Andorians are a sentient race who built an empire in the Alpha Quadrant then joined the Federation. They are distinguished by their blue skin and antennae. In the future, after the collapse of the Federation the Andorians allied with the Orions to form a trade empire called the Emerald Chain
It’s fun seeing how this classic series race keep popping up, especially with the future timeline
The Mimbanese are a red-skinned tribal people from the murky swamp planet of Mimban. Their planet was subjugated by the Separatists during the Clone Wars and then in turn was occupied by the Empire. The Mimbanese led a resistance, their natural ability to move swiftly through the thick mud of their homeworld gave them an advantage against a technologically superior enemy.
I rewatched Solo for #MakeSolo2Happen day and even though you barely get a glimpse of them they are such a cool race (you get a better look at the end when one of the Cloud-Riders unmasks) and it’s clear that the folks at Lucasfilm do to. Mimbanese have had prominent roles in The Mandalorian and Squadrons.
In my last post I covered Exiles, rogue programs within the Matrix who, outwardly appear human, though some have unique talents. But there is one Exile who had a greater impact than all the others put together…
Smith
In many ways former Agent Smith belongs in a category of his own due to his unmatched power in and out of the Matrix. He certainly doesn’t fit into the structure of other Exiles as he had no interest in hiding in the Matrix. However, by his own definition, he still is an Exile.
I knew the rules, I understood what I was supposed to do but I didn’t. I couldn’t. I was compelled to stay… compelled to disobey.
This fits perfectly with the typical path of an Exile. Once an Agent of the System, Smith had purpose and a place in the Machine workings. But having been defeated by Neo, Smith no longer had purpose and should have returned to the Source for reprogramming or deletion. But instead he chose to stay in the Matrix and follow his own path which is the way of all Exiles.
After his contact with the One, Smith gained a new ability. He was able to copy himself onto any software or hardware plugged into the Matrix, overwriting bluepills and programs and even entering the real world by overwriting a redpill freedom fighter.
His ability spread until everyone in the Matrix, including the Oracle, was overwritten by him. His power was so great he threatened to destabilise the Machine’s power, enough that they were willing to declare a truce with humanity. When Smith tried to overwrite Neo, who was connected to the Source, his program was deleted from the Matrix as it was reset.
While his threat was ended, fragments of his code continued to plague the Matrix, eventually coalescing into a Virion, a tangible block of his code. Redpills who touched this block were transformed into a weaker version of Smith and turned others into Smith. These occurrences happened about once a year but were quickly put down through special anti-viral codes developed by The Oracle.
I think that’s enough for this post – more weird and wonderful programs coming soon!!
I walked into the briefing room with my helmet off. It felt good, there were one or two raised eyebrows but once they heard my callsign they nodded in respect. I’ve kept my helmet on until now, letting my name (my wife’s human surname) and my reputation build until they have no choice but to respect who I am.
What the others don’t understand is I agree with the human-centric rule of the Empire. The Republic was chaotic – too many voices, too many cultures. No wonder it collapsed into war and chaos. The species of the galaxy need a strong will, a human will, to lead them. And if the Empire recognises that certain, more enlightened, species are compatible with that will then I am happy to serve.
Our squadron had a direct command from Lord Vader. Hunt down survivors of Alderaan, a strong advocate of the chaos our Empire replaced. I was more than happy to comply.
Mission debriefing
Intelligence led us to Fostar Haven, a trading post built into an asteroid. A hub for smugglers and other filth, I would have gladly blaster the place to rubble but we were after a bigger prize.
Our TIEs split up to scan the so-called traders coming in and out of the station. We had a few complaints but once our laster cannons went hot they all complied. We uncovered a few deviants but not the Rebels we were hunting. The situation was under control until the station master lit up his defences and sent a squadron of X-Wings after us.
