1.7 Man in the Lab Coat

Training continued for young Bendayo. "Before I put you to bed, make a Link Shield. I know you are very sleepy Benny, but it is important to protect yourself no matter how you feel."

Making the Link Shield was very tiring work but little Bendayo did it. He was asleep before his head could be laid upon his bed.

 

He also learned how to face his fears with a calm mind. He loved the dog but being so little, and with the dog so big, having her up in his face like that with teeth so big, well...it took him an entire year before he learned to control his mind in the face of 'danger'. He still had a long way to go to perfect this skill but he was doing a very good job so far. 

 

The planetary-style training also took place. This was Bendayo's favorite. He was quite good at it too. 

 

But there was nothing he loved more than to be with his mother. 

 

The day came, finally, when little Bendayo became a child. The outfit the Orbital Ship chose for him wasn't the best but he didn't know any better so he just stood there and wondered what life would now be like. 

One of the first things that Ambria asked of her son was for him to go to the park with the dog and observe the people there. Learn what they are like, what they talk about, who they are and what life means to them. When you see one you wish to converse with, go for it but be very careful. Not everyone is gentle and kind.

 

Bendayo did go to the park and he brought the dog with him. As he observed for most of the afternoon, he chose a man with an interesting hairstyle and a lab coat. Who was this man, he wondered? Well, he was about to find out.

After talking to the person he turned to leave, eager to share what he had learned with his mother. The lab-coat man on the other hand had been observing Bendayo all afternoon too and could tell that something just wasn't normal about him. As time when by and the boy actually approached him and began asking questions, his mind began to theorize about this young one. He knew that no matter the cost, he had to get this boy back to the lab for further testing. 

 

Sensing the intent of the man and hearing the quickened footsteps behind him, Bendayo took off on foot. He was tempted to 'jump' on the wind and transport himself home but he heeded the warning he had repeatedly received from his mother. Never show your powers in public unless dying is the only other alternative.

When Bendayo got home, he explained in minute detail everything he had observed.  Everything but one. The man that chased him, in his mind was not a threat and so he did not speak of it to his mother. 

Little did he realize that the man in the lab coat had followed him home.

1.6 Training Begins

Young Bendayo was growing up so quickly it seemed, though he did not age any differently than the natives. He did have some special abilities though, so Ambria helped train him how to use them discreetly even from a very young age.

"Okay Bendayo, just like I showed you. Transfer from where you are to my arms. I will catch you. Go ahead when you know no one else is looking. Look carefully."

After looking all around with his eyes and his mind, young Ben crouched down and then 'jumped'. Disappearing from where he use to be, he appeared again in his mother's arms. She had caught him just as she said she would. This was a lot more fun than walking, which he already knew how to do instinctively.

"Good job Benny. Now we'll try it out in a public area. You'll have to be very careful out there."

Going out to the stadium near the school, Ambria took Bendayo out back to the sport field. By the empty bleachers she set him down. "When you're ready, begin."

 Having already checked the area with a mental link before her son used his 'jump' ability, Ambria reached out her hands and waited for her little son to act. Ambria could feel his own link at work as he searched the area for himself. It was feeling stronger every day. He did so well!

Pleased with his progress, Ambria went on to teach him something new when they got home. He knew how to communicate with her with a silent mental link sending. But he had not yet spoken out loud.

She worked on that the very same day. He had trouble at first but learned quickly. She continued to work on that the next day too. Hours later, Bendayo opened his mouth and spoke his first word. "Momma."
It made Ambria smile with pride and love.

Young Bendayo was making fine progress and was proving himself worthy even at this young age to take over when Ambria could not go on. Yes, Bendayo was ready to age up soon. Then he would learn even more and might be able to start helping in Ambria's tasks. She looked forward to that day.

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Blooper Pic

I have no idea what happened here, but I thought it was hilarious and had to share. 

1.5 Lessons and Leaving

Ambria was a Protector not a Bandit. Therefore, sending Benjamin to the hospital was not because of him sustaining any injuries. Instead, it was to make sure he was not diseased by the lady he had chosen to mate with. Ambria did care for him and hoped that he could be 'refined' in his behavioral choices. 

The lock up area in the kitchen for Benjamin lasted for only two days. No food, no sleep, no toilet. There was a reason for each. 

When Ambria finally let him out, she explained. 

Dear Benjamin, you have suffered humiliation for having no toilet. I have suffered much greater when you cheated. You have felt the burning ache in your stomach because of your lack of food. I have hurt much deeper in my heart. Your great need for sleep is paled compared to my need for love. 

I made a mistake when I chose you. You are unworthy for the task my offspring and I must accomplish. You are free to go. When the infant I carry is born you may look upon it but do not touch. Good bye Benjamin.

With a broken heart himself because of Ambria's words, Benjamin took care of his needs and sulked in sorrow when he next awoke until the little one was born. It wasn't a long wait for Ambria gave birth that very night. 

Little Bendayo came into the world and broke his father's heart. Looking upon his son, he knew he would regret his life of cheating for the rest of his days.

Leaving his dog behind to protect the family he still loved, he headed away to live in a new town, never to be heard from again.

