NaNoWriMo Days Four and Five

The great jungle cat

Okay, so I finished this late yesterday, so I am counting it as a double day’s worth of work. At 4000 plus words I think I can get away with that. Right? Anyway, here are the beats and the resultant chapter - be warned though, I went a little NSFW towards the end. Olivia and Jon are moving toward a relationship, whether I planned on it or not.

These are the beats:

1. Under the pale moonlight, Jon ushers Jericho through the tangled mass of jungle foliage. Strange sounds and shifting shadows heighten the tension around them.

2. "Stay close and keep quiet," Jon whispers tersely. Jericho complies, eyes darting about nervously.

3. Over comms, Olivia guides them towards the cloaked ship, her voice a calming counterpoint to the ominous ambiance.

4. Suddenly, a bloodcurdling roar pierces the air. A hulking feline form bursts from the underbrush, fangs bared.

5. "Ambush cat!" Olivia warns. "Use the terrain, it hates water!" The beast lunges, swiping razor claws.

6. Jon shoves Jericho back and fires his plasma pistol, scoring a hit but only enraging the creature. It charges again.

7. "The riverbank, now!" At Olivia's urging, Jon dives right, drawing the beast away from Jericho.

8. Jon and the massive cat clash in a flurry of fangs, claws, and gunfire. He refuses to leave Jericho defenseless.

9. With a final well-placed shot, Jon fells the mortally wounded beast. It collapses just shy of the river's edge.

10. Bloodied but victorious, Jon gestures for Jericho to follow. "We need to hurry." The compound's alarms echo distantly.

11. Reaching the kiropa tree clearing, The Retribution de-cloaks, entry ramp extending.

12. "Cutting it close, boys," Olivia says over the ship comms. "Systems ready for urgent departure."

13. Inside, Jon secures Jericho in restraints. "Now to get some answers," he states coldly. Jericho swallows hard.

14. In the cockpit, Olivia deftly pilots them up through the atmosphere, her hands dancing across the controls.

15. Breaking orbit, she sets course for the jump gate that will lead them out of the system. "Course laid in. Let's make some distance."

16. In the hold, Jericho blusters about unseen forces who want him silenced. Jon remains stoically unimpressed by the threats.

17. Over intercom, Olivia invites Jon to the cockpit for a celebratory toast. He grins and joins her.

18. They touch glasses, the chandelier-like gate looming ahead. "To a mission accomplished, darling," Olivia purrs.

19. Their ship glides smoothly into the shimmering portal, leaving behind the dangers of the jungle world. But new challenges await...

20. For now, Jon sips his drink contentedly. Wherever Jericho leads them, he and Olivia will be ready.

And here is the chapter prose:
I have thoroughly read and assessed the provided text. Here is the text with misspellings corrected, without any other changes made to the story:

The compound was burning. Olivia's plan to overload the cooling systems in the server room and the many flashbang grenades Savage had set off during his assault had proved to be more than the isolated base's fire suppression protocols could handle.

The reality was, that criminal hideouts were rarely built to modern safety codes. Smoke swirled into the panic room through the air conditioning vents, and Jon quickly assessed the situation. He gave it twenty minutes, after that the fires would have spread to structural supports and more likely than not the whole damned place was coming down.

It was time to leave.

The big bounty hunter nabbed Jericho by the collar and pushed the arms dealer toward the door, "Time to go. Move it or lose it, pal."

"Ah, man, do have any idea how much I paid for this place?" Jericho complained. "And you're just gonna burn it down."

"Shit happens, and frankly, it couldn't happen to you fast enough." They stepped in the hall and Jon directed his captive back the way he had come in. "Olivia, are you there?"

Silence.

"Olivia, are you there?" Jon repeated.

"Yes, Jon. I'm sorry, I encountered a rather sophisticated AI roaming the servers."

"What kind of AI?"

"Hostile, darling. It was scraping in the files, searching for something in particular and when it detected me it attacked and I had to retreat."

"So, are you okay?" Jon asked as he continued steering Jericho along. They turned down a corridor, several bodies lined the sides, and plasma burns pockmarked the walls. Jericho hesitated.

"Who the hell are all of these guys?" Jericho asked. "Were they with you?"

"I think we really need to dust off this rock," Jon said. "This whole thing stinks, an AI raiding your server room and a kill team, that I killed thinking they were your guards."

Jericho nodded, "Oh yeah, we gotta go."

