the
problem? Those TIEs are coming right for you. Make the damn jump!”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Sevra stayed put, overriding
Fate’s repeated attempts to redirect the ship toward the escape vector. In just
a few seconds, TIEs would surround her and Berix would have no choice but to
escape. She could keep her cover <i>and </i>return to the Imperial fold. Good
spy craft required she quickly sever any bonds with Bronze Squadron.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Proximity alarms went off as the
TIEs fired on her ship. Fate beeped and blooped in protest. Why were her own
people attacking her? To make it look good? To make her look like an actual
Rebel?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><i>Safety not guaranteed.</i><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Hold tight,” Berix said. “I’m
coming.” With remarkable courage and commendable skill, Ayona Berix guided her
X-wing into a swarm of TIE interceptors. She downed two, then three, then four.
The Imperials were quick to react and redirect their fire. Bronze Leader’s
shields failed, but Berix kept going. She took out another two TIEs before her
luck ran out. “I hope that intel is worth the—”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Radio silence. Bronze Leader
disappeared from her scopes for the last time. She would never know Kail Tremal
was really Sevra Brack, TIE-XS75. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">A turncoat.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">The TIEs again set their sights
on Sevra’s X-wing. Had the microburst transmission malfunctioned? Did they
misinterpret the meaning? She was Imperial Intelligence, a pilot embedded
within a Rebel unit. Her mission was at an end now. She wanted to return to the
Empire and serve the Emperor once more. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><i>Safety not guaranteed</i>.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">She had a decision to make as
her shields took a pounding. She juked to avoid blaster fire, but there were so
many TIEs and so many skilled pilots. She sent the transmission again, which
only served to intensify their resolve. She’d been a loyal Imperial servant—why
were they trying to kill her?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“You’ve got that escape vector ready,
right, Fate?” Sevra asked.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">The droid responded with the
spicy astromech equivalent of “you bet your ass.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Alarms went off everywhere. Each
instrument reeled with bad news and systems on the edge of failing. In an
Interceptor, she could outrun anything. In an X-wing, she was simply a target.
Self-preservation took over, and Sevra found an opening. She threw down the
throttle and raced toward the gap, only for two Interceptors to cut her off.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Shields gone. Instruments going
crazy. In just a few seconds, she’d be atoms, killed for reasons she didn’t
understand by the very Empire she loved so much.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">But then the two Interceptors
blocking her path disappeared in twin bursts of flame. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">A Wookiee roared over the comm.
In her fever dream of a nightmare, she spotted an ancient, smoking ARC-170
before it disappeared in the distance. She didn’t interfere when Fate took over
and made the jump to lightspeed.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">She told the Rebels her name was
Kail Tremal.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">But she was really Sevra Brack,
TIE-XS75.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><o:p> </o:p></i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYLDiNnGLn4qDGa536DoqkskWxCDCOvLGsQFS_xWDj-UkGaYvOsoScHSKAaRGLPWYuR7cvG_yxHKZDMQrz2v0tdnRGGmDxRQC87fiGCzpzldxD2AfHl2GXhQnUErI-cymBi0qCXFivd5WmgxcmwzJGeaShpUK0wi6uV3SS-9roiV6RezQPyfdSmo9l6w/s800/Rebel%20break.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="800" height="50" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYLDiNnGLn4qDGa536DoqkskWxCDCOvLGsQFS_xWDj-UkGaYvOsoScHSKAaRGLPWYuR7cvG_yxHKZDMQrz2v0tdnRGGmDxRQC87fiGCzpzldxD2AfHl2GXhQnUErI-cymBi0qCXFivd5WmgxcmwzJGeaShpUK0wi6uV3SS-9roiV6RezQPyfdSmo9l6w/w200-h50/Rebel%20break.jpg" width="200" /></a></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Sevra again contacted her
superiors.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><i>Sent coded message. Met
hostile response from Imperial Navy. Requesting immediate response regarding failed
extraction. <a name="_Int_fBo10Arg">Exit strategy</a> urgently needed.</i><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">She waited for an answer.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">And waited.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">No response.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><o:p> </o:p></i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYLDiNnGLn4qDGa536DoqkskWxCDCOvLGsQFS_xWDj-UkGaYvOsoScHSKAaRGLPWYuR7cvG_yxHKZDMQrz2v0tdnRGGmDxRQC87fiGCzpzldxD2AfHl2GXhQnUErI-cymBi0qCXFivd5WmgxcmwzJGeaShpUK0wi6uV3SS-9roiV6RezQPyfdSmo9l6w/s800/Rebel%20break.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="800" height="50" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYLDiNnGLn4qDGa536DoqkskWxCDCOvLGsQFS_xWDj-UkGaYvOsoScHSKAaRGLPWYuR7cvG_yxHKZDMQrz2v0tdnRGGmDxRQC87fiGCzpzldxD2AfHl2GXhQnUErI-cymBi0qCXFivd5WmgxcmwzJGeaShpUK0wi6uV3SS-9roiV6RezQPyfdSmo9l6w/w200-h50/Rebel%20break.jpg" width="200" /></a></p><p></p></div><div></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Safe aboard <i>Home One </i>and
still dazed by the encounter with the <i>Ardent</i>, Sevra gathered with
members of the Rebellion for a briefing she never saw coming. Not only had the
Empire successfully built another Death Star, but the Rebels had acquired the
plans and found a weakness. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Again. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Bronze Squadron’s brazen mission
allowed the Rebellion to obtain the information. Seven of the twelve members
remained, with the other five dead or captured. Other pilots would undoubtedly be
folded into Bronze Squadron for the final assault.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Even though she reported the
location of the Rebel fleet to the Empire, no Star Destroyers showed up to
annihilate it. Her Imperial contacts didn’t respond to her messages. The Empire
that brought order to chaos felt much more chaotic to her than ever before. She
didn’t understand.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">This final Rebel assault would
give her another chance to get back in the Empire’s good graces. In whatever
way she’d failed the Emperor—and she didn’t know how or why she’d allowed it to
happen—she would make up for it. She’d help strike the final blow and end this
insipid Rebellion once and for all.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">But then she looked across the aisle
at Nova. The Twi’lek, fatigued, looked thoroughly downtrodden, undoubtedly
reeling over Roo’s capture. He sat next to Aldar, the Hapan, whose usual
confident, easygoing manner belied his grief at the loss of Pollux. Goalie and
Mazie, the pilots of those battered and obsolete Y-wings, engaged in an animated
conversation about their mission, recreating their run on the <i>Ardent </i>with
enthusiastic hand motions.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Kimber, the new Bronze Leader,
watched with detached amusement, his thoughts clearly on Berix. He had been
certain she would make it back and even double-checked the flight recorders
just to be sure her X-wing really had been destroyed. Hope was such a useless,
fragile thing.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Then, she caught a glimpse of Gil.
She no longer saw him as some <i>thing.</i> The Wookiee and his Clone Wars-era
junker saved her life. Had he known who she was, what her real purpose had
been, would he have done the same thing? Would Berix? They probably would have; soft-hearted
Rebels made incredibly stupid decisions. They were immune to the cold, hard
calculations of the Empire.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><i>Safety not guaranteed</i>.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">The Rebels filed out of the
briefing room and headed for their ships. With the odds against them, as
always, they would bet everything on their silly ideals. The Empire brought
order to a chaotic world. The Rebels, she realized, were the chaos.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">She settled into her X-wing and
looked at the duty roster. To no one’s surprise, Bronze Eleven and Bronze
Twelve had new names. But so did Bronze Two, Bronze Three, and Bronze Six. With
her ship refueled and Fate recharged, she guided her X-wing out of the docking
bay and awaited the order to jump to lightspeed.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">A funny thing happened once they
arrived at Endor.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">She told the Rebels her name was
Kail Tremal.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">And this time, she meant it.<a name="_Hlk131793913"><o:p></o:p></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><o:p> </o:p></i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDexdeM-qoi4vuvbN8yfxCipEVoaUpB_MQsHIZ1GeCO2iIvqMzbm8rmTShnJkScq7ECjAWfvJu6EmlJhVpYaPRdAG9NJKzqLnIQm3M9Q1FNY5y9wJpCHfNrOYNDEYJdzUdEYjKpV9HsZNOQn--ndJe9t4hNZprv7m8qd4WnThOGT-8EmHHqiHrRcT6CA/s800/Rebel%20break%20(1).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="800" height="50" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDexdeM-qoi4vuvbN8yfxCipEVoaUpB_MQsHIZ1GeCO2iIvqMzbm8rmTShnJkScq7ECjAWfvJu6EmlJhVpYaPRdAG9NJKzqLnIQm3M9Q1FNY5y9wJpCHfNrOYNDEYJdzUdEYjKpV9HsZNOQn--ndJe9t4hNZprv7m8qd4WnThOGT-8EmHHqiHrRcT6CA/w200-h50/Rebel%20break%20(1).png" width="200" /></a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.mattadamswriter.com/2023/05/commentary-turncoat.html" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="150" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEikSioCqUdXDTC56x6hCD7RxgV0Ej6epJ8nQ4q652HHJ8ymi7JZ1Kz_kHMzeamtQoWuesv7bSYQjMaMd4Cfd0BzoFq7mVIYu8q_wn-csrRA-tbEUXw9oZhfVI8R-vxJQ0nwTiD-4wDZYrp56aZVAe1zv0qjsytCLQE3-5rDch-0WU40UiaCTK6Ut3aQHg=s16000" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><br /></p><p></p>Matt Adamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07960407647609637681noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6792925679340467992.post-6668535706441727252023-05-11T21:36:00.001-04:002023-05-11T22:21:34.293-04:00Terror Bears: 40 Years of Return of the Jedi<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFU3fRG08cfG-shKSjmX_Ok-dcwrsWNTZhM3f9YwGFrVrfNhq-o8-wPIRiASk2xWmuOe12gpXgK-0YtReWQNxcu3SumAfrslS5l7PcmHXybSZYNA2mb2lS7IU31lMvEnX9e1Tfjj48UUZ4xeWSlDZO-84z1Ea4PEDgFxTEy1sZH8NDBg6TI53wnpd-wA/s2068/Terror%20Bears.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1166" data-original-width="2068" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFU3fRG08cfG-shKSjmX_Ok-dcwrsWNTZhM3f9YwGFrVrfNhq-o8-wPIRiASk2xWmuOe12gpXgK-0YtReWQNxcu3SumAfrslS5l7PcmHXybSZYNA2mb2lS7IU31lMvEnX9e1Tfjj48UUZ4xeWSlDZO-84z1Ea4PEDgFxTEy1sZH8NDBg6TI53wnpd-wA/w640-h360/Terror%20Bears.png" width="500" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We called ourselves the Dread
Forge.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">A squad of ten, working as one.
We imagined the Rebels shaking in their foxholes when they heard our boots hit
the ground. A highly trained, highly skilled unit of Imperial might, each
attuned to our individual strengths and weaknesses, a well-oiled machine of
death and destruction. We were, we liked to boast, “forged in dread.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Thus, the nickname.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">The Stormtrooper Corps adhered
to specific, unbreakable rules. But if your squad performed well enough, if you
and your squadmates showed you were a lethal tool of terror, your superiors
would look the other way when it came to your quirks. That’s why we boasted
non-reg designations like Cinder, Cap, Therm, and my own, Bolt. That’s why we painted
kill streaks and custom marks on our armor—we could pick each other out on a
crowded battlefield.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">See, the Empire <i>thought </i>it
wanted its best and brightest to talk, look, and act the same.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Collective lethality went a long
way toward changing that line of thinking.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">It’s a good thing Old Palps
decided to send us into the meatgrinder on Endor’s moon. If he refused to
deploy his best for the final destruction of those Rebel bastards, we would’ve
crashed a dropship right into his throne room and given him a piece of our
minds. It probably would’ve been an epic fight; we heard the old man could
handle himself.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">To be perfectly honest, we
weren’t really there for the operational glory, such as it was. We’d have the
element of surprise and an overwhelming advantage in numbers. But I agreed with
Cap—we wanted to be there to wipe that smirk off Solo’s face and add a few
dozen names to our kill list. It wouldn’t be much of a contest, definitely not
one of our most challenging assignments.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">But it was gonna be fun.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Hell, yeah, it was gonna be fun.<o:p></o:p></p>
<div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><o:p> </o:p></i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYLDiNnGLn4qDGa536DoqkskWxCDCOvLGsQFS_xWDj-UkGaYvOsoScHSKAaRGLPWYuR7cvG_yxHKZDMQrz2v0tdnRGGmDxRQC87fiGCzpzldxD2AfHl2GXhQnUErI-cymBi0qCXFivd5WmgxcmwzJGeaShpUK0wi6uV3SS-9roiV6RezQPyfdSmo9l6w/s800/Rebel%20break.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="800" height="50" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYLDiNnGLn4qDGa536DoqkskWxCDCOvLGsQFS_xWDj-UkGaYvOsoScHSKAaRGLPWYuR7cvG_yxHKZDMQrz2v0tdnRGGmDxRQC87fiGCzpzldxD2AfHl2GXhQnUErI-cymBi0qCXFivd5WmgxcmwzJGeaShpUK0wi6uV3SS-9roiV6RezQPyfdSmo9l6w/w200-h50/Rebel%20break.jpg" width="200" /></a></p></div><div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">We were on the periphery of it
all, watching from a distance as our guys led the Rebels out of the bunker.
Storms, scouties, graybacks, fleeties, olives and blacks all around. Just an
overwhelming force surrounding that pitiful little band of Rebels, with AT-STs
and speeder bikes there to reinforce how screwed they really were.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Things went straight to Sith
real quick.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Pint-size furballs with sticks came
from everywhere.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Imperial forces prided
themselves on being unflappable amid chaos.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Sometimes, pride takes a spear
right in the junk.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><o:p> </o:p></i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYLDiNnGLn4qDGa536DoqkskWxCDCOvLGsQFS_xWDj-UkGaYvOsoScHSKAaRGLPWYuR7cvG_yxHKZDMQrz2v0tdnRGGmDxRQC87fiGCzpzldxD2AfHl2GXhQnUErI-cymBi0qCXFivd5WmgxcmwzJGeaShpUK0wi6uV3SS-9roiV6RezQPyfdSmo9l6w/s800/Rebel%20break.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="800" height="50" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYLDiNnGLn4qDGa536DoqkskWxCDCOvLGsQFS_xWDj-UkGaYvOsoScHSKAaRGLPWYuR7cvG_yxHKZDMQrz2v0tdnRGGmDxRQC87fiGCzpzldxD2AfHl2GXhQnUErI-cymBi0qCXFivd5WmgxcmwzJGeaShpUK0wi6uV3SS-9roiV6RezQPyfdSmo9l6w/w200-h50/Rebel%20break.jpg" width="200" /></a></p></div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">We called ourselves the Dread
Forge. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">A squad of ten, working as one.
We kept our heads, picked off a few furballs, and ended up getting separated
from the rest of the Imperial force. A disciplined unit would’ve radioed back
to Ops and made it a priority to reunite with the main force. But our radios
were useless; the Rebels must’ve found a way to disrupt our communications. It
would undoubtedly make it difficult to coordinate during the battle, but
Imperial forces trained for these scenarios. We were the best fighting force in
the galaxy.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">My squadmates and I didn’t like
surprise attacks. We got tunnel vision and pursued the furballs deeper into the
woods. Cap took down two of them with some well-placed shots. Therm unleased a
couple detonators about thirty yards ahead, clearing away some of the
overgrowth and, I hoped, a few of the enemies. What good would spears and
slings do against Imperial might?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">I’m certain the furballs were
thinking the same thing after we fried a few of them. We understood the
importance of making quick work of our enemies; they knew the terrain better
than we did. Spending too much time chasing them deeper into the forest would
give them an advantage.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">War horns. Triumphant hooting
and chittering.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Cinder prepped one of his
signature flame-blasts, but before he fired, warriors leaped from treetops and
pulled him down. I had no idea they were even there.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">By the time I turned around, I
could hear Cinder shrieking but couldn’t see him underneath the mountain of
fur.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">There was no going back.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Once we cleared the forest of
these pests, we’d go back to rescue Cinder.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">And if he didn’t make it, we’d
drink to his memory.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><o:p> </o:p></i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYLDiNnGLn4qDGa536DoqkskWxCDCOvLGsQFS_xWDj-UkGaYvOsoScHSKAaRGLPWYuR7cvG_yxHKZDMQrz2v0tdnRGGmDxRQC87fiGCzpzldxD2AfHl2GXhQnUErI-cymBi0qCXFivd5WmgxcmwzJGeaShpUK0wi6uV3SS-9roiV6RezQPyfdSmo9l6w/s800/Rebel%20break.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="800" height="50" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYLDiNnGLn4qDGa536DoqkskWxCDCOvLGsQFS_xWDj-UkGaYvOsoScHSKAaRGLPWYuR7cvG_yxHKZDMQrz2v0tdnRGGmDxRQC87fiGCzpzldxD2AfHl2GXhQnUErI-cymBi0qCXFivd5WmgxcmwzJGeaShpUK0wi6uV3SS-9roiV6RezQPyfdSmo9l6w/w200-h50/Rebel%20break.jpg" width="200" /></a></p></div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">The mission briefing said the
natives on Endor’s Sanctuary Moon were called Ewoks, a “docile but territorial
pre-hyperspace civilization with pagan beliefs and a strong connection to the
forest.” While the Ewoks were curious about the shield generator and our
bunker, Imperial ecologists expected them to keep their distance as long as we limited
the damage to our wooded surroundings. Endor’s moon had dense, unchecked forest
with some of the tallest trees I’ve ever seen in my life. Me and the guys in
the Dread Forge had been deployed to dozens of worlds; none appeared as
untouched and pristine.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">I wasn’t one to get all squishy
about a place, and if we had to reduce the forest to ash, so be it. Roast the
little furballs on a spit for all I care. Make ‘em into bathmats and winter
coats.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">The nine remaining members of
the Dread Forge were more than enough to handle some primitive warriors. After
all, we’d tamed more than a few native populations in our time. As we ventured
deeper into the forest, Tracker, our capable scout, spotted a group of Ewoks hiding
on a ridge. We moved through the foliage like ghosts, splitting off into two
groups for a flanking maneuver. Cap, Therm, Spanner, and I approached from the
left and Tracker, Nines, Pops, Vibro, and Mags came in from the right.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Cap gave the signal; both sides
converged.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">But we didn’t find any Ewoks,
just a pile of animal pelts meant to look like Ewoks. They’d even dressed the
things up, given them spears and bows and slings. That line from the briefing
sprang immediately to mind: “a docile but territorial pre-hyperspace
civilization.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Docile, my plastoid ass.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Eyes up, guys.” Pops pointed to
the tree line above the ridge. Before we even had the chance to look, he took
an arrow through his left eye lens and screamed as crimson spurted from the
opening onto his armor and helmet. He waved his arms frantically and then tried
to pull out the arrow. That only resulted in more screaming. Vibro and Mags
tried to drag him away from our vulnerable position, but Mags howled in pain
after one of the little bastards shoved a spear through his left leg.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">They were above us.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Below us.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Around us.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">This “docile but territorial
pre-hyperspace civilization” was kicking our ass.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Therm did what he did best,
tossing a few of his detonators in the air. The explosions bought us some time,
and we scrambled away from the ridge as quickly as we could. Pops finally
removed the arrow from his eye, leaving behind an unsettling empty socket that
dripped red. Either because he was in shock or incredibly composed, he
supported Mags, who limped around furiously with a spear still embedded in his
left leg.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Move! Move! Move!” Cap yelled,
the first spoken command since we’d gotten separated from the main Imperial
force. If discretion is the better part of valor, we failed miserably at it
all, tromping deeper into the forest through tall grass and snapping every tree
branch along the way. Rustling to our six reminded us we were being hunted. We
moved as fast as we could and tried to put some distance between us and our
attackers.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">We split up again, figuring it
would be harder to track us in smaller groups. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Tracker, Cap, and I formed a
trio, as did Therm, Nines, and Vibro. Cap ordered Spanner to double back with Mags
and Pops so the injured pair could rejoin the main fighting group. The
remaining six of us would draw off our pursuers and, once we’d defeated them,
make our way back to find out what happened to Cinder.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Imperial units had some oddly
specific functions. Our ranks included biker scouts, shore troopers, aquatic
assault troopers, lava troopers, snowtroopers, and the like. The units were
outfitted for specific environments, their armor tailored to blend in with
their surroundings. And here we were, a bunch of morons in gleaming white armor
that did jack shit as camouflage in the forest. Tracker, Cap, and I found a
little stream and a muddy bank. Working quickly but thoroughly, we rubbed mud
into our armor and covered our helmets in it. I understood this was imperfect
camouflage, but I sure as hell knew we had to do something.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">A stormtrooper in bright white
armor wasn’t exactly invisible when standing next to a tree or crouching in the
grass.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><a name="_Int_eY2cGRwD">“You
ever seen anything like this, Bolt?” Tracker asked.</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><a name="_Int_6O93T9nq">“We’ve
had some rough missions.</a> That militia on Corellia almost got the best of
us.” I turned around so Tracker could spread mud on the back of my armor. “We nearly
got incinerated on Ryloth.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Who <i>didn’t </i>nearly get
incinerated on Ryloth? That place was impossible,” Cap said. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Tracker patted me on the back.
