Han's Story
Mike Omelanuk
You know by now I have downplayed the role of the AI's quite a bit. You know how the scientist among the lot thinks of the AI's: they are AS, Artificially Stupid, in his haughty opinion.
" Most ships made available to humans have an AI designed by the Darjee, but the K'treels have a Tu'ull AI as their greater independence is an asset on extended operations" . We know this ship has been inactive for decades, perhaps centuries. Actually, the K’treels are also Tu’ull freighter hulls and/or exploratory ships. Why they came from the Tu’ull I don’t remember if ever explained – except they were available. Thinker would be the best source…
Question: Is it logical to assume that if the AI of a ship has no contact with the outside world for such a long time, it receives no input from outside, therefore it doesn't learn, and therefore the AI could be considered being 'not updated' for a long time and thus be less effective?
Would that make sense?
So much cascades from the timeframe. Lordhipmayhem was my inspiration and true introduction to Tu’ull AIs. Too bad Gary passed away because his input would be useful. In Rosencrantz and Guildenstern he posits a sort of retirement home for old ships/AIs. R&G are given an updated database when they are voluntold to provide assistance to humans. I built on this with Helva who was a repurposed, retired ship and given a new AI. I think your problem with this history is that Tu’ull AIs a universally described as superior in intellect and capacity. R&G flew from the Tu’ull retirement orbit to Earthat without and meat captain aboard.
I think a better strategy is like the one I used in Mutiny on the Bunte Kuh. Essentially, the Darjee AIs created new AIs for the new ships humanity was building. These AIs had capacity and knowledge, but were not educated/acclimated – especially not to humans. These new AI were supposed to either have an experience AI along to ‘train them’ or they were trained in the shipyard where they were created. Some of these newly created AIs were installed in old Confederacy ships so that the experienced AIs could move to larger, newer ships. Sometimes situations cause inadequately trained AIs to be installed new or repurposed ships…
So if you
have a new, inexperienced AI (think know-it-all teenager) mistakes,
particularly in understanding human foibles, a lot of what you want makes
sense. In particular 1) Drew thinking it is stupid 2) its attitude and support
of the duel at the start of the story. So you have a ship being refurbished
after its AI was transferred elsewhere. The refurbishment isn’t complete; the
AI doesn’t have practical experience running it, its priorities are dogmatic
and it has a blind loyalty to the Captain and crew over the passengers, etc
Almost whatever you wish…
Second issue:
It is safe to assume that the AI's perform an important role in monitoring the ship. I assume they help it steer the ship (with a little help from humans) and calculate the best route and steer it away from dangers.
It is
established that AIs are capable of running all functions of a ship but that
the Darjee and therefore humans do not allow them to run a ship without a
‘meat’ captain. No story that I remember explains why.
Question: Is it possible that the AI - perhaps because of its lack of updates - would not notice some planet on its way and steer the ship right towards it, instead of moving away from it?
I think you can establish why a Captain is required. The
novice AI makes a rookie (shall we say arrogant) miscalculation and … it could
even be an un-mapped planet, asteroid, object
Would that make sense?
Think about the alternative reasoning above.
IF that makes sense, is it possible for the humans to intervene and override the AI and steer it into safer space?
Absolutely. In other stories, AIs have been systematically
cut out of some functions when they wanted to require actions the humans would
not tolerate. Typically this was AI’s insistence to recycle ‘excess’ concubines
who had done nothing wrong.
Third issue:
The AI's in the other stories are doing a lot of different things. The rebuild a complete pod to the owners wishes, they clean the pod (and the ship) as well as entertaining the kids so the parents can fuck to their heart's delight.
Question: Does it seem logical after that incident above that the captain decides to concentrate all AI activities into flying this piece of junk, instead of entertaining the kids and doing other household chores? Even not monitoring the pod conversations any longer and the security of the ship internally (public spaces on the ship)?
Would that make sense?
The captain could make that decision – even if it were a
bad decision and not required. He could decide that the almost collision was
because of capacity and not a rookie mistake. We already know he is making a
bad judgment by allowing/requiring the duel. However, he would need to be
selective to assure air, food, water, heat, light, etc was still provided to
crew and passengers
If all this makes sense, it means that:
- Concubines are assigned to the maintenance of this ship; Lots of precedence for this. Pretty much any function except use of weapons. Some warships were intentionally staffed to make use of concubines.
- Fucking would be restricted because of all the kids running around inconveniently; Not realistic.
The length of voyage would mean babies but not kids. AND with all the previous copulation, lots (if not all) of the passengers would already be pregnant. No med-pods would mean no birth control. And if the AI is not monitoring, how would there be any expectation of enforcing this? One big issue would be how to deal with birthing if the ship has no med-pods? Another would be what preexisting conditions would surface with no med pods to deal with them? Lots of interesting issue to deal with in this scenario… BTW med-pods are typically described as having independent, specialist AIs that sometimes need other AI oversight.
- The ship would be on a crash course and Cade 'the Blade' Bronson would be the hero because he thinks of something that would turn off the AI's and that would add to Drew's stress; That could work because a brute-force solution would be manually turning off the AI. The navigator or Captain could then steer. Need some care in explaining ‘how’.
- The concentration of AI power in navigation would prevent further accidents in navigation. So would requiring human confirmation before navigational changes…
So I was wondering if you can help me with this. I really would love to hear your feedback on this issue. Perhaps I should ask it in the group, but I have no idea if and how many people actually read the chapters so far, as I have received zero feedback so far. That is why I am asking you.
