Chapter 35: Seeking Advice

Previously: Danielle Slade, great grand-daughter of Adam Slade, has arrived in Lucky Palms to escape the trauma and drama that tormented her parents. While enjoying the freedom of her new home she has made a friend who may, himself, harbour dark secrets...

In this chapter Danielle uncovers some of the mystery around her new friend, Clark ...


Danielle was really enjoying the freedom of her new life in Lucky Palms. The relaxed atmosphere and simple joie de vivre that pervaded the town was infectious. Together with the good weather and the awesome landscape, the place certainly lived up to the claims made by her old biker buddies back in Riverview.

Out here on Lakeside Drive, clearly poorer and less attractive, which in many other towns would be considered 'the wrong side of the tracks', there was a real sense of community and many pleasant hours were spent with her neighbours in the nearby park and bars.

After their first meeting just a few weeks previously, Danielle and Clark had quickly become fast friends. Clark didn't seem to enjoy being out in the hot mid-day sun that was common of a Lucky Palm summer, but they would spend hours on the phone or sharing a laugh in the many friendly clubs and bars dotted across the city.

Of their hangouts, their favourite was the Three Palms Lounge. It was an unusual mix of sophistication and simple fun. The smart décor encouraged all the visitors to dress up but then you had some of the oldest and best classic arcade machines to play on.

Much to Clark's amusement Danielle had yet to master the fruit machines of Lucky Palms as she claimed to have done in Riverview. But that was fine; they shared triumph and failure equally which made their nights there all the more entertaining.

One night, however, their good mood was interrupted by one of the older visitors to the Lounge.

Danielle was taking her turn on one of the classic pinball tables, with Clark offering helpful "advice" and playful commentary when Danielle noticed this woman glaring at Clark. As the woman turned to walk away from the machines she sneered, just loudly enough for Danielle to hear her, "Tsck! Biters, shouldn't be allowed out!"

Although he kept joking with Danielle, she could tell that Clark's mood had been affected by that woman. But why, what did she mean 'biter'?

Ending her game, Danielle had to ask her friend what had happened.

Clark tried to pass it off as nothing, "Oh, pay her no attention, just some sad old crone who doesn't like to see young people out enjoying themselves."

"No Clark," Danielle persisted, "I can tell she upset you, and what did she mean by 'biter'? What sort of word is that?"

"Honestly, it's nothing ..." but Clark could see that his new friend wasn't going to let this lie, "OK, it really is nothing really, but ... I ... I have this condition, it's why I am so pale and can't spend long in the sun. It's not a problem; I just have to take special medication ..."

"Oh," Danielle was momentarily nonplussed, unsure how to react, "I'm sorry, I didn't know."

"No, no," Clark smiled broadly and tried to reassure her, "it's not that common and most people will never have come across it. And it's not like I'm sick or anything, it's more about having to be careful about my diet. And there are even upsides too! I mean there are some things I can do better than you, like ... run faster, read quicker, stuff like that."

Danielle smiled back, feeling a little calmer, "well, I may have to put you to the test on that some day! But, what's with 'biter', it doesn't make sense?"

"It's an old word," Clark sighed, "some people use it still for people with my condition. Because we look a bit different and can do some things better than 'ordinary' people. In the old days, some places, they tried to make out we were a threat and wanted to lock us away. That's why I had to leave Moonlight ... too many people there with old views and ... and, well, I didn't want to take it anymore."

Danielle could see these old memories were upsetting her friend; the fun had suddenly gone from their evening. "Look," she suggested, "there's not much going on here now, how about we go get a bite to eat?"

So, the two of them headed off to the Blooming Cactus where the views over the city as the last rays of the sun withdrew from the city below and the cool night air moving gently around them, restored a sense of peace after the unsettling incident at the Three Palms.

--*--

A few days later, Danielle was in Sandy's, her local bar, talking with a neighbourhood friend, Zahra Diwan.

"So, Clark and I were there having fun on the pinball machines when this old biddy just started staring at us, at Clark really, and then she said something mean about 'biters'. He said it didn't but I know it really upset him, except he wouldn't really say much about it. He said it was because he has some sort of medical condition but I'm sure there's more he didn't tell me."

Zahra was, herself, shocked by Danielle's story. "Really, she used that word? I didn't think there was anyone in Lucky Palms with those sorts of attitudes these days. That really is pathetic!"

"Yeah, Clark said it was an old and bad word for his condition ..."