“All done. Take care of Cap.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Typically, a unit would make
sure its captain went first, but Cap was the selfless type who put his guys
before himself. I rolled a ball of mud into my gloves and patted it down before
applying it to Cap’s back. Just as I bent down to reach his legs, something
whooshed over my head and slammed into the back of Cap’s helmet.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">I looked up to find his helmet
cracked, a stone embedded in it. Cap reached for his head, fell to his knees,
and slumped forward. I couldn’t tell if he was dead or simply knocked out, but
he was dead weight either way. Tracker and I tried to carry him away, but we’d
gotten deeper into the mud than we’d intended and were basically sitting ducks.
More rocks whizzed by our heads, undoubtedly thrown our way thanks to the
Ewoks’ slings.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">We finally pulled Cap free and
trudged through the mud, dragging him across the ground as more stones flew
past. Tracker used his free hand to fire a few blind shots in the direction of
our attackers. It was just enough to buy us a short window to reach some foliage
and get Cap to his feet. He groaned and grunted as we lifted him up.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“We have to move, Cap,” Tracker
said. “We need cover.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“You guys… should go on without…
me,” Cap struggled to say. “Not much… but… dead weight.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Not a chance.” Tracker said. We put
Cap’s arms over our shoulders and managed to move at a good clip.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“What are these things again?” Cap
asked weakly.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Ewoks,” I answered. “A docile
but territorial pre-hyperspace civilization, according to the mission brief.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Cap coughed. “They’d be cute if
they weren’t trying to kill us.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">War horns. Triumphant hooting
and chittering.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">We moved deeper into the forest,
beyond the sounds of battle aside from the occasional high-pitched whine of a
speeder bike or the <i>zwang! </i>of a blaster bolt. To our right, I spotted a
small cave next to a large tree. The thick trunk would give us some cover,
while the alcove would give us a place to stop and think. The three of us
collapsed as soon as we made it to the cave’s entrance. My sides burned from
the long trek through the mud and underbrush.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Cap sat up with a little help
and asked us to take off his helmet. I finally wrangled it loose and tossed it
to the ground. Like me, his breaths came in gulps. “How’s it look?”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">I switched on a field light to
examine the back of his head. The stone left him with a deep gash; the force of
the impact embedded large chunks of plastoid in his skin and scalp. He’d lost
some blood, but it was nothing a field bacta patch couldn’t help. I pulled one
from my utility belt, ripped open the bag, and gently secured it to the back of
his head. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Cap let out a contented sigh as
the bacta patch brought instant relief.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Something scurried across the ground
and Tracker smoked it with his blaster. It looked like some kind of rodent. I
couldn’t blame the guy for being on edge, but we needed to stay quiet. I told
him as much.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Just a little jumpy,” Tracker
said.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“We can’t stay here long,” I
told him. “Those things know the terrain. Just catch your breath, maybe have a
field ration or something.” I opened a holomap of the area. We’d ventured far
away from the main battlefield. If we headed east and circled around the
perimeter, we could return to the bunker and the safety of the Imperial forces.
Surely, we were routing the Rebels and their primitive allies. Stones and
slings and spears were no match for an armored AT-ST. I relayed my idea to the
others.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Cap agreed it was the best course
of action, although he had some reservations about his ability to keep up. “Leave
me here. I’m only going to slow you down.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">I told him we refused, even if
he made it a direct order. Tracker voiced his steadfast agreement.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">What happened next, happened with
shocking speed and brutality. One second, Cap’s head was there, the next
second, it was not. Blood spurted from the hole in his neck and ran down the
front of his armored breastplate before his headless body collapsed and slammed
into the ground. I caught the glint of an edged weapon and shined the field
light directly behind him. A half-dozen Ewok warriors stood patiently with
spears at the ready. Had they been there the whole time? How did they get so
close, so quietly?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">There was no point in taking Cap
with us now. Tracker and I backed toward the exit, almost tripping over Cap’s
head and helmet, and peppered the cave with enough blaster fire to fill it with
smoke. I knew we needed to head east, but I also knew I’d lost my bearings
while making our hasty retreat. We could be going north or south or east or
west or some direction in between.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">We just needed to get away.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><o:p> </o:p></i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYLDiNnGLn4qDGa536DoqkskWxCDCOvLGsQFS_xWDj-UkGaYvOsoScHSKAaRGLPWYuR7cvG_yxHKZDMQrz2v0tdnRGGmDxRQC87fiGCzpzldxD2AfHl2GXhQnUErI-cymBi0qCXFivd5WmgxcmwzJGeaShpUK0wi6uV3SS-9roiV6RezQPyfdSmo9l6w/s800/Rebel%20break.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="800" height="50" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYLDiNnGLn4qDGa536DoqkskWxCDCOvLGsQFS_xWDj-UkGaYvOsoScHSKAaRGLPWYuR7cvG_yxHKZDMQrz2v0tdnRGGmDxRQC87fiGCzpzldxD2AfHl2GXhQnUErI-cymBi0qCXFivd5WmgxcmwzJGeaShpUK0wi6uV3SS-9roiV6RezQPyfdSmo9l6w/w200-h50/Rebel%20break.jpg" width="200" /></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">When we reached a clearing, we
spotted Pops resting against one of the forest moon’s gargantuan trees and ran
toward him. We yelled in his direction, but he didn’t immediately answer. The
old man wasn’t our commander—Cap had been—but we all looked up to him. He’d
been among the first non-clone Imperials to join the Stormtrooper Corps. He
always bragged about seeing a Jedi one time, although none of us believed him. It
gave us a sense of relief to see him casually resting against the tree trunk.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Pops!” Tracker yelled as we
approached from about fifty yards away. “Hey, Pops!”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Where are Spanner and Mags?” I
asked when we finally reached the old man.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">His left helmet lens was still gone
from the arrow he’d taken in the eye. The blood on his armor had started to dry.
I also noticed, with much trepidation, that Pops was not leaning against the
tree—he was pinned against it.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Those furry little bastards used
him as bait.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">I tried to stir him, but he was
completely limp. His head lulled to the side and his helmet fell to the ground
as he slumped forward.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Tracker and I looked at each
other. Though our helmets obscured our faces, I could feel panic radiating from
him. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">War horns. Triumphant hooting
and chittering.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">I looked over my shoulder and
saw nothing.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">A second later, an arrow to
Tracker’s left side. A stone bounced off the top of his helmet, staggering him.
Another arrow, this one in the vulnerable area between his shoulder and chest. A
spear caught him in the midsection and penetrated his armor. A blaster bolt
finished him off. Frozen, I stared in fascination at the smoking hole in his
torso.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">The little monsters took one of
our firearms and learned how to use it. After all, the sound of a
standard-issue BlasTech E-11 was unmistakable to the grunts who’d trained with
the things since their first days at the academy. Tracker meekly lifted his head
and reached out for me. I took a step forward and then hesitated; an arrow whistled
past and went right through the palm of his hand.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Only one option remained.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">I ran.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Through tall grass and
shrubbery. Streams and creek beds. Past trees and rock formations. Splashing
through water, stepping on branches, stomping through dry grass. My heart
pounded quickly enough to rattle my chest piece; my breaths came in big gulps
of air. Members of the Dread Forge pledged to stay in peak physical shape, but
it seemed I’d lagged on cardio lately.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">I ran until I almost threw up
with my helmet still on. I stopped only when I heard several blaster bolts in
sequence. As I drew closer, I reached a small valley where three stormtroopers
stood next to each other and directed their fire upward. Nines, Vibro, and
Therm. Finally, some luck. With a reckless slide down the hill, I rolled into
position beside them.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Where is everybody else?” Nines
asked between shots.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">I shared the grim news: decapitation
(Cap); bait (Pops); various methods including stones, arrows, and a blaster
bolt (Tracker). Three unknown fates, although prospects seemed grim (Cinder, Mags,
Spanner) given current trends.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“You’re telling me there are
just four members of the Dread Forge left?” Nines asked.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">A shadow passed overhead, and a
boulder dropped from the sky, crushing Vibro’s head and helmet. A spray of red
splashed across Nine’s armor. Vibro twitched at our feet.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“I’m telling you there are three.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“We managed to take down about a
dozen of them,” Nines said. “We thought they’d gotten the message and stopped
following us. Then we went down the hill and heard—”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">War horns. Triumphant hooting
and chittering.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“They followed us the whole way.
They don’t like the blaster fire that much, though.” He pointed his blaster
toward a ridge. “We’ve been funneling them toward the center up there. Figured
if we could get them clustered together, Therm could chuck one of his
detonators and take out a bunch of them all at once.” He indicated an opening
in the trees behind us. “That’s a straight shot for the bunker. It’s still some
distance away, but it’s our best chance.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">I joined their effort to corral
Ewoks toward the center of the ridge. I couldn’t tell if anyone was actually up
there, but I trusted Nines. He was a levelheaded, professional soldier. We just
kept firing and firing, occasionally checking over our shoulders to make sure
no one surprised us from behind. The Ewoks didn’t make another run with a
glider, either, but we stole the occasional glance toward the forest moon’s clear
blue sky. The unfinished Death Star hung in the air, a glorious backdrop for
the end of the Rebellion.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Nines pulled out his
macrobinoculars. “Got the little bastards all huddled in the middle. This is as
good of a time as any, Therm.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Therm usually let his explosives
do the talking. He loved blowing things up, be they vaults or doors or entrances
to impenetrable strongholds. The guy could chuck a thermal detonator with as
much distance and accuracy as anyone. But this particular target looked well
beyond his reach, so Therm brought out his mag-tube. The simple device could launch
a detonator a considerable distance. He mounted the mag-tube on his shoulder
and made a few adjustments, then armed the detonator and prepared to place it
in the end of the tube.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Before Therm was able to load,
however, a couple stones knocked the mag-tube off his shoulder. Therm dropped
to his knees, frantically searching for the thermal detonator he’d just armed. He
muttered more curse words in a five-second span than I’d heard him say in our
six-plus years serving together. The countdown beep signaled impending death,
although we were not usually on this end of it. He felt around the grass,
crawled toward the sound of the increasingly rapid beeps, and finally plucked the
shiny metal sphere from the ground. Having disarmed it, he held it aloft in
triumph.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“That was close,” he said, the
relief in his voice unmistakable. “I thought we were goners for sure. I mean—”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Those were his final words. The
thermal detonator went off, throwing Nines and me backwards several feet. I was
woozy but awake while Nines was out. I took him by the arm and dragged him
toward the clearing in the trees behind us. Smoke and fire provided the perfect
cover for our escape. It would’ve been a lot easier if he’d been conscious, but
I managed. The thought of leaving another member of the Dread Forge behind
sickened me, and I couldn’t bear to consider it, even if I could save my own
hide.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">It dawned on me again that no
one knew what happened to Mags or Spanner. Once I got Nines and myself to
safety, we could regroup and look for them. If we were lucky, maybe we’d find
Cinder, too. It wouldn’t make up for our losses, but we could re-fire the Dread
Forge with some new, top-flight recruits. There may not be as much of a need
for us with the Rebellion crushed once and for all, but the Empire could always
use good soldiers.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Almost there. Just a few more
steps to the clearing. Nines regained consciousness and slowly got his
bearings. Then the whole planet shook, and we looked up to see a ball of flame
in the sky where the Death Star had been. What in the world happened? It <i>had
</i>to be the destruction of the entire Rebel fleet—the only thing that made
sense.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Just steps away from the
clearing now, with Nines now fully aware and running beside me. In an instant,
Ewoks emerged from the tree line. Somehow, they’d known exactly where we wanted
to go. They converged on Nines first; he swung his arms and fired his blaster
wildly to no avail. He screamed and struggled until they speared him to death.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">And then they set their sights
on me.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">One Ewok had affixed a piece of
Mags’s armor to his shoulder; his hand-painted “medals” from campaigns on
Corellia and Ryloth gave it away. Another wore the blood-drenched chest piece
belonging to Spanner, easily recognizable for the hydrospanner our resident
techie stamped on the upper left side. A third had Cinder’s helmet, notable for
the flames painted on the top and sides, tucked under his arm.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Huh. So that’s what happened to
them. Good to know.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">War horns. Triumphant hooting
and chittering.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">We called ourselves the Dread
Forge. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">A squad of ten, working as one.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Now only I remained. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">The mission briefing called
Ewoks a “docile but territorial pre-hyperspace civilization.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">But as three of them clawed away
at my armor and another approached with an axe, I realized they should’ve been
called something else entirely.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">For them, it was gonna be fun.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Hell, yeah, it was gonna be fun.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.mattadamswriter.com/2023/05/commentary-terror-bears.html" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="" data-original-height="150" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEikSBPYjrJGKtlm382CBNqacvmX5J7MMQnKRneP568jbiaMa0VuJ7xEFHtkj4JJdvkwBnRFfoIDzSuOvZ263KX6wY1nfLPJPa_WJ3aIlS0MSRLVo1B0jAfIjLpmval8x7yEJNPNA0Z0YRzwIklToAEuf-9lRx3roJMCCgYFh4XZDPxGx02UoJQ29ghFwA=s16000" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
Matt Adamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07960407647609637681noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6792925679340467992.post-20158780906132958722023-05-05T21:14:00.032-04:002023-05-23T11:54:22.966-04:00The Fall of Palpatine: 40 Years of Return of the Jedi<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSCaXNflQ4kybt1eii2LVI0nH66awL2dlfK96jcpBl7jd2aURTNsLezsNfRDGWhCa7COqvKHtkTQGDvRI8qnhwohhBDghLiD-vtYXmK9DwkMGTZSiHxfoLU_uZ1F-QAINZP7zzigDvxnP9uBAwbk88F1nCWn1Dm7pIP9AoNR8lhLFGZnLKoZp7VULKoA/s2068/Fall%20of%20Palpatine.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1166" data-original-width="2068" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSCaXNflQ4kybt1eii2LVI0nH66awL2dlfK96jcpBl7jd2aURTNsLezsNfRDGWhCa7COqvKHtkTQGDvRI8qnhwohhBDghLiD-vtYXmK9DwkMGTZSiHxfoLU_uZ1F-QAINZP7zzigDvxnP9uBAwbk88F1nCWn1Dm7pIP9AoNR8lhLFGZnLKoZp7VULKoA/w640-h360/Fall%20of%20Palpatine.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
<p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">He saw the fall of the Jedi.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">The fall of the Republic.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">The fall of the Galactic Senate.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">But as Emperor Sheev Palpatine
raced toward the bottom of a reactor shaft aboard the second Death Star, he
realized he hadn’t envisioned his own fall.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Not like this.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Skywalkers.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Accursed Skywalkers.<o:p></o:p></p>
<div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><o:p> </o:p></i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYLDiNnGLn4qDGa536DoqkskWxCDCOvLGsQFS_xWDj-UkGaYvOsoScHSKAaRGLPWYuR7cvG_yxHKZDMQrz2v0tdnRGGmDxRQC87fiGCzpzldxD2AfHl2GXhQnUErI-cymBi0qCXFivd5WmgxcmwzJGeaShpUK0wi6uV3SS-9roiV6RezQPyfdSmo9l6w/s800/Rebel%20break.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="800" height="50" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYLDiNnGLn4qDGa536DoqkskWxCDCOvLGsQFS_xWDj-UkGaYvOsoScHSKAaRGLPWYuR7cvG_yxHKZDMQrz2v0tdnRGGmDxRQC87fiGCzpzldxD2AfHl2GXhQnUErI-cymBi0qCXFivd5WmgxcmwzJGeaShpUK0wi6uV3SS-9roiV6RezQPyfdSmo9l6w/w200-h50/Rebel%20break.jpg" width="200" /></a></p></div><div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">In the Force, past, present, and
future collided. Sometimes, time slowed down.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">He’d already hit the bottom of
the shaft. Vader lifted him as wild lightning shot from his fingertips. He
argued against the Trade Federation’s blockade before the Senate. Collected a
grievously injured Anakin Skywalker from Mustafar. Watched an opera. Met a boy
with unlimited, untapped Force potential. Learned life-extending secrets from
Darth Plagueis.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Plans. Schemes.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Vader had outlived his
usefulness; Palpatine knew it. He saw his apprentice’s plan to take his throne,
his son ruling by his side. Too late, he glimpsed that unsettling remnant of
light within him. The light from Anakin Skywalker went out with the death of
Padme. Palpatine was certain of it.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Certain.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">There was no good left in Anakin
Skywalker. The Emperor had cultivated the young man’s anger and fear, driven
him to the darkness. Darkness was all-encompassing. There was no coming back.
Generations of Sith teachings told him this, records stretching back to time
immemorial.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“If once you start down the dark
path, forever will it dominate your destiny, consume you it will.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">He immediately recognized the
diction and voice. How had that little green annoyance reached him across time
and space? Also, did he realize he’d been wrong? Palpatine took a miniscule
amount of satisfaction in knowing Jedi masters could be just as wrong as Sith
lords. Not that it mattered at the moment.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">It wouldn’t be long until the
Rebels blew up his precious Death Star.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Again.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><o:p> </o:p></i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYLDiNnGLn4qDGa536DoqkskWxCDCOvLGsQFS_xWDj-UkGaYvOsoScHSKAaRGLPWYuR7cvG_yxHKZDMQrz2v0tdnRGGmDxRQC87fiGCzpzldxD2AfHl2GXhQnUErI-cymBi0qCXFivd5WmgxcmwzJGeaShpUK0wi6uV3SS-9roiV6RezQPyfdSmo9l6w/s800/Rebel%20break.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="800" height="50" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYLDiNnGLn4qDGa536DoqkskWxCDCOvLGsQFS_xWDj-UkGaYvOsoScHSKAaRGLPWYuR7cvG_yxHKZDMQrz2v0tdnRGGmDxRQC87fiGCzpzldxD2AfHl2GXhQnUErI-cymBi0qCXFivd5WmgxcmwzJGeaShpUK0wi6uV3SS-9roiV6RezQPyfdSmo9l6w/w200-h50/Rebel%20break.jpg" width="200" /></a></p>
<p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Perhaps the late Grand Moff Tarkin
had best outlined Palpatine’s vision for intergalactic dominance. Ruling by
fear, by tightly controlling everything, was the only way to keep star systems
in line. The Death Star became the tool of that control. Tarkin used it to
destroy Alderaan, a problematic world dedicated to resisting. With a tool of
such fear and destruction, the Empire could not lose.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Yet, the Empire lost.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Palpatine had plenty of blame to
throw around. Krennic, for his vanity. Tarkin, for his arrogance. Vader, for
his shortsightedness. Imperial personnel, for their ineptitude. Erso, for his
betrayal. Rebel pilots, for their daring. Kenobi, for his persistence. The Son
of Skywalker, for his faith.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">So many elements conspired to
destroy his legacy.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Everything was proceeding as he
had foreseen it until, by fate, the Son of Skywalker met Kenobi. The Jedi
Order, stamped out two decades before, threatened to rise again. That led to
the boy meeting his sister—how hadn’t Palpatine felt that tremor in the Force?—which
led to the plans being turned over to the Rebel Alliance, which led to the
destruction of the greatest tool of terror and control the galaxy had ever
known.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">He’d seen <i>some </i>of it
coming. His backup plan involved a larger, even more intimidating Death Star.
