07-02. Top Secret Science: Part 2

I need to share a little detour here before the science story continues. During the time the group research was going on, Piers and Bunter were sent out to investigate a crime. They were interrogating suspects. 

While Piers was talking to Archie Bloom and Tyron Nielson, Hot Tempered Antwon May came over and started yelling at Bunter.

Bunter reacted true to form. He doesn't need to be hot tempered to enjoy a good fight! I guess that's his Brave trait. They kept arguing, and I just let them duke it out. Bunter actually ended up attacking Antwon two different times. His choice.

The reason I'm bringing up the fighting is because while I was watching Bunter, I suddenly got a notice that Piers had reached level 8 in the Nerd social group. I guess Piers was playing Good Cop to Bunter's Bad Cop! 

The notice said I needed to choose a new trait for Piers. I didn't want Piers to have any more nerdy traits. He has enough of those. He's also Athletic and has a Good Sense of Humor.

I ended up choosing Family Oriented because of his recent marriage and the birth of his daughter Kathryn.

Now back to the science project. Bunter wandered up to the roof and got on the blue station, so I sent Piers and Caprice up too. Piers went to the green station this time.

Hera pulled the Lever of Doom.

And this time, the group connected to the Overmind and got Hive Mind moodlets. Intense skill building! I sent them all off to various activities.

Now, here's where I started thinking about Piers' new trait. Family Oriented. It was also Love Day. So on an impulse, I had Piers try cloning a DNA sample. He had two samples in his inventory: his own and Bunter's. I thought, better do his own.

Piers listened to a gardening tabcast while he worked on the cloning.

We had a success! My first ever DNA cloned baby.

Specimen 4138. He has Piers' favorites and is also an Aquarius like Piers. He received the Avant Garde trait, which Piers has. But instead of being Athletic as Piers is, the little guy's a Couch Potato.

I didn't change the baby's given traits. I may, but not sure I want to.

The game let me give the baby a first name. Specimen 4138 became Davis Wimsel.

Davis is not related to the Wimsels, despite being a clone of Piers. He isn't on their family tree. But he has the Wimsel last name. So Davis is not Kathryn's brother even though they share Piers' DNA. Some strange possibilities could arise when these two grow up!

Here are Kathryn (biological daughter) and Davis (cloned baby). I gave Davis a Valentine teddy bear since he was created on Love Day.

Hera doesn't have an option to breastfeed Davis. Technically she's not his mother. But she and Piers will raise him as their own son.

07-01. Top Secret Science: Part 1

A while back, Piers reached level 10 in Science.

And he received this contraption as a reward. I've never had the Group Project machine in my game before. I had no idea what I was suppose to do with it. But my sims and I were ready to try it out.

The first time we started the thing up, it was a dark and stormy night!

My scientist (Piers) was in charge of the red beam. I didn't realize it at the time, but his high skill level would determine what color of power beam and effects we'd get.

A giant red beam appeared and then ... nothing. It wasn't until I'd sent the household to bed that I found another option left on the machine.

Pull Lever of Doom? Hmm. That didn't sound like a good thing. I saved. Then woke Piers up to pull the lever.

Piers was having a panic attack though, so we had to take a moment to calm him down. 

Then he pushed some buttons and pulled a lever. There was a huge explosive reaction, but I was too busy watching to get the photo.

However, my sims became "uninhibited." Big deal. There was a child (baby) in the house, so no streaking was allowed. None of them did anything naughty. All they did was dance.

The next day, we tried Red Beam, Take 2. I had Piers back on red. And Caprice was projecting a body/mind aura to help everyone build skills for the project.

Bunter did the lever pulling. And I managed to get a shot of the Doom Cloud.

They danced again. Caprice and Bunter did some kind of Irish jig.

Then Piers was sent to the blue station and we got a blue beam. Caprice radiated a mind/body aura again while Hera sketched the whole process for the research journals.

Caprice pulled the lever. About that time, Piers decided to ask Bunter for a DNA sample.

The Cloud of Doom boomed!

Hera and Caprice dropped to the ground for power naps while Bunter let Piers collect a sample of his DNA.

Then the guys dropped down for power naps too. They later woke with all motives maxed.

06-20. Remember Me?

On a certain evening, Emad showed up at the local dive bar. Not many people were there, but he made sure his presence was known. 

He kept the bartenders busy rambling on about nothing in particular. He placed drink orders one after another.

And when the juice began to take effect, Emad put on quite a performance. He was loud and boisterous, even did some raving. He stayed in the bar until the ladies kicked him out at closing time, 4:00 am.

Emad stopped by the Woeful Warehouse for a brief check in. The news he received was not to his liking.

Emad: You left early? Without making sure? You bumbling lame-brained ... !

Antwon: Wait! Your wife showed up! I hid around the corner and came back later. The job's done.

Emad: It better be or it's your head next time!

_____

At dawn, Emad arrived home. Luck was still with him. Bo had decided to check on the horse before work. So it was the son who discovered the body. But by then, no amount of CPR could help the old man.

During the next few days, Emad stayed out of Bebhinn's way. She was all business. He hadn't seen her shed a single tear. Bebhinn was dealing with her father's will and estate legalities. Of course, Emad would examine all those forms and documents later when it came time for signatures. 