"Condition?" Zahra interrupted her, "is that how he described it? How much did he tell you?"

"Umm, nothing much," Danielle was getting concerned by Zahra's unexpectedly serious tone, "just that he had to be careful what he ate, that he was on meds, and, uhh, that it meant he could run really fast."

"OK, well I suppose it is a 'condition' of sorts though I'm not sure why he would want to hide it, not here in Lucky Palms anyway." Zahra, turned as the door to the bar opened and their friend Romon entered, "Look, Romon knows more about this than I do, he can explain it properly."

Zahra waved at Romon, inviting him to join them and outlined Danielle's story and questions about Clark.

"It's simple really," he started, "Clark is a vampire ..."

Danielle's hand went instantly to her mouth, "Oh my god! It didn't even occur to me, I'd heard stories but ... I didn't even believe ..."

"No," Romon continued, "and why should you. I don't think any vampires have lived in those valley towns for centuries, they tend to stick together in small communities in the central cities and, more recently, out here in the desert towns."

"Wasn’t there some old rhyme, sure I heard it from a couple of the old folks in Riverview, how did it go ... oh, something like 'Beware, beware the moonlit night; for the vampires take to flight; beware the vampire's bite; set your blood alight...'"

Romon laughed, "Ha, haven't heard that in an age! Yeah, back in the old days there were all kinds of superstitions about them. As with a lot of these things there's a small element of truth. A vampire is basically a very minor genetic mutation but it does make a significant difference in how their bodies make blood ... so, back in the day, to stay alive they would have to consume blood. But not like in a transfusion, they actually had to digest it. So, you can imagine how this scared people who didn't understand the basic biology of their 'condition' ... and the 'fangs' didn’t help either!"

"Fangs!" Danielle literally yelped, "I thought that was just unusual dentition ..."

"No, it is one of the obvious physical indications of vampirism, the skin tone, the unusually bright eyes, and the sharpened teeth. Unfortunately it fed right into the fear of difference that stunts superstitious people."

"So," Danielle asked, "is it dangerous, y'know, being a vampire ... or knowing a vampire?"

"No, certainly not these days. We've discovered that it is blood plasma that they need and that can be mass produced now so they don't need whole blood or die of 'the thirst', as they say. And he's certainly not going to be attacking you for your blood. In fact, he has several benefits as a vampire. As he told you he is capable of moving at great speed and that is not just a physical attribute, his mind also works faster than ours so he can learn new skills more quickly than you or I. He is also likely to live a lot longer than any of us, which may or may not be a good thing of course."

"Wow, I never thought leaving Riverview would be such a change! Thank you Romon, that does make me feel a bit better, but I just wish Clark could have told me this himself, I don't understand why he is so cagey about it."

"Well, he is new here, and not everywhere is as relaxed about vampires as Lucky Palms. Didn't you say he moved here to escape? Perhaps where he used to live was still plagued by those old and backward views? I think you should try to speak to Clark about it, properly ... or ..."

Zahra suddenly interjected, "Yolanda."

"Yes, have a word with Yolanda Shaw. She's head of the local Vampire Community Council and will be able to help you and Clark deal with any issues that might come up. What I've told you I have learnt from working with the local news teams and I bet there's a lot they and I don't know. Anyway, he really has nothing to fear here; he probably just needs to meet more people like himself, who know what he's been through."

Danielle was relieved to finally get some understanding of Clark's issues, but realised that she still had a lot to learn. Unsure about how she might broach the subject with Clark, he had been quite vague and almost evasive after all, Danielle decided she would first have a word with this Yolanda, who might help her help Clark.

--*--

The following day Danielle contacted the office of the Vampire Community Council to speak with Yolanda Shaw. She was slightly surprised to be passed through directly to Yolanda’s mobile.

After very briefly outlining her concerns about Clark and her desire to know more about vampires, Yolanda agreed to meet that afternoon. "I'd be delighted to meet and talk through some of your concerns, but I am very busy today – I'll be at the Solitary Novel book shop for a while, perhaps we could talk there, over a cup of coffee?"

Such a positive response was more than Daniele had expected so readily agreed to the meeting in town.

On arriving at the book shop Danielle was rather taken aback to see Yolanda sat so casually in the afternoon sunshine.

"Ahh yes, having moved out to these desert cities we had to develop some new products to make our lives easier and a good sunscreen was among the first!" Yolanda explained. "I’m surprised that your friend Clark hasn't discovered it yet – it is readily available from most of the general stores in town, or our offices in an emergency."