This time, there would be no weaknesses. This time, he would end the Rebel
Alliance once and for all. He’d let their leaders step into the light and defy
him in public. He would allow irresistible morsels of information to leak into
the intelligence community. The Bothan Spynet and Rebel Intelligence would take
the bait to set up a high stakes battle near Endor’s Sanctuary Moon.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">He kept the most important part
of the plan to himself and a tiny group of loyal engineers: the second Death
Star would be fully armed and operational. Once the Rebel fleet arrived, penned
in by the might of his Imperial Star Destroyers, the Death Star would systematically
destroy the Rebels’ largest capital ships.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">At the same time, the battle for
the galaxy’s soul raged in his throne room.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">He saw this in many
permutations. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">In some, the Son of Skywalker
defeated his father and took his place at Palpatine’s side. In others, Vader
vanquished the boy and reinforced his desire to rule with Palpatine. Sometimes,
the Skywalkers united to strike him down and take over the Empire themselves. In
one glorious future, it resulted in a new Sith Empire and a 1,000-year reign.
He reconstituted himself through the Force and provided counsel to Sith lords
for fifty generations.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">They named great halls and
shrines after him.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">He navigated the Force like a
river, allowing it to take him on its many branching paths.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">In one, he had the boy named
Anakin Skywalker killed immediately. Without him, the Force remained unbalanced
and the Sith ruled for generations before a new hope arose. In another, he
brought young Skywalker into his fold immediately, freeing him from slavery on
Mos Espa and making him his apprentice. The boy’s powers grew prodigiously as
he became an adolescent and then a man. But without a fateful meeting with
Padme, without that vulnerability to exploit, the goodness at his inner core
ruined everything. He killed Palpatine’s apprentice, turned the would-be
Emperor over to the Jedi, and strengthened the Order and the Republic for another
millennium.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">In another possible future, a
future now well past, Anakin Skywalker became Darth Vader but never met Padme. His
rage, though significant, didn’t truly ignite, and though he killed Palpatine
and forged a Galactic Empire of his own, it lasted only a handful of years
before the Jedi overthrew him. There were no twins. No dyad in the Force.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Palpatine should have paid more
attention to these various possibilities. For if he had, he would’ve realized
every future with the offspring of Anakin Skywalker brought about his end. Most
often, the Son of Skywalker triumphed over evil and brought down Palpatine’s
New Order. And when he did fall to the Dark Side, he still defeated Palpatine.
Sometimes the Empire survived for generations, sometimes it crumbled within
years.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">In his visions, he had never encountered
the potent spirit of the Princess of Alderaan. The Son of Skywalker’s sister (he
called her the Daughter of Skywalker) never existed. But now, as Palpatine fell
and seconds stretched into lifetimes and lifetimes into milliseconds, new paths
in the Force presented themselves.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Had he recognized that the young
senator from Alderaan was the Daughter of Skywalker, he could’ve corrupted her.
Their pairing would’ve borne fruit as she used her political will and
influence—plus her newfound mastery in the Force—to dismantle the Galactic
Senate from within. In his mind’s eye, he saw her Force-choking her meddlesome
adoptive father, destroying Alderaan in a new and unfamiliar way that excited
him.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">He saw her confronting him
aboard the second Death Star in the robes of a Jedi, professing her undying
love for a father whose darkness nearly consumed the entire galaxy. He saw her
mastery of the Force and lightsaber combat, a discipline that far exceeded her
brother’s and a patience that allowed a father to redeem himself.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">He cursed out loud, lightning still
cascading from his fingertips.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Yes, there were futures in which
the offspring of Vader aided Palpatine and brought generations of Sith rule to
the galaxy.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">But the strongest futures, the
ones he tended to ignore, involved love, redemption, and defeat.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Accursed Skywalkers.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">A family of do-gooders unworthy
of their father’s legacy.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">He found another current in the
Force, this one deep and dark and tempting.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Interested, he followed. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">The Daughter of Skywalker
married the Rogue. Their union produced another heir to Skywalker line. Into
this boy’s soul, a boy named after Vader’s mortal enemy, the Dark Side poured
all of its hate and fear. It used the Son of Skywalker to bring out the worst
in the boy. And out of the defeat of the New Order arose the First Order and,
eventually, the Final Order.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Suddenly, a thousand-year reign
seemed possible once more.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Palpatine saw himself in this
future.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">He lost the path.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Desperate to find it, he
stumbled across more possibilities. Some good, some bad. Sometimes he lived for
millennia. Sometimes he died in his sleep. Sometimes his apprentice poisoned
him. Sometimes the Empire stationed a Death Star in each system. In one
unfortunate future, he saw the error of his ways before an apprentice he didn’t
recognize killed him and ruled the Empire for decades. The apprentice ended up destroying
the galaxy with a superweapon, leaving nothing and no one behind to rule. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">In fact, Palpatine’s many
futures saw a number of superweapons, most of them designed to inflict destruction
on a planet-wide basis. Some of them could even reach across star systems to
destroy multiple planets at once. They had fearsome names: Darksaber, Sun
Crusher, World Devastator, Galaxy Gun.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">He’d built two Death Stars
already. Why not a third? Or something even larger?<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">The path brought him back to his
present. To the outside observer, it would appear a man who fell to his doom
down a reactor shaft would have no future. But while the Force had shown
Palpatine many possible futures and many possible successes, it had also lifted
the veil on potential failures. In order to secure his legacy, he needed
contingencies, and so he had ordered some of his most loyal commanders to keep
his memory alive.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">They would head beyond the Rim
and raise an army of their own.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">If the Rebel Alliance won, a good
possibility given the penchant of Skywalkers to interfere with his plans, a
“new era of peace and justice” would come to the galaxy. But could a Rebellion
so used to fighting muster the political will and courage to rule? Would it, in
dismantling its hated enemy and all its loathsome systems, end up weakening
itself to the core?<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Before the Battle of Endor, as
Palpatine put his final plans into place, he glimpsed several futures in which
the Rebellion became a victim of its own success, its dedication to
“governance” corrupted into “rule,” its checks and balances failing on a large
scale and leading to a disillusioned population. The force of “good,” it seemed,
could turn into the very thing it hated most.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">In other futures, cognizant of
this danger, the New Republic became decentralized and weak, its leaders so
hellbent on avoiding war that they were unprepared when conflicts inevitably
broke out. Outgunned and burdened with a small and poorly trained peacekeeping
force, they did not know how to handle acts of outright aggression. Tearing
down the Imperial fleet left the galaxy vulnerable. Combine that with leaders in
serious denial, and the Empire could rise once more.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Another possibility: a brilliant
coalition of “reformed” Imperials fooled the New Republic into thinking they’d
truly renounced the ways of the New Order. These Imperials, true agents of
chaos with no allegiance to the new government’s democratic reforms, would
simply act as sleeper agents who ascended to important places within the New
Republic’s overburdened bureaucracy. They would gradually allow some of those
reforms to fall by the wayside in the name of peace and security, convincing citizens
to surrender certain rights for the common good. As they systematically chipped
away at the New Republic’s institutions, they would consolidate power and stage
a coup.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Palpatine loved good political
machinations, but this plan as presented by the Force appeared too gradual for
his taste. Truly galaxy-changing acts demanded shock and awe. They demanded
grandeur and surprise. A decades-long takeover of the New Republic from within did
not suit him, so he followed another one of the many future streams.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">He saw the return of Grand
Admiral Thrawn, a brilliant tactician who valued order above all. He envisioned
the blue-skinned Chiss operating on the margins and hijacking the Republic’s <i>Katana</i>
fleet, joining up with a Jedi master whose sanity appeared to be in question.
In this version of the future, the Daughter of Skywalker and the Rogue had
twins. He glimpsed <i>two </i>Sons of Skywalker and a powerful figure with red
hair and a lightsaber.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">He saw smugglers and Spaarti
cylinders and fearsome alien commandos. He heard a word he did not recognize: <i>Mal'ary'ush</i>.
<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">This future, though intriguing, appeared
out of reach. Just as well, as it turned out, because Thrawn fell by his own
bravado. Eventually, his capitulating second in command pushed the Imperial
Remnant toward peace with the New Republic.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">So many possible futures. Some
of them triumphant, some of them hopeless.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">How best to manage it all?<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Always in motion is the
future.”<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">The wise words again came from
the green annoyance who’d found him through the Force. Palpatine fought him
once in the Senate chamber. He’d felt the irritating creature’s presence
flicker away not all that long ago. Yet, to Palpatine, his essence felt just as
strong as ever through the Force.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“How is this possible?” he
yelled across time and space.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">“Accessible to those who learn,
the Netherworld of the Force is,” the green annoyance said. “One with the
Force, you must become. On your side, time is not.”<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Palpatine knew nothing could
stop the Rebels now. His apprentice fully embraced the light, thanks to the Son
of Skywalker. The energy shield protecting the Death Star had fallen, and Rebel
starfighters would soon race into the superstructure and destroy it.
Celebrations would commence on countless planets to mark the Empire’s defeat. People
would toast to the deaths of Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">The New Republic era would soon
begin.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">He surveyed other possible
futures.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">A young clone of himself lured
the Son of Skywalker to the planet Byss and turned him to the Dark Side.
Fearsome machines devastated planets, starting with Mon Calamari; he summoned
Force storms and watched Imperial might rise once again. But the Son and
Daughter of Skywalker disrupted his plans, drawing upon some ancient prophecy
to turn the Force against him. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">He saw a Jedi holocron. An
immense ship he christened the <i>Eclipse.</i><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Yet another defeat. This future,
he believed, could not sustain him. Clone bodies were notoriously fickle, he
had learned in his many experiments.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">But time was not on his side, as
the little green annoyance had reminded him.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">The future of Emperor Sheev
Palpatine depended on genetics and Force transference. Dark science. Cloning. Secrets
only the Sith knew.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">What he saw next, was no ripple
in the Force, no inaccessible timeline. He’d rediscovered the thread he’d lost
an eternity ago.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">He followed it.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">On a dead world in the Unknown
Regions, cultists raised an army. Loyal scientists perfected cloning technology
to preserve Palpatine’s reign. He needed only to transfer his Force essence
from the second Death Star to the faraway world. He had practiced forms of this
before, appearing in two places at once, but this would stretch his powers far
beyond anything he’d attempted.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Until Palpatine could fully take
form, another figure would lead the Imperial Remnant. As Operation Cinder went
into effect—he could think of no better way of harassing the New Republic than
destroying as much as he could—his loyal servants would craft a new leader. This
fearsome figure would become a tool of Palpatine’s will, with the Emperor able
to manipulate him through the Force. Indeed, the first order of his resurrection
would inform his final order.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Another superweapon would
decimate the New Republic. He would send the Imperial Remnant to Ilum, a
kyber-rich world on which they would engineer a fearsome new device capable of large-scale
destruction. They would mine a planet once sacred to the Jedi and bend it to
their terrifying will.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">His plan required patience, even
though that was not one of his strengths. But he had seen a future in which a
Skywalker truly and finally fell to the Dark Side, driving a wedge between the
Son, the Daughter, and the Rogue. Their happy ending would crumble before their
eyes, setting the galaxy on an even darker path as a fanatical Imperial Remnant
became an unstoppable force.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">He would haunt them for the rest
of their lives. He had foreseen it. The Force showed him this intractable path.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Just before he transferred his
essence, Palpatine saw something else. <i>His </i>offspring would play a role
in this chaos. A grandchild would return to him on the dead planet and become
an Empress with the Fallen Skywalker ruling at her side. Together, the First
Order would become the Final Order, and the galaxy would know, once and for
all, that Emperor Sheev Palpatine had won.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">A powerful Force dyad would
bring about generations of Sith rule.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">The Force had one more path to
show him, but Palpatine’s time was not infinite. He would soon hit the bottom
of the reactor shaft. He could wait no longer; he could not see this future,
nor did he care about it.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">He screamed as lightning poured
from his fingertips and his corporeal body disintegrated.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">His essence scrambled
momentarily, but he managed to keep himself together. It would take some time
for him to reach the dead planet. It would take even longer for his loyal
servants to create a suitable, sustainable clone body. Sith Troopers would take
time to train, and Star Destroyers would take time to build.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">But with the fall of Palpatine
complete, he knew one thing for certain.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Somehow, he would return.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.mattadamswriter.com/2023/05/commentary-fall-of-palpatine.html" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="" data-original-height="150" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj9RrROxDfslv70EbSNGp8TXea9wv_rGkDd9mXbkmpvZnj96Xmc1Yv0-58jgmXBkVzmUeEUwvaS1mTeWDYUTzARJ-MGJ7oP1MW_S6SoRjFVa5m9Qbed2Gqrc7baV7rPHwEfhCsyVFT_Xh83Tr0YtdsuKgfJdSW5Z7g-YFgnLxziRFwbVJz74m_EmSgb1A=s16000" /></a></div><br /><i><a href="https://www.mattadamswriter.com/2020/02/gary-sith-eternal-star-wars-story.html" target="_blank"><b>Also, check out the Emperor's continuing story in </b></a></i><i><a href="https://www.mattadamswriter.com/2020/02/gary-sith-eternal-star-wars-story.html" target="_blank">“</a></i><i><a href="https://www.mattadamswriter.com/2020/02/gary-sith-eternal-star-wars-story.html" target="_blank"><b>Gary, the Sith Eterna</b><b>l</b>”</a></i></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.mattadamswriter.com/2020/02/gary-sith-eternal-star-wars-story.html" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="434" data-original-width="770" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Ty5RmxZ6ynX29y_lG3lMujxFCmkEWKbj8IrpYVgOakWcadrWMKOHkZHQKeCgmbd_9T6_LDkXpTxYLYzLIG2yfHlT8tNNGGOw6rBGFdogPgH4TLruMAVTe2yiBxzxUY2VE-B8q4KEbxSgh8nni5y5hmPMdqksICDtPj9Tyfmshq7ufT3V604Yv2um6g/w640-h360/Gary%20the%20Sith%20Eternal%20copy.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><p></p></div>Matt Adamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07960407647609637681noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6792925679340467992.post-25636260401463914962022-12-31T15:31:00.009-05:002023-05-17T10:51:55.031-04:00Studicus Selects 2022<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE6buIiDJK54Y8WC6lbC6roiHUzi8ZJU9M9NnP-HslBz3irPY1SBRraVI1ycF8KvR7Z1YQuv4FyVYyz1LyCtHSaUt1obN3XqTzBjWPP8uEl3f7VZ6xGxayhSCwb8pQ3JwtrXH6G_TgNI51hOLBcCsZeKiLJaewYlYx8PC3EBDxEYeSCsjzXbDcdAS7sg/s2000/Red%20and%20Yellow%20Stars%20Christmas%20Carols%20Holiday%20Photo%20Collage.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="2000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE6buIiDJK54Y8WC6lbC6roiHUzi8ZJU9M9NnP-HslBz3irPY1SBRraVI1ycF8KvR7Z1YQuv4FyVYyz1LyCtHSaUt1obN3XqTzBjWPP8uEl3f7VZ6xGxayhSCwb8pQ3JwtrXH6G_TgNI51hOLBcCsZeKiLJaewYlYx8PC3EBDxEYeSCsjzXbDcdAS7sg/w640-h512/Red%20and%20Yellow%20Stars%20Christmas%20Carols%20Holiday%20Photo%20Collage.png" width="500" /></a></div><div class="separator">Once, long ago, I posted on the internet as Studicus, an in-joke nickname related to a skit from high school. When I first started blogging, I called my year-end entries "Studicus Selects." The tradition has continued since 2005...although I skipped 2006 for some unknown reason. </div><div><br /></div><div>You'll find past entries here (scroll down for the 2022 picks):<br /><span><br /></span><b><a href="https://www.mattadamswriter.com/2021/12/studicus-selects-2021.html" target="_blank">Studicus Selects 2021</a><br /></b><div><b><a href="https://www.mattadamswriter.com/2021/01/studicus-selects-2020.html" target="_blank">Studicus Selects 2020</a><br /></b><div><b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.mattadamswriter.com/2019/12/studicus-selects-2019.html">Studicus Selects 2019</a></span></b><div><b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.mattadamswriter.com/2018/12/studicus-selects-2018.html">Studicus Selects 2018</a></span></b><br /><b><a href="https://www.mattadamswriter.com/2017/12/studicus-selects-2017.html"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Studicus Selects 2017</span></a></b><br /><b><a href="http://www.mattadamswriter.com/2017/01/studicus-selects-2016.html"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Studicus Selects 2016</span></a></b><br /><a href="http://www.mattadamswriter.com/2015/12/studicus-selects-2015.html"><b>Studicus Selects 2015</b></a><br /><b><a href="http://www.mattadamswriter.com/2014/12/studicus-selects-2014.html">Studicus Selects 2014</a><br /><a href="http://www.mattadamswriter.com/2013/12/studicus-selects-2013.html">Studicus Selects 2013</a><br /><a href="http://www.mattadamswriter.com/2012/12/studicus-selects-2012.html">Studicus Selects 2012</a><br /><a href="http://www.mattadamswriter.com/2011/12/studicus-selects-2011.html">Studicus Selects 2011</a><br /><a href="http://flyingtrapeezius.blogspot.com/2011/01/studicus-selects-2010.html">Studicus Selects 2010</a><br /><a href="http://flyingtrapeezius.blogspot.com/2009/12/studicus-selects-2009.html">Studicus Selects 2009</a><br /><a href="http://flyingtrapeezius.blogspot.com/2008/12/studicus-selects-2008.html">Studicus Selects 2008</a><br /><a href="http://flyingtrapeezius.blogspot.com/2007/12/studicus-selects-2007.html">Studicus Selects 2007</a><br /><a href="http://flyingtrapeezius.blogspot.com/2005/12/studicus-selects-2005.html">Studicus Selects 2005</a></b></div></div></div><div><br /></div><div>Overall, 2022 was a decent year filled with some notable events. I wrote and released a book! We bought a new car! Thanksgiving was normal with no overarching concerns about COVID-19 like in 2020 and 2021. It wasn't the <i>best </i>year ever. Anne and I suffered the heartbreaking loss of our beloved leopard gecko, Lenny. Winter weather and illnesses prevented us from following our usual Christmas traditions. Oh, things also got way more expensive thanks to the economic body blow brought on by the pandemic and the resulting chaos in the supply chain and workforce.