Three minutes later they were under the pale moonlight, an eerie glow illuminating the tangled mass of jungle foliage. Strange sounds punctuated the air as shadows appeared to shift and dance amongst the trees. Jon Savage, led the way, his muscular frame cutting through the underbrush with practiced ease. In tow was Jericho Riddle, the middle-level arms dealer whose sudden rise through the ranks of the underbelly of the black market was as puzzling as it was troubling.

"Stay close and keep quiet," Jon whispered tersely, his eyes scanning the treacherous terrain ahead. "If I need to, I will gag you. And if that doesn't work, I'm sure I can drag your carcass as far as the ship."

Jon could feel the danger lurking within the jungle, and he knew that every second they spent exposed increased their chances of being discovered.

"Easy for you to say," Jericho muttered, his piercing green eyes darting nervously from one shadow to the next. "You're not the one with his hands tied trying to keep up with a maniac plowing through the jungle at night."

"You could be luggage," Jon shot back, sparing a glance at his captive.

Jericho scoffed but said nothing more, his once athletic build was now softened by years of letting others do the dirty work. He was struggling to keep pace with Jon's relentless march forward. Sweat beaded on his forehead, and he couldn't help but think that if it weren't for the restraints binding his wrists together, he might have been able to make a run for it.

As they moved deeper into the jungle, Jon couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched. He knew he needed to stay focused on the task at hand – delivering Jericho to General Millmore, but something about the atmosphere in this place set his instincts on edge. If there was one thing his years of experience had taught him, it was to trust his gut when it came to danger.

"Keep up," Jon growled, quickening his pace. They needed to get out of this jungle and fast. The longer they stayed, the more risks they took. Jericho stumbled after him, cursing under his breath as a low-hanging branch whipped across his face.

"Can we at least take a break?" he wheezed, panting from the exertion. "I'm not exactly in peak physical condition here."

"Suck it up buttercup," Jon replied, his voice cold and unyielding. "What do think will happen when that kill team fails to report in?"

"I think, we don't have time to waste."

Jon muscled ahead, "Then get a move on."

"Fine," Jericho spat, anger flaring briefly in his eyes. "But if I die out here from a heart attack, you won't get your precious bounty."

Jon smirked, his mind calculating just how much that would actually bother him.

"Trust me, Riddle," he said, meeting Jericho's gaze with steely determination. "If I had a choice of delivering you dead, you would be dead, I don't need the credits that bad."

As they pushed further into the dense foliage, Olivia's voice came over the comms, a soothing presence amidst the foreboding atmosphere. "You're almost there, Jon. The Retribution is just beyond the next clearing."

"Thanks, Olivia," he replied, grateful for her guidance. "Keep an eye on our surroundings, we are being tracked."

"Always, darling," she purred, her tone simultaneously comforting and playful.

Just as Jon felt a momentary sense of relief, a bloodcurdling roar pierced the air. The ground trembled beneath their feet as a hulking feline form burst from the underbrush, its fangs bared and eyes locked onto them with predatory intent.

"Oh, what the hell is that?" Jericho gasped, terror, etched across his face.

"It ain't the neighborhood tough guy looking to steal your lunch money."

"Cute," Jericho said.

Jon drew his plasma pistol and fired a double tap into the thing's chest. It howled but took the hits without any sign of serious damage. Fur smoking the big otherworldly jungle cat stalked slowly forward, its eyes glowing a deep luminescent shade of violet.

"Olivia, we might have a problem here," Jon sighted in and fired twice more with the same effects. "Are you scanning this, what am I dealing with?"

"It appears to be some kind of indigenous lifeform, it is not on any of my accessible databases."

The cat-like thing moved cautiously closer and raised up onto its two hind legs to tower over them.

"Stay behind me," Jon ordered, raising his plasma pistol and taking aim at the monstrous creature's head. When in doubt, nothing says you mean business quite like a well-placed plasma round to the face. Jon fired, this time the creature responded, burnt flesh peeling back to reveal long curved fangs.

The feline monstrosity snarled, its muscles coiled like steel springs, ready to strike. Jon knew they didn't have much time, it was either fight or become this creature's next meal. With steely determination, he prepared himself for the battle ahead, his finger hovering over the trigger of his weapon. Whatever this thing was, he'd faced worse and lived to tell the tale.

"Alright, you ugly bastard," he muttered, eyeing the approaching predator as he pulled the vibrobladed dagger from its sheath. "Let's dance."

The cat leaped and Savage ducked and rolled underneath its swiping paws, slashing at its underside as he did. The beast roared as the blade ripped through thick skin and muscle, taking a chunk of rib as well. It landed and turned, its violet eye glowing with rage.