The two women ordered coffee and sat at one of the tables in a quiet corner of book shop café and Danielle described in more detail her worries about Clark, especially as, according to Yolanda, he had not yet connected with other vampires in Lucky Palms.

But when Danielle mentioned Moonlight Falls Yolanda's posture stiffened, it was as if her whole body tightened. "Moonlight Falls? I think that may explain a lot I'm afraid."

"Moonlight Falls was one of the first places where a vampire community became established," Yolanda continued, "it's far away from major urban centres and kind of isolated. The story is that the town was actually founded by a vampire family. Unfortunately they hadn't reckoned on the antipathy of the local population, there were some small settlements along the river and they were quite hostile to these 'strange' incomers.

"Anyway, over the years the hostility escalated and the two populations just became more and more entrenched. There is virtually no interaction between vampire and human and if you don't fight with and for your own you can be completely ostracised. Quite a few of the vampires here in Lucky Palms are from Moonlight Falls – they couldn't take the constant warring that has beset the town."

"That’s terrible," Danielle gasped, "that sounds like hell. I'm not surprised Clark wanted to escape, he's far too kind and gentle for such a place."

"Just remember, Danielle, that no one leaves such a place unscathed. He's obviously still wary of people getting too close to him. So, be open with him, show that he can trust you and I'm sure he will tell you all that he needs to in good time. And, of course, do encourage him, not pressure just gentle encouragement, to get in touch with the community council; we can do a lot to help."

Looking quickly at her watch, Yolanda realised she had another meeting in a few minutes time, "Look, I'm sorry, but I really have to go now. I hope I've been able to help you and, here, take this leaflet – it lists all the services we offer and the scheduled events we run. When you're ready, you'd be welcome, you and Clark, to come along."

As Yolanda hurried out to hail a cab, Danielle looked over the small leaflet that she had been handed and wondered what she had got herself into. As much as she loved spending time with Clark did she really want to get that involved with someone who could be so very damaged?



Chapter 36: I Believe In You

Chapter 34: A Desert Home

Previously: Danielle Slade, great grand-daughter of Adam Slade, has left Riverview leaving behind her widowed mother and young brother.  She has travelled far to find a place to start a new life, free of the trauma and drama that tormented her parents.

In this chapter Danielle arrives in a new town, discovers new haunts ... and new friends?


It was a long ride, several days on the road, staying in a variety of low-rent motels would not seem to be the most rewarding of experiences but for Danielle Slade the journey was part of why she wanted to make this trip. As each mile, each small town passed by, the pent-up stresses of her life in Riverview faded away.

Being in charge of her own destiny, having the absolute freedom to go wherever she wanted was exhilarating. And doing it on a bike, the instant responsiveness of the vehicle, feeling that direct connection with the road beneath her wheels and, of course, the sensation of speed made her feel more alive than she had in many a year.

Eventually, tired and dusty, she reached her destination, the oasis town of Lucky Palms. The wide open spaces; broad, palm tree lined, avenues immediately gave the place a relaxed care-free feel, a feeling reinforced by the simple and unfussy desert architecture of many of the buildings.

Even in the centre of town, the overwhelming impression was of space, so unlike the cramped centres of Sunset Valley and Riverview. Yet, despite being at the heart of the great central desert, the town boasted several fine, lush, parks bounded by impressive public buildings from the earliest days of colonial expansion.

But, even with its wide boulevards, Danielle was not keen on staying in the centre of the town, not yet anyway. Besides which she had strictly limited funds. So, checking out a few estate agents, she noticed that there were several more affordable properties on the other side of the main highway.

Having spent several days travelling in searing heat Danielle was rather pleased to feel the soft droplets of rain as she rode out to Lakeside Drive and her new home. She was, however, less pleased when the light drizzle turned into a fully-fledged rain storm!

"Well," she mused to herself, "I suppose that's how it is in these desert lands – one extreme or the other!"

Like most of the houses in Lucky Palms her chosen abode was a simple single storey building with a single bold colour-wash and flat roof. What stood out on this property though were the windows; the builder obviously had grandiose intentions and had installed huge arched style windows. If nothing else there would be extraordinary views across this awe-inspiring landscape.

But, for now, Danielle's main concern was to get the bike stowed and herself out of the rain!

The forecast was for sun tomorrow, so it was going to be an early night and get to know more of the town when the weather was more favourable.