</div><div><br /></div><div>All in all, 2022 was a year that felt a little more stable in the Adams household. Here's a look back.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnaSu2DWGpX0-lMDRjzIlefXZnPxYIoH6aP8CLveN3HcBG7ESLRQF_Y11M1VkX4_N15EtZfltbueDKcCllc10rfo_JOXgpdetcNRHgF74YynyVrc7gmRv1RZ5QDMXx3HsCMVhf1u1KU6HvzTzCPYEDMgNHqdlfqMiS4Qvvk19un1g2wlc6TnFfNd6WUA/s4080/PXL_20220601_195225411.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4080" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnaSu2DWGpX0-lMDRjzIlefXZnPxYIoH6aP8CLveN3HcBG7ESLRQF_Y11M1VkX4_N15EtZfltbueDKcCllc10rfo_JOXgpdetcNRHgF74YynyVrc7gmRv1RZ5QDMXx3HsCMVhf1u1KU6HvzTzCPYEDMgNHqdlfqMiS4Qvvk19un1g2wlc6TnFfNd6WUA/w640-h482/PXL_20220601_195225411.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rest easy, sweet boy</td></tr></tbody></table><div><b>Farewell, Lord Leonard. </b>I'll start off with the saddest development of the year. Our leopard gecko, Lenny, started to go downhill. We took him to the vet and made some changes to his diet and habitat. Unfortunately, it didn't help. We had to put Lenny down in November. It happened very quickly. The vet's office provided us with an imprint of his tail and little feet. We miss the big guy, but we're also glad he's no longer suffering. We still included him on our Christmas card for 2022.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.mattadamswriter.com/2022/11/lennys-last-ride.html" target="_blank">You can read my tribute to Lenny here</a>.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRAWzkQbYXIyqIP7FZbYvSPKoGrRuDrakUh2-KDiVwQF5N9ihX6mSKt2J5Veig4Fn4_kzQ09KNPJJgKw5vRVMOuCrYQYeMCJ7nWNMf_y1P0SdDjL2B2JZfq6T2rV-0k8RmPqa-PzoDi910eMPkSc6EdFrcVD6MEyCt-skfgnfAnTZoC42Ncmie9TLw0A/s2048/lenny's%20prints.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1744" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRAWzkQbYXIyqIP7FZbYvSPKoGrRuDrakUh2-KDiVwQF5N9ihX6mSKt2J5Veig4Fn4_kzQ09KNPJJgKw5vRVMOuCrYQYeMCJ7nWNMf_y1P0SdDjL2B2JZfq6T2rV-0k8RmPqa-PzoDi910eMPkSc6EdFrcVD6MEyCt-skfgnfAnTZoC42Ncmie9TLw0A/w341-h400/lenny's%20prints.jpg" width="341" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An imprint of Lenny's tail and feet</td></tr></tbody></table><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-m-HTvm-ig4qCj5RxRoRLDqNvcu7uFe0hTNoHvj8CoATQY5BdcSU3ZSMP7a7Iya1TqNGjmaXuMEti5Wkib7fU-U_tLWLWg2b6_8qePPPVcNSUL_7xlDpZwC3YwWKklu2UXjWN-m8FhmnasElH2DGvtsRbx_Vb_YmKU2t4L3x3ks8E5UAY9kOhqFaJXA/s2500/Christmas%20Card%202022%20final.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1785" data-original-width="2500" height="357" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-m-HTvm-ig4qCj5RxRoRLDqNvcu7uFe0hTNoHvj8CoATQY5BdcSU3ZSMP7a7Iya1TqNGjmaXuMEti5Wkib7fU-U_tLWLWg2b6_8qePPPVcNSUL_7xlDpZwC3YwWKklu2UXjWN-m8FhmnasElH2DGvtsRbx_Vb_YmKU2t4L3x3ks8E5UAY9kOhqFaJXA/w640-h456/Christmas%20Card%202022%20final.png" width="500" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our 2022 Christmas card featured an appearance from the late Lord Leonard</td></tr></tbody></table><b>Best Howard, Howard Category. </b>Howard had a pretty eventful year. He HATED the recent winter storm and didn't want to go outside--not that I could blame him. He had a growth removed from his neck, although it turned out to be benign. We had to put the poor guy on anxiety medication. He has also developed high blood pressure, requiring further medication. He got a rawhide chew that's bigger than he is for Christmas, so he's got that going for him.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0YSiuZZPtDTSZOhHm5HJt9C2EoQPNnifeDZfuv20fFtdDacI_d-LuwSRoXc8tAAs8Xl9i_u--D-jrvyF5wubMpY-yoW0HOZZO14Ru66sTNvTEJwbTlSvAxosNxEzxP-TtY0AiVswN-7UFj8XteESC12UN004Q--qxwttGyM-mBv9kxtCBqwAUycyKqA/s4080/PXL_20220925_203353278.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4080" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0YSiuZZPtDTSZOhHm5HJt9C2EoQPNnifeDZfuv20fFtdDacI_d-LuwSRoXc8tAAs8Xl9i_u--D-jrvyF5wubMpY-yoW0HOZZO14Ru66sTNvTEJwbTlSvAxosNxEzxP-TtY0AiVswN-7UFj8XteESC12UN004Q--qxwttGyM-mBv9kxtCBqwAUycyKqA/w640-h482/PXL_20220925_203353278.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Always let a sleeping Howard lie</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE6hv8fI3og6wTeo7KEVcCHQbUF9fcTtilS335tQVVismF3bnQ54Pr4xX_J-RTpFGxD-F1icDpn4dOytkfV6TXMgu1ugaOxsg1H6eeQZKfJAq03eBLcTVzgnH4F-4lIy_9Kuss4DCGi3JoSW5gO6mYxdGVagFxtrJzEzMkMkmfO_CkgXGDD4qWGcIXXQ/s4080/PXL_20221225_000532544.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4080" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE6hv8fI3og6wTeo7KEVcCHQbUF9fcTtilS335tQVVismF3bnQ54Pr4xX_J-RTpFGxD-F1icDpn4dOytkfV6TXMgu1ugaOxsg1H6eeQZKfJAq03eBLcTVzgnH4F-4lIy_9Kuss4DCGi3JoSW5gO6mYxdGVagFxtrJzEzMkMkmfO_CkgXGDD4qWGcIXXQ/w640-h482/PXL_20221225_000532544.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The candy cane was bigger than him! We couldn't let him have the whole thing, however</td></tr></tbody></table><div><b>Best Turtle, Northern Map Turtle Category.</b> A much quieter year for Willy, who turned 20 in October! We got her in 2017 when she was 15. At the time, we also believed she was a dude. She is not a dude, the exotic vet informed us last year. We still get her out of her tank on a weekly basis; Howard's been better about not bothering her, mostly because she pretty much ignores him. Our favorite thing: when Willy's on a walkabout, she'll come up to you and tap on your foot if she wants you to pick her up.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuWMxcyFo2y69VFlKBoeXDPSqUJztRDSswcVi4kh7u_umrjWY4ZQUBWBB9lisqbH2Ly7QPIoVxVRy8dxMmyvMzPRMIYq2p8q7dB6NeE_LjacjsWJMEHPzqPUfkE7HbvvyQqqr1m-VoD7-gLlFmIZ0-dlfZyu0o9_v0OPG6us7u6PjwQTCeLi4hAoTK0w/s4080/PXL_20211121_145642463.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4080" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuWMxcyFo2y69VFlKBoeXDPSqUJztRDSswcVi4kh7u_umrjWY4ZQUBWBB9lisqbH2Ly7QPIoVxVRy8dxMmyvMzPRMIYq2p8q7dB6NeE_LjacjsWJMEHPzqPUfkE7HbvvyQqqr1m-VoD7-gLlFmIZ0-dlfZyu0o9_v0OPG6us7u6PjwQTCeLi4hAoTK0w/w640-h482/PXL_20211121_145642463.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Willy takes great offense to being photographed while basking</td></tr></tbody></table><div><b>Hello, Elantra. </b>I have a 30-minute commute to work. It's not the best and certainly not the worst, however, I started having trouble with my reliable Hyundai Sonata. In May, we decided to replace Sonata with a new Hyundai Elantra. It's got Bluetooth connectivity, a backup camera, heated seats, lane assist, blind spot alerts, and auto start. It also gets really good mileage and I'm happy we pulled the trigger.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQcmcQ9_gpoKiF2Zv_lVl6nrz3MqLf210a_v8YjQCEFo0FYXG2djwd_G2vRzwwcGCWg-Av_M5xftESQDC8eQANsH-DDZIfO2Pmrf7WLeoHUk3l7eF-XDQkFcc56AlEFXg4Yl5fw-Pd85rC_O95wAroTkbTmo5S2K2eFt92ddk9K_TSpQ_T_g7sPnAjTw/s4080/PXL_20220813_181219612.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4080" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQcmcQ9_gpoKiF2Zv_lVl6nrz3MqLf210a_v8YjQCEFo0FYXG2djwd_G2vRzwwcGCWg-Av_M5xftESQDC8eQANsH-DDZIfO2Pmrf7WLeoHUk3l7eF-XDQkFcc56AlEFXg4Yl5fw-Pd85rC_O95wAroTkbTmo5S2K2eFt92ddk9K_TSpQ_T_g7sPnAjTw/w640-h482/PXL_20220813_181219612.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The new car got a professional detailing job from one Mr. Ted Adams (pictured in background)</td></tr></tbody></table><div><b>Best Novel Written by Matt Adams, Sega CD Summer Category.</b> I still write! I tried an experiment this year and released a book on my own. <i><a href="https://www.mattadamswriter.com/p/sega-cd-summer-central.html" target="_blank">Sega CD Summer</a> </i>tells the story of a 12-year-old boy who takes on a paper route to earn enough money to buy the Sega CD add-on for his Sega Genesis. Oh, he also has to endure youth baseball season and deal with a former-best-friend-turned-bully. The book is out now on digital and paperback. <a href="https://www.mattadamswriter.com/p/sega-cd-summer-central.html" target="_blank">Learn more here</a>. I was <a href="https://www.mattadamswriter.com/2022/11/sega-cd-summer-on-stoneage-gamer-podcast.html" target="_blank">even on a podcast</a>!</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE5VlOnL4Tli5hUKwp_RwKyHVx4rgseX8lmGvpErn3-64BeyaOtbizMaYQZ-SJxjMRsH7UZ-Rhgaf4Ww0kG7_JtSupp54_Vv0AP18Auq7nQW7kZfpLx1_J32prFw2Q8Wcl0jml3Mxv9-Z4AWSV7juZ7rcRZv6R8SPCaHhVfg-4iXtc8pmsIJvgZ_-Cvw/s4080/PXL_20221002_215929288.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4080" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE5VlOnL4Tli5hUKwp_RwKyHVx4rgseX8lmGvpErn3-64BeyaOtbizMaYQZ-SJxjMRsH7UZ-Rhgaf4Ww0kG7_JtSupp54_Vv0AP18Auq7nQW7kZfpLx1_J32prFw2Q8Wcl0jml3Mxv9-Z4AWSV7juZ7rcRZv6R8SPCaHhVfg-4iXtc8pmsIJvgZ_-Cvw/w640-h482/PXL_20221002_215929288.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Copies still available! Tens of people have enjoyed it, and you can, too!</td></tr></tbody></table><div><b>Best Streaming Option for Indiana Pacers, Mostly Because It's the Only Option, Sports Category. </b>The Indiana Pacers were supposed to tank this season. Instead, they've been surprisingly good and fun to watch. For those of us without cable, however, watching games (legitimately) isn't easy. Bally Sports+ launched this year for $20 a month. It's worked pretty well, aside from one game in which the feed cut out and the app wouldn't load. Seeing the local teams shouldn't be so hard, professional sports leagues.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT5wehFbmBcU9FRyJCA3jyAyPCv9GelzSO0Ry9-yZt9HYLtsfZzSqADLs3nBjXigVRD-mYkr0686c9tfRrhf0ka0QcsxdwK2glIuIWV8b0R03BO-Hgum8MGHFp7Ie6038nbD7SVivrEDJSu9F51QbSueQJLot_VT3qIhSaf0bFb6JtLInTqsACw6UR7Q/s4080/PXL_20221104_235604600.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4080" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT5wehFbmBcU9FRyJCA3jyAyPCv9GelzSO0Ry9-yZt9HYLtsfZzSqADLs3nBjXigVRD-mYkr0686c9tfRrhf0ka0QcsxdwK2glIuIWV8b0R03BO-Hgum8MGHFp7Ie6038nbD7SVivrEDJSu9F51QbSueQJLot_VT3qIhSaf0bFb6JtLInTqsACw6UR7Q/w640-h482/PXL_20221104_235604600.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">When you pay $20 a month for a service that exists solely for the purpose of streaming NBA games, this shouldn't ever happen</td></tr></tbody></table><div><b>Worst Indianapolis Colts Team of 2022, Indianapolis Colts Category.</b> I had high hopes for the Indianapolis Colts this season. I was mistaken. Moving on.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZirzswi9b3LI3t-y8pezWtXRfAtp3ReUKHOR0tqHU1KqRK1M4VEPKRf1FVetZ3JKi6IuJ40sv7wf6JMUMdKn6167rMMMtD4krGgp8GGDestvJUzDDQYl0fcL-3_UGPTJGg_Tq0bbZ78q5BZMDKSbAbXXFcepruqrE1dPHR5sVJ4nAe4E2Y0Wrjm2AiQ/s2464/PXL_20221130_210733450.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1836" data-original-width="2464" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZirzswi9b3LI3t-y8pezWtXRfAtp3ReUKHOR0tqHU1KqRK1M4VEPKRf1FVetZ3JKi6IuJ40sv7wf6JMUMdKn6167rMMMtD4krGgp8GGDestvJUzDDQYl0fcL-3_UGPTJGg_Tq0bbZ78q5BZMDKSbAbXXFcepruqrE1dPHR5sVJ4nAe4E2Y0Wrjm2AiQ/w640-h476/PXL_20221130_210733450.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">How bad were the Colts this season? This hat is better than the team</td></tr></tbody></table><div></div><div><b>Most Time Consuming Xbox Game, Assassin's Creed: Vahalla Category.</b> When November rolls around, I suddenly remember I have an Xbox. I've played a ton of <i>Assassin's Creed: Vahalla </i>over the past few weeks. I think I enjoyed the Greece-set <i>AC: Odyssey </i>a bit more, but I've still gotten a ton of fun out of the game. I'm not sure I'll get to 100% completion because there are <i>a lot </i>of collectibles and DLC packs. I will, however, finish the main game and collect stuff until I get tired of it.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Most Frustrating Insanity Mode, Mass Effect: Legendary Edition Category.</b> I played a lot of <i>Mass Effect: Legendary Edition </i>during the summer. I was mostly determined to finish all the games on the hardest mode ("Insanity"), which was something I didn't accomplish with their original releases (I beat the first and third games, but <i>ME2 </i>was just too hard). Getting through the "Insanity" difficulty on <i>Mass Effect 2 </i>is one of the most frustrating gaming-related things I've done in my life, but I finally managed to do it. Man, it's really tough. I'm not ashamed to say I exploited a few glitches here and there to get it done.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Best Holiday Prime, Non-Amazon Category. </b>Everyone should have an Optimus Prime Christmas figure. Thanks to Brian Krilich for this one!</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3shchG6f_FArHHb7kkmET-4eOu8Geg_TAZIKxMIKk_yGcBXvmyRoiJ83xsa_AxH4AWmrBpQ553NzWrwmzOmcL8wYbb1NvV6RH9blxwXUqcA2yc7ErOskyA0tLgHa2WbW-5r1L0ahOz5YcO1MtvNeX-3KZTW1SnywVQUOYwK-J-VWuDrxLowqmeGn--w/s4080/PXL_20221121_155054737.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="3072" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3shchG6f_FArHHb7kkmET-4eOu8Geg_TAZIKxMIKk_yGcBXvmyRoiJ83xsa_AxH4AWmrBpQ553NzWrwmzOmcL8wYbb1NvV6RH9blxwXUqcA2yc7ErOskyA0tLgHa2WbW-5r1L0ahOz5YcO1MtvNeX-3KZTW1SnywVQUOYwK-J-VWuDrxLowqmeGn--w/w482-h640/PXL_20221121_155054737.jpg" width="482" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An action figure masterpiece</td></tr></tbody></table><div><b>Movie Year in Review. </b>I'll split my long list of entertainment stuff into two sections: movies we saw at the theater and stuff we watched via streaming. Let's start with the movies first. As usual, there may be some spoilers.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>The Batman.</b> We probably don't need another Batman movie, but people love the Bat and Warner Bros. wants to make money, so we will inevitably get more Batman stuff. Thankfully, this one was <i>really </i>good. I liked the idea of an early Batman flexing some of his detective skills. The film is beautifully shot and atmospheric. I would've cut maybe 10 minutes, but that's a nitpick.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Uncharted. </b>I kind of forgot we went to see this one. It's fine--the kind of movie you'll find unobjectionable on cable on a Sunday afternoon and watch for a bit. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>The Lost City.</b> I enjoyed this one more than I expected! It got off to a great start when Channing Tatum's mimbo character came onto the stage and got his wig ripped off. Good chemistry between the leads.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Morbius.</b> "It's Morbin' time!" Please, Sony. Just stop trying to make movies out of ancillary Spider-Man characters just because you have the license. You have no idea what to do with any of these characters and you're simultaneously damaging your own brand with this nonsense.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.</b> I liked it, but I expected more of a madcap romp through the multiverse in this one. We kind of spent time in a couple places and that was about it. I enjoyed the characters, though, and some trippy visuals.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore.</b> This was another "movie that happened." I barely remember a thing, other than Eddie Redmayne mumbling his way through the proceedings and wondering why we've had our third different Grindelwald in three movies (oh don't worry, I know why).</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Jurassic World: Dominion.</b> Imagine bringing back the cast of the original <i>Jurassic Park </i>and having them fight giant locusts. Then re-read that sentence, add the cast from <i>Jurassic World, </i>and realize that's what the plot was. I wanted an exploration of a world with dinosaurs run amok; I got prehistoric locusts.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Top Gun: Maverick. </b>This shouldn't have worked, right? I mean, a sequel to one of the eighties-ist eighties movies ever, made some 30 years later? Yet, it's great. Tom Cruise is fantastic and we get a great, heartfelt appearance from Val Kilmer plus some of the best aerial stunt work ever. Absolutely floored by this one.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Thor: Love and Thunder. </b>Maybe my biggest disappointment of the year. When you don't rein in Taika Waititi just a little bit, things get too broad and silly. All the basics are there, including a compelling villain, but it just didn't come together for me.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Elvis.</b> Austin Butler turned in an Oscar-worthy performance in this one. I can take or leave Tom Hanks' Foghorn Leghorn act. This movie is always moving, thanks to Baz Luhrmann, who's never afraid to just spin things around for whatever reason. It's worth seeing, though.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Black Adam. </b>The box-office disappointment really did change the hierarchy of power in the DC Universe. It's an okay movie, made interesting by Pierce Brosnan's casting as Dr. Fate. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.</b> How do you make a <i>Black Panther </i>sequel without Chadwick Boseman? You craft a movie about loss and moving forward in which he rarely appears on the screen but is always there. A couple story elements were shoehorned in (paging Agent Ross), but this was an admirable accomplishment and the best MCU movie of the year.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Avatar: The Way of Water. </b>I will jokingly refer to this one as <i>James Cameron's Three-Hour Video Game Cutscene, </i>but it is remarkable in its visual presentation. I'm not an <i>Avatar </i>hater, but I'm pretty "meh" on the first one. The sequel had a better story while making a big leap in terms of visual storytelling.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Streaming Year in Review. </b>We spent a lot more time watching stuff at home than we did at the theater! Here's a look at some of the shows we streamed in 2022.</div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Abbott Elementary. </b>We have absolutely fallen in love with this ABC sitcom. Some of it hits really close to home because my mother is a retired teacher (although in a much different kind of school district!). The characters are wonderful and have great chemistry. The episode about the egg drop is one of my favorites so far ("It's okay, Ralph, you just have to believe!")</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Vatican Girl. </b>This multi-part documentary about a girl who disappeared in Vatican City in 1983 is absolutely packed with jaw-dropping twists and turns. The saddest of those twists, however, is that the case remains unsolved after all these years, leaving a grieving family with no answers in the decades-old mystery.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Andor. </b>This is the most mature <i>Star Wars </i>show we've ever seen. I didn't think I'd care all that much about a show featuring Cassian Andor, the one-and-dead protagonist from <i>Rogue One</i>. But here we are with a terrific, tension-filled series about politics, espionage, and betrayal. The "prison arc" is some of the best storytelling of the year. The stellar supporting cast includes Andy Serkis and Stellan Skarsgård, the latter of whom delivers an absolutely amazing monologue about the cost of sacrifice.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>She-Hulk, Attorney at Law. </b>One of the many MCU shows from Disney Plus, this one took a lighter approach into straight-up comedy. Meta and a little uneven at times, I still enjoyed it for the most part despite some of the wonkiness of the not-quite-movie-quality CG effects for the main character. If you can make me laugh with some fun superhero antics, I'm there.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>The Bear. </b>This show about the restaurant business got a lot of love over the summer, so Anne and I decided to give it a try. Did we enjoy it? Yes, chef!