"Jericho, move!" Jon barked, shoving the arms dealer back as it roared in fury and charged again, its massive form barreling through the underbrush like a living wrecking ball.

"Come on big boy," Jon grumbled under his breath, dodging another swipe from the monstrous feline. His heart pounded in his chest, adrenaline coursing through his veins. Despite the danger, a small part of him actually relished the challenge, it had been too long since he'd faced a worthy opponent. But that didn't mean he was eager to become this thing's dinner.

"Jon," Olivia burst in Savage's ear, "head for the river twenty yards to your left. I have calculated the creature's density, your blaster will be nearly useless on it. But it might not follow you into the water, maybe."

"Maybe and might," Jon said, "Not filling me with confidence here."

The beast came at him again, and Savage ripped a bloody line across the huge paw that was aiming for his head.

"Water, huh? Well, let's see how you like getting your paws wet, kitty," he said, leading the cat on a desperate sprint towards the river, hoping they'd make it before the beast took them down. Jericho stumbled after him, tripping over roots and vines in his blind panic.

"Come on, Jericho, keep up! You wanted excitement, right?" Jon called out, injecting some dry humor into the tense situation.

"Excitement, sure! Not getting mauled by a giant space cat!" Jericho retorted, his voice strained with fear.

"Olivia, are we going the right way?" Jon asked as he nimbly dodged another vicious swipe.

"Affirmative. Keep heading east, and you'll hit the riverbank," she confirmed, her voice a calming counterpoint to the chaos surrounding them.

"Got it. Let's hope we can make it there in one piece," Jon gritted his teeth and pushed himself to move faster. The river lay just beyond the next bend, shimmering beneath the pale moonlight. It was their only chance to escape the ravenous cat and Jon Savage wasn't about to let this mission end in failure.

With the riverbank in sight, Jon's pulse pounded in his ears like a tribal drum. Moonlight shimmered off the water's surface, casting eerie shadows across the verdant undergrowth. The cat's snarls echoed through the jungle, a chilling reminder of the imminent danger.

"What's the plan?" Jericho panted, struggling to keep up.

"Get your ass to the river, and don't stop!" Jon barked, pulling his plasma pistol and firing another shot at the charging beast. He knew he couldn't take it down with the weapon, but he could slow it enough to buy Jericho time to get across the stream.

"Diversionary tactic. I like it," Olivia chimed in. "But make sure you don't get yourself killed in the process."

"That's the plan," Jon grumbled as he sprinted towards the riverbank. With each bounding stride, the hulking feline form closed in, its fangs glistening with murderous intent.

"Jericho, go left!" Jon shouted, diving right and sliding down the muddy bank into the shallow water. The weird jungle cat hesitated, its predatory instincts momentarily thrown off by Jon's sudden change in direction.

"Hey, ugly!" Jon taunted, splashing water at the creature. "Here kitty, kitty!"

The beast roared, its fury reignited. It lunged toward Jon, who narrowly evaded its deadly claws. He rolled to one side, gritting his teeth against the pain from the scrapes and bruises he'd sustained during their desperate flight.

"Jon, darling, you can't keep this up," Olivia warned. "That thing'll tear you apart."

"Got any bright ideas, then?" he snapped back, firing another round into the beast's flank. It howled in pain but remained undeterred.

"Try to lure it deeper into the water," she suggested. "It might be more vulnerable there, its density will slow it down."

"Fine, sink or swim then," Jon muttered. He backed further into the narrow river, water rising to his chest as he continued to fire on the creature.

The cat snarled and lunged once more, but Jon was ready. He plunged beneath the water, evading the deadly swipe and drawing the vibroblade down the length of its underbelly. Jon resurfaced behind the disoriented, wounded predator. With a powerful leap he threw himself onto the beast's back and stabbed repeatedly with the blade, driving it to the hilt each time. Jon hammered at the cat, striking its side, neck, and finally straight down into its spine.

The great cat bucked and rolled, heaving Jon three meters. He hit the water with a splash and quickly burst back upright, knife in hand ready to go again. The creature lay on its side, the waves making it move with a semblance of life, but the cold dead stare of its eyes told Jon the fight was over. He sheathed the blade and launched himself towards the distant bank, where Jericho stood with his mouth hanging open.

Jon forced his tired body up the embankment, "You damn well better be worth all this trouble." He grabbed the stunned man and shoved him forward. "Olivia, prep the engines," Jon said, taking a steadying breath.

"Will do, Jon. Just get back here in one piece, alright?" Olivia's voice sounded strained, and Jon couldn't blame her. They were all feeling the pressure.