Despite her aching heart, Ambria knew this was the only way to protect Bendayo as he grew up. There were secrets that needed to be told and skills that he needed to be taught. To have Benjamin, a man she could no longer trust, in the same house just would not work. 

Putting on an optimistic smile upon her face, she faced the future with as much hope as she could then muster. 

Ambria did learn later that Benjamin had not changed and hearts continued to be broken by him. Her decision had been the correct one. She had no regrets.

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Bendayo Storm

Clumsy, Artistic

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1.4 Trouble

Pregnancy was not kind to Ambria, in more ways than one. Losing her mental hold on her mate, he began to remember and act upon his lifetime wish. Yes, Benjamin might have great traits, but he was also a heart breaker. When Ambria was out speaking with her Prowler Clan contact at the Consignment Store in town one night, Benjamin was having a little 'contact' of his own. 

When Ambria came home, she found that she had been locked out of the bedroom. Feeling as if Benjamin had just become a little unstable in his memory and not wishing to wake him from his slumber, Ambria took a nap upon the couch. 

In her extreme tiredness, she failed to discern the real reason behind the locked door. When Benjamin came out a few hours later and saw his beautiful wife, he was forced to confess what he had just done. Ambria was incredulous and quite angry besides. No, furious would more likely describe her emotions at this point.

Marching right into the bedroom, she told the female bandit exactly what she was going to do to her face. 

Yes Ambria was furious. But no, her words to the woman were not carried out. For Benjamin on the other hand, she certainly did have plans. And he wasn't going to enjoy them very much. After he got out of the hospital, and with the help of her orbital ship, Ambria made a special place just for him. 

Would he die in there? Only time would tell.

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Blooper Pic:

1.3 Mission Impregnate

With her chosen mate snatched up good, Ambria began to put the next stage of her plan together. The creation of offspring. Benjamin was quite willing.

Pregnancy for her kind went very fast. It was the very next day when she felt the first signs of success. 

It was further proved by her sudden need to eat EVERYTHING in the house. Shamelessly, she tried to devour the plates too. She felt like such a slob.

Oh yes, she was definitely with child.

1.2 Target Acquired!

Benjamin Schmidt a.k.a. Mate Target was not taken by another, which was good news for her. Yes, Ambria's power gaze was working like a charm. This Sim was completely under her control. Or was this how all SimTerran males acted?

There was only one way to find out. After morphing into finer clothing, she transported him to what she had heard was a popular spot among the locals, a movie theater, and demanded that he become her mate.

He readily agreed. Sealing the bond right then and there, she rewarded his cooperation with food. Putting her mouth to his, she gave him energy. The way to a Sim's heart was through his lips, right? Maybe? No worries, he rather enjoyed it and that was all that mattered to her.

Through the 'dinner' she fed him, she learned through his mind, that this new mate of hers had a pet. A four-legged, furry inhabitant of this planet commonly referred to as a dog. Hoping that it would not tear out her throat as she slept, she welcomed the news as it meant more research on the local fauna could be conducted.

Communicating with her orbiting ship by way of a mental link, she had it fashion everything a 'dog' might need. Once created, the ship sent the items down into her planetary home.

The first goal had been reached! And it had gone better than she had hoped it would. What would she do next? Drink of course. Acquiring her mate target was hard work.

1.1 Trash First

There were so many things Ambria needed to get done that she knew she would never accomplish in her lifetime. In fact, this assignment was at least a ten-generation project. With that in mind, she knew she would have to start a family soon.

But first, she had a keen desire to search through the local trash dump. One could learn so much about a species from the waste they did not want. So her first stop was the junk yard on the other side of the small town.

After gaining more questions than answers, Ambria left off her trash examination and decided to hunt up a mate. Finding one after an internal mind search, she zero'd in on her subject and approached him with a power gaze. It was totally flirtatious and usually irresistible with most males, not to mention the side effects of a temporary decreased mental acuity. If they could not think, they could not run. It seemed to be working well on this one too. There was hope yet.

1.0 Arrival

Challenge Rules 

A. Storm has Arrived

Star travel, worm holes, nova energy depots, Planet Outposts, Bandits, Protectors, these are all things that Ambria Storm grew up with. Being planet bound was not something that she had ever been before. Being one of the Elite Protectors in the Prowler Clan though, she was specially chosen for this long-term planet study. 

Despite her white hair and pointed ears, she was chosen for three reasons. She was Disciplined, adaptable and looked most like the natives and so could blend in better. 

Her task? To create a home base and monitor the inhabitants for compatibility in the Star Lanes. In order to accomplish this she would have to do more than just live amongst them. She would have to live as if she were one. 

That included having a child, training them to carry on the assignment when she was gone, and investigate what life was really like. There was only one little problem with the first part of her task. She dislikes children. No matter, she would do it, not because she had to, but because she loved the Prowler Clan. Her assignment was very important and honorable. Ambria Storm was determined not to fail.

After extensive research from her cloaked ship orbiting the planet, she made arrangements to acquire native clothing and a plot of land to begin her investigations. Finding a quiet location in a rural area, she gathered the proper clothing. When she was ready, she transported herself down in front of her new home. 

Taking a breath of the planet air, she was amazed at the variety of scents found there. A small smile came upon her lips and it was then that she knew... She was going to make it.