</div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>We Own This City. </b>The Baltimore Police Department didn't cover itself in glory, that's for sure. This series based on a book about corruption in the department follows a special unit focused on guns and drugs. The problem? The members of the unit like to fudge how much money they collected during raids to take a cut of it themselves and were cozy with the bad guys. Oh, they also had racist tendencies and lied about overtime to make a lot of extra cash on top of it all.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Better Call Saul. </b>I watched the first season of <i>Better Call Saul </i>and fell behind. Then, the series finale came and people were talking about it. I wanted to know what happened, so I shotgunned the first five seasons on Netflix and bought the digital version of the sixth season. Great character, great supporting cast, great show. Give these guys some Emmys already!</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Reservation Dogs. </b>This FX show follows a group of tight-knit Native American teens who endure life on the reservation and dream of a better future. Another show featuring great chemistry and plenty of humor, it'll also surprise you with its heart and commitment to character development. All of that is wrapped up in some true laugh-out-loud moments.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.</b> Amazon paid a lot of money to produce this show (and promote it on <i>Thursday Night Football</i>). I thought it started out pretty slow in its first couple episodes and got progressively better. I definitely tuned in every week and looked forward to it, even if I don't have strong feelings about the material itself.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>The Dropout.</b> I read the book about Elizabeth Holmes and watched the HBO documentary about the Theranos scandal. This Hulu version with Amanda Seyfried provided a pretty good distillation of the whole sordid affair. The leads gave great performances (Naveen Andrews brought a lot to Sunny Balwani). I still can't believe people gave her all that money.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Peacemaker.</b> A lot--I mean A LOT--has happened with the DC Universe this year. This show premiered waaaaaay back in January on HBO Max. It featured Peacemaker, John Cena's character from James Gunn's <i>The Suicide Squad. </i>I wasn't sure what to expect, but the show was a blast with an absolutely hilarious finale.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Bullet Train. </b>I meant to catch this in the theater but never went. I settled for watching it on Netflix. A fun, breezy, twisty heist movie with lots of style and character, it's definitely a ride worth taking. Brad Pitt is solid as usual, but I was absolutely floored by Aaron Taylor-Johnson's performance.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Nope.</b> I don't know what I expected here, but it wasn't quite as creepy and unsettling as I thought it would be. Probably the most disturbing part of the movie involved the scenes with the chimp (if you know, you know). The main plot itself wasn't all that mysterious. Still worth seeing, I think.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Moon Knight. </b>Another MCU show on Disney Plus, <i>Moon Knight </i>involves a guy with a split personality. My only previous exposure to the character came via <i>Marvel Ultimate Alliance </i>on the Xbox 360 (seriously), but I always thought Moon Knight looked cool. I'm glad they cast Oscar Isaac because the man can literally do anything.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Dopesick. </b>Much like the Theranos case, I devoured some books and a documentary about the opioid scandal and the Sackler family's involvement in aggressively marketing the drug. The Hulu series shows the heartbreaking reality of the opioid crisis and how greed drove the whole thing. Tremendous performances here, especially from Michael Keaton as a doctor who starts out as a skeptic about the safety and efficacy of oxycodone before becoming an addict himself.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Only Murders in the Building.</b> Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez blessed us with a second season of the Hulu murder mystery-comedy series. The characters play off each other really well, the mystery keeps you guessing, and the snark makes things worth watching. Sometimes I find myself humming the theme song for no reason.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Stranger Things 4. </b>The characters went out with a bang! Wait, there's more coming? This is such a fun show filled with great characters and nostalgia. It does a good job of managing unsettling imagery with humor and likeable leads. I may not be a member of the Hellfire Club, but Eddie Munson is a freaking legend. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Under the Banner of Heaven. </b>I jokingly referred to this show as "Andrew Garfield's Mormon Jamboree." It follows an LDS detective who's investigating a homicide. The perpetrators turn out to be members of a radicalized branch of the church, leading Garfield's character to question his faith and the role of the church. It's the only thing I've ever seen in which Sam Worthington displays an ounce of charisma.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>The Offer.</b> Making <i>The Godfather </i>was a legendary Hollywood story in its own right, and Paramount Plus gave us a version of that story. While I've never been a big Miles Teller fan, he was good in this show. Matthew Goode, however, made the show as charismatic producer Robert Evans. Remember this man for awards season, please.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>The Righteous Gemstones. </b>An absurd show with an absurdly stacked cast, this HBO series tells the story of a dysfunctional family made rich (and morally bankrupt) in the megachurch world. John Goodman anchors things as the family patriarch while Danny McBride shines as his moronic son. Some memorable side characters, like "Baby Billy" (Walton Goggins) and Keefe (Tony Cavalero), really make the show.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Belfast. </b>This movie won Kenneth Branagh an Oscar for best original screenplay. The coming-of-age drama chronicles the life of a young boy during "The Troubles" between Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland. Good performances and a heartbreaking story make this one worth the watch.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>House of the Dragon. </b>For many, <i>Games of Thrones </i>ended in a rushed spectacle of ineptitude. Did people really need more from the grim world of Westeros? These things make money, so of course we're getting more of them. Thankfully, the first season of <i>House of the Dragon </i>turned out pretty well, mostly on the strength of great casting. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>A Christmas Story Christmas.</b> Legacy sequels are <i>the </i>thing in Hollywood--a way to take an existing property and milk more money out of it. Sometimes they work (<i>Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Top Gun: Maverick</i>), sometimes they fail epically (<i>Independence Day: Resurgence, The Matrix Resurrections</i>). This follow-up to <i>A Christmas Story </i>does a good job with callbacks to the original movie without remaking it. Funny and genuinely touching, it misses Jean Shepherd's narration, although Peter Billingsley, the original Ralphie reprising his signature role, holds his own.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special. </b>James Gunn brings the MCU's odd bunch to Disney Plus with an enjoyable holiday romp in which Kevin Bacon (Peter Quill's hero) gets kidnapped as a surprise Christmas gift. My favorite part: Drax going off on an actor dressed as Cy-Kill from the GoBots, set up by this gem of a line from Mantis, "I'm sorry. GoBots killed his cousin."</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Murderville.</b> A spoof of procedural cop shows featuring hardboiled protagonists, Will Arnett stars as hard-luck homicide detective Terry Seattle, who brings in a guest star protégé to help him solve a crime in each episode. The gimmick is that the guest stars don't have a script and are supposed to just follow along with what Seattle tells them to do. It makes for an absurd, wildly entertaining show.</div></div>Matt Adamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07960407647609637681noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6792925679340467992.post-29342747441754657942022-11-14T16:14:00.003-05:002022-11-15T04:55:42.003-05:00Sega CD Summer on the Stone Age Gamer Podcast<a href="https://stoneagegamer.com/blog/sag-podcast-436-talking-sega-cd-summer-with-matt-adams/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="272" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhOwQheff3GFE2cEmBLYHGzND4wCpzK46Zi0Y5bx5D84rT_wcHQzU2iZrcnjquSupAyuyi56swEjOgnOqwpBAwA6VJIgiVdc9J-WY9oePTQ8aoETJxb7yP_QI-3TW9LPeEehYwc-0EdANZ8h-il4yRNS4GO7Wv2X9seAySFDqI5dwC9XprtivFyhbCU8Q=s16000" /></a><div><br /></div>I had the opportunity to talk to the <a href="https://stoneagegamer.com/blog/sag-podcast-436-talking-sega-cd-summer-with-matt-adams/" target="_blank">Stone Age Gamer Podcast</a> about <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BGKZ8GYK" target="_blank">Sega CD Summer</a></i>!<div><br /></div><div>Hosts Kris and Dan cover retro video games on a weekly basis. I reached out to them about my book, and they were kind enough to read it and offer some feedback.</div><div><br /></div><div>It all resulted in a fun interview in which we talked about the book's inspirations, video games, baseball, publishing, and more.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://stoneagegamer.com/blog/sag-podcast-436-talking-sega-cd-summer-with-matt-adams/" target="_blank">You can listen here</a> or find the show on your favorite podcast app. I'll give you fair warning that there is some salty language here and there!</div>Matt Adamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07960407647609637681noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6792925679340467992.post-57230886713746492172022-11-10T10:07:00.002-05:002022-11-10T10:13:02.803-05:00Lenny's Last Ride<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSzQbY0y53lVgMXc444SNteUs_DbzYd4q0nXuSXMbfjaFAWZdobBhDHUZrgo1HAOvCt8ogVG6HG7X-uT9Ne6g_DEzmkv8hBRsBXYm2rUfgPvwV2l0FYeTPMIvibrpp6NIB-EpvBBJgrx0zSEPbZuoDADcNKXu2TaX-plb-A_6wsXzU33VVqFtMCHqONg/s960/Lenny%20net.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSzQbY0y53lVgMXc444SNteUs_DbzYd4q0nXuSXMbfjaFAWZdobBhDHUZrgo1HAOvCt8ogVG6HG7X-uT9Ne6g_DEzmkv8hBRsBXYm2rUfgPvwV2l0FYeTPMIvibrpp6NIB-EpvBBJgrx0zSEPbZuoDADcNKXu2TaX-plb-A_6wsXzU33VVqFtMCHqONg/w640-h360/Lenny%20net.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is my all-time favorite picture of Lenny</td></tr></tbody></table><p>In May 2018, Anne and I welcomed a leopard gecko into our home. The little guy was named Lenny, and we christened him Lord Leonard Attenborough Adams, Viscount of Quail Run. We believe Lenny was 6 years old at the time. </p><p>He was uncertain about us. We were uncertain about him.</p><p>Eventually, we bonded, mostly because Lenny liked wax worms and dubia roaches and we could provide them.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq9qpdyOmiTMmPneE3Pcri9-9LFNg8HYk2Bz54JYnMBT18peK6-cDd5xxXg_NUzvTNkgJKfxBWMrgSzlDvyMCaYLoPI2SnpL3EcdVFCyYwRhuKfA-bSqfhlJiTE8jkhV1NLXQxK-WtIr2uoHHgenDsfM06GkUYUdKaX09bNBxksQ17jwCAwNlp5CrJjQ/s4080/PXL_20220601_195225411.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4080" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq9qpdyOmiTMmPneE3Pcri9-9LFNg8HYk2Bz54JYnMBT18peK6-cDd5xxXg_NUzvTNkgJKfxBWMrgSzlDvyMCaYLoPI2SnpL3EcdVFCyYwRhuKfA-bSqfhlJiTE8jkhV1NLXQxK-WtIr2uoHHgenDsfM06GkUYUdKaX09bNBxksQ17jwCAwNlp5CrJjQ/w640-h482/PXL_20220601_195225411.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rest up, sweet boy</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Lord Leonard was a mostly nocturnal creature, sleeping during the day and becoming more active at night. His habitat required daytime heat lamps and a heating pad for night. Before I'd go to bed, I'd see him pressing his little belly against the heating pad, which kept him warm and aided in digestion.</p><p>Sometimes, he liked to hang out in a pair of nets Anne had put in his tank. Sometimes, he sought refuge in his "moist hide," a little moss...um...bungalow?...that retained moisture to help him stay hydrated. During the day, Lenny spent most of his time inside his little cave, where he slept until he was ready to get a drink of water or grab some food.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGl6R5ir6GWS67AONwgKk9HOuNXH_b_VkWh7L9Jft_OHIMHuzupDVW-TQm9qfM4uSXrymCmQLAZo0qXADEVxDTk8UpeTqU5Xn-EheTBaJCacq4O3pj5PQp1mCv7jsUYiNTGW5GXenIetrKfh8qT7FnefEqvsd0Wi5NQxGiZ-88Rbb_NCS-eNRNjIm2rA/s4080/PXL_20220813_133606037.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4080" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGl6R5ir6GWS67AONwgKk9HOuNXH_b_VkWh7L9Jft_OHIMHuzupDVW-TQm9qfM4uSXrymCmQLAZo0qXADEVxDTk8UpeTqU5Xn-EheTBaJCacq4O3pj5PQp1mCv7jsUYiNTGW5GXenIetrKfh8qT7FnefEqvsd0Wi5NQxGiZ-88Rbb_NCS-eNRNjIm2rA/w640-h482/PXL_20220813_133606037.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lenny in his moist hide<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>Reptiles aren't exactly known for being warm and cuddly, but Lenny eventually opened up. He'd let us hold him and sometimes liked to amble across the top of the couch when he was out of his habitat. Before we got our dog, Howard, we'd let Lenny clamber across the carpet. We had to keep a close eye on him, though, because he was tiny and could be easy to lose!<p>Once, he climbed underneath our recliner; we lifted the footstool to see him hiding proudly behind the chair's wooden foot. Another time, he got into our coat closet. Thankfully, we quickly found him and returned him to safety.</p><p>Unlike our other pets, Lenny didn't make much noise. Our turtle, Willy, has a shell and tends to bang it against things when she walks. Howard, our dog, barks and sniffs and snores on occasion (it's really cute). You didn't hear much from Lenny's tank, which we always took as a good sign. The only real sound we ever heard from him inside the tank was his little footfalls as he ascended the top of his tiny gecko house or perhaps the gentle lapping of water from his bowl.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEici79psX01uyyDp7T9up1YOP1mqpDSq2ftSEclKNKwDnSKqp7RlnqD0KsA-awG8IrYgfZLf7X6_-shK9F4pO-zr38ZuzStU2rlp29mxpNNxmTRNRvS7UkH8c6AOmruz_lE_shW-rH8s6Cx9m4EeB2nsZLj-vrvsEXMBM3DZMB1LoDgk60N9Yt1labuiQ/s4032/20210705_203732.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2268" data-original-width="4032" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEici79psX01uyyDp7T9up1YOP1mqpDSq2ftSEclKNKwDnSKqp7RlnqD0KsA-awG8IrYgfZLf7X6_-shK9F4pO-zr38ZuzStU2rlp29mxpNNxmTRNRvS7UkH8c6AOmruz_lE_shW-rH8s6Cx9m4EeB2nsZLj-vrvsEXMBM3DZMB1LoDgk60N9Yt1labuiQ/w640-h360/20210705_203732.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting a drink</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Honestly, the only time we ever heard him make an actual noise was the first time we introduced him to Howard, resulting in a high-pitched squeal we tried to avoid ever repeating.</p><p>In recent months, we noticed little changes in Lenny. He started to have some trouble shedding, so we tried to make sure his habitat had a little more humidity and also helped him pull off some of those difficult-to-shed pieces of skin. We noticed he wasn't eating quite as well and realized his night heating pad wasn't getting as warm as it should.</p><p>We ordered him a new pad just a few weeks ago, and it seemed to help. We also took him to the vet a couple times in the last two months, which was alarming. Of our three pets, Lenny seemed the heartiest, kind of like a tiny gecko tank with the constitution of a vending machine.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitS1JH8E3xNdbrwUx7sz3OtMmurTN9yXxj4K9Ey_Arn_zAYO61NySahRepY3gOnbHM7xSm78oA8Hw1pxqVaAzcZgpb3NK8N9gEgpZOah9Sd_q172NNz4heSY7YeYxGkRBKogA4gKpkEQEGypmIe_VV76Qd3nuw3lU4GkbJYSf_AHvPqhqBWjE-VtR4cw/s2048/20200325_205539.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="2048" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitS1JH8E3xNdbrwUx7sz3OtMmurTN9yXxj4K9Ey_Arn_zAYO61NySahRepY3gOnbHM7xSm78oA8Hw1pxqVaAzcZgpb3NK8N9gEgpZOah9Sd_q172NNz4heSY7YeYxGkRBKogA4gKpkEQEGypmIe_VV76Qd3nuw3lU4GkbJYSf_AHvPqhqBWjE-VtR4cw/w640-h360/20200325_205539.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The noblest of geckos</td></tr></tbody></table><p>But over the last few weeks, he didn't seem as active. A sure sign of a healthy gecko is a nice, plump tail. We noticed he was losing weight and his tail had thinned out considerably. He rarely ate his wax worms, one of his favorite foods, and the vet gave us some medication and a special diet powder.</p><p>We were hopeful these things would help him get back to normal. The new heating pad seemed to help. Just a few days ago, he actually ate a wax worm!</p><p>But those hopes were dashed over the last few days. Lenny was lethargic and his breathing was labored. I don't think I realized how bad it had gotten until I saw him in his tank last night (Nov. 9), where he barely moved and his breaths seemed sporadic.</p><p>Anne and I took him out of his tank and tried to get him to eat. He didn't want any of the powdered food, which you mixed with water to make a paste. He had <i>loved </i>the stuff. Last night, though, he refused to eat it. He showed absolutely no interest.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvwL7TP4FTFWeVY57aK8EU-SK0qbdB52maue0D6mfbz3t-e029OIxuybJcvzGnoZnIyzzMREj_b9CIiD5xO-YxrpA28uM0VWN2Z0h7CRPNyue10OudwcmkJgE9_g99aSsad3VZY_BXkH5t8EuRVVCHGKmePAdsTXmE05yEPXm6NhtkmDlQKO8iBzoC3A/s4080/PXL_20221023_002318863.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4080" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvwL7TP4FTFWeVY57aK8EU-SK0qbdB52maue0D6mfbz3t-e029OIxuybJcvzGnoZnIyzzMREj_b9CIiD5xO-YxrpA28uM0VWN2Z0h7CRPNyue10OudwcmkJgE9_g99aSsad3VZY_BXkH5t8EuRVVCHGKmePAdsTXmE05yEPXm6NhtkmDlQKO8iBzoC3A/w640-h482/PXL_20221023_002318863.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This picture is from Oct. 22, 2022, just about three weeks before we said goodbye</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Usually, when I held Lenny, he'd climb all over my hands, up my sleeve, up my shoulder, and around my neck. He'd climb up and down my shirt, always exploring. But last night as I held him, he just sat in my palm, eyes closed, as if to say, "Thanks, Dad, but I don't feel good. I think I'll go to sleep right here."</p><p>He showed brief spurts of activity, but his breathing became labored and we called the emergency exotic vet. We had previously scheduled an appointment for him for today (Nov. 10), but we felt like it couldn't wait. We put him in his portable habitat and drove him 40 minutes to the north side for emergency care.</p><p>It's a funny thing: while I don't really remember the drive, I'll also never forget it. Anne, in the passenger seat, held Lenny's habitat on her lap, hands atop it as she whispered encouragement to our little leopard gecko. I would, on occasion, take my right hand off the steering wheel and place it atop the container, just hoping it would provide Lenny with some reassurance.</p><p>It was Lenny's Last Ride.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQw8bq8H8CbxOgyISCzBU7xm9DNb9w5lrvIRyoedAXAopwbUhXmoD40IJrJO04YCpIcnD84Gvo3g4cjUoPDUuTRyzeWwu_SXMNTNpxGEGpMio9LIju42d1NL8Z5DH0PGalThzNTwnCK5Ni9CbZlcjfbDClu2qdqvQvhM3Sefp9pNzyl4Khv3krQ7B3Uw/s4032/20210125_204150%201.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2268" data-original-width="4032" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQw8bq8H8CbxOgyISCzBU7xm9DNb9w5lrvIRyoedAXAopwbUhXmoD40IJrJO04YCpIcnD84Gvo3g4cjUoPDUuTRyzeWwu_SXMNTNpxGEGpMio9LIju42d1NL8Z5DH0PGalThzNTwnCK5Ni9CbZlcjfbDClu2qdqvQvhM3Sefp9pNzyl4Khv3krQ7B3Uw/w640-h360/20210125_204150%201.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Comin' at ya!<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>When we arrived outside the vet's office, they took him in for an examination. He was breathing on his own, still, and his heart was still going. His breaths came slowly, however, and his heartbeat wasn't very strong. They could try to take life-saving measures, the vet told us, but we felt Lenny was suffering and wouldn't recover. The vet also noticed a mass that hadn't been there last month when they'd last seen him.<p>So, with heavy hearts and more than a few tears, we decided to let Lenny go. We didn't want him to suffer, and it would be selfish for us to try to prolong his life when he clearly didn't feel well. It is a sudden, devastating loss. As I type this, his habitat sits empty. We had his lights and heating pad on smart outlets that turned on and off on set schedules. Perhaps the hardest part was turning off those schedules last night, knowing our little gecko didn't need them anymore.</p><p>The vet took impressions of his little feet and tail so could take a part of him home with us.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCseLXT2aUmKbTxqgaLQcIBNcYS3oPrBryyKSfYvHhOHrmnTun7BA7ZlN4_6raWiI1zDGCC7MQkiqb-05IY9HpJJZZVwINGUxxYuWMqnElkVSNtAsKhEdybKPcVZxtje9XhVUjnsMHN77r23PGB6gulbCWaQHgINIizPao1wZgonnu_65a610Pu2886A/s4080/PXL_20221110_143453760.