"Can't make any promises, but I'll do my best," Jon replied with a smirk, sprinting through the jungle terrain with Jericho following close behind.

"Hey," Jericho panted, struggling to keep up. "You ever consider going pro? You'd make a killing on the underground hunting vid circuit."

"Now is the time when you should really just shut your yap," Jon retorted, a hint of a murderous gleam in his hard blue eyes. "Those snuff channels need to be shut down and every one of the so-called stars, locked away for life."

"Hey, I didn't invent the things," Jericho rolled his eyes but picked up the pace, matching Jon's stride. "People are gonna watch what they want to watch, why not make a buck on it if you can?"

Jon stopped, spun and grabbed the criminal, the bloody blade suddenly in his hand. "Open your mouth one more time, and I will make sure you never use that tongue again. Am I clear?"

Jericho eyed the blade in terror, then looked at the expression on his captor's face, swallowed and nodded, but said nothing.

Jon pushed Jericho on and they navigated the treacherous jungle terrain in silence, Jon couldn't help but think of the challenges that still lay ahead. Jericho was supposed to be the ticket to uncovering something much bigger, he just hoped the scumbag was worth it.

The alarms blared like a pack of starving wolves in the distance as Jon and Jericho burst into the kiropa tree clearing. Moonlight bathed the area, casting elongated shadows that seemed to dance with every step they took. As if summoned by their arrival, The Retribution shimmered into existence, its cloaking mechanism disengaging. The entry ramp extended with a hiss, beckoning them inside.

"Cutting it close, boys," Olivia's voice crackled over the ship comms, her tone both amused and tense. "Systems ready for urgent departure. We have incoming ships, somebody really wants your friend there."

As they sprinted up the ramp, Jon couldn't shake the feeling that the jungle was watching them, a malevolent force biding its time. But there was no room for fear now, only survival. They boarded the ship, the ramp closing behind them with a metallic groan. Jon heaved the fugitive into a seat by the ramp, secured him with magnetic locks, and hurried toward the bridge. For his part Jericho said nothing and sat quietly, obviously adhering to the terms Savage had given earlier.

The powerful hum of the ship's engines vibrated through Jon's boots as he moved deeper into The Retribution. The dim, flickering lights cast eerie shadows across the interior, making even this familiar space feel sinister. Jon couldn't help but think that whatever answers they'd find from Jericho would be just as dark.

"Olivia, on my way to the bridge, get us airborne now."

In the cockpit, Olivia's fingers danced gracefully across the controls, piloting the ship up and through the atmosphere. Her eyes remained locked on the displays, yet her voice carried a reassuring calm. "Almost out of the danger zone, Jon. Just a bit further."

Savage entered the bridge and took the captain's seat beside the beautiful AI. He studied it as it flew his ship with a skill and grace he could never hope to match. The android cast a quick glance his way, "Outer orbit achieved, I am using the planet's rotation to keep us out of the approaching ship's sensors."

"Well done. Thanks, Liv," Jon muttered under his breath, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly. Do you mind if I call you Liv?"

"I think that would be nice, Jon. It is okay to think of me as more than just a machine," she said. "I have been programmed to simulate life, as such, I refer to myself as a synthetic person, but a person no less."

"Any sign of pursuit?" Savage asked, changing the subject. The moral ambiguities of whether a synthetic person was a person just because it identified as one was a topic for discussion for academics and politicians, not soldiers.

"I believe we are in the clear, making the best time to Jump Point ACR 672, flight time six hours."

Jon stood and looked down at his tattered combat uniform, between the jungle and the fight with whatever the hell kind of cat that was, his gear had taken a beating. And so had he. Tiredness started to settle in, and he took a deep breath.

"Okay, time for a shower, I smell like swamp water and old boots," he said.

Olivia nodded, "I shut my olfactory sensors off the minute you walked in, but yes, a shower and some first aid would do you good." She set the controls onto autopilot, "I have extensive files on human anatomy, medical and even surgical training. If you would permit me, I would like to help."

"Fine," Jon said as he headed toward his cabin. Olivia stood and followed dutifully behind. They moved down the main corridor, then took the stairs to the second level where the crew would have had their quarters, all the staterooms had been repurposed. The former captain's cabin had been expanded, taking the executive officer's cabin and turning that into a private bathroom and shower, and meditation area.

Jon opened the door with a code at the keypad and the lights blipped on exposing a plain room with a simple double bed, a chair, a desk, and a walk-in closet. On one side of the room was a large mat where Savage stretched and went through his martial arts routines to stay in shape. The two moved beyond the exercise mat and into the next room, where a full-standing shower stall waited. As they entered the lights blipped on and the room heated.

