NaNoWriMo Day Two

Olivia the AI - thanks to Lexica

Ok so here we go. I used sudowrite - love those guys over there. If you haven’t yet, be sure to check it out. I started with generating some basic beats base on the outline. The first run was a bit rough so I cleaned them up in claude and had second go at it.

1. Jon travels to a remote space station to meet General Millmore, his former commander in the Galactic Marines. Millmore's office is small but tidy, far from his usual expansive military bases.

2. Millmore explains shipments of weapons have gone missing recently. Arms dealer Jericho Riddle was small-time until a year ago when he rapidly expanded.

3. Intelligence suggests Riddle's success is due to help from someone highly placed in the Department of Defense. Millmore believes Riddle is key to uncovering the culprit and tasks Jon with going out of FHD held space and retrieving the man. Millmore states he wants Riddle alive if possible, but just as importantly he wants every bit of data Jon can scrape out of Riddle's computers. Jon agrees to the task, but says, "I am a business man now General, with bills to pay, all of this sounds like it is off the books so who is footing the tab?" The General tells Jon not to worry about that, there are more slush funds than excuses to spend them, and transfers a sizable deposit into Savage's account. Satisfied, Jon shakes the General's hand and leaves.

4. Returning to his docked ship Retribution, Jon meets with hacker Daryl Whipple, hired to replace the outdated Modular AI Copilot (MAC).

5. Daryl admires the upgraded ship appreciatively, noting the tritanium hull plating and weaponry. "You went all in on this baby."

6. Daryl explains he was rushed, so the replacement AI is a reprogrammed pleasure companion android, but her old protocols were purged.

7. Olivia is introduced - a stunning feminine synthetic person, an android, with smooth plasti-skin and extremely lifelike features. Daryl says to look past the Tits and Ass, he states he has uploaded her with the most advanced latest navigation and system programming.

8. Olivia powers up and comes online. She gracefully offers her hand to Jon. "I look forward to working with you, Master Savage." Her voice is warm and charming with a sultry hint.

9. Jon eyes the bot uncertainly. "Seriously," he says. "I asked for a top of the line AI, not a topless dancer bot." Jon shakes his head, he doesn't have time to deal with this, but agrees to take android as-is for now. He warns Daryl there will be consequences if it underperforms.

10. After Daryl departs, Olivia asks about what Jon desires her to do, "How can I service you Master Savage?" Jon explains "First off stop calling me Master Savage, I'm Jon and that's all you need to call me." He then explains that he is a bounty hunter, and that they must capture a known arms dealer named Jericho Riddle and return him here to their current location for interrogation.

11. Jon says that he should be receiving a packet from General Millmore with background on Riddle's jungle compound being outside Federated Human Dominion jurisdiction, and that the trip will be dangerous.

12. Olivia accesses the tactical data, analyzing Riddle's defenses. "Infiltration will require utmost care. But we will succeed, Jon."

13. Jon is skeptical about having an untested pleasure bot as his partner. "Let's see what you've got first. Then we'll talk about 'we.'"

14. Offended, Olivia states her programming and abilities make her an ideal companion for this mission. She vows to prove herself.

15. Jon tells her to prep the ship for departure. They have a narrow window to capture Riddle undetected. The game is afoot.

16. In the cockpit, Olivia expertly plots the course to the nearest star and initiates their travel through a Jump Portal. The ship enters the open portal and exits at another star system outside of FHD held space, as close to the planetoid as possible. Olivia puts the ship into Partial Light Speed, .70, traveling at 70% the speed of light The Retribution will be at its destination within the star system in three hours.

17. Watching closely, Jon notes her competence. Maybe this upgraded android will work out after all. Only time will tell.

18. Slowing and coming to a stop, Riddle's tiny jungle planet looms ahead. Olivia engages the cloaking device and surveys the surface.

19. Finding a secluded area near the compound perimeter, she begins the descent. "Ready when you are, Captain."

20. Jon dons his gear and checks his weapons one final time. "Here we go then. Let's bag us an arms dealer." It's time to infiltrate.

Then it was time to generate the prose. I used a multi-directional assault, meaning ChatGPT 3.5, Claude 2 and the self-contained system in sudowrite - which varies based on choices of Most Accurate, Best Prose, Fastest, and the new kid on the block Unfiltered which is for the naughty-naughty stuff that will make chat cry and call your mother.

In the end, I settled on a mix and tossed in some of my own personal styling to come up with this:

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Taul 4 Space Station, Outer Orbit Baron 3, Baron Star System

Taul 4 space station hung in geosync orbit above a distant emerald hued planet. Baron 3 was a beacon of commerce and opportunity on the outskirts of the Federated Human Dominion. The station served as a way point for travelers coming and going from the planet. Within its utilitarian corridors and cramped offices, businessmen and traders from across the galaxy conducted their daily affairs.