James Maness
On Apr 16, 2026, at 8:39 AM, Mike Omelanuk <mome...@gmail.com> wrote:Folks - Han and I have been having off-line discussions as he writes each chapter. His latest questions merit input from some more of you from several aspects. SO! I'm posting our latest discussion for your input and guidance. Please jump in.* I don't have all the answers and may be giving wrong feedback* The give and take is a good example of how we can help each other develop a story within the canon.* I personally find Han's thinking interesting in itselfMikeYou know by now I have downplayed the role of the AI's quite a bit. You know how the scientist among the lot thinks of the AI's: they are AS, Artificially Stupid, in his haughty opinion.
" Most ships made available to humans have an AI designed by the Darjee, but the K'treels have a Tu'ull AI as their greater independence is an asset on extended operations" . We know this ship has been inactive for decades, perhaps centuries. Actually, the K’treels are also Tu’ull freighter hulls and/or exploratory ships. Why they came from the Tu’ull I don’t remember if ever explained – except they were available. Thinker would be the best source…Question: Is it logical to assume that if the AI of a ship has no contact with the outside world for such a long time, it receives no input from outside, therefore it doesn't learn, and therefore the AI could be considered being 'not updated' for a long time and thus be less effective?
Would that make sense?So much cascades from the timeframe. Lordhipmayhem was my inspiration and true introduction to Tu’ull AIs. Too bad Gary passed away because his input would be useful. In Rosencrantz and Guildenstern he posits a sort of retirement home for old ships/AIs. R&G are given an updated database when they are voluntold to provide assistance to humans. I built on this with Helva who was a repurposed, retired ship and given a new AI. I think your problem with this history is that Tu’ull AIs a universally described as superior in intellect and capacity. R&G flew from the Tu’ull retirement orbit to Earthat without and meat captain aboard.
I think a better strategy is like the one I used in Mutiny on the Bunte Kuh. Essentially, the Darjee AIs created new AIs for the new ships humanity was building. These AIs had capacity and knowledge, but were not educated/acclimated – especially not to humans. These new AI were supposed to either have an experience AI along to ‘train them’ or they were trained in the shipyard where they were created. Some of these newly created AIs were installed in old Confederacy ships so that the experienced AIs could move to larger, newer ships. Sometimes situations cause inadequately trained AIs to be installed new or repurposed ships…
So if you have a new, inexperienced AI (think know-it-all teenager) mistakes, particularly in understanding human foibles, a lot of what you want makes sense. In particular 1) Drew thinking it is stupid 2) its attitude and support of the duel at the start of the story. So you have a ship being refurbished after its AI was transferred elsewhere. The refurbishment isn’t complete; the AI doesn’t have practical experience running it, its priorities are dogmatic and it has a blind loyalty to the Captain and crew over the passengers, etc Almost whatever you wish…
Second issue:
It is safe to assume that the AI's perform an important role in monitoring the ship. I assume they help it steer the ship (with a little help from humans) and calculate the best route and steer it away from dangers.It is established that AIs are capable of running all functions of a ship but that the Darjee and therefore humans do not allow them to run a ship without a ‘meat’ captain. No story that I remember explains why.
Question: Is it possible that the AI - perhaps because of its lack of updates - would not notice some planet on its way and steer the ship right towards it, instead of moving away from it?I think you can establish why a Captain is required. The novice AI makes a rookie (shall we say arrogant) miscalculation and … it could even be an un-mapped planet, asteroid, object
Would that make sense?Think about the alternative reasoning above.
IF that makes sense, is it possible for the humans to intervene and override the AI and steer it into safer space?Absolutely. In other stories, AIs have been systematically cut out of some functions when they wanted to require actions the humans would not tolerate. Typically this was AI’s insistence to recycle ‘excess’ concubines who had done nothing wrong.
Third issue:
The AI's in the other stories are doing a lot of different things. The rebuild a complete pod to the owners wishes, they clean the pod (and the ship) as well as entertaining the kids so the parents can fuck to their heart's delight.
Question: Does it seem logical after that incident above that the captain decides to concentrate all AI activities into flying this piece of junk, instead of entertaining the kids and doing other household chores? Even not monitoring the pod conversations any longer and the security of the ship internally (public spaces on the ship)?
Would that make sense?The captain could make that decision – even if it were a bad decision and not required. He could decide that the almost collision was because of capacity and not a rookie mistake. We already know he is making a bad judgment by allowing/requiring the duel. However, he would need to be selective to assure air, food, water, heat, light, etc was still provided to crew and passengers
If all this makes sense, it means that:
- Concubines are assigned to the maintenance of this ship; Lots of precedence for this. Pretty much any function except use of weapons. Some warships were intentionally staffed to make use of concubines.- Fucking would be restricted because of all the kids running around inconveniently; Not realistic.The length of voyage would mean babies but not kids. AND with all the previous copulation, lots (if not all) of the passengers would already be pregnant. No med-pods would mean no birth control. And if the AI is not monitoring, how would there be any expectation of enforcing this? One big issue would be how to deal with birthing if the ship has no med-pods? Another would be what preexisting conditions would surface with no med pods to deal with them? Lots of interesting issue to deal with in this scenario… BTW med-pods are typically described as having independent, specialist AIs that sometimes need other AI oversight.- The ship would be on a crash course and Cade 'the Blade' Bronson would be the hero because he thinks of something that would turn off the AI's and that would add to Drew's stress; That could work because a brute-force solution would be manually turning off the AI. The navigator or Captain could then steer. Need some care in explaining ‘how’.- The concentration of AI power in navigation would prevent further accidents in navigation. So would requiring human confirmation before navigational changes…
So I was wondering if you can help me with this. I really would love to hear your feedback on this issue. Perhaps I should ask it in the group, but I have no idea if and how many people actually read the chapters so far, as I have received zero feedback so far. That is why I am asking you.
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Sorry, been in the hospital. Again. Gonna take a while to catch up.
Thinker
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