This year is my last year in high school.  And... for me that pretty much means a lot of 'lasts' for a bunch of other things.  I'm afraid that VE is something else I gotta leave behind.  You all have been awesome people; I've enjoyed every minute I've wasted on IRC talking to people like Rizzit, Bacredi, Drac, and my squaddies.  If I knew you all in real life we'd hang.  But unfortunately, we don't.

The truth is I came here for the single purpose of being able to write and have other people read it and tell me what I need to do to make it better .  Took me a while to do it, especially since I had little to no foreknowledge of Star Wars stuff at all.  The only thing I had done that was Star Wars related before then was pretend I was a Jedi with Drac on a different site.  That site closed down and well... I moved from being a Jedi to a Stormtrooper.  Glamorous eh?

I want to be a novelist.  I want to be an actor.  I want to write plays and perform them.  I want to write books and spend hours upon hours trying to figure out how to kill my main character and make my readers cry about it because they loved that person.  I want to study Shakespeare and be a teacher and have my students learn about Hamlet and Ophelia or maybe Othello and Iago.  I want to be an English Professor and wear an untucked shirt and messed up tie and teach all day about what is so awesome about a playwright who lived half a millennium ago.  I want to be so much you see, and honestly, VE isn't going to get me there.

It's going to be hard, it's true.  I'm going to miss a lot of people here. I'm sorry that I left in mid competition; but I just... I don't have the motivation for it.  I feel like it's time to move on for me.

Now my thank yous.  First I'd like to thank Arnaut and Kanderin, you all really helped me get settled in VE, and well... gave me the chance to move up in the ranks.  Having a squad was pretty cool while the thrill lasted.  Secondly, Rizzit.  You've been an awesome friend, man.  Take it easy.  Third, my squadies.  Star, Havvy, RB, Karash, Grahim, Rae; most of you I got to know really well.  Thanks for being awesome troopers.  I was proud to lead you all.  For the rest of you, it was nice to know you all.

If you actually took the time to read this ridiculously drawn out farewell, then thank you.  I'm touched.  If you didn't, I don't blame you.  Chances are you'll all forget about me in a few weeks time- more for some and less for others.  Hell, I'm sure there are plenty of you who just don't give a rat's ass if I'm here or not. 

So yeah, I might pop on IRC one of these days to check up on you all and say hello; have a private conversation with some of my better friends to tell them how my day went and how life in general sucks.  Whatever.  See you around.

If you came here looking for critiquing of your writing, you just need to know where to look. I'm always available to read people's stories and give them opinions. Wish I had known you had the desire to be peer read. It's a shame to see you go, I foresaw you having a bright future here.

Take it easy.

I gotta say, I have to agree with what's been said. You were a great addition to the Vast Empire, and be assured that you'll always have a place if you wish to return.

Take it easy, and good luck to ya.

I'm sorry to see you go.  You will be sorely missed by many people.  Good luck with everything you set your mind to, I know you will succeed.  Remember the VE will always be here should you ever wish to return.

Damn, well it's too bad to see you go, I'm afraid your in a position that i will be in, in two years, Have fun at college or whatever you feel like pursueing after high school. it was nice having here

Ron you were not the squad leader for a great length of time, however what you did with that time was brilliant. When you came to the squad we were in a mess and looked pretty bad but through your ideas and leadership you brought us back to fighting standards. Now we have a fully active squad and have a good chance of winning the Platoon Competition.

Basically what I am saying is, on behalf of myself and the entire squad I would like to say thank you and wish you good luck.

Bah, curse you. You were my most promising apprentice

Good luck with wherever life takes you from here on in. And I'll take the same stand Angel took, if you want me to look at anything you produce simply get in touch. I spent a lot of time working with you on your spec stories, and if I made you a better writer in even the tiniest way, I'm very proud.

Ron, what Karash said really sums it up. You are an amazing person and I wish nothing but the best for you. Thank you for everything you have done to make all of us better at what we do. Without you I still would be using MS Paint for graphics Good luck in the pursuit of your dreams.

It's definitely an unfortunate thing for you to have to leave us, Ron. You were, by far, one of our best troopers, and it's been my privilege working with you.

Good luck with your future - the world needs great, enthusiastic English/Literary Arts teachers.