It was a relief to let loose with our cannons and our squadron made short work of the station’s defences. We followed through and discovered the refugee transport ships hidden in a tunnel. We closed in on them and were about to end their rebellion when the unthinkable happened. Our Commander betrayed us – he disabled our TIEs with an Ion Torpedo and blocked our route, letting our prey escape.
Commander Javes had a flawless record, his betrayal could not have been anticipated. My actions show that I pursued the enemy, my record speaks to my loyalty and ability. I had nothing to do with this mission’s failure and any sanctions against me would be a tactical waste of a loyal and valuable asset.
Data files
Quasar Fire-class carrier
The Quasar Fire-class is a dedicated starfighter carrier that supported our fleet. They can carry up to 48 starfighters and have sufficient shields and weaponry to operate as independent mobile bases. A number of Quasars provided additional starfighter support for our battlegroup
Raider-class Corvette
Our taskforce included two Raider-class ships. These vessels are fast, nimble and have enough power to engage the enemy up close, pushing through a gap in defenses to get up close to enemy capital ships or take out starfighters.
TIE Advanced v1
An experimental fighter from Sienar Flight Systems this model has increased spead, foldable wings and, as I found to my cost, an additional projectile launcher as well as laser cannons. The Empire should reconsider where to deploy such assets, putting them in the hands of a more tactical pilot.
BFF-1-class bulk freighter
A common sight across the galaxy the BFF-1 bulk freighter is little more than two cargo modules strapped to engines and a cockpit. They are cpable of independently transporting large quantities of cargo across space and are a popular model among legitimate cargo companies and smugglers alike
Fostar Haven
An independent trading spaceport and known hub for criminal activity. Cargo ships dock with extended docking beams on the exterior of the station and cargo containers are transported on conveyors into the interior of the asteroid for collection and redistribution. The station is armed with turbolaser cannons and has hidden tunnels to house items or ships that don’t want to be found.
Achievements
A Better Idea
Modified a starfighter’s preset loadout in multiplayer
None of the achievements I earned are from this mission, but I picked up a couple in multiplayer. I got this one for adding a decoration. After reading Light of the Jedi I got myself a High Republic lightsaber decoration for my A-Wing
Begin the Ceremony
Earned your first Award
Not exactly sure what this was for but I’ve had a lot of fun playing Fleet Battles and I picked this up in one of my matches
A Starfighter of your own
Acquired your first starfighter component
You start the game with 4 points to customise the weapons and systems on each starfighter. I added the Plasburst Cannon to my TIE Bomber which unleashes a massive energy beam at the expense of maneuverability
Opinion
I love this mission. I loved it more on second replay when I wasn’t crashing into everything!! I liked that the Imperials are all portrayed as horrible people, apart from Javes, and I’m intrigued to see where the story goes. The highlight for me was seeing the BFF class from the old X-Wing games make a reappearance – it was nice to see the developers go out of their way to acknowledge the great games that came before while carving out something new
Trance worms are large semi-aquatic creatures native to the planet Kwejian. Their name comes from their ability to hypnotise prey or predators by locking eyes with them, paralysing them so it can attack, devouring them whole. Their meat was considered a delicacy and they were hunted in space outside of Federation control.
I’ve enjoyed the opening episodes of Star Trek: Discovery season 3 so far and this creature was a really fun one. I liked the backstory of Book as the smuggler-come-conservationist as the epsidode unfolded and it was a nice moment seeing the Trance Worm relocated to a new sanctuary
I finally got round to watching this movie – mostly because I wanted to get a taste for Villeneuve’s filmmaking before the release of Dune.
I have to be honest and admit I’m not as enamoured with Blade Runner as most fans. I’m not saying it’s overrated or anything like that but my personal experience of watching it didn’t blow me away to the degree most fans say it does. I think that’s largely because I watched it straight after reading Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? and the script has very little in common with the book which I found jarring.
Plot
‘K’ is a new-model Replicant, an artificial human designed to be compliant, tasked with hunting down the troublesome older Replicants.
