CPT Vexan Interview
You've just been given a GoE for being one of the best pilots in the EH. How proud did you feel when you got the medal?
I was surprised, I didn't know about it until I checked my e-mail and found all kinds of congratulations from my squad mates. Then I read the official notice. It was an honour to receive it. Hard work does pay off in the TC.
One of the reasons for getting the GoE was the fact that you have completed all of the TC-TIE battles, IW battles, and CAB battles, and being close to completion of pretty much everything else. What tips would you give to aspiring pilots who wish to do the same?
Just work hard and be steady and consistent. Make sure you have time at your computer to be able to fly, and concentrate on getting the job done. It takes a little time to download the mission and then install it then fly it and send the results to your CMDR.
I just graduated Middle School, so I have plenty of time right now during the summer to fly.
You've been a pilot for just less than 5 years now, so what is it about the EH that keeps you here?
I love to fly the missions, but it seems like I have made a great many friends from all over the world. I would never be able to travel to all of the countries that the EH members are from. But I still get to interact with sop many kewl people from all over the world. The EH has something for almost everybody and a person can explore all kinds of things in the EH. A pilot can also do some of the classes in IWATS and learn to make web pages and learn tactics, designing missions or graphics or how to use the IRC channels. I know I am learning new things everyday.
What is it about Typhoon that keeps you there?
I believe the friendship that the pilots in Typhoon show to me. It is like we are a big happy family. We have a few disagreements sometimes but it seems like putting that aside we are a family. The pilots in Typhoon are like brothers and sisters to me. We encourage each other and if one pilot has problems then the other Typhoon pilots try to make it easier for them by giving support or help.
What has been your past Imperial career since you have started? Have you always been a pilot in Typhoon? Are you in any other EH groups?
When my father founded the Infiltrator Wing 5 years ago, I was one of the original IW pilots along with my sister. I stayed in the IW for a long while then I went into the reserves for a brief period. I missed the fun of being in the EH and rejoined and was good enough to be invited into Tau squadron. It was fun being in an elite squadron. My father and sister were also in Tau while I was there. When Tau began using XWA for their primary game platform, I chose to go back to the Tie Corp because I was not very good at XWA. I was assigned to Typhoon squadron where I have been ever since.
Why do you remain a Flight Member? Do you never hear the call of command?
I was a flight leader in Typhoon, but chose to be a Flight member again so some of my squad mates could become FLs and get promoted for it.
On a personal note, I feel that the promotion policy of the EH needs to be different and a pilot should be promoted beyond what his\her position is. Only being promoted to a certain rank and not beyond that rank because you are in a certain position should be changed. I can only make CPT as a FL and cannot advance in rank until I get a higher position. I think this needs to be changed.
Apart from flying missions, what else do you do in the EH?
It is obvious I fly a lot but I also make some graphics for my squadron and write a few pieces of fiction about my experience in Typhoon or on the ISD Challenge. I am also in the Medical Corp as the ISD Challenge's doctor and I am a Dark Jedi Knight in Clan Tarentum\House Tridens (Sith) in the Dark Brotherhood.
Would you say that flying missions is the greatest priority to a pilot; compared to the other things they can do too?
As a pilot in the Tie Corp, flying the missions is a priority but aside from that, a pilot can takes some of the IWATS classes and learn many new things, they should interact with their squadrons to make them better by helping new pilots, making web pages to promote their squadrons or wings etc (or joining some of the other sub-groups to learn to do something different than flying).
I see that you have a Letter of Achievement. What did you get that for (and do you want whatever it was reposting)?
I am not really sure of why I received the LoA. I just do what I like in the TC and don't really care that much about getting medals. I never fly to get a piece of coloured ribbon or shiny pieces of medal. I do it because I love to fly and beat the mission. Completing a really hard mission is the best reward.
You've proven how good you are at singleplayer piloting, but are you planning on getting into a bit of multiplayer piloting for a new challenge?
I am not a great pilot but I feel that I am good. I have never thought about flying on-line. I have XWA and XvT, but I know there are many pilots in the EH that could fly circles around me in a multi-player game. I want to finish all of the Tie Fighter battles and missions first then maybe I will try to see how I can do against other humans on-line in the future. Right now it is not a big priority to fly on-line for me until I finish all of the Tie stuff.
Out of the many missions and battles you have played, what has been you favourite one, and why is it so good?
I don't have a real favourite battle or missions but I did love to play the Pappy free missions, since they were made by my dad. I do have a few battle and mission high scores which was fun. I do get upset when some missions don't seem real like when the mission designer has over 100 fighters coming out of a CRS or something. We all know a CRS only holds 72 fighters. Or when you have to sit doing nothing in a mission for 5 minutes waiting for the next enemy flight group to show up.