--*--

The sun was indeed out the following day and it seemed like the whole town glistened and, best of all, the central park had been turned into a festival ground full of laughing, happy, people.

One of the girls there noticed Danielle looking a little lost and called her over to join her on the skate rink. If nothing else, Danielle was up for a challenge "OK, why not ... but I've never done this before."

"No problem," her new friend reassured her, "just hold on to me for a bit till you get used to it and you'll have you doing tricks in no time! I'm Marisol, by the way."

Danielle's eagerness to join in was not matched by a natural sense of balance and her attempt to speed up the slow and careful spin that Marisol was leading her in was not entirely successful. Those little wheels under her feet could move at an alarming and unexpected speed and in a direction she was not anticipating at all!

Within a split second of feeling her balance going both girls had crashed to the floor. They stayed down on the hard surface for a moment or two, looking at each other more in surprise than shock, and rubbing the fleshy places that would be showing bruises before the day was out.

Marisol grinned at Danielle, "Oops!"

Danielle laughed back, "... and I thought you were the expert!"

As the two struggled back to their feet Danielle thought to herself "I think I'm going to like this place."

--*--

Danielle was certain she was going to love living in Lucky Palms, it was a whole lot of fun during the day and, as she discovered over the next few nights, there was plenty of night-time entertainment as well.

One place she knew she could be spending a lot of time was the Three Palms Lounge. It was on the other side of town but on her trusty motorcycle it wouldn't take any time to cover that distance from Lakeside Drive. Compared to the rather sad and dreary pubs and clubs in Riverview this place was the ultimate cool and stylish place to hang out. It had the most up-to-date and challenging arcade and games machines, and most enticingly, a floor full of fruit machines.

In the months she had lived in her small flat back in Riverview Danielle had plenty of time to learn the tricks to winning on the couple of cranky old machines in the old bike shop. She was confident that with a little time spent here she would have the measure of these smart new units.

If she didn't feel like making the trip all the way out to Golf View Road there was a rather smart bar in the centre of town that could be fun. For some reason Karaoke had never reached Riverview or, as far as Danielle could remember, Sunset Valley, yet here it was in Lucky Palms. The bar was, perhaps, a little too smart for Danielle's taste, but after a few bevvies, what better way to finish the night than belting out a few favourite tunes!

Not that life was all fun and games. The desert climate was tough and maintenance was an essential part of household upkeep – something Danielle hadn't quite realised. Not until various appliances started to breakdown or stop working.

Without the practical skills to repair all the things that needed fixing, the bills for repairmen started to mount up ... as did the amount of cleaning up after each breakage!

Thankfully, when such chores got too much Danielle only had to step outside and walk just a few hundred yards to a small park. There she could relax and feel the warm sun on her skin, wonder at the ever-changing colours of the distant mountains and shoot the breeze with her neighbours.

On one such occasion she met someone new ... and different to the other residents she had met so far.

He was very pale, his skin almost translucent, and his eyes were so bright they seemed to actually shine.

Within moments of meeting him, Danielle felt an inexplicable attraction to this stranger. She certainly wasn't looking for a man, or 'romance' in any shape, but there was something about this man that was immediately engaging.

It seemed that they had something in common. Both had come to Lucky Palms to find a new life. Clark, as Danielle learned he was called, had arrived several months ago with two friends from Moonlight Falls – a 'bad place' was pretty much all Clark would say about it.

For his part, he was intrigued to hear Danielle's story, of her escape from the 'dead-end' that Riverview had become.

With their, apparently, similar reasons for coming to Lucky Palms, Danielle had a feeling she would be seeing a lot more of this enigmatic young man.


Chapter 35: Seeking Advice

Chapter 33: A New Start

Cleo Slade, granddaughter of Adam wants to stay true to her predecessor's vision of establishing a lasting family legacy in Sunset Valley but that hope has been put at risk by an ill-judged affair that has split her family.  Can the damage be repaired and her children continue the family line?

In this chapter everyone moves on from the trauma of recent events  ...


Their consultant had told them that the new equipment they had recently installed would enable them to make a determination, of at least 99% accuracy, in just a couple of hours. So, after each of them had given a sample of blood, Cleo, Pascal, Danielle and the new baby went down into the restaurant attached to the hospital to wait for the results of the DNA testing.

As much as they tried to keep their concerns hidden from Danielle, the young girl could sense that this was not an ordinary test. Cleo was concentrating on the baby who had been remarkably quiet while they were at the hospital. Pascal joined in Danielle's game of 'Holby Emergency 10' but, she noticed, her parents hardly looked at each other after they had their samples taken.