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4080" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCseLXT2aUmKbTxqgaLQcIBNcYS3oPrBryyKSfYvHhOHrmnTun7BA7ZlN4_6raWiI1zDGCC7MQkiqb-05IY9HpJJZZVwINGUxxYuWMqnElkVSNtAsKhEdybKPcVZxtje9XhVUjnsMHN77r23PGB6gulbCWaQHgINIizPao1wZgonnu_65a610Pu2886A/w640-h482/PXL_20221110_143453760.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A beloved gecko will forever live here</td></tr></tbody></table><p>The worst thing about pets is their generally transitory nature--we will, in most cases, outlive them. But the best thing--and the thing I will remember most about our strong, gentle Lord Leonard--is how much we love them and how much they love us.</p><p>Right now, Lenny's loss is a gaping hole. In time, however, we'll heal and have a lifetime of memories about the leopard gecko who spent more than four years of his life with us in a loving home, his belly pressed up against his heating pad at night as he awaited his next adventure.</p>Matt Adamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07960407647609637681noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6792925679340467992.post-56509156025075452012022-11-04T08:00:00.166-04:002022-11-04T10:20:57.140-04:00Magical WilliamsburgThe little town of Williamsburg, Indiana, features prominently in <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Sega-CD-Summer-Matt-Adams/dp/B0BGKZ8GYK/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=" target="_blank">Sega CD Summer</a>.</i><div><i><br /></i></div><div>It's where much of the action, such as it is, takes place. I grew up in Williamsburg and visit there several times a year. My parents still live in the same house I grew up in. My brother and his family live in Williamsburg, too, in a home my grandmother once owned.</div><div><br /></div><div>Needless to say, the 'Burg means a lot to my family and me. It's not a particularly impressive place and is about as small as "small town" gets. We have a single traffic light at the intersection of U.S. 35 and Centerville Road. A volunteer fire station. A youth league ballpark. A community center.</div><div><br /></div><div>Some of these locations are mentioned in the book. The post office, for example, is where that rogue Mr. James Glad posts a "wanted" poster featuring Tommy Guggenbiller. The ballparks play a big role in the book, as they're a major setting of the baseball scenes. Not much in the book happens at the community center or the volunteer fire station, but they're two of the few notable locations in my hometown.</div><div><br /></div><div>Let's take a little tour of "Magical Williamsburg..."</div><div><br /></div><h1 style="text-align: left;">The Ballpark</h1><div><br /></div><div>No baseball scene would be complete without baseball diamonds. When I was a kid, Williamsburg had basically three baseball fields, each of which could be used for a couple different leagues. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMW7i_tVisW1er1J3ipQZtvtAEEoauTEbb38zzufvsiDEiQeyNbnHSY_SOhr5j23oggIa_WsSHgPgRIx2XAaPOzhOtLU5txEYOmKo8z24W1sQxhc-VEr9KbAs2howVVX2wksA4xozTP9vWt53CosKSAaN_EPutEjoL3tPK9goh23wSIInWA61Kv3A7Tw/s3264/image1%20(2).jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="375" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMW7i_tVisW1er1J3ipQZtvtAEEoauTEbb38zzufvsiDEiQeyNbnHSY_SOhr5j23oggIa_WsSHgPgRIx2XAaPOzhOtLU5txEYOmKo8z24W1sQxhc-VEr9KbAs2howVVX2wksA4xozTP9vWt53CosKSAaN_EPutEjoL3tPK9goh23wSIInWA61Kv3A7Tw/w640-h480/image1%20(2).jpeg" width="500" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is now designated as Diamond 4 for Majors</td></tr></tbody></table><div>There was the Pee Wee diamond, which could also be used for some Minor league games; the Minor/Major diamond, which as the name would suggest hosted Minor and Major games; and the Colt diamond, which could host Colt and Major league games. It probably hosted a Minor league game on occasion, too. There is a fourth field--a softball diamond--that wasn't there when I was growing up.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfF3kK6hqqRMMVFQ7pYqCFer0a91h-byCSm9KwInABAJXeCVEQ7dORGpmlbyiuWxpGzKkTsx64-pr6ddDYhJZKRQ4vtcBol9zdYUB-UuweE-IPk6IZaL819rKllj20v1QdZNuKkpcdUlXkR2Ia8-SS9lER73iDCXSqGhzcgFSLtOmiStKJwZbUOf7GAw/s3264/image0%20(1).jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="375" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfF3kK6hqqRMMVFQ7pYqCFer0a91h-byCSm9KwInABAJXeCVEQ7dORGpmlbyiuWxpGzKkTsx64-pr6ddDYhJZKRQ4vtcBol9zdYUB-UuweE-IPk6IZaL819rKllj20v1QdZNuKkpcdUlXkR2Ia8-SS9lER73iDCXSqGhzcgFSLtOmiStKJwZbUOf7GAw/w640-h480/image0%20(1).jpeg" width="500" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Williamsburg Lions Club manages the ballparks. The sign reads, "Williamsburg Lions Club Community Park"</td></tr></tbody></table><div>My family spent a lot of time at the ballpark. My dad and other volunteers cut the grass, maintained the fences, chalked the baselines, and dragged the ball fields to smooth out the dirt. Dad was also instrumental in getting the dugouts built. Before those were constructed, teams baked in the sun.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHCQkYc28nv-Qt3FChqxQA8s3SK8YsHuA6OCcQUfxHuQvAUgAOZTLcOcu0KmuGXqZ3txVjvo3nwNFGsPyGrlwwy-ecBLcHYx_2dhbAkyirEVo7YBqd-HwLnRCak7jYhnPzQI3ZZJSltbrIY5fPikXJIIy9zEr58HrEXXzXBfwiGsnaeHPM2PkSgir3qA/s3264/image5%20(1).jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="375" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHCQkYc28nv-Qt3FChqxQA8s3SK8YsHuA6OCcQUfxHuQvAUgAOZTLcOcu0KmuGXqZ3txVjvo3nwNFGsPyGrlwwy-ecBLcHYx_2dhbAkyirEVo7YBqd-HwLnRCak7jYhnPzQI3ZZJSltbrIY5fPikXJIIy9zEr58HrEXXzXBfwiGsnaeHPM2PkSgir3qA/w640-h480/image5%20(1).jpeg" width="500" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the ballparks; you can see one of the dugouts there on the right</td></tr></tbody></table><div>What baseball experience would be complete without a concession stand? It's probably the most important building at the whole facility, right? The Williamsburg Youth League Concession Stand served up some pretty tasty popcorn along with a "curated" selection of candy and gum. You couldn't go wrong with a Snickers bar or Reese's Cups. The Super Ropes were pretty popular, too.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYXwxlDdlMav8-G2aAcKufXismWCxrlrUF2ys0HGRkkUHD182teiV8RTiZ_ZVVSJ22HSWy1EXwx4tQKnV7S6u-IaQgDHHMiGoYxxxj8Lax_AzC-i09E5sourcl-5R8b1Owc0DouHaw-Gc80p2R1uOiVvYUD2ofZQgYm7MHIARSCp1wmCH6HBU3qaV0qQ/s3264/image6.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="375" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYXwxlDdlMav8-G2aAcKufXismWCxrlrUF2ys0HGRkkUHD182teiV8RTiZ_ZVVSJ22HSWy1EXwx4tQKnV7S6u-IaQgDHHMiGoYxxxj8Lax_AzC-i09E5sourcl-5R8b1Owc0DouHaw-Gc80p2R1uOiVvYUD2ofZQgYm7MHIARSCp1wmCH6HBU3qaV0qQ/w640-h480/image6.jpeg" width="500" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This building was essential to a good time at the ballpark</td></tr></tbody></table><div>We also served up hot dogs and fountain drinks. My mother could change the soda syrup in a flash (those canisters are heavy, by the way). It was usually customary for someone to buy drinks for the team after the game. Some kids lived for ordering a "suicide," which was all the different soda flavors combined into one cup.</div><div><br /></div><div>I was never a fan.</div><div><br /></div><h1 style="text-align: left;">The Post Office</h1><div><br /></div><div>What is there to stay about the post office? It's where we get mail.</div><div><br /></div><div>I've lived in the Indianapolis area long enough to get spoiled by mail delivery. I mean, that's how it works for most people, right? Residents in Williamsburg don't get their mail delivered. Sure, they'll get the occasional package from Amazon or another online retailer, but letters and magazines go to the post office. You have a postal box and a key; you have to drop by the post office every day to pick up your mail.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_qeWEO13FpzLXWbkt8p81RyVgPCJP-ALMnaGy4ckpbAm5v38H_QaNCHUNFdXxB6ANInIFJSCqBF4gvmSobzsmdt0niotcRBSg0Pg-ZQbaaSMmW-IeWkKI3TMF3wQ06YX2f4pA4t319Aqmsv8CnswGgPS9hcYzLLW7wstb1c513DQcJmsI1YxzmPF0UA/s3099/image0.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2447" data-original-width="3099" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_qeWEO13FpzLXWbkt8p81RyVgPCJP-ALMnaGy4ckpbAm5v38H_QaNCHUNFdXxB6ANInIFJSCqBF4gvmSobzsmdt0niotcRBSg0Pg-ZQbaaSMmW-IeWkKI3TMF3wQ06YX2f4pA4t319Aqmsv8CnswGgPS9hcYzLLW7wstb1c513DQcJmsI1YxzmPF0UA/w640-h506/image0.jpeg" width="500" /></a></div><br /><div>The P.O. box thing has caused all kinds of grief over the years. You see, my parents' house has a street address. However, that address is <i>not </i>the legal mailing address; the P.O. Box is. The thing is, P.O. boxes are so often used by scammers that some places won't ship stuff to them. And then the Postal Service gets a little bent out of shape if things end up going to the street address because, again, it's not their <i>legal </i>address. It's confusing and frustrating. My mom hates dealing with it.</div><div><br /></div><div>And if you're wondering why the non-existent street address exists, it's so that emergency responders have an identifiable place to go in case of, well, an emergency.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdH7tzQ1XfdVvCkpCJTxUFRZvaw7OsgE9H3Mzv8a5V_C8r0L8Y-kckWBaojmDEjxJXrU0CPyG8ly9of7jtbT64xWzgwpNiyOncijs1BrTZojdpIuR3Hb2fmOjvKI98MfTEYGFqDt2udMAZ0LUqV7Gl1wGo6oS1lwEp30TT0aSGQQuwRqVMONT81DYBuA/s3264/image4.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="375" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdH7tzQ1XfdVvCkpCJTxUFRZvaw7OsgE9H3Mzv8a5V_C8r0L8Y-kckWBaojmDEjxJXrU0CPyG8ly9of7jtbT64xWzgwpNiyOncijs1BrTZojdpIuR3Hb2fmOjvKI98MfTEYGFqDt2udMAZ0LUqV7Gl1wGo6oS1lwEp30TT0aSGQQuwRqVMONT81DYBuA/w640-h480/image4.jpeg" width="500" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A wanted poster of the paperboy would've been posted here circa the early '90s</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><h1 style="text-align: left;">The Community Center</h1><div><br /></div><div>The Williamsburg Community Center once housed a school. It contains a gymnasium that could double as an extra from <i>Hoosiers</i>. The place hosts events and the occasional basketball game or camp these days.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibxNPCq7Uq24TuVZQLEr8DDpHoVVlA-KUFhOt1rrn-vNJwi-ZL0-suo3lFKqoz_ZBYNwJ32vBuuTH_ntjrxFgwLRAcUVCcHYDvy713iOGfzJU6jGfiQ8TBtmoCr0hN3slLkg8oiNgfxgDldNa10c_K5W9vlRbh98ot6KKsP7ABiJU63LXt0RN-mob05w/s3264/image0%20(2).jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="375" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibxNPCq7Uq24TuVZQLEr8DDpHoVVlA-KUFhOt1rrn-vNJwi-ZL0-suo3lFKqoz_ZBYNwJ32vBuuTH_ntjrxFgwLRAcUVCcHYDvy713iOGfzJU6jGfiQ8TBtmoCr0hN3slLkg8oiNgfxgDldNa10c_K5W9vlRbh98ot6KKsP7ABiJU63LXt0RN-mob05w/w640-h480/image0%20(2).jpeg" width="500" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The exterior of the Williamsburg Community Center</td></tr></tbody></table><div>One of my fondest memories of the Williamsburg Community Center didn't make it into the book. My family used to have a set of keys to the place, so my brother and I would go over there and shoot hoops on occasion. During one memorable afternoon, my brother and I delighted in singing the Gatorade "Be Like Mike" song while intentionally throwing up the worst shots imaginable in an attempt to parody the insanely popular ad campaign.</div><div><br /></div><div>You really haven't lived until you've seen Craig the Baseball Prodigy jump 360 degrees in the air and brick a layup that hits the underside of the backboard.</div><div><br /></div>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/b0AGiq9j_Ak" title="YouTube video player" width="500"></iframe><div><br /></div><div>Okay. Maybe you <i>have </i>lived. It was a good time, though.</div><div><br /></div><h1 style="text-align: left;">The Volunteer Fire Station</h1><div><br /></div><div>Being a small town, Williamsburg has a volunteer fire department. It's located just past the town's single traffic light near the intersection of U.S. 35 and Centerville Road. This civic gathering place was used as a voting site for people in Williamsburg.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1IWBaKsa1l8HAcclIt1qoSvP3Epf07LEvW9ZYFZ3xWBBDOs31HvO5-HZ6BN4ukOlUwB7atlm3tXj7w8Nu_4qAETkyeOTqTH03qdLtrA78SJ5mnqwFqNYHf1DWyMYlc3QDV5pP5Bwa8OYXKtMmLfoBfYQ-3YR_cybf6J_qt4884EARswjduM-OkNlvEw/s3264/IMG_0511%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="375" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1IWBaKsa1l8HAcclIt1qoSvP3Epf07LEvW9ZYFZ3xWBBDOs31HvO5-HZ6BN4ukOlUwB7atlm3tXj7w8Nu_4qAETkyeOTqTH03qdLtrA78SJ5mnqwFqNYHf1DWyMYlc3QDV5pP5Bwa8OYXKtMmLfoBfYQ-3YR_cybf6J_qt4884EARswjduM-OkNlvEw/w640-h480/IMG_0511%20(1).jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The exterior of the volunteer fire station</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>For a long time, the fire station had a pop machine (or soda machine, if you prefer). The thing looked absolutely ancient, but it had a nice selection and always made pizza night a little better if we were out of Coke at home. It wasn't uncommon for my brother or me gather up some quarters and come back with a couple cans.</div><div><br /></div><div>The machine, as you can see, is no longer there.</div>Matt Adamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07960407647609637681noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6792925679340467992.post-12895197870908992762022-11-03T08:00:00.169-04:002022-11-03T08:00:00.197-04:00Star Wars in the 1990s<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA4L2rzSKCfMYFx8SYOLs5r1RYf6DJ8kDJgMYZxOxfrtg9ztgg_MQrpIbGCU6D-F3Dv2PY16lcInI6ru9qIUso9teIgf_M6sMSKykfxdfE5DLRcsg1WBdodeIn_hwbMKwSlAt_dTC67CGpCBfKoI6hP6bVA5fwedRzcOJeMEPenK8xM_ysrLMMt7aT8Q/s2068/Star%20Wars%2090s.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1166" data-original-width="2068" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA4L2rzSKCfMYFx8SYOLs5r1RYf6DJ8kDJgMYZxOxfrtg9ztgg_MQrpIbGCU6D-F3Dv2PY16lcInI6ru9qIUso9teIgf_M6sMSKykfxdfE5DLRcsg1WBdodeIn_hwbMKwSlAt_dTC67CGpCBfKoI6hP6bVA5fwedRzcOJeMEPenK8xM_ysrLMMt7aT8Q/w640-h360/Star%20Wars%2090s.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><p><i>Star Wars</i> has been a big part of my life for as long as I can remember, and it makes more than a few appearances in <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Sega-CD-Summer-Matt-Adams/dp/B0BGKZ8GYK/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=" target="_blank"><i>Sega CD Summer</i></a>. I still remember going to see <i>Return of the Jedi</i> at the movie theater when I was a kid, my brother and I sitting in the back of our 1982 Oldsmobile Omega looking at movie trading cards while our parents drove us to the theater. The rancor looked absolutely huge on the big screen. I couldn't have been more than 3 or 4 years old.</p><p></p><p><i>Return of the Jedi </i>remains my favorite of the <i>Star Wars </i>movies. Even as I've grown older, I still have so much affection for it even as I realize that <i>Star Wars </i>and <i>The Empire Strikes Back </i>are probably "better" movies. It's just that when something hits you that hard at that young of an age, it sticks with you.</p><p>And <i>Return of the Jedi </i>has stuck with me. Needless to say, the season two finale of <i>The Mandalorian </i>really hit me in the feels.</p><p>We had some original <i>Star Wars </i>action figures, including Luke in his Jedi outfit and Tatooine garb (and Hoth), Han Solo (vest and Hoth), Princess Leia (only the Hoth version for some reason), Chewbacca, C-3PO, R2-D2, Darth Vader, a stormtrooper, a biker scout, Logray (whom I always mistook for Chief Chirpa), Wicket, Bespin Lando, an AT-ST driver, an Imperial officer, and Admiral Ackbar. As for vehicles, I can only recall having an X-Wing and a TIE Fighter.</p><p>Sometimes I combined my <i>Star Wars </i>and G.I. Joe figures together, although the <i>Star Wars </i>toys were not as impressive as the Joes due to the limitations in articulation. We didn't have a hooded Cobra Commander for a while, so sometimes we'd put a piece of masking tape (get it?!) over Jedi Luke's face to turn him into Cobra Commander (I don't understand how that made sense either).</p><p>As the mid-80s came and went, <i>Star Wars </i>was quickly pushed aside in favor of competitors like the Joes, He-Man, Transformers, and the other '80s toys. With no new movies in production and only things like <i>Droids </i>and <i>Ewoks </i>(and those TV movies) keeping the series alive, <i>Star Wars </i>became dangerously close to irrelevance. </p><p>I'm probably overstating that a bit, but <i>Star Wars </i>just wasn't in the public consciousness as much. A lot of the kids who grew up on it moved on to other things. Merchandising really slowed down. Unlike today, there were no <i>Star Wars </i>books or TV shows to talk about. No comics. No Grogu beach towels or Kylo Ren paper plates. No droid advent calendars or Yoda wrapping paper.</p><p>I still watched the movies, all of which I'd taped off TV. From Chapter 14 of <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Sega-CD-Summer-Matt-Adams/dp/B0BGKZ8GYK/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=" target="_blank">Sega CD Summer</a></i>:</p><p></p><blockquote>My well-loved VHS cassette contained versions of <i>Star Wars</i> and <i>The Empire Strikes Back</i> I’d taped off network TV. To get a commercial-free trip to a galaxy far, far away, I had to pause and unpause during commercial breaks when the movies aired. Both broadcast versions were 4x3 pan and scan with a superimposed “edited for television” notification that appeared during the escape pod sequence in <i>Star Wars</i> and during the probe droid launch in <i>The Empire Strikes Back</i>. TV station logos also graced the recordings for each movie: CBS for <i>Star Wars</i> and NBC for <i>Empire.</i></blockquote><p>I later received "official" copies of the original trilogy for Christmas one year, the CBS-FOX video VHS tapes along with a making-of special called <i>From Star Wars to Jedi: The Making of a Saga</i>. I gave the versions I'd taped off TV to a friend who didn't have any of the <i>Star Wars </i>movies at home.</p><p>After lying dormant for a few years, <i>Star Wars </i>came back with a vengeance. It started, as did "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NG4PgjNtf24" target="_blank">Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show</a>," soft and slow, like a small earthquake, with the release of Timothy's Zahn's <i>Heir to the Empire </i>in 1991. The book, a continuation of the original trilogy set five years after <i>Return of the Jedi</i>, became a bestseller and put <i>Star Wars </i>front and center once again. Two more books, <i>Dark Force Rising </i>(1992) and <i>The Last Command </i>(1993) completed Zahn's own book trilogy, a truly worthy successor to the beloved <i>Star Wars </i>movies that is no longer canon after Disney's Great Purge.</p><p>Just like that, <i>Star Wars </i>was everywhere once again. Mugs, t-shirts, stamps, greeting cards, action figures and vehicles, Micro Machines, toy blasters and lightsabers, trading cards, video games (the Super Nintendo's exclusive <i>Super Star Wars </i>series launched in 1992, although there had been earlier games for the NES), beach towels, dinnerware, bubble bath, and comic books (courtesy of Dark Horse Comics). The Holy Trilogy got a VHS re-release in 1995 with THX remastered editions featuring distinctive artwork and pre-movie <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0BxWKZpkzg" target="_blank">interview segments with George Lucas and film critic Leonard Maltin</a>. I still have a sealed boxset.</p><p>We learned George Lucas planned to write and direct a prequel trilogy about the rise and fall of Anakin Skywalker. An incessant tinkerer of his own work, Lucas would re-release the original trilogy in theaters via <i>Special Editions </i>in 1997 with retouched special effects and CGI enhancements.</p><p><i>Star Wars </i>exploded once again. It's never left and isn't going anywhere soon, as Disney, now a decade into its stewardship of the franchise, tries to hit the right balance of new and nostalgic.</p><p>But there was definitely a time in which <i>Star Wars </i>almost faded away, a dark time in which few kids played with toys or talked about the movies on the playground. These were the days in which <i>Sega CD Summer </i>takes place, with Tommy, Andy, and Kyle being outliers among their peers.</p><i></i><p></p>Matt Adamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07960407647609637681noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6792925679340467992.post-3116933173718007132022-11-02T08:00:00.128-04:002022-11-02T08:00:00.201-04:00NBA Live '96 on the Sega Genesis<p>I tried to avoid anachronisms in <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Sega-CD-Summer-Matt-Adams/dp/B0BGKZ8GYK/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=" target="_blank">Sega CD Summer</a> </i>and skirted some through the power of the book being told from the viewpoint of a narrator looking back on his childhood and thus having knowledge of certain future events.</p><p>Part of the reason I set the book in 1994 was so that the characters could play some of my favorite games. Having the book take place any earlier would've forced me to leave out at least one key game: <i>Rebel Assault. </i>As that game is one of the primary reasons Tommy wants a Sega CD in the first place, the events had to take place later than March 1994 for <i>Rebel Assault </i>to be included.