When you have completed all of the missions made for the EH, what do you plan to do to keep yourself challenged (as well as playing all of the new missions that are made)?
I will keep checking the mission board to see if there are new battles\missions posted to play, but I plan to take some of the many IWATS courses like learning html and some of the other academy classes.
You've been a role model to pilots for a while now, so what makes you so great (true, that sounds like sucking up there, but this is a serious question)? What should other pilots do to get anywhere your level?
A pilot or someone else has to make up their minds that they are going to do something they enjoy and then go do it. If you don't enjoy doing something then you are not going to give it the attention it deserves. Not everyone likes to fly TIE missions so they might not put to much time into it. If you do enjoy something then set a goal and when you get that goal then set another goal and then go get it and so on.
Coming up in the ranks of the FCHG, I would pick the pilot who was ahead of me and then try to beat their score. When I did that I would set another goal to beat the next pilot in line etc. I even had some of the pilots I was chasing to offer me help in getting a higher score. I am #2 in the FCHG points but #1 who is LC Dras Hempor is giving me encouragement and offers of help on getting even more points. That is what I love about the EH and TC is the friendship that everyone displays.
Okay, a little game. If you had to pick a half-dozen other EH members to go away on for a special operation, who would you pick (but you can only pick two of them from your squadron)?
It is obvious I would chose COL Callista, not only is she my CMDR but she inspires me to be the best I can. I would also chose COL Domi, my wingman in Typhoon because he is always giving me encouragement and is a good friend. I wish I could go with all of my squadron but since I can't, I would choose COL Kessler, SA Kawolski, GN Wolly, and SA Compton because of what they have done to make the EH even better than it was before. I admire them. I would choose SA "Pappy" Renegade if he was not retired because I think he is the greatest man in the world or galaxy, but that is because of my personal feelings for him.
What is it like to be under the command of the also legendary COL Callista? She is well known for being a great CMDR, and as one of her FMs, can you explain what it is that makes her so good?
She gives me confidence and much encouragement. I think all of Typhoon loves her…I know I do. She is always right there to offer a word of thanks, or encourage you to do well. She doesn't get really mad at her pilots but does make us feel that we can do better than before. She always has a lot of wit and humour to give us and she makes sure that a pilot gets the awards coming to them and she will fight for her pilots if need be.
I'm sure that everyone knows by now that you're the daughter of the now retired, but still well known, SA Pappy Renegade. Other members of your family also have connections to the EH. While I'm sure that it's great to BE part of this family, does it bother you when you are automatically related to them? (For example, on the EH news page the first thing mentioned about you is your father)
It doesn't bother me that some people think my dad is a "legend" in the EH. To me he is not just a "legend" but also my very best friend and the greatest man I ever knew. I am very proud of him for what he did in the EH but I am trying to do my own "thing" in the EH. I have done better in some things and may do better than him in other things. I can never be as good as he was but I try to follow his values while in the EH and in real life. My older sister is a FL in Beta squadron and we have a few "friendly" discussions about the EH and have had several "lively" discussions as well. She is a good pilot as well but I try not to follow her as well. If I do well it is because of my effort.
Have you ever felt like you have been treat differently in the EH because of your family being so prominent? Also, while I'm asking around this subject, do you feel like you are also treat differently because you are a female pilot?
Sometimes my sister and I have both been treated a little different because of our dad but she turned down a promotion to CMDR because she was his daughter. It was just offered to her, not because she could do it but just because she was there. Some superior officers have tried to give me 'special' treatment because of it, but I like being on the Challenge and in Typhoon because they treat me just like another pilot and not special because my last name is Renegade.
I have only has trouble several times because of being a female pilot. Sometimes the guys on the mIRC EH channels say stuff that embarrasses me. I am only 14 years old and most of them are older and they like to talk about girls a lot but most pilots in the EH have kind words and don't see me as a female but as just another pilot. Typhoon squad pilots treat me like their little sister and try to protect me.
This is the part of the interview when I can't think of any more questions. The best way around it I usually find is just to ask you to say whatever comes into your head. If you may…
All I can offer is words of encouragement to the other pilots and members of the EH: -
"This is YOUR club and it can only be as good as YOU want to make it. If you want to beat me in the FCHG scores, I will help you by giving you tips or pointers on how to fly the missions. If you want to accomplish something in the EH like completing all the IWATS courses then set a goal and go get it. I have found that working hard and doing your EH duties to the very best of your ability will reward you in the end. Nothing should come easy or be handed to you. There is a greater satisfaction by putting a little effort into what you are doing."
THANK YOU