The restaurant was about to close, the staff had started tidying away all the left-over food, emptying all the bins, and wiping down all the used tables and surfaces, when a nurse came to find them and escort them back to the consultant's office.

Leaving Danielle in the care of the nurse, Cleo and Pascal paused before entering the office, looking nervously at each other as they took the two chairs positioned in front of the consultant's desk.

"Well, Cleo, Pascal, I have the results here. As I told you before even though this equipment can give us results very quickly it has proven to be very accurate. The manufacturer's claim over 99% accuracy and I have not heard of any cases, in real use, where the analysis has been questioned. So I have no doubts, at all, about what I have here."

He leans across the desk to hand them a single sheet of paper. Under the heading "Marker Analysis" are a series of tables, one for each of them followed by another table, "Match Analysis by Paternity Index". They were all a series of numbers against each name, but for the final column of the second table, headed "Determination".

The consultant continued, "as you can see from the determination entry in that last table ... you are both positive matches for both children; there is no question of any other paternity."

Cleo released a huge sigh as Pascal reached over to hold her hand, "thank you Doctor, we knew this would be the result but … you know ..."

--*--

It wasn't easy for Pascal and Cleo to return to the relationship they had before Garett's interference but they still had a love for each other that allowed them to focus on caring for each other and the two children. Despite Pascal's assurances before the DNA testing he knew that if one of them had proven not be his own, it would have affected their relationship. The fact that both were his meant that, over time, the hurt he had felt could slowly fade away.

But first, they needed a name for the new baby. Cleo had had a name in mind but when Pascal turned up outside the hospital she decided to wait so that they could choose a name together. They had no particular ideas as to how they might choose any name above another apart from finding one that sounded right. After a night flicking through lists of possible names they eventually selected one of the first they had thought of. Cleo also wanted to give her son a permanent reminder of her father, a man whose love for his family was unbounded, so when they went to the town hall to add him to the register of births, the birth certificate they left with bore the name Damien Brandon Slade.

So, having registered Damien, Pascal and Cleo set about the next stage of their agreement; moving out of Sunset Valley.

Cleo felt the pain of leaving behind the home that her grandfather and father had spent so much time building as a family home for many future Slade generations but she also knew what it represented and what moving meant to Pascal. And they had found a beautiful new house in the town of Riverview.

So, just a few short months after Pascal’s return the family had packed up everything they needed, handed the keys over to the estate agent and headed off for their new life amidst the rolling hills of Riverview.

--*--

Released from the burden of watching over and caring for her mother Danielle settled quickly into her new school and, despite sometimes being a little over assertive in class, was soon getting good reports.

Cleo was able to take on a part-time role with the Riverview County Fire Department. Although no longer being at the sharp end of emergency handling she was still able to provide a public service and quickly gained a reputation as an expert at bringing calm and reassurance to victims of traumatic events.

Pascal found his considerable horticultural knowledge much in demand and soon became a regular speaker at the Gardeners Association meetings. But, more than that, Pascal loved spending time with his children. Especially little Damien who, as the months rolled past, was turning into the spitting image of Pascal.

Most of all Cleo, Pascal, and Danielle loved having time to spend together and doted on the ever-cheerful baby Damien.

But fate has a way of dealing within people who manage to escape misfortune and trauma.

Just past two years after arriving in Riverview, while picking up supplies from the local nursery, Pascal suffered a massive stroke. Although other shoppers were quick to notice his collapsed figure and call in the paramedics by the time he arrived at hospital the prognosis was not good.

Several attempts at resuscitation were made but each time his heart proved incapable of supporting him. The doctors advised Cleo that further attempts to force him awake might work but were likely to cause significant damage to his heart and other organs such that his quality of life would be severely impaired. But there was a small chance that by keeping his body at rest for a little longer it could naturally restore its own balance and recover with less damage.

Unwilling to lose Pascal, Cleo could also not face imposing a life of pain and struggle on him so accepted the doctor's recommendation not to attempt another resuscitation. As the hours passed by, and night turned into day, Cleo took a break to rest her own exhausted body, snatching a few moments of fitful sleep. A sleep that was suddenly interrupted as a nurse gently roused her, she heard a phrase that would haunt her for years to come; "You should back to the ward, now."