On a mission he uncovers evidence that suggests a Replicant gave birth to a child. This information is prised by the police (who want to keep it secret), the head of XXX Corporation (who wants to breed more Replicant slaves) and an underground movement of Replicants who want the child to be their figurehead.
As K, along with his holographic housekeeper/girlfriend Joi, set out to uncover the truth he finds clues that connect to his artificial childhood memories – making the quest a personal one. Along the way K must decide what he is willing to fight for.
Opinion
This was a phenomenal film and beautifully directed. It’s a slow burn to be sure but it never felt boring and each revelation put me at the edge of my seat.
They really captured the grim future of the first film while staking new ground. It was slick and modern yet felt like it went right alongside the older film. I don’t know if there are plans for a sequel but I’d say the franchise is in safe hands unlike so many failed revivals of old film stories.
My only gripe would be the nudity which was unnecessary in my opinion but in short this is 100% worthy of all the hype and praise I’d heard for it and I’m glad I got around to watching it
The Talpini are a diminutive but fierce humanoid specieswith pale coloured skin and hair.Their size meant they were often overlooked by other species but they were skilled fighters and were often seen as bounty hunters or private security. Weeteef Cuy-Bee was a respected sniper and demolitions expertfor Saw Gerrerra’s Partisans
I rewatched Rogue One the other day and I always get a smile from seeing Warwick Davies bring this awesome character to life
In the second and third Matrix films we were introduced to the Exiles, programs living within the system but outside it’s rules. The wider franchise showed us a great number of exile types and in this series of posts I’m going to take you through them all.
So, what is an Exile?
Just to recap let’s ask how we define what an Exile is. I’m going to let the Oracle answer that question for me
Usually a program chooses Exile when it faces deletion. Maybe it breaks down, maybe a better program is created to replace it – happens all the time. And when it does a program can either choose to hide [In the Matrix] or return to The Source.
So an Exile is a program no longer desired by the system who has fled to the Matrix for survival. By this definition I’ve decided not to include the Oracle, as she was fulfilling her prime programming, even though it wasn’t in the way the Machines wanted her too.
Human Exiles
Most Exiles appear and act like humans, likely as a way to blend in inside the Matrix. In a way they are similar to redpills as their understanding of the true nature of the Matrix allows them to bend some of it’s rules and let them move with superhuman speed and strength.
Some Exiles fit into this catogery but their particular talents make them worthy of discussion as individuals.
The Merovingian and Persephone
The Merovingian is the definitive Exile, living an opulent life within the Matrix, but outside of it’s rules. He is centuries old, having survived numerous restarts of the Matrix, and has a significant power base in the Matrix that even the Machines cannot challenge.
It is hard to say if he has any innate abilities, he seems to avoid combat, leaving that to his henchmen. He controls access to the Matrix, which places most programs at least in his debt, if not in his service, but I have to imagine it’s more than loyalty that keeps some of the most powerful programs in the Matrix in line.
One thing we do know is that he is a gifted coder, able to create programs to manipulate others. He also built secure construct programs such as his chateau and a prison construct called Blackwood.
One thing worth noting about him is his so-called marriage to Persephone. They travelled to the Matrix together and that linked them together so that even after they resented and betrayed each other they were still seen at each other’s side shortly afterwards.
Other examples of this connection are Mr Black and Dame White, who had to merge their code to escape the Source, leaving them bound together in a marriage relationship. The Elements group of Exiles were once one program that had to be split into its subroutines to escape and became linked in what humans would call a family relationship.
The Trainman
The Trainman is the key to the Merovingian’s power. At some point he built a construct between the Matrix and the Source in the form of a train station and is the prime source for programs to flee into the Matrix, for which they must pay a price to the Merovingian. While he appears frail in the Matrix within his own construct he is powerful enough to best even the One in combat.
