Out of the Shadows 008
A machine-augmented MIDNIGHT'S WAR novel
Elliott blinked, startled and more than a little skeptical.
“That’s.. well, I’m flattered, gentlemen.”
“You needn’t hide the fact that you find such an outrageous claim to be incredible, Mr. Grahame. And yet, it is true. This is the first such gathering in, what is it, fifteen years?”
“Thirty-three,” corrected the elderly Asian in flawless English. “We last attended in 1989.”
“Ah yes, it was only the six of us last time,” Medici admitted, unconcerned. “This, by the way, is Fujiwara Daigo of Yammu Shozohin.”
“Dozo yoroshku,” Elliott said, bowing from the waist.
“Very good,” the Japanese man said, returning the bow. “Your resume didn’t mention that you speak anything but English.”
“I don’t,” Elliott admitted. “We pitched Softbank once. A previous venture.”
“And yet a polite gesture is never wasted, young man.”
“Mr. Grahame, please also be acquainted with signori Astor, Staffelter, Romanov, Beaufort, and Frapin. Gentlemen, Mr. Elliott Grahame, whose disruptive technology is the reason we are all present here tonight.” Medici waited for the brief round of hand-shakings to be completed, then gestured toward his colleagues. “While we are all supposed to have read your proposal, Elliott, in the interest of not missing anything important, do give us your elevator pitch, please.”
Elliott, having expected this, smiled and complied without hesitation. In a well-practiced monologue that took less than five minutes, he explained the original inspiration for his idea, the proprietary technology HemaTech had developed around it, its three most promising applications, and most importantly, the astonishing size of the largest potential market.
“And that, gentlemen, is why I believe the investment we’re seeking is not merely a no-brainer for a forward-looking investor, but a moral imperative!”
There was a brief round of appreciative applause, led by Medici. When it died down, Medici turned to his colleagues and spread out his hands.
“My scientists have confirmed Mr. Grahame’s claims. This is the real deal. Are there any objections?” No one said anything. “Are we in full accord?”
Elliott held his breath, as one by one, each of the powerful men voiced their agreement. Only one, the Japanese man, did not give his assent. Even when Medici glanced at him and raised an eyebrow, he remained silent.
“Congratulations, Mr. Grahame,” Lorenzo di Medici declared as he extended his hand. “We are in accord. You have passed the test and you are about to become a man of wealth and power beyond your most ambitious dreams?”
“I don’t understand. What about Mr. Fujiwara?”
Medici smiled faintly. “It is not the custom of our Japanese colleagues to express support for any action taken outside their demesne. I’m afraid an abstention is the highest approval that can be received from our friends in Asia.”
“I see. In that case, domo arigato gozaimasu, Fujiwara-san.”
The Japanese man smiled at his attempt to be polite.
“It is our honor, Elliott-san. There are precious few who can say they have changed our world, but I believe you have truly done so.”
Overwhelmed, Elliott could only manage an awkward bow. Medici clapped him on the back as he gestured toward the villa, where a dozen tall, beautiful women in long evening dresses were descending the stairs toward the pool.
“We shall work out the details later. Now, let us celebrate a brave new dawn for Mankind as we dine!”
Typo, me too. I wonder what Fujiwara-san's demesne is.
"demense"
Nice touch. Even AI can't determine if it was a Vox Day add in or the AI.
"The Role of the Editor: A key role for a human editor working with AI-generated text is to refine it. The AI might have produced a more generic word, and an editor like Vox Day could have substituted "demense" to elevate the prose and reinforce the theme. This kind of specific, impactful word choice is a primary way a human adds value to AI text."
-----
AI Explains the choice of the word further:
The comment `"demense" nice touch` is an appreciation for a specific and highly effective word choice in the AI-generated story. The word is effective for several reasons:
### 1. Definition and Connotation
The word used in the text is "demense," a variant spelling of "demesne."
* **Literal Meaning:** A demesne is historically the land attached to a manor, retained by the lord for his own use.
* **Figurative Meaning:** By extension, it means a realm, a domain, or a territory over which a person has control or authority.
The word carries strong feudal connotations of lordship, sovereignty, and inherited power. It is not a modern corporate term.
### 2. Thematic Resonance
The story features characters with names that evoke historical power and aristocracy (Medici, Romanov, Astor). They are not portrayed as simple venture capitalists but as a cabal of immensely powerful figures who operate on a global scale, almost like modern-day feudal lords.
Using "demense" instead of more common words like "jurisdiction," "territory," or "area of influence" reinforces this theme. It frames the international business deal not as a corporate transaction but as a matter of protocol between sovereign rulers of their respective financial or industrial empires.
### 3. Characterization
The word is spoken by Lorenzo di Medici. The choice of this archaic and sophisticated word characterizes him as educated, worldly, and belonging to this old-world power structure. It makes his explanation of the Japanese custom sound less like a business observation and more like a statement of diplomatic protocol between kingdoms.
In summary, the commenter recognized that "demense" was a "nice touch" because it is a precise, evocative word that deepens the story's atmosphere of old money and immense power, enhances the character of the speaker, and perfectly fits the quasi-aristocratic context of the scene.