Returning to Pascal's bedside she noticed that much of the apparatus that had been attached to him had been removed. She stared at Pascal's peaceful, quiet, features, there was barely any indication of movement, she didn't look up as someone told her "He doesn't have long, he hasn't responded to the drugs and there is minimal heart activity now. I'm sorry, there is nothing more we can do for him."

--*--

Cleo never forgave herself. As much as the doctors and the inquest said that it was a previously undiagnosed weakness of his heart, part of her would always blame the stress she put Pascal through for his untimely death.

Cleo not only gave up work to devote herself to raising Damien, "little Pascal" as she sometimes referred to him, but she also gave up all the friends she had made at the fire station and around town. Unfortunately she also did not notice that young Danielle was grieving for her father too, nor that her daughter’s school reports were less and less positive about Danielle's achievements and more concerned about disruptive behaviour.

As each year went by Danielle’s relationship with her mother deteroriated. Cleo became increasingly reclusive and every time Danielle challenged her to start living her life again she would just turn her back and start fussing over Damien.

Eventually after one particularly angry exchange Danielle packed up a change of clothes and left to stay with friend vowing never to return. But, as frustrated and angry with her mother as she was, those long months in Sunset Valley where it was just the two of them could not be easily forgotten, so Danielle did visit to see her mother and little brother.However, with no sign of any significant improvement in Cleo's behaviour, the visits eventually became shorter and further apart.

For all her confidence, though, Danielle missed the support and guidance she should have got from her parents. Gradually, and unnoticed by anyone who could have intervened, her perception of the world changed. She had many friends to socialise with but none were close, she would not allow any of them a genuine emotional attachment. Spending more time in coffee shops, or bars, or at parties, she barely scrapped pass marks in her school exams.

As soon as she was of legal age she rented a small flat in the centre of town. The flat was above a small motorbike shop, not that the owners made much effort to actually sell bikes. It was more a hangout for the bikers of Riverview and nearby towns. It had an 'attitude free' reputation where young and old mixed and shared stories of bikes, travels, and exotic locations. It also served "the finest damn coffee in the whole county".

Inevitably Danielle spent a lot of time in the shop, lapping up the wild, and often exaggerated, stories told by the grizzled veterans who seemed to be permanent residents of the shop. One of these tales in particular caught her imagination, a tale of a dusty faraway place; populated by free-spirited people, of a town with few of the rules and bye-laws that cramped places like Riverview or Sunset Valley.

This was the place that Danielle wanted to be, free of old ties, free to live life as she wanted, all she needed was her share of the family inheritance that Cleo and Pascal had banked in her name when they left Sunset Valley. And so, a trip to the bank to close her account, the purchase of a bike of her own and pausing only briefly to leave a note for her mother, Danielle was on her way to start a new life.

Chapter 34: A Desert Home



Author's Note:  If you're wondering why I have cut Cleo and Pascal's story short ...

A year ago when I first stated this legacy game I only had the Base Game and Ambitions but since then I have added all the Expansion Packs, apart from Late Night (which I will probably get when it's properly cheap!), and lots of content from the Store, Stuff Packs and a modest amount of Custom Content.  To be honest, I'm pretty impressed that my old PC still runs the game!!

Also, one thing I noticed is that sending my Sims off to World Adventures locations massively increased the save game size - such that it now takes about fifteen minutes to load or save.

Anyway, the game has finally become just too unwieldy and glitchy and then to get an Error 12 save fail after waiting ten minutes it's just not fun!

I had hoped to save the Gen 3 household and move them all to a new world but every time I tried to save them the game crashed completely!  I could probably have saved each Sim separately but that would mean losing a lot of their built up history which rather defeats the purpose of saving them.

Despite all that, I don't want to give up on the Slade story just yet so I made the decision to cut the Gen 3 story short and start afresh with my Gen 4 heir in a new world that would fit into the storyline I had, anyway, planned - and without all the baggage that comes with a long game it should be a whole lot less frustrating to play!

Think of it like a new series where the old cast is disposed of and the show takes a new and, hopefully, exciting direction.  Though, of course, the point of  a legacy story is the history of the earlier generations so I'm not forgetting the other characters ... if it makes sense to the story (and I'm already thinking of certain scenarios!) I will bring back some of characters I've left behind today ...

So, thank you for reading my story so far and your patience with my haphazard update schedule and please forgive me for not sticking strictly to the legacy challenge rules - I hope you'll think it worthwhile and will continue to enjoy my tales of the Slade family.