In one such nondescript office, General Octavius Millmore sat waiting. The seventy-three-year-old's hands were folded atop a plain metal desk. He checked the time for the third instance in as many minutes. His visitor was late, but that was to be expected. His guest was dropping off a prisoner for transport back to some other location for trial. Such was the life of bounty hunter.

At precisely three minutes past the hour, the door slid open and Jon Savage strode in. He was taller than the General recalled, his shoulders broader, but Millmore recognized him instantly. The last three years in civilian life had done little to soften the hard edges twenty years in the Galactic Marines had imprinted on him. His piercing blue eyes still glinted with intelligence and relentless determination.

"Apologies for my tardiness, General," Jon said in his deep, gravelly voice. "I was dropping off a detainee. Thanks for seeing to his transport back to Terin 9.

"What did he do?"

"Trafficking human kids."

The General nodded, "Happy to send him back to face his crimes. Frankly, I'm surprised you let him live. Scum like that need to be culled."

"I agree, but dead pays less. So..."

Millmore rose from his seat and extended a hand. "No need to apologize, son. I know you're a businessman these days."

Jon shook firmly, palm calloused from years of weapons handling. As a decorated Galactic Marine, Jon had been one of Millmore's finest soldiers. Now he plied his trade as a freelance operative, loyal only to himself and his own moral code.

"Have a seat," Millmore gestured. "We have sensitive matters to discuss."

Jon eased into the chair across from the desk, casually draping an arm over the backrest. His keen gaze swept over the Spartan furnishings and bare metallic walls. "Quite a change from your usual accommodations," he noted wryly.

Millmore's mouth twitched in a humorless smile. "An unofficial meeting requires discretion, hence the more modest venue. And this is completely off the books, if you follow." He slid a data pad across the desk. "Take a look and I think you'll understand why."

Jon picked up the datapad and swiped through pages of information. As he did, Millmore laid out the situation.

"The FHD is a vast and ever expanding entity, as you well know. At any given time, we have hundreds of colonies on dozens of planets being outfitted with new or upgraded military bases. Weapons and munitions shipments abound, and every day there are remote and AI piloted transports loaded with enough equipment to start a small army out there in the void making their way without incident."

Jon nodded, "And?"

"And, about a year ago they started disappearing. At first, it was one, then another, and now it's happening almost weekly. The scale of this indicated to me a well-organized operation, not the work of petty thieves. But I have been getting pushback from members of the council and other high ranking DOD officials."

"In my mind, it's obviously an inside job," Millmore explained. "But our investigations keep getting shut down. So far I have been able to uncover one name - Jericho Riddle."

Jon's brow furrowed. "He's been on my hot sheets, but by all accounts, he's just a two-bit hustler? No way he has the means or skill for this kind of work."

"Precisely my take as well, son," Millmore agreed. "Which is why I believe he has backing from someone highly placed, perhaps within the Department of Defense itself."

Jon's expression darkened as the implications set in. Corruption undermining military operations from within? It was a bitter pill to swallow.

"I assume you want me to bring this Riddle in for interrogation?" Jon asked, leaning forward intently.

Millmore nodded. "Alive and cooperative if possible. Either way, I want everything on his data systems, he's bound to have something that points to his contact."

"So you think, he's the link to expose whoever is behind this. And where is he, exactly? Because on the hot sheets I read he was out of FHD jurisdiction."

"My intell puts him on a private planetoid in the Elmore System, and yes, that is in Unregulated Free Alliance territory."

"The UFA frowns on incursions into their space, anyone who goes after your guy could end up in a world of hurt if he gets caught."

The General nodded and sighed, "All true, all true, but it needs to happen. And, I can't send a full team in to get him, it would be good as a declaration of war with the UFA."

"So you called me, I'm plausible deniablity."

"Hell, son, don't make it sound so nefarrious. You're the best damned operator I had under my command, I called you because you can get the job done."

Jon nodded, "And I offer plausible deniability."

The General looked at his hands, "And that."

"I just wanted us to be clear with one another General," Jon said. "I'm not insulted, just being realistic."

"Duly noted, son," Millmore stated. "Upfront and open. If you are caught, you'll be on your own. I can aid through back channels but you'd be screwed."

"Well that makes the next part even more important," jon said. "My compensation?"

At this, Millmore smiled thinly. "There are more discretionary slush funds and expense channels than excuses to spend from them." He took the datapad back from Jon and keyed in a six figure transfer of credits to Jon's account.

"Okay, I have only two questions," Jon said. "Where are the weapons going? And what is my time frame?"

General Millmore shrugged,"I far as I can tell, the weapns are simply falling into a black hole. But I know better than that. No one just dumps that kind of cargo, it just hasn't been used yet. And that leads to the second part of your question. My gut tells me this is all going to come to a head soon. So, as soon as possible. Best case, you leave today."

