In May of 2003, I still wasn't the kind of SW fan that I am now, the Dorkside had not yet fully consumed me, I had not yet seen the OT.... you get the picture. Anyways, as I was at work, goofing off on the internet as usual, I stumbled upon a website for a game called "Star Wars Galaxies: An Empire Divided" though I was no gamer, my interest was piqued, and I took my first click into a larger world.

Immediately after reading about the game I thought "That's something I have to play! That'll be awesome! Make a character who gets to live in the Star Wars Universe....that's going to be the greatest thing ever!"

The next month, I bought the game and couldn't wait to play. It was a month since launch before I could actually install the game, but I didn't care, I was finally going to get to play! I was finally going to be able to live the greatest saga ever told... mine! I was unaware of the disappointment in my future.... it wasn't the game that disappointed me, it was my computer. My computer was too weak to support the game.

It wasn't until November of 2004, when I finally had a good video card and DSL Lite that I was able to enter the world of SWG. Of course by that time there was an expansion pack available.... Jump To Lightspeed. The expansion that is every bit as expansive as the game, finally players could fly an X-Wing or a TIE or even a YT-1300. My oldest cousin who also plays SWG gave me a copy of JTL as a very early Christmas present, and I instantly knew that I didn't want to fly for the Imperials or the Rebels... no, I wanted my own Millenium Falcon. The perfect ship for the character that I was going to create, who would one day be a Smuggler.

As soon as the four hours of update downloads were finished, Tarti Elensor was "born" on the Ahazi server. After a relatively quick grind through most of the pistols branch of the marksman profession, I began the long unarmed grind from the brawler profession. While I was working through this, I saw what a Teras Kasi Artists were capable of.... soloing almost every mob in the game! Well, I had to get the prerequisites for it, so I figured I may as well make Tarti not only a Smuggler, but a TKA as well. On the way to becoming a Smuggler and TKA, I, well Tarti actually, did a little dancing for some fast credits to pay for buffs, house maintenance, and most importantly.... clothes and lots of them and a few sets of armor along the way.

Mastering the Teras Kasi profession openned many doors for Tarti.... the path to becoming a Jedi for one. Attempts at a little Canyon Kryat Hunting were also a favorite.

Then came the Combat Upgrade (CU). Everything changed. But it changed for the better.... instead of spamming one move *coughUnarmedHit3cough* now players actually have to think about what move they're going to use next, as there are "cool down" and "warm up" timers. The best part though? I can't kill myself by not watching how much I have left in my mind pool. (TKA attacks took more mind points than anything)

With the CU, TKA aren't god characters anymore. There went that month of grinding at the Tusken Village, Squill Cave, plains of Dantooine, the steps of the Theed Palace (take that you stupid Rebel soldiers )and the Ewok Villages of Endor (DIE VERMIN! DIEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!).

But then there was good news.... we were allowed to "respec" our characters.... drop skills we had in order to get new skills and professions that we had the prerequisites for. When I found out I qualified for the Commando Profession, I respecced as quickly as a I could, got my composite armor back on (TKA can't wear armor, and Smuggler's can only wear Reconissiance class amor... but Commando's wear the good stuff ), got my hands on a flame thrower, got in a group, and started making grilled piket steaks. Quite tasty if they get cooked just right.

During all of this, Tarti joined the Rebel Alliance for all of two weeks, before getting sick of 3PO and R2. Then she joined the Imperial Army, and has worked her way through the ranks and is now a Second Lieutenant. And she joined the Alliance of Intergalactic Pirates, the best of Ahazi's two pirate guilds. She's the third in command in the guild and will soon become mayor of Inner Sanctum Alliance, the guild's city on Dantooine. She also now has a pet dewback named Tumbly, a pet veractyl who will be named Slinky soon, and a pet Stormtrooper Commando.

So, I am Tarti, the purple female Twi'lek who is a Pyromaniac Smuggler Pirate who serves as a Warrant Officer I in the Imperial Army who also happens to fly for CorSec. Quite a combonation.