Savage moved to a full-length monitor, it projected his image back with superimposed details about body temperature, injury status, and suggested therapies. The outfit was toast, there were tears on both legs and one arm, and the monitor suggested antibiotic treatments for a number of molds, parasites, and infectious materials that were burrowing into his flesh from his dive in the mucky waters.

He started to remove the one-piece combat uniform and Olivia stepped up beside him to offer assistance, "Here lie me help. Those lacerations will require deep cleaning and sealing, and you have a torn muscle in your right forearm that if we don't repair will lead to a 15% loss of mobility."

The android quietly and efficiently removed the remainder of the clothing, rolled it into a ball, and tossed it in the disposal shoot. She then studied Savage as he stood naked at the monitor. His powerfully muscular frame was crisscrossed with old scars. There were puckered plasma burns on his chest and legs, his back was a roadmap of lines. She gently placed a finger on the one running from his right shoulder to his left hip. Her green eyes shaded a deeper hue and her voice dropped to a whisper, "What have you done to yourself, darling."

Jon stepped away, "I lived." He moved to the shower and warm water started to rain down on his battered, dirty skin. Olivia followed, unzipping her flight suit and pulling it off her shoulders.

"I can do this myself," Jon said.

"Oh, come now darling, your wounds need to be cleaned and scrubbed before I can close them. I promise I will not touch you in an inappropriate way." She smiled, "At least not until you ask me too."

Jon hesitated, not really sure why it was making him feel embarrassed. Olivia was a machine, nothing more, he reminded himself. "Fine, assist me. Nothing more."

Olivia smiled and finished removing her clothing. She stripped down and stepped into the water stream. Jon watched with fascination as the droplets beaded on her perfect skin and rolled down a body that was an absolute work of art. He cleared his throat and attempted not to stare in admiration of the bounce of her breasts, and the curve of her hips.

Olivia took a soft cloth and some cleanser and began rubbing it into Jon's skin. He sighed as the motions and her fingers massaged away the aches from his shoulders and biceps. She pressed herself up against him to reach places where the height difference made it difficult, and a tingle went down his spine at her warmth and how soft her skin felt. In that moment it was impossible to discern the difference between that synthetic skin and the touch of a real woman.

Jon stood still, breathing slowly and deeply. It had been a long time since he had shared a shower, he relaxed and enjoyed the sensation, rolling his head from side to side as she rubbed his neck, her body pressing closer to his, backing him up to the wall.

"Shall I address that issue, or are we just going to pretend it hasn't happened," she said softly as she looked down approvingly at his rising interest.

Jon took a deep breath, indecision an unaccustomed emotion, "I think we should just focus on my injuries."

"Okay darling," Olivia whispered in his ear as she drew his head down to rest on her shoulder. She took the cloth and ran it down his chest and muscular abdomen, then lower skirting the area in question by moving onto his hip and thigh.

"Maybe just a little more to the left," he panted.

"If you insist, darling," Olivia said pushing her perky breasts up against him as she reached down his leg. "I would be happy to help you relieve that tension, it seems most insistent," she ran the cloth up and over the persistent culprit, wrapping her hand around it and moving back and forth in a fashion that spoke of both experience and expertise.

Jon bit his lip, but grabbed her arms and eased himself back, "That's enough of that."

"I won't be needing that kind of service from you," he took the cloth from her hand and began scrubbing the wounds on his arms and legs, the water turned pink as he brought the cuts to bleed.

"You can get dressed," Jon said through gritted teeth, "and prepare the medical supplies you will need to close these wounds."

Olivia blinked, her lips forming a pout, "Very well, do it yourself then. I will be waiting in sickbay when you are ready." She turned and stepped out of the shower, shook her body once and the water splayed off leaving her synthetic skin dry. She dressed and exited the room without looking back.

Jon waited for the arousal to pass, when it had he continued cleaning and scrubbing the killed shower and moved on to applying antibiotic ointments and salves. He admonished himself for nearly giving in to temptation. Jon was no prude; he'd been with women from all around the galaxy and had paid for those services more than once. But he had never succumbed to the attraction of synthetics, it was one thing to pay a person to make believe they loved and or at least wanted you for an hour, it was something else entirely to have a robot forced to service your desires against its will. If it had a will, Jon shook his head. The morality behind it all was more than he could wrap his head around.

Still, Olivia did seem to be enjoying herself and actually seemed put out because he wouldn't let her do what would have been natural if she was a real woman.

He pinched his nose between his finger and thumb, now his head ached too.