Jon stood, "In that case, I'll take my leave. Pleasure seeing you again, General." Jon stuck out his hand for a parting shake. The General took it.

"Good hunting, son."

Stepping out of the nondescript office, Jon allowed himself a tight smile. The thrill of the hunt quickened his pulse, but dangerous prey required caution. And, he still needed to do someting with his ship's old and failing AI. Jon pulled up station guide on his personal datapad, there were several tech shops listed. He chose the one with the highest rating and headed toward the station's commercial sector to acquire some specialized equipment first.

In a clean and bright shop packed wall-to-wall with electronics, Jon was happy to find the owner was a human and not some droid making droids.

"My ship's AI is outdated. I need a new AI system to handle navigation and tactical analysis," he told the shopkeeper. "Top of the line, no expense spared. But it has to happen today. Can you get it done?"

The middle aged man lit with excitement, the thought of a large payday motivating him to a higher levelof service. And, that was why Jon liked dealing with humans, good service was just a matter of price. With a bot, work was work, and they were programed to have no such greed based incentives.

The man tilted his head thoughtfully, then nodded. "I have just the thing. My son, Daryl is a wizard with synthics and consciousness programming." He punched codes into a terminal.

"Top of the line you said?"

"Top of the line," Jon confirmed. "I'm docked in slip D476. The Retribution."

The shop owner punched in more and handed the pad for Jon's signature. Jon eyed the price, it was high, but not unrealisticly so. He signed the pad, transfering credits and sealing the deal.

"There. My boy's been notified to meet you at your ship with the system. First rate work, I promise.”

Jon nodded his appreciation and headed for the docking ring where his most prized possession waited - the starship Retribution. He had spent the last three years modifying the sleek vessel for speed, defenses and stealth. Walking up the loading ramp, he trailed a gloved hand along the smooth tritanium hull plates with pride.

At the hatch, he found a lanky, unkempt young man fiddling with a man-sized carrying case on a gav-lift.

"Daryl, I presume?" Jon said, making his presence known. "Where's my new AI?"

The hacker practically tripped over himself spinning around. "Captain Savage. I, uh, yeah the AI. Right in the case. I'm running updates and program downloads as we speak."

Jon's eyes narrowed, his tone hardening. "Is there a problem?"

"No problem!" Daryl said quickly. "It's just, I didn't have time to craft a whole new system from scratch. But I do have an alternative." He gestured to the slender chrome case. He pressed a code and the case opened to reveal a slim female figure standing serenely in padded container.

"May I present Olivia, she's a top of the line Class Five Companion and Assistive Android."

Jon looked the synthetic up and down, taking in her refined feminine features, slim waist and generous curves. Designed to fulfill her owner’s every desire, no doubt. It was new, that was obvious, by the total lack of coloration or specific facial features. At the moment it was a blank slate, a psuedo lump of clay waiting to be molded by the owner's descretion.

"You want me to trust my ship to a repurposed pleasure bot?" Jon asked incredulously.

"Whoa, big guy, I said companion and assisitive android. My pop's doesn't sell pleasure or slave bots, that's black market stuff. Her core protocols have been overwritten," Daryl explained. "I uploaded the most cutting-edge navigation, combat and tactical programming available." He lowered his voice conspiratorially. "Between you and me, these companion units have processing cores powerful enough for full AI sentience. This one's a real upgrade."

He tapped a few buttons on a datapad and the android's eyes flicked open. Daryl leaned closer to Jon.

"Any personal preferences, you know blonde, brunett, redhead?"

Jon shrugged, "Couldn't care less, as long as it an fly the ship."

Daryl smiled, "Look man, you're the one that has to look at her. I can leave her in blank mode and she'll be good to go."

Jon weighed his options. "Fine make it a redhead."

"Good choice," Daryl tapped some more and the android's appearance went from pale white to a soft warm shade of pink, its hair shifted from nearly transulcent to a deep wavy auburn, her eyes shifted into a vivid emerald green, lips redening. The android's ample chest rose and fell as it took its first simulated breath. The change in color spread down its limbs and torso. A tuft of hair framed its pubic region, and pink nipple appeared on the tips of supple breasts.

Jon turned his head, "Really. Was all that necessary?"

Daryl studied his handiwork, "Dude, I mean, top of the line, right?"

Jon growled. The situation was less than ideal, but he was out of time. He extended a hand to the android. "Welcome aboard, Olivia. Let's find you some clothes."

Her grip was firm, synthetic skin warm to the touch. "Thank you, Master," she replied, voice smooth as fine liquor. "I will endeavor to serve ably in all tasks you assign." She appraised him with stunningly lifelike eyes. "You will find me most flexible regarding my duties."