</p><p>That did mean some other games got the shaft, including <i>NBA Live '96</i>.</p><p>The officially licensed NBA game from EA Sports was the latest in a long line of basketball games from the company. Some previous versions didn't include all NBA teams, such as <i>Bulls vs. Lakers and the NBA Playoffs, </i>which featured only 16 NBA playoff teams. <i>Team USA Basketball </i>used the same game engine to bring the "Dream Team" to life and incorporated international basketball rules. EA also released <i>NBA Showdown </i>in 1994 before rebranding the series as <i>NBA Live </i>for the 1995 edition of the game.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglzzWDyJonGsj-bYr0E0uT-qw8sZtpKgaC4bAxvZOpS-4Wq5obO18O6QrZyqNHD1vOKD0Rir1QYU60o1D95ek-Wf0GCWYBK-po-a30dtGoXXAGxawEP6SX3XgtCFbOi-HIRlyqEEcwas2fMa_3_mbWXMlLdDEvn7yKIIsqFMZiXoQRbPJ7hrXpRijazA/s4080/PXL_20220731_214003797.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4080" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglzzWDyJonGsj-bYr0E0uT-qw8sZtpKgaC4bAxvZOpS-4Wq5obO18O6QrZyqNHD1vOKD0Rir1QYU60o1D95ek-Wf0GCWYBK-po-a30dtGoXXAGxawEP6SX3XgtCFbOi-HIRlyqEEcwas2fMa_3_mbWXMlLdDEvn7yKIIsqFMZiXoQRbPJ7hrXpRijazA/w640-h482/PXL_20220731_214003797.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>NBA Live '96 </i>for the Sega Genesis</td></tr></tbody></table><p>The game used a three-quarters overhead view that you'll either love or hate. I liked it and tend to favor a similar isometric view when playing the modern <i>NBA 2K </i>series of basketball games. These were solid basketball games with the ability to call different defensive sets and offensive plays. One nice feature was animated play diagrams that taught you how to run an offensive set, showing you the positions of screeners and where the ball needed to go.</p><p>I'm reasonably certain my copy of <i>NBA Live '96 </i>was a Christmas gift, which would mean I got it in December 1995. You'll be shocked to learn I almost always played as the Indiana Pacers. The game featured one of the rosters from the team's mid-90s to early 2000s era, memorable for players like Reggie Miller, Rik Smits, and the Davis "Brothers," Dale and Antonio.</p><p>EA Sports tried to bring a TV-style presentation to the game, and while it lacked a constant score overlay, the pop-up display that appeared after a scored basket was a nice touch. Basketball arenas didn't have a ton of character separating them one from another, but clever use of crowd reactions and in-game music beats provided some nice atmosphere.</p><p><i>NBA Live '96 </i>allowed you to create players, which meant you could put yourself in the game or add rookies would who later be added via the NBA Draft. Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley were missing from the game for licensing reasons, but if you input "Michael Jordan" as the name of a created player, the game autofilled the rest of the information for His Airness. Same thing for Barkley--you'd end up creating a 6'6" dude who played college ball at Auburn.</p><p>The create-a-player fun extended to some NBA legends like Jerry West, Oscar Robertson, Larry Bird, and Pete Maravich, among many others. The incoming rookie class was also represented, meaning you could add players like Jerry Stackhouse, Cuonzo Martin, Antonio McDyess, Kevin Garnett, and "Big Country" Bryant Reeves. </p><p>Oh, you could also "create" Ed O'Bannon, which I'm sure <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/O%27Bannon_v._NCAA" target="_blank">made him really, really happy</a>.</p><p>During a birthday party for one of my friends, I organized an <i>NBA Live' 96</i> tournament in which we challenged each other for the coveted "Hoopster Doofus Award," a made-up trophy inspired by <i>Seinfeld's </i>"The Handicap Spot" episode in which a woman told Kramer he was a "hipster doofus."</p><p>I played this game a ton. Thanks to another magical battery backup, you could play an entire season with stat tracking.</p><p><br /></p>Matt Adamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07960407647609637681noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6792925679340467992.post-78080089748973235652022-11-01T08:00:00.180-04:002022-11-01T08:00:00.189-04:00Talkin' Baseball (Video Games)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8TQqe4v_t5KnqDFVEUribQEvoluNRMG0cv9lZYm3rkL-HSx6-4Z1LCy6l1ntFxwFnNIKfTITRyAN5BRxsgdMlInCdLF5CjhYvoOrlLllMNIgzKkaySXsIlcQvQeUMOg-gUjSAseAa9w-w3CfyOfN01NDqH7P_5-Do7zomIc5-cUcwqx-G3M2Ag0krOA/s500/Talking%20Baseball.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="100" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8TQqe4v_t5KnqDFVEUribQEvoluNRMG0cv9lZYm3rkL-HSx6-4Z1LCy6l1ntFxwFnNIKfTITRyAN5BRxsgdMlInCdLF5CjhYvoOrlLllMNIgzKkaySXsIlcQvQeUMOg-gUjSAseAa9w-w3CfyOfN01NDqH7P_5-Do7zomIc5-cUcwqx-G3M2Ag0krOA/s16000/Talking%20Baseball.jpg" /></a></div><p><i><a href="https://www.mattadamswriter.com/p/sega-cd-summer-central.html" target="_blank">Sega CD Summer</a> </i>isn't just about video games. There's a lot of baseball in there as well. You'll even find video games <i>about </i>baseball referenced in the book!</p><p>From Chapter 10, for example:</p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><blockquote>Newer baseball
games had hit the market, but for my brother’s money, it didn’t get any better
than <i>Sports Talk Baseball</i>. We had a few games in the <i>RBI Baseball </i>series,
<i>Tony La Russa Baseball, Hardball ‘94, </i>and <i>World Series Baseball</i>.
While those games had newer players and were, in some cases, officially
licensed by Major League Baseball and the MLBPA, <i>Sports Talk Baseball </i>had
a roster closest to that of the 1990 World Champion Cincinnati Reds. Most of
the key players from that team were on the game, and Craig the Baseball Prodigy
couldn’t let it go.</blockquote><o:p></o:p><p></p><p>For this entry in the Inspirations Series, I wanted to take a closer look at some of the baseball video games I remember for the Sega Genesis. While there's pretty much one "real" baseball game out there now (the excellent <i>MLB The Show </i>series, which started on the PlayStation and is in now on the Xbox, which is wild), the 8- and 16-bit consoles had multiple video games from different developers and publishers. Some of them were even released in the same year!</p><p>Here are a few noteworthy baseball games for Sega's glorious 16-bit console.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e8/SportsTalkBaseballBoxShotGenesis.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="378" data-original-width="263" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e8/SportsTalkBaseballBoxShotGenesis.jpg" /></a></div><p><b>Sports Talk Baseball (1992). </b>A solid baseball game, <i>Sports Talk Baseball </i>was officially licensed by the MLBPA and featured real players with, well, let's just call them generic store brand cola teams that were <i>just </i>different enough from the real thing to avoid any lawsuits. The gimmick here was the play-by-play provided by Lon Simmons. It lagged behind the action a bit, especially on bang-bang plays, but the effect was impressive for its time.</p><p>I didn't own the game, although I rented it several times. It did feature a roster somewhat close to that of the wire-to-wire 1990 Cincinnati Reds team. Since I grew up in the eastern part of the state close to the Ohio state line, we were Reds fans with fond memories of that team. It's the last time the Reds won a title and they've plunged straight into irrelevancy in the years since. </p><p>As for <i>Sports Talk Baseball, </i>I think it's a pretty solid baseball game.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://now.estarland.com/images/products/hr/5036/031763039501.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="479" data-original-width="350" height="400" src="https://now.estarland.com/images/products/hr/5036/031763039501.jpg" width="292" /></a></div><p><b>RBI Baseball '93 (1993).</b> This was a Genesis exclusive from Tengen. The graphics here tended more toward cartoony, although some of the ballparks were nicely detailed, like Oriole Park at Camden Yards (which was then brand-spanking new). Different animations, like the coach giving signs to the batter, played in little windows in the upper right or upper left corners of the screen when there were no baserunners.</p><p>The game had some decent-sounding voice samples, although the music was ever-present and could get grating at times. Sometimes the game triggered its own replays on close plays, which was a nice touch. Like <i>Sports Talk Baseball</i> before it, the game lacked an MLB license, although it featured real players and stadiums. I appreciated the home run scoreboard animation, which included the hitter's name along with the home run's distance in feet.</p><p>You could also have your pitcher throw an unhittable spitball in a crucial situation. Use it again, however, and the umpire would toss him out of the game, forcing you to pick a new pitcher.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://cdn11.bigcommerce.com/s-ymgqt/images/stencil/640w/products/23254/27674/hardball_94__29141.1661279447.png?c=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="576" height="400" src="https://cdn11.bigcommerce.com/s-ymgqt/images/stencil/640w/products/23254/27674/hardball_94__29141.1661279447.png?c=2" width="288" /></a></div><p><b>Hardball '94 (1994). </b>For a time, Accolade tried to challenge EA Sports with its own "Accolade Sport" series. The boxes even resembled EA Sports fare a little, what with the white background and all.</p><p><i>Hardball '94 </i>may have been my favorite baseball game for the Genesis. There are a couple reasons for this: you could edit teams and create your own logos. Sure, the logo editor was the epitome of rudimentary, but it got the job done. I sometimes put friends and teammates into the game using the player editor. The game did carry the MLBPA license and had a nice overall feel as a baseball sim.</p><p>I have to stress this, however: of all the different baseball games available on the Sega Genesis, the <i>Hardball </i>series was definitely more simulation-heavy than some of the other offerings. If you were looking for a more arcade-like feel--even in a game with some realism--then you probably won't dig it.</p><p>There were some nice rotoscoped animations for the time and most of the ballparks looked really, really good. There was no distracting music, just a crowd that reacted to the action on the field and some sharp voice samples from the umpire and the occasional pop of a ballpark organ. The presentation was nice, too, with a behind-the-pitcher camera that gave things a TV-style look. A more traditional behind-the-batter camera was available for batting.</p><p>There was also a swanky tune that played when you knocked one out of the park. You could play a full season and track stats via battery backup.</p><p>The predecessor to <i>Hardball '94, </i>titled <i>Hardball III</i>, featured very <i>Sports Talk</i>-like play-by-play from Al Michaels, a feature dropped in the subsequent Genesis versions.</p><p>Oh, one more thing about <i>Hardball '94: </i>while the game isn't featured in the book, it did inspire Tommy's bet with his father. In real life, my dad told me he'd buy me a Genesis game if I hit .400 during the season. When I accomplished the feat, I chose <i>Hardball '94 </i>as my prize. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis1qSArZDcwdwTBSG5EyMRNLO5uKIYQRgu1kGRdjeYDu_d8l0tjPVz4agU1vslZfWHrUfp_HstN632XsW0tRc6WByjQUrc9ViC-s8BZUNjaeISOppG_LNw0UhrkHhNP_dPJ-xIUXcwQ2xbFCfQk6v0t1gLDN-bzKG0lbXLqqtNySJ-nkKzwYx-RuEOCA/s4080/PXL_20220731_213951221.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4080" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis1qSArZDcwdwTBSG5EyMRNLO5uKIYQRgu1kGRdjeYDu_d8l0tjPVz4agU1vslZfWHrUfp_HstN632XsW0tRc6WByjQUrc9ViC-s8BZUNjaeISOppG_LNw0UhrkHhNP_dPJ-xIUXcwQ2xbFCfQk6v0t1gLDN-bzKG0lbXLqqtNySJ-nkKzwYx-RuEOCA/w640-h482/PXL_20220731_213951221.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My hard-earned copy of <i>Hardball '94</i></td></tr></tbody></table>Poor Dad didn't know what he was getting into and balked at the price! For a guy who didn't really understand "playing videos," it was a real wakeup call. He made good on the deal, though.<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/ca/World_Series_Baseball_1994_cover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="369" data-original-width="270" height="400" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/ca/World_Series_Baseball_1994_cover.jpg" width="293" /></a></div><p><b>World Series Baseball (1994).</b> I thought <i>World Series Baseball </i>looked absolutely amazing. The game featured real MLB teams and players and went for a far more realistic look than some of its predecessors. The batter sprite was absolutely huge for its time, and play-by-play commentary returned in the vein of <i>Sports Talk Baseball </i>(the sound didn't improve much and the commentary still lagged a bit, but it was an admirable effort).</p><p>This game really nailed the look and feel of baseball. The ballpark atmosphere was alive and well thanks to a fairly reactive crowd and some fun scoreboard animations. Reviews upon its release were universally positive, and it remains a terrific addition to any sports gamer's library. My version of <i>World Series Baseball </i>is a loose cartridge I bought from Hasting's in Richmond several years ago for a couple bucks.</p><p>You could play a full season with stat tracking thanks to a battery backup.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.mobygames.com/images/covers/l/208199-triple-play-gold-edition-genesis-front-cover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="584" height="400" src="https://www.mobygames.com/images/covers/l/208199-triple-play-gold-edition-genesis-front-cover.jpg" width="292" /></a></div><p><b>Triple Play Gold Edition (1996). </b>This EA Sports entry lacked the MLB license, but it was a very impressive effort. Basically, EA made incredible sports games for the 16-bit era from about 1991 through 1997. Part of this was because other companies made competing sports games that forced EA to innovate every year and pack new features into games. By the early 2000s, though, EA dominated so much (and ended up scoring the exclusive NFL license) that innovation came at a trickle.</p><p><i>Triple Play Gold </i>was a Genesis-exclusive sequel to <i>Triple Play '96, </i>a good baseball game itself. The game included the usual roster updates and that sort of thing. It had a considerable amount of depth and extensive stat tracking. Like some of the other titles listed here, a battery backup allowed players to save seasons in progress and track statistics over the course of a season. </p><p>In terms of gameplay, something about <i>Triple Play Gold </i>felt slightly choppy to me. I can't quite explain it; I just remember the game didn't feel as smooth as some of the others on this list. Still, it boasts great atmosphere, some nice animations, and the ability to choose between an "aggressive" and "conservative" throw or catch attempt. This was a risk-reward system; aggressive throws sometimes resulted in great plays and other times ended up going off-target for an error. Conservative plays could get the job done but didn't put extra "juice" on throws or allow a fielder to make a spectacular catch.</p><p>The game did allow four players to play at the same time, which was certainly a unique feature. Definitely a solid option for the system.</p></div>Matt Adamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07960407647609637681noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6792925679340467992.post-81004937238225894402022-10-31T08:00:00.001-04:002022-10-31T08:00:00.195-04:00Pump Up the (NBA) Jam<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggvmdZBnLGn8L80m7c1BcQo0vzxV47f8ss7-VtiQaUUExBu3u7pXFJb6_jxJ-wVVvte5yOrsW_GVS0ZFkjGZ03vEmYud9hAMAEHJKT2iaJ6ANqZbj3uU99L_1yTXp2eJZe-uDlyYzkilmNFfMn4Nhvmcj0oBSJuxrx4kmR5SbYEF1osnM55AGtPhYBbQ/s4080/PXL_20220731_213916961.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4080" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggvmdZBnLGn8L80m7c1BcQo0vzxV47f8ss7-VtiQaUUExBu3u7pXFJb6_jxJ-wVVvte5yOrsW_GVS0ZFkjGZ03vEmYud9hAMAEHJKT2iaJ6ANqZbj3uU99L_1yTXp2eJZe-uDlyYzkilmNFfMn4Nhvmcj0oBSJuxrx4kmR5SbYEF1osnM55AGtPhYBbQ/w640-h482/PXL_20220731_213916961.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>NBA Jam</i> and <i>NBA Jam: Tournament Edition</i> for the Sega Genesis</td></tr></tbody></table><i><b><a href="https://www.mattadamswriter.com/p/sega-cd-summer-central.html" target="_blank">Sega CD Summer</a> has launched! This is the eleventh entry in the Sega Tote Series</b></i><div><i><b><br /></b></i></div><div>Video games and sports are just one of those perfect combinations, like peanut butter and jelly or chocolate and peanut butter. They just go together.</div><div><div><br /></div><div>Video games let us do things we're incapable of, like flying spaceships, blasting aliens, and dunking all the way from half court. <i>NBA Jam </i>excelled at the latter, of course.</div><div><br /></div><div>The arcade hit came to the Sega Genesis in March 1994. It plays a minor role in <i>Sega CD Summer</i>, mentioned as one of the few sports games Tommy's friends would enthusiastically play with him. Tommy also comments on his love for the Indiana Pacers, a team featuring NBA all-timer Reggie Miller and the solid-in-real-life-but-kind-of-useless-in-the-game Derrick McKey. </div></div><div><br /></div><div>From the book:</div><div><div></div></div><blockquote><div><div>As much as my friends and I liked giving each other crap, we were always supportive. Andy and Kyle didn’t have much interest in sports, but they didn’t mind it when I talked about the baseball team or wanted to play <i>NHL ’94</i> or <i>Madden</i>. They drew the line at most baseball video games, and the only basketball game they could stand was <i>NBA Jam</i>.</div><div><br /></div><div>Heck, Kyle even owned a copy of <i>NBA Jam</i>. The two-on-two, officially licensed basketball game was pure arcade craziness, with over-the-top dunks and players. I always played as the Indiana Pacers so I could rain three-pointers with the legendary Reggie Miller, while Derrick McKey brought surprisingly little to the table. While he could dunk okay, he was slow and couldn’t shoot. Also, his defensive rating was poor. The <i>Tournament Edition</i> added Rik Smits, who was also slow and couldn’t shoot. His Dunkin’ Dutchman power was completely misrepresented in the rankings, but he could block shots. I always stuck with Reggie Miller and Rik Smits—at least TE gave me the option of benching McKey.</div></div><div></div></blockquote><div><i>NBA Jam </i>was a certifiable phenomenon in the mid-90s, right up there with <i>Street Fighter II </i>and <i>Mortal Kombat </i>in terms of gaming hype and hours logged. Because of the over-the-top gameplay and presentation ("BOOMSHAKALAKA!"; "He's on fire!"; "Rejected!"; "Is it the shoes?"), the game got that all-important crossover appeal that expanded the gaming audience beyond sports fans.</div><div><br /></div><div>The game is simple, really, just two-on-two basketball featuring officially licensed NBA teams and players. Most basketball rules get tossed out the window, and the team with the most points at the end wins, obviously. An exuberant announcer and crowd reactions give each game great atmosphere. It's probably best known for jaw-dropping, turbo-enhanced dunks that have players going high into the air, windmilling or sometimes spinning as they throw one down.</div><div><br /></div><div>The game had some wicked rubber-banding AI that always kept things close in CPU games, dropping your field goal percentage and upping the computer's success rate to keep things "interesting."</div><div><br /></div><div>I almost always played as the Pacers, but there were some other fun duos, including Sean Elliott and David Robinson on the Spurs; Larry Johnson and Alonzo Mourning on the Hornets; Karl Malone and John Stockton on the Jazz; and Vernon Maxwell and Hakeem Olajuwon on the Rockets. I'll even begrudgingly throw in John Starks and Patrick Ewing on the Knicks, just because it gave me much satisfaction to beat them with Reggie Miller.</div><div><br /></div><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/BiMPJnDcKLA" title="YouTube video player" width="500"></iframe><div><br /></div><div>It's worth mentioning that, thanks to the complexities of licensing, the home ports lacked Shaquille O'Neal and Michael Jordan. While some early Genesis/SNES versions had Charles Barkley, he was later replaced with Dan Majerle thanks to a deal with Accolade for <i>Barkley: Shut Up and Jam, </i>a venture I'm sure was worthwhile for everyone (eyeroll). </div><div><br /></div><div><i>NBA Jam </i>also had several cheat codes and secret characters. You could play in Big Head Mode, for example, or throw one down as Al Gore or Bill Clinton, respectively the vice president and president at the time.</div><div><br /></div><div>A year after the original <i>Jam </i>hit home consoles, <i>NBA Jam: Tournament Edition </i>arrived. It featured the same fast gameplay, secrets, and atmosphere. The game had expanded rosters and you could do substitutions between quarters. I liked the optional addition of "hotspots," different areas of the court that would light up and reward you with higher point values if you hit a shot.</div><div><br /></div><div>The Sega CD and Game Gear also received ports of <i>NBA Jam. </i>The Sega CD version, as you'd expect, featured CD-quality music, a few roster updates, and FMV sequences at halftime. Players had to contend with long load times, however, and the graphics weren't much of an upgrade from the Genesis version. </div><div><br /></div>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/L-_89qkuRI0" title="YouTube video player" width="500"></iframe>
