Owen Stillwell & Troy Boardman

Owen Stillwell had been a soldier since just after he had graduated high school and had once enjoyed the physical and mental challenge that came with it.  He had been stationed in Shang Simla with “the Steel Llamas”; a Riverview based infantry unit who was tasked with gathering intelligence against enemy positions.  He spent six relatively unexciting months browsing the market in his off hours and having MP duties; looking out for the drunken soldiers; making sure that didn’t do anything to bother the Chinese people. When he was put on active duty, things went well for several more months, but eventually his world crumbled around him. It started during a sweep and clear operation in the jungles, seeking out a syndicate stronghold in the jungles.

When they attacked the jungle fortress, things got chaotic and before he had realized what happened, two men that he killed were his own comrades. They had charged in unheeded into his line of fire and he couldn’t take back bullets that had already left the muzzle of his rifle. His lieutenant came quickly to investigate the source of the gunfire and discovered Owen standing over the bodies of his comrades. His court-martial had gone blessedly quick, his sentence of twenty years in the military stockade commuted after his representative Lieutenant Kimber Chase had spoken privately with the Colonel overseeing the case. His commanding officer had testified of the events of that day and the judge offered leniency in this case, since the evidence pointed to an accidental friendly-fire shooting. Owen had already spent nearly a year in the Llama Ridge detainment facility during the trial; a prison is all but name with only military staff and detainees. As punishment Owen received a dishonorable discharge from his unit and was given a warning that they would still continue investigating the case and any further criminal activity during that time would mean his twenty year sentence could be upheld and he would spend the duration in prison. He returned home to his wife and two boys and though he tried to make the marriage work, the haunting memories of that fateful day and the accusing eyes of his dead comrades plagued his dreams. He soon distanced himself from the family; so much so that his wife of fifteen years, Marnie asked for a divorce, and he signed the papers with emotion or protest.

In the months that followed, nectar became his best friend and he sank into a depression so encompassing that it threatened to swallow his life whole.  He lost his house and moved into an apartment and also sold his car and most of his possessions so he could drown his sorrows further. It was many months before the fog lifted, but when it did he contemplated his existence and life in Riverview and found it undesirable any longer. He decided to try for a clean start, packing up what clothes he had and selling most of the possessions he had left for a bus ticket to Sunset Valley and hopefully what would become a better life for him.

Since he had been limited in resources, he started looking through the Sunset Valley Gazette, hoping to find a place to live. With such a small town, only a couple options were open to him, so he called someone who had posted an ad in the paper, for rooms for rent and went by to talk with him.   

Troy Boardman was single and fancied himself a bit of a playboy with the ladies of Sunset Valley. He is charismatic and athletic, traits women seemed to like, but truthfully, he had more fun playing the field than he did seriously dating any of them, so their attention often shifted to someone else quickly. He had a nice house near the coast with plenty of room for a family, but had none.  Despite his winning personality, Troy had very few friends and none at all that he trusted for anything more than a ride home on the occasion when his car was in the shop. When Owen showed up on his doorstep and needed a place to stay, he figured it was an opportunity to perhaps make a friend and offered his home for the meager price of one hundred and fifty simoleons a month, giving him a bedroom upstairs and access to the kitchen and living room. He agreed and surprisingly, they became fast friends, often spending time together at the gym so Owen could get back to feeling more like his old self. Troy was always working in the evening leaving him the run of the house so he often spent time out of the house at the local dive bars, never looking for anything but conversation and the occasional taste of nectar. Perhaps the fact that Troy worked at night should have been a sign for him, but he was oblivious to anything but his own little world. Another sign should have been the occasional unmarked police car that would sit down the street and watch the house, but even to this Owen was oblivious, finally getting back to his emotional center with help from his new friend Troy.

Owen had even disregarded several visits from Sunset Valley’s finest as innocent chatter with neighbors, though sometimes those discussions grew heated on both sides. There were also days when Troy would get strange conversations from people whose names he never heard once and the calls were always short and shrouded in secrecy, using terms he’d never heard of before. Owen was curious, but never really got around to asking Troy the substance of those conversations or phone calls. Perhaps he should have been more curious and possibly avoided what came after.

Owen had even disregarded several visits from Sunset Valley’s finest as innocent chatter with neighbors, though sometimes those discussions grew heated on both sides. There were also days when Troy would get strange conversations from people whose names he never heard once and the calls were always short and shrouded in secrecy, using terms he’d never heard of before. Owen was curious, but never really got around to asking Troy the substance of those conversations or phone calls. Perhaps he should have been more curious and possibly avoided what came after.

The following morning, Owen was just getting ready to go out when a cruiser pulled up in the drive and the officers came to the door and thoroughly interrogated him on the front porch about his association with Troy Boardman. When he found out about Troy’s arrest, he quickly denied having anything to do with Troy’s apparent illegal activities.

The police brought their own evidence, photographs of them together at a bar, where Troy had met up with Xander Clavell, a known associate of his and finalized a deal that had been months in the making. Owen felt trapped, felt the noose tightening around his neck so he fled, attempting to leave town; but was picked up down the street and taken to the police station for booking. His flight had cemented his fate and while he was released on bail; he knew that unless his representative could pull some strings, he’d be going to a military prison for the next twenty years. He called his former commanding officer for help and Lieutenant Chase was sent to him for guidance.  

At first he was simply requesting her help, but as she refused to give into his outlandish requests, he grew angry and more determined, wanting desperately to avoid prison. She waited for his tirade to run its course before she spoke, telling him in no uncertain terms that she was sent to bring him to the Colonel, who would make the decisions on what to do.

Troy woke in his cell with a splitting headache and felt like he’d been hit by a car. Outside his cubicle, he heard the news on television, hearing how his attack on the police had resulted in his death and how he would be facing the death penalty. His only choice was to make a deal to save his life, so pled guilty on the advice of his council and beg the court for mercy. Judge Jermaine Robards is well known in Sunset Valley for his “creative sentencing” and since Troy apparently loved to fight he was given a choice, participate in the Last Sim Standing competition or get the death penalty, stating if he wins the contest, he will be only be given the twenty-five year minimum sentence for his crime. His choice is not really a choice, so he signs the contract and waits in his cell for the contest to begin.

That afternoon, Owen stood before the judge that had overseen his court-martial and wasn’t happy about it. The colonel was a fair man, and kept his word on upholding Owen’s twenty year sentence that had been hanging over his head. Kimber gave testimony; having talked to the officers involved and on her words, gave Owen a last chance for redemption. He wouldn’t be forced, but could choose to enter the Last Sim Standing competition and represent his country, or he could go away for twenty years and get out when he is old and gray. It isn’t much of a choice, but he vows to make Troy pay for dragging him into this situation.