But for now, he kept a low profile. The family doctor was calling the death an "unfortunate accident." Mr Walsh had tripped and fallen into the icy pond around midnight during an unusually heavy Spring frost.

_____

Larry Walsh knew his death had been no accident. But that was about all he remembered. He just knew though. Someone he trusted had betrayed him.

And Larry wasn't leaving Rinn Fada until he got his revenge.

He wandered through his old home that first morning, barely conscious. No one else seemed to notice him either. Not yet anyway.

Then Larry made contact. Sparky the horse saw him and knew who he was!

But Larry couldn't continue his haunting. His spirit faded and was drawn back to the grave. Larry slept.

_____

The next night, Larry caught sight of a familiar man. Who was he now? Larry remembered some angry words. Threats. But then ... there was something about Bebhinn. What about Bebhinn? 

Oh, yes! His daughter and this man, they were together now. In his home! Like they owned it instead of Larry. That could not be right! He had to speak to Bebhinn and tell her. This home belonged to HIM!

Larry: Bebhinn. Bebhinn. ... Listen.

Bebhinn: Father! My god!

Larry: I see them. Shouldn't be there. 

Bebhinn: Hush, Father! You must leave!

Larry: Not dead. No. No. No.

Bebhinn: What, what are you saying?

Larry: In the fog. They killed me.

Bebhinn: Father, it was an accident. No one was there. No one.

Larry: They were THERE! ... Grabbed me. Forced me under.

Bebhinn: No. Go away, Father! This can't be happening.

Larry: One came. One left. Still alive. But no help for me. No help ... for ... me.

Bebhinn: No! Father, I won't listen anymore!

Bebhinn rushed from the house and drove away. Larry floated alone through the rooms. He felt his energy failing again, but he had to remember. There was someone else. A young man.

Warned me. Who was he? ... Yes, the knight's medallion! ... Find the medallion. Find the knight.

06-19. Minions of Woeful Countenance

While Emad was romancing Bebhinn, he was also furthering his Evil Mastermind Plot. He needed minions and power puppets. While Bebhinn was at work one night, Emad spent some time at the village inn making plans.

What he'd seen of the locals hadn't impressed him that much. He needed an organization already in place--not an obvious criminal group, but something that would make for a better cover.

The Brethren of the Woeful Countenance would be the perfect society to corrupt. It was a small, seemingly insignificant group, but they enjoyed a great deal of influence in the community.

The lodge's standing was due mainly to the two founding Brethren, Larry Walsh and Eddy Ryan, a couple of town elders. Locals respected the men even though they secretly snickered at their outdated beliefs.

Emad tracked down the Brethren, one by one. He introduced himself as Knight Bunter's long-lost kin. His little brother apparently had done some mercenary work for the lodge.

Ironically, one mission had been to vanquish the Kraken terrorizing Rinn Fada. The Kraken had turned out to be Emad himself. But no need for the Brethren to discover that small detail.

One of the Woeful group was a certain Antwon May, a former Wimsel research subject. Emad knew that Majid had once had his own problems with this guy. (See how Bunter Takes Out the Trash in an earlier chapter.)

Antwon: I don't need another lousy out-of-towner telling me what to do! Keep your ideas to yourself!

Emad: Hold your tongue, you loud-mouth buffoon! I'm not my brother. A couple of punches and banishment aren't my style. You push me, I'll make you disappear for good!

_____
There was another Woeful living with a couple of Majid's former love interests. Emad was already familiar with Ruth, the musician twin he'd met at the Wimsel wedding. Ah, if only he had more time at the moment ...

But recruitment came first. Vincent Fitzpatrick wasn't quite a total waste of humanity. Close, but not quite.

He did exhibit advanced scientific abilities. Emad discussed the possibility of Fitz rising in the lodge's ranks based on these nerdy contributions.

_____
The only other Woeful member that mattered to Emad was Elder Ryan. He was a much milder man than Walsh. More of a toady really.

Emad: With my backing, you can begin to exercise a lot more authority in the Brethren than you dared before.
Eddy: Well, I don't know. Larry, that is, High Elder Walsh might not agree to these changes.
Emad: You just leave the High Elder to me. I guarantee he'll see it my way.

Eddy: I do believe a celebration is in order, my dear! You can buy that new dress you've been wanting.

_____
Emad:  Call the Brethren together. I need them to meet me at our new facilities.
Antwon: Not the room above the grocery store?
Emad: No, the secret warehouse by the science lab.

Antwon: Everyone knows where that warehouse is. No secret there, Faraz.
Emad: Just do it! And keep your feedback to yourself!

Of course, Antwon was right. A random townie also showed up for the secret meeting. Emad ignored him. Maybe he'd recruit the fellow later. Swear him to silence.

Emad: There's something I need you to do, May.
Antwon: Oh man! Why me? Can't Bloom do it?
Emad: Bloom! Are you kidding? That goofball can barely zip his own pants!

Emad: It has to look like an accident, you hear me? An accident.
Antwon: And what am I going to get out of this?

Emad: You? Why, I don't know. Maybe you'll get to keep both your ears.