The Name's Oliver - Ben Oliver. Ch. 159: Duty vs Ethics, Pt. II

[Schipperke]

I think for me to make a proper decision we need Ben to model his new kilt a bit better than just sitting.  Perhaps a fashion show?  (I'm thinking of the movie Miss Congeniality... Ben could play the Sandra Bullock part!)

Love how Ben "helped" with the lady's fear of flying.  haha!

Yes, I was thinking the same thing about the pictures as I wrote the update.  Next time I'm in the game I'll take pictures of Ben in both kilts so you can have a better idea how they look.  The new kilt has a sort of underskirt-thing that I'm not sure I like.  Maybe it would look better if it was recoloured to be the same Oliver plaid as the other part of the garment.  I'll try different options and get back to you with the pictures.

Thanks for the comment!

[ladybug53]

Nice to see Ben up to his old tricks again ! That was quite the helping hand .  I quite like his new kilt , maybe he could have a new one for each world he visits . Kind of anxious to find out about the goings on at that prison . Great chapter !

[RainBeau]

Ronnie was the orderly at the Garden Sanatorium.  He told Ben that he was planning to move to Island Paradise, get a houseboat, and become a surfer dude. 

I knew I would smack myself on the forehead after you told me. Wow. One story in between, and I already forgot. So embarrassing.

I agree, we need to se both kilts up close to make a decision.

Fun chapter! Can't wait to see more!

[Audren]

Oh my. Between being the subject for the Create-A-Sim sample entry and his upcoming showing off of the kilts, it seems like Ben has a modelling career to fall back on if he ever gets tired of the adventuring life. 

[Schipperke]

Oh my. Between being the subject for the Create-A-Sim sample entry and his upcoming showing off of the kilts, it seems like Ben has a modelling career to fall back on if he ever gets tired of the adventuring life. 

Intermezzo

"I don't want to be a model!  Have you lost your tiny Watcher mind?  I'm on my way to deal with an urgent situation at the maximum security prison, and you want me to waste time trying on clothes?"

"Patience, laddie.  Nothing's going to happen at the prison before you and Fluffy get there.  Trust me on that.  The Readers have requested pictures of you in your different kilts.  You don't want to disappoint your Readers, do you?"

*Sigh.*  "Oh, all right.  But make it snappy.  If De Luca finds out I stopped off to try on clothes, she'll have my guts for garters."

"And here he is, ladies and gentlemen - Ben Oliver in the kilt you're used to seeing!"



"Now here's the lad in the new Dragon Valley kilt."



"Same Dragon Valley kilt, with the underneath pleated part recoloured to the same Oliver tartan as the overskirt.  Unfortunately, it wasn't possible to match the plaids."



"And since I've been getting tired of seeing him in that buttoned-up jacket he got when he went to University, here he is in the black leather jacket he used to wear, with a new sweater, shirt and tie to go with his kilt."



"Are you finished yet?  Now can I go?"

"Yes, yes, run along.  I think your Readers should have enough information to be able to offer you suitable fashion advice."

"Fashion advice!  *grumble, grumble* I'm going to have to tell the Warden the plane was late touching down." 

[Blayzen]

Ha! I love his topics of conversation. I wonder what's happening at the prison?

Silly Swirl, there's been an eggscape, of course! 

Oh, and I think Fluffy is a perfect name for a 3-headed dog! What? That wasn't the "Fluffy" you were referring to? No matter. It's still a perfect name! Can't wait to see what happens next!!

[cndneh]

Well not sure if I like the new kilt.   Its just not Ben.  The new shirt/jacket is nice though.

[ladybug53]

I much prefer the last photo with his original kilt and jacket with his new shirt . He looks smashing ! 

[Danielle Haydis]

I agree with ladybug. The new kilt just doesn't seem to match Ben.

[Audren]

I don't feel like his new kilt has much definition; it seems like more of a tarp than anything else. I prefer the classic kilt.

[Louise56]

Ben look so handsome in the last picture. The original kilt suit him much better.

[Schipperke]

Thank you for all  the feedback on Ben's outfit!  My favourite is definitely the last picture, and I'm so glad we agree.  I just think that particular outfit is right for him.  It's interesting how Sims seem to have their own individual style, so that some things look right on them and others don't.  I've tried different hairdos on Ben too (in CAS) but I keep coming back to that one because it just seems to be right for him.

Silly Swirl, there's been an eggscape, of course! 

Oh, and I think Fluffy is a perfect name for a 3-headed dog! What? That wasn't the "Fluffy" you were referring to? No matter. It's still a perfect name! Can't wait to see what happens next!!

