Chapter One: Wrangler in SpaceA long time ago on a planet far, far away... a small pod containing the life essence of a single being from a highly evolved race was launched, and was hurtling toward Planet Sims III. While in transit, the energy life form contained therein received messages from an authoritative yet compassionate voice.
Voice: Adam... that is how you shall be known.
Adam: Um, okay. I'll be Adam if you wish. What may I call you?
Voice: I am your SimLord. That is all you need to know.
Adam: Somehow, I get the feeling that there is much, much more I will need to know.
SimLord: That you will. You will know whatever you need to know whenever you need to know it.
Adam: Why all the mystery? Why can I not know my mission, my purpose, your plans?
SimLord: Because in your current state, it would overwhelm you.
Adam: I see. Look, I don't mean to go all mercenary about this, but really – what's in it for me?
SimLord: You will live long and prosper.
Adam: I could do that if I stayed home with my people.
SimLord: Perhaps. But you would not fully experience what it is to be Sim, to live in a Sim body, build relationships with other Sims, watch seven generations of your descendants become successful and grow to maturity,
Adam: Seven generations!
SimLord: Yes. I see your pod is nearing its destination, and you still need to download our data about the world you will soon inhabit. Good luck, Adam – we are counting on you.
… and with that, the connection was broken. “Why me?” Adam moaned to himself, but was immediately inundated with vast knowledge of Simkind – their history, culture, belief systems, technology, mating rituals, traits, and habits. While he found some of it fascinating (and some downright distasteful), he had precious little time to ponder or process it. As his pod streaked through the atmosphere of Planet Sims III, his energy form transmuted into a Young Adult Sim body, and was beamed directly to a place called 15 Summerhill Court of Sunset Valley.
How very strange it felt to inhabit a Sim body – strange, and yet somehow... familiar. The clothing covering his new Sim body had some convenient storage compartments built into them. No sooner did he become aware of this fact than he remembered that these are called pockets. This, he realized, is the way the data download will work for him – things that seem alien will become recognizable and he will intuitively understand how to work and live here. Encouraged by his discoveries, he plunged his new Sim hands into his new Sim pockets, and found an ownership deed for 15 Summerhill Court along with a bank deposit slip for 1800 Simoleons. “Looks like SimLord has this all figured out,” he muttered to noone in particular.
Just then, a Sim child strolled toward him, and laid a publication on the ground. “The newspaper! I remember now!” he thought, delighted by his data recollection function. A genuinely friendly sort, Adam approached the child to engage in social interaction.
Scanning the newspaper, he suddenly realized that the Sims of Sunset Valley all seem to have more than one name, and being known as only Adam was clearly insufficient. His eyes landed on the title of the film currently showing at the local theatre - “Wrangler in Space”. “That sounds about right,” he mused. “I will be Adam Wrangler.”
Surveying the massive empty lot before him, Adam Wrangler envisioned it filled with thriving greenery, and wanted nothing more than to bring that vision to fruition.
He grew wistful at the thought - this whole desire thing felt uncomfortable, like a hole, a sense of incomplete, some empty space that he would need to somehow fill. “Is this the way of it?” he wondered aloud. “Is this how it is to live as Sim? More importantly, is this how I will come to know my purpose here?” Plagued by questions for which there were no immediate answers, he became acutely aware of yet another desire that washed over him – the desire – no, the need – to learn how to nurture a garden here on Planet Sims III.
Adam found that this need could be quickly and easily satisfied with a trip to the local library.
Eager to get started and low on funding, Adam proceeded to harvest various wild produce he found growing around town. In fact, the ever-helpful Adam even volunteered to help another Sim family harvest their produce.
Grateful, Gobias Koffi invited him inside, but Adam regretfully declined. With dusk rapidly approaching, he needed to get to the business of planting the seeds and produce he had accumulated during his first day on Planet Sims III.
… and thus it began, this odyssey of oddity, of leaving his known world behind, of becoming a stranger in a strange place, of learning how to live long and prosper as Sim...