Jon grabbed Daryl and hauled him face to face. "I thought you purged all of that?"

"Well, I did what I could. She's made as a companion so some of that is just, you know, baked in. Give her time, the new programing will take hold and change her personality over time."

"It better. Leave the case and data pad on your way out."

He turned to figure of the beautiful naked woman standing before him. "My name is Jon Savage, I am your owner."

Olivia smiled, perfect white teeth twinkling in the overhead lights. "Master Savage, I am Companion Assistive Android, CAA mark 1010A current default designation Olivia. Would you like to change my name?"

Jon shook his head, "Olivia is fine. And I am Jon, just call me Jon."

"Of course Jon, as you command. Would you like to dress me? I am comfortable in my current state if you like what you see."

Jon suppressed a grin at her sultry implication. He moved to a locker in the hold and tossed Olivia a simple blue flightsuit. "You can dress yourself. There are boots in the locker over there where I pulled the flight suit out of. It is all auto adjust, so fit should be no problem."

Olivia snatched the uniform out of the air with blurring speed, and quickly slipped her tiny five foot tall frame into jumper. She activated the auto-fit button and it sized down to secure snugly. She walked to the locked and did the same with a pair of combat boots. "Thank you Jon, this is better. I appriecate the freedom to choose my own footware."

Jon shrugged, "Feel free to pick clothing and change to your liking."

"Thank you, Jon darling."

Daryl had apparently left more traces of the companion personality intact than he stated. Still, an AI was an AI. "Just Jon. Anyway, pair with he ship, we've got work to do."

Olivia's eyes glowed a muted hue of green and blue as she connected to the ship. The control consoles lit and beeped.

"I am connected to the ship," Olivia said as her eyes faded back to emerald green. "All systems are in preped for flight and we are cleared to launch. Shall contact the control tower and alert them to our departure plans?"

She turned and headed toward the bridge, "Coming, Jon?"

Jon followed the android downthe corridoor and through a blast door into the main cabin and common room that served as kitchen and living room, then further through the to the sealed bridge. She stopped opened the door and stood to the side waiting for Jon to go in first.

"Thanks," Jon said.

"Of course darling."

Jon sighed, this was going to take a while to get used to. The bridge of the Retribution was spacous enough for a full crew. The ship had at one time been a long range yauchting craft, designed of have a crew seven plus the guests. Jon had gutted it when he bought it at auction, dumping most of hs life's savings into a refit that left saw the ship armored and armed, the gusts cabins had been converted to training rooms, a conference room and a full armory. The crew cabins were converted to the captain's quarters, Jon's private office and sleeping space and the smaller rooms turned into guest rooms.

Jon slid into the main pilot chair and Oliva took the copilot's seat. She took the controls and powered up the ship, it rumbled and shifted as it lifted from the platform.

"We are cleared for launch, Jon. But I am unsure of our heading."

"Take us out and then best speed to the Jump Gate at orbit about Baron solar."

Olivia moved the controls and the ship gently eased toward the open bay and the black of space beyond. Once through the shielding she accelerated, Jon was pressed into his seat until the dampeners compensated and the artificial gravity generators kicked in.

As they flew, Jon explained what he knew so far about where they were going and why.

"The way I see it, our mission is twofold," Jon explained. "Infiltrate Jericho Riddle's compound undetected and capture him for interrogation. And acquire any data regarding his mysterious partners."

Olivia absorbed this silently, processing. Finally she spoke. "A formidable challenge, but I calculate an 87% chance of success. Provided we are not presented with oppostion from UFA fighters."

"Glad you're optimistic," Jon replied. "Prep the ship. We leave immediately."

In the cockpit, Jon watched closely as Olivia expertly plotted their course and piloted them through the shimmering jump portal. They emerged parsecs away, the green orb of Riddle's planet dead ahead.

As they approached scanning range, Olivia activated the ship's stealth systems. "We are cloaked and untraceable," she reported. Her hands glided gracefully over the controls, making course adjustments with precision.

Jon nodded, grudgingly impressed with her skill despite his lingering doubts. In the jungle below, their target awaited. "Take us down. We've got a snake to catch."

They touched down in a secluded area away from Riddle's base. In the armory bay, Jon donned dark combat fatigues and checked his weapons with practiced ease. A long-range plasma rifle,short-range blaster pistol, vibroblade, and a bandolier of grenades and a dart gun with high powered tanquilizer rounds.

Olivia's voice came over the ship's PA. "Ready when you are, Jon. The hunt awaits, darling."

Jon's lips pulled back in a predatory grin. She had a point. He lived for the thrill of the chase, and this target promised danger in spades. With weapons locked and loaded, he lowered the ramp and strode into the steamy jungle. Riddle wouldn't elude him for long.