Glad you like the name - I do too - I just couldn't bring myself to go with some pretentious-sounding dragon name, so I went in the opposite direction entirely.  Not sure I understand the 3-headed dog reference, though.   

"Eggscape"?  Good one!  You're right on form, there, Blayzen!  And maybe a wee bit prophetic too ...  But I'll say no more about that at this point. 

[Schipperke]

Blood Island, Part II

Diary Entry

I was fuming.  On my way to an emergency at the penitentiary, and my Watcher decides it would be a good time for me to go try on clothes?  What a nincompoop.  I wondered if there was some procedure for requesting a new Watcher.   Really, did they let just anyone become a Watcher?  Weren't there some basic requirements for the job?  What qualifications did that idiot Schipperke have for the job anyway?  On top of that, the in-flight meal had been extremely heavy on the garlic.  I didn't mind garlic, but the taxi driver insisted on keeping all the windows open and I was wishing I had found time to brush my teeth.

But there was no time to dwell on that.  The taxi was pulling up beside the prison wall, and I needed to calm myself for my meeting with the warden. 

As soon as I was out of the taxi, the driver spun the car around hard, and floored it back to town.  I guessed he wasn't comfortable being that close to the prison.



Certainly it was a forbidding place, with the high stone wall and guard towers at every corner.  The guard patrolling the catwalk scrutinized me as I walked through the prison gate.



The windows on either side of the front door had been bricked up.  The cannons to either side of the door caught my eye, and I wondered if the cannons were historical artifacts.  Surely they couldn't still be in use, although the way they were set up facing the gate suggested they were there to repel intruders.



One of the security features of the prison was that access was strictly controlled.  Each entrance was protected by a double electric door.  Anyone leaving or arriving would go through the first electric door, then wait for the second electric door to be opened by the guards.  I heard the outside door clang shut behind me and waited to be buzzed through the second door.



The door buzzed open, and I walked through into the Warden's office.



I apologized for being a little late, telling Warden Blue there had been a delay with the plane's landing.

"Never mind, you're here now!" he exclaimed.  "And none too soon, either.  These riots have been going on far too long.  We managed to get the inmates back to their cells and the institution is locked down now, but it can't stay that way forever.  And we don't dare let the inmates out of their cells in case the rioting starts again."



He continued, "So we're very glad to see you.  Are your men waiting in the courtyard?"

I told him I had brought no men.

"You mean there's just you?" he asked.

I nodded.



"Well, never mind," he said.  "You military boys have access to all the latest and best weapons, eh?  No need for a platoon when you have enough firepower."

I told him I had no weapons.

"No weapons?"  He sounded incredulous.  "Would you mind explaining how you plan to stop a prison riot with no men and no weapons?"



I told the warden I was going to meet with the prisoners and hear their demands.  I was sure we could reach a negotiated settlement.  "If you'll let me know who the leaders are -" I started.

Warden Blue interrupted me.  "Are you crazy?  These men are the most hardened criminals in the whole Sim universe, and you want to sit down and have a cozy chat with them?  Don't you realize that a lot of them are serving life sentences so they  have nothing to lose?  What's to stop them from taking you hostage or using a shiv to cut your throat?"  He threw up his hands in disgust.



He continued, "I sent the military an urgent request for assistance, and what do they send me?  One unarmed man in a skirt.  Some ignorant fool who thinks he'll just sit down to tea and biscuits with the inmates and everything will be fine."

I ignored the insults.  No doubt the warden had been under a lot of pressure, with the riots going on.  I pointed out that I was there under the auspices of the military, and that I would do it my way.  I repeated my request to meet with the inmate leaders.

"Oh - all right!"  he exclaimed in disgust.  "Wait here - I'll set it up."  He got up and left the office.



As I waited for the warden to return, I went over to look at the chest sitting in the corner of the office.  On top of the chest was a sealed box with a key, which I assumed unlocked some area of the prison. 



Looking at the key, I became increasingly aware of the strange mist drifting through the office.  It had been there since I arrived, and was worse on this side of the room.  Some sort of drainage problem? I wondered.  The warden seemed to be taking a long time to return.  I wished he'd hurry.  I was tired after the long flight, and I was starting to have trouble keeping my eyes open.



Diary Entry Ends.

Dear Readers:  If you think you know what might be coming in this story, please keep your suspicions and guesses to yourself.  I would like to think there might be a bit of suspense in the story, so as I've done before, I'm asking you not to speculate but to wait for the story to unfold.  Remember, you are all top-hush, button-lip candidates in training! 

Thanks for your cooperation.

[Louise56]

The prison look awesome! I hope Ben will be ok.

[Audren]

I take it that the mist was created using Fog Emitter? You did a great job on that prison. Can't wait to see what the prisoners want.