<br /><div><br /></div><div>The Game Gear port tried hard, as Game Gear ports often did, and although it's graphically and aurally inferior, it's <i>possible </i>to have some fun with it.</div><div><br /></div><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/sXBU2S6GTnk" title="YouTube video player" width="500"></iframe>Matt Adamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07960407647609637681noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6792925679340467992.post-65322471237450361502022-10-28T08:00:00.028-04:002022-10-28T08:00:00.185-04:00Mall Madness Memories<iframe allowfullscreen="" height="375" loading="lazy" referrerpolicy="no-referrer-when-downgrade" src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!4v1665449717431!6m8!1m7!1scNlpGoywsabmR_FpJfJz5A!2m2!1d39.83015251237708!2d-84.84458096897964!3f185.17560613252095!4f8.26974161560642!5f0.7820865974627469" style="border: 0;" width="500"></iframe>
<p><i><b><a href="https://www.mattadamswriter.com/p/sega-cd-summer-central.html" target="_blank">Sega CD Summer</a> is out now!</b></i></p><p>Malls still exist today, but they just aren't what they used to be.</p><p>I live on the south side of Indianapolis, and the closest one to us is the Greenwood Park Mall. Over the years, it's undergone renovations and additions in an effort to attract more customers. It seems like stores open and close all the time.</p><p>It's just not the same mall experience I had as a kid.</p><p>Richmond, Indiana, never had the greatest mall in the world. My mother always laughed at the "mall directory" because you could see all the stores from one end to the other from the entrance. Still, I liked going there. </p><p>You had Waldenbooks, which was the bookstore where I bought the bulk of my books and video game magazines. There was just something great about asking the bookstore to hold a novel for you and then picking it up after it was released. I loved browsing through the big wall of magazines there and finding some issue of <i>GamePro </i>or <i>Electronic Gaming Monthly </i>with a cool cover. I also got the occasional sports magazine there.</p><p>My favorite section, of course, featured science fiction and fantasy books. To be honest, my "science fiction and fantasy" reading was pretty much limited to <i>Star Wars </i>and <i>Star Trek</i> books. I rarely left Waldenbooks without a paperback of some sort. Most of my <i>Star Trek </i>books were paperbacks while I had several hardcovers in the <i>Star Wars </i>series. Favorites included the Timothy Zahn <i>Heir to the Empire </i>trilogy and Steve Perry's <i>Shadows of the Empire</i>. None of those books "count" in the current <i>Star Wars </i>canon, of course.</p><p>Chapter 9 of <i>Sega CD Summer </i>dramatizes a trip to the mall, with Tommy visiting Electronics Boutique with his mother. I thought the store was incredible, packed with almost every game and system I could imagine. Electronics Boutique also featured PC games and components; it's the first place I can ever recall seeing a CD-ROM drive.</p><p>Games were arranged on wire shelves with the price marked on a placard below. If you wanted one, you took the case up to the register and paid for your game; the employee then retrieved a copy from a locked drawer. It was similar to the Target/Kmart/Sears purchasing process in which games were kept in locked cabinets. KB Toys, on the other hand, used a "ticket" system in which you pulled the ticket for the game you wanted and took it up to the counter.</p><p>Ah, yes. KB Games. Like most everything else in the mall, the products were overpriced and the store was kind of cramped. However, you could find things at KB that were hard to come by at Target or Kmart--you'd just pay a little more for them. For the most part, I was content with the selection of G.I. Joes at Target, but every once in a while, KB Toys would have that special figure I was looking for.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCW7MUqAVQ_swplClfUWSDhJS2LzRX-Q3TdcV2BN_bjA9LRgNPLECz3M3KTl6hBMS6HtIoewhh-94AQwwaIbY81RAk0EzhPE5BZkzqLvSfdi_tAeTaW8-A3iJLhDtJvDD3HmPzjOKLtYcdQ1SXFoVw2v7Lk8CTH14b1Ddi8gjI66_-H6MLHjRQKPHKYw/s4080/PXL_20220731_215304514.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4080" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCW7MUqAVQ_swplClfUWSDhJS2LzRX-Q3TdcV2BN_bjA9LRgNPLECz3M3KTl6hBMS6HtIoewhh-94AQwwaIbY81RAk0EzhPE5BZkzqLvSfdi_tAeTaW8-A3iJLhDtJvDD3HmPzjOKLtYcdQ1SXFoVw2v7Lk8CTH14b1Ddi8gjI66_-H6MLHjRQKPHKYw/w640-h482/PXL_20220731_215304514.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Five of the games pictured above came from the Sears bargain bin</td></tr></tbody></table>KB also had a decent bargain bin for video games when it was clearing stock. A couple of games I remember buying from there include <i>Zero Tolerance</i>, a first-person shooter that was actually decent for a console shooter of the era, and <i>Cosmic Spacehead</i>, a game that wasn't worth the $15 I paid for it.<div><br /></div><div>The champion of discount games, however, was Sears. The electronics section there was small, but Sears usually had discounted Sega CD games. I bought <i>FIFA </i>and <i>NHL '94 </i>there for cheap, along with <i>Links: The Challenge of Golf</i>. I believe <i>AH-3 Thunderstrike </i>and <i>The Software Toolworks Star Wars Chess</i> also came from Sears!</div><div><br /></div><div>For the most part, Sears, JCPenney, and their ilk are irrelevant these days. But for those of us who grew up in the '80s and '90s, the mall was a magical place to hang out with friends, spend some time at the arcade, and do some clothes shopping. That's because the mall had <i>everything</i> all in one place. </div>Matt Adamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07960407647609637681noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6792925679340467992.post-28857535099812539492022-10-27T08:00:00.016-04:002022-10-27T08:00:00.187-04:00The Major League Breaking Ball<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_AesW5Fhla_KrIb6rU8HXCxQ13hbuuMqs3Tkhl2ijd-B-1WlFgz1tYZmfw8Wc_XRenBXd3hpHESh84SGxGubxY96N6GDzh_nR31Fjb4EdilxR08V9P4lYnaCzsaYxF8__HPLthyt7SKQbeV4axKNKYgVP0QhT5FKrRoO8t8uZCzFVLHPuGn6plzzdYA/s4080/PXL_20221008_161431547.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4080" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_AesW5Fhla_KrIb6rU8HXCxQ13hbuuMqs3Tkhl2ijd-B-1WlFgz1tYZmfw8Wc_XRenBXd3hpHESh84SGxGubxY96N6GDzh_nR31Fjb4EdilxR08V9P4lYnaCzsaYxF8__HPLthyt7SKQbeV4axKNKYgVP0QhT5FKrRoO8t8uZCzFVLHPuGn6plzzdYA/w640-h482/PXL_20221008_161431547.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Major League Breaking Balls (both of them) modeled by the "real" Terry Guggenbiller</td></tr></tbody></table>The Major League Breaking Ball makes a couple appearances in <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Sega-CD-Summer-Matt-Adams/dp/B0BGKZ8GYK/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=" target="_blank">Sega CD Summer</a>. </i><p></p><div>It's a training tool my father, the "real" Terry Guggenbiller, believes he bought from <i>Baseball Digest </i>when my brother was 12 and I was 8. That would make these Major League Breaking Balls about 34 years old!</div><div><br /></div><div>During a recent trip back home, I asked my dad if he still had the balls. They were sitting in a bucket inside the back of his RAV4 with some baseball gloves and a bucket full of actual baseballs. I decided it would be fun to get a few pictures of the balls, which we used from about 1988 through the end of my high school baseball career in 1999.</div><div><br /></div><div>We were struck by the visual similarity in the big chips between both balls! I think they're made of hard plastic, although they have a kind of ceramic feel to them. He definitely got his money's worth out of these bizarre training tools.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZJpIuSCzEG7NtO0w5I8cIC3k-Z7jW4ubsywQX-fu0e-8XlSxy7y3SALHWGkg-GbZqPpjLCc7ApEiuFre0rzScdV0Cc66GTKvl7T5OItLX40KMgKRbvJUSYLgEfJECDYsz-nzsY4fnuTFIMQFnJ7o1ERizVFYRcahQeif2c4U70Pzhjl27IymxoQsYUw/s4080/PXL_20221008_161353182.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="3072" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZJpIuSCzEG7NtO0w5I8cIC3k-Z7jW4ubsywQX-fu0e-8XlSxy7y3SALHWGkg-GbZqPpjLCc7ApEiuFre0rzScdV0Cc66GTKvl7T5OItLX40KMgKRbvJUSYLgEfJECDYsz-nzsY4fnuTFIMQFnJ7o1ERizVFYRcahQeif2c4U70Pzhjl27IymxoQsYUw/w482-h640/PXL_20221008_161353182.jpg" width="482" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This gives you a look at the MLBB, which is about three-quarters of a real baseball with a flat side</td></tr></tbody></table>What's the purpose of the Major League Breaking Ball? It allows pitchers to simulate a pro-level breaking pitch in batting practice, giving the batter a look at a sweeping curveball you'd see in higher levels of baseball.<div><br /></div><div>Dad, an excellent BP arm who could throw with some zip, never thought he had a very good curveball. The absurd-looking training tool allowed him to throw an incredible one. He conceded he would aim for my head and <i>hope </i>the pitch did what it was supposed to do. I can tell you without a shadow of a doubt that the thing was amazing, resulting in a sweeping pitch that looked like it would <i>maybe </i>go behind you before ending up in the middle of the plate. </div><div><br /></div><div>He mixed the breaking balls in with regular baseballs during batting practice and didn't tip his hand so my brother and I would learn to adjust to breaking pitches.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrFJwpP_gQd7xjHk0qiMolusWqyXMpOUUc1JZtHTluDfB2IYlw6JQp5111pBg_FccpSHFLGiPLgk6XN9Fhp9CFZBVHjUZy2DOqf4Nz1B-tYi-VGBNhHiMr_kRvsv9HBwHZ1O-fwBLc92uP0lTMG-9lqd7UhbiPkq_OaskfBfRlLeR2y9J__qW_Dgpmhg/s4080/PXL_20221008_161347726.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="3072" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrFJwpP_gQd7xjHk0qiMolusWqyXMpOUUc1JZtHTluDfB2IYlw6JQp5111pBg_FccpSHFLGiPLgk6XN9Fhp9CFZBVHjUZy2DOqf4Nz1B-tYi-VGBNhHiMr_kRvsv9HBwHZ1O-fwBLc92uP0lTMG-9lqd7UhbiPkq_OaskfBfRlLeR2y9J__qW_Dgpmhg/w482-h640/PXL_20221008_161347726.jpg" width="482" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another look at the breaking balls</td></tr></tbody></table><div>The Major League Breaking Ball isn't essential to the book or its plot; it's simply something Terry Guggenbiller uses during batting practice, much as my father did when I was a young baseball player. I thought it would be fun to show people the strange baseballs, which came in a red box and featured the endorsements of Boston Red Sox slugger Jim Rice and Baltimore Orioles pitcher Mike Flanagan.</div><div><br /></div><div>Because the internet is forever and remembers everything, you can still find the odd Major League Breaking Ball for sale on eBay. One <a href="https://www.ebay.com/itm/221745792215" target="_blank">listing has it for $39.95</a> with the original box and instruction sheet.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/2bEAAOSwqu9VL0Cj/s-l500.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="500" height="375" src="https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/2bEAAOSwqu9VL0Cj/s-l500.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the side of the original box featuring Jim Rice. The photo comes from the eBay listing referenced above.</td></tr></tbody></table><div><a href="https://www.ebay.com/itm/224818809765" target="_blank">A different eBay listing</a> has the Major League Breaking Ball for $8.99 sans the box and instructions. While that listing said the ball has some minor scuffs, it's in much better condition than the two currently residing in Williamsburg, Indiana, which have been chipped as a result of mighty swings from Tommy Guggenbiller and Craig the Baseball Prodigy.</div><div><br /></div><div>While I'm on the subject of curveballs, I may as well vouch for the authenticity of a scene from <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Sega-CD-Summer-Matt-Adams/dp/B0BGKZ8GYK/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=" target="_blank">Sega CD Summer</a> </i>in which Tommy gets plunked not once but twice by a "curveball" thrown by his beloved baseball coach, Swearin' Sammy Reed.</div><div><br /></div><div>Though the names in that story have been changed, it is 100% true. In this case, I was Tommy Guggenbiller and Swearin' Sammy was the late, great Mike Ryan, my youth baseball coach for many seasons in Williamsburg. Too bad the coaches didn't have the Major League Breaking Ball to save their players from bruised hips--and themselves from bruised egos.</div>Matt Adamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07960407647609637681noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6792925679340467992.post-47703105356431237492022-10-26T08:00:00.202-04:002022-10-26T08:00:00.179-04:00Sega CD's (Mostly) FMV Fails<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinZTVTzA1XF01bR_u3Fpayo48D4h2_-YBwKeYctfAWwTzZJkglYxZrPjeTabavZlO5A7b2TwHxoi8O04PUMZEKR5xvBhKSQFJmEDbKcgrk04bR2ly6zYI13C3wW8DQy68eVZ3ubDLGaIWCp0FmzYWfEupLes5OcjlZyZ_ShalYl8MVMrASB6TxONipow/s1000/FMV%20Games.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinZTVTzA1XF01bR_u3Fpayo48D4h2_-YBwKeYctfAWwTzZJkglYxZrPjeTabavZlO5A7b2TwHxoi8O04PUMZEKR5xvBhKSQFJmEDbKcgrk04bR2ly6zYI13C3wW8DQy68eVZ3ubDLGaIWCp0FmzYWfEupLes5OcjlZyZ_ShalYl8MVMrASB6TxONipow/w640-h256/FMV%20Games.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Sega-CD-Summer-Matt-Adams/dp/B0BGKZ8GYK/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=" target="_blank"><i>Sega CD Summer</i></a> is out now!</p><p>For the most part, it seemed like Sega CD games fell into one of two categories: enhanced Sega Genesis ports or full-motion video (FMV) games. The Genesis ports typically had additions like CD-quality music and video clips plus, you know, loading times. FMV games featured grainy, poorly compressed video clips loosely centered around a plot.</p><p>Companies touted FMV as the future of video games, and video clips featured prominently in advertisements for the Sega CD and its various games. A lot of console gamers didn't have high-end PCs with CD-ROM drives, so video definitely provided a novel look and experience.</p><p>It was easy to get swept up in the hype.</p><p>Since I am, however, talking about video games, the gaming part is kind of important. This is where most FMV games fell short. Interactivity was extremely limited and most of the games played in a linear manner. They suffered from a severe lack of replay value. Many of the games featured hammy overacting and looked extremely cheap.</p><p>Here is a non-exhaustive list of FMV games for the Sega CD. It includes some truly infamous titles! I did write about a couple that weren't so bad. I should add that when I talk about FMV games, I mean games in which the FMV was the point. You could include <i><a href="https://www.mattadamswriter.com/2022/10/sewer-shark-on-sega-cd.html" target="_blank">Sewer Shark</a> </i>on this list while I feel like <i><a href="https://www.mattadamswriter.com/2022/10/star-wars-on-sega-cd.html" target="_blank">Rebel Assault</a> </i>had enough game variety to separate it from the pack. The console also had several games, like its version of <i><a href="https://www.mattadamswriter.com/2022/10/jurassic-park-in-sega-cd-summer.html" target="_blank">Jurassic Park</a>, </i>that featured video clips but weren't necessarily FMV games.</p><p>Here we go... </p><p><b>Make My Video series. </b>Universally considered the worst "games" on the Sega CD, these early titles had you "editing" video clips to make a music video for different musical artists. Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch, Kris Kross, and INXS all licensed their likenesses and music to this garbage. A different title developed by the same company, Digital Pictures, featured C+C Music Factory. It was also an abomination. </p><p>Here's the Marky Mark version. See if you can actually figure out what's going on here:</p>
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<p><b>Night Trap. </b>This was the bane of video gaming for a while, a title so "controversial" that Congress held hearings on video game violence! <i>Mortal Kombat </i>was also at the center of hearings in which U.S. lawmakers grilled companies about the content of the games kids were playing. <i>Night Trap </i>looks so hokey and innocuous now that it's hard to believe people were Very Concerned about some knockoff, shlocky B-movie-inspired game. It lives in infamy and does possess a certain charm to it. In recent years, it's been re-released on modern consoles with an updated interface and improved video quality. It's a Digital Pictures game. It was released for the Sega Genesis-Sega CD-Sega 32X hybrid as well.</p>
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<p><b>Corpse Killer.</b> <i>Corpse Killer </i>debuted on the Sega CD thanks to our friends from Digital Pictures. It's essentially a shooter in which players kill zombies in a tropical island setting. Like <i>Night Trap</i>, it has a campy charm to it and received an upgraded re-release for modern consoles. It later came out on the Sega Genesis-Sega CD-Sega 32X platform. The opening scene is, well, something.</p>
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<p><b>Prize Fighter. </b>This worked OK as a kind of <i>Punch-Out-</i>inspired FMV game. The black-and-white presentation gives it a quasi-<i>Raging Bull</i> feel, although the acting doesn't stack up in any way. The video looks decent as the old-school presentation actually hides the Genesis' paltry color palette. I rented this once and don't remember it that well. The game involved a lot of pattern recognition and timing--basically a series of quick-time events. You can finish it in under an hour and the replay value is virtually non-existent. Digital Pictures developed it.</p><p><b>Supreme Warrior.</b> Digital Pictures also blessed us with this "gem" inspired by martial arts movies of the '70s. From what I understand, the controls here made the game very difficult to time things up to block attacks. Some reviewers at the time of release appreciated the game's kung fu-movie inspired production design and acting. A playthrough takes a little over an hour. Like <i>Prize Fighter</i>, replayability is limited. It appeared on the Sega Genesis-Sega CD-Sega 32X combo.</p><p><b>Slam City with Scottie Pippen. </b>According to various online sources, Scottie Pippen performed the theme song on this basketball-themed turkey. Players take on various ballers one-on-one with Pippen serving as the "boss" battle at the end. The video actually looks pretty good for the platform, although several reviewers found the game extremely difficult. This was another triple threat, also appearing on the Sega Genesis-Sega CD-Sega 32X platform. The only other game featured on the three-system combo not mentioned here was <i>Fahrenheit</i>. </p><p><b>Dragon's Lair/Space Ace.</b> These two were originally LaserDisc-based arcade games, with <i>Space Ace </i>releasing months after the extremely popular <i>Dragon's Lair</i>. The games featured great animation, although they just don't look at that great on the Sega CD thanks to the limited color palette. In a way, these games wrote the book for pulling off FMV games with limited replay value and quick-time events that have you following onscreen cursors to progress. They did feature some stellar death animations, however!</p><p><b>Road Avenger. </b>Called <i>Road Blaster </i>in Japan, this was retitled <i>Road Avenger </i>for the Sega CD release. Essentially an interactive animated action movie, this received high praise at the time of its release and makes a lot of "best of" lists for the Sega CD. Colorful graphics and a good soundtrack help it stand out among other offerings on the platform. While it follows a lot of the same concepts as other games on this list, players feel like they're in control of things. The game has nine stages and replay value is somewhat limited. However, it helps that <i>Road Avenger </i>is fun to play. This was a Data East game.</p>
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<p><b>Tomcat Alley. </b>I rented this one a couple of times and had fun with it. Among the FMV games, it boasted somewhat better video quality. Essentially a <i>Top Gun </i>ripoff, <i>Tomcat Alley </i>has you taking control of a fighter jet and going on different missions. Mission variety was good, the video filled the whole screen (not usually the case!), and the acting hit the right tone. It is honestly one of the better, if not the best, FMV games on the Sega CD.</p><p>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rMIBuqh3OoM" title="YouTube video player" width="500"></iframe></p>Matt Adamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07960407647609637681noreply@blogger.com