The Keymaker
The Keymaker is an Exile who has knowledge of the codes hidden in the tumblers of locks and can create key codes to access any location, including the back door system of the Matrix, making him a valuable asset to all the Matrix factions. He was even able to create a key which led directly to the Source.
Archivists and Shapers
Archivist details
Archivists are programs who have built constructs comprised of sections of earlier Matrix versions. They grant access to these domains through key codes in the form of books…for a price.
Shapers look similar to Archivists so I’ve always assumed they were related. Shapers are talented at extracting and manipulating code within the Matrix. They were able to source fragments of Neo’s code and even partially reconstruct his RSI
Sati
Sati is different from other Exiles because she wasn’t created by the Machines but was ‘born’ from the connection between two programs in the Source. This meant she had no purpose for the Machines so her parents had to Exile her to the Matrix. She came under the care of the Oracle and learned how to manipulate the sky to create sunsets
Her talent wasn’t restricted to pretty views, however, and soon she became integral to the sky of the Matrix. This became evident when she was kidnapped from the Matrix and the sky turned blood red until she was returned. She also learned how to build her ‘playground’ – a construct outside the Matrix.
And that covers it for Human Exiles – we’ll start getting weird and wonderful in the next post!
In between my painfully slow progress in other games I’ve been dipping into Halo 2: Anniversary. It’s been a lot of fun playing the remastered version of this great game. I love watching the revamped cinematics from Blur Studios and seeing the game in a new light.
I played Halo 2 back in the day so I’m not going to do a full recap but just make a few notes about stuff I found interesting playing the remaster.
Before I go on, one thing you have to do is play with the Scarab Skull turned on. It gives ANY gun your fire the same firepower as a Scarab’s main gun. It does disable some achievements so if you’re a completionist maybe not but I’m going for a fun replay on Easy difficulty so it’s great fun taking out Hunters and tanks with two shots from a pistol. It also makes close-quarters fire suicidal so it adds a fun gameplay mechanic!!
The Game
It was so much fun playing as the Arbiter and starting his journey again before his loyalty to the Covenant was shaken as he tracks down the Heretics.
A vehicle I’d forgotten all about was the Covenant Seraph, their space fighter craft. I like the updated design, especially when you can jump on it and explore it’s hull markings.
Another fun vehicle to see (and fly!) was the Heretic Banshee. I love the idea that, while planning an insurrection from the Covenant, the Sangheili took the time to repaint all their vehicles!!
Another feature I’d completely missed when I first played the game were the unique Flood ‘tadpoles’ seen in a containment tank early in ‘The Oracle mission. These forms seem to be precursors to the Infection Forms as they are much smaller. I captured a decent look at them in both versions of the game.
Another main appeal for me to replay the game was the added Terminals. It gives some interesting backstory as to how the heretics encountered Guilty Spark and convinced them of the true nature of the Prophecy
Achievements
Inspector
Activate Terminal 4 on The Arbiter
With a bit of help from YouTube this terminal wasn’t too hard to find, basically in a room where crates slide around the floor jump up to the upper level and it’s there
Fascinated
This one was just against a wall, not too hard to find. I’ll link to a YouTube video below if you want to find these Terminals yourselves
Dirty Bird
Fly the Heretic Banshee
Unless you suddenly sprout wings it’s impossible to complete this mission without hopping in a heretic banshee!!
Where Am I?
Complete 10 Missions or Multiplayer Games
Standard
There was another achievement called Ten Minutes Too Soon which I attempted but it involved a tricky grenade jump and I lost patience with it!!
Overall I had a blast replaying this game and it got me excited for continuing the Chief’s journey (and hopefully seeing more of the Arbiter’s) in Halo: Infinite.
Muuns are tall humanoids from the planet Scipio, who are known for their intellect. They have large craniums with small noses that give their voices a nasal quality by human standards. They are best known for their controlling interest in the InterGalactic Banking Clan
As it’s a bank holiday my mind went to San Hill of the Banking Clan, who I’m sure gave all his hailfire droids the day off
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