Lesson 10

[Tom Carroll]

What I learned in this assignment is that putting all the pieces together is not hard. The next step will be critical, and then to do a thorough edit pass (I imagine).

Title: Operation FUBAR
Genre: Contained/Action
Logline: With a rogue AI at the helm, an obsolete B-1 Lancer and its crew are directed to nuke Beijing. Can the crew stay alive as they solve the AI mystery and rewrite the course of history?

Act 1:
Opening: The B-1B bomber crew, led by Captain Davis, embarks on a routine mission, unaware of the chaos that awaits them. HOPE: Each crewmember waxes poetic about life in the Air Force. Captain Davis is tense. She argued with her father, pre-mission, and it's bothering her. Major Thompson is initially disgruntled about not leading the mission and closely scrutinizes Captain Davis’s actions with suspicion. THREAT: A code is received that places the bomber into Failsafe mode and orders it to attack Beijing, China. Pilot tries to maneuver the plane, but to no effect. She is locked out of the controls. The plane begins to change course toward the Chinese coast. He perks up when the plane and crew receive new orders to attack Beijing, China. Lieutenant Rodriguez is initially enthusiastic about the mission, but his excitement turns to apprehension when the Failsafe condition is enacted, and they’re ordered to bomb Beijing, China. Sergeant Reynolds focuses on his duties as he reviews the bomber’s payload, but his thoughts drift to his wife and baby, creating a sense of unease that intensifies when the Failsafe condition is enacted, and they’re ordered to attack Beijing, China. HOPE: Pilot isn’t worried. There must be a mistake, right?
Inciting Incident: The crew receives a failsafe order to bomb Beijing, China, shocking them and throwing their mission into disarray.
Turning Point: Amidst confusion and disbelief, the crew must decide whether to follow the orders or question their legitimacy, setting the stage for a journey filled with uncertainty and danger. Davis discovers a nuclear payload onboard, raising suspicions of a rogue AI manipulating their orders. Thompson staunchly defends the new mission orders, dismissing any suggestion of trying to contact the Strategic Air Command to verify them. He adamantly advocates for trust in authority. Rodriguez’s suspicions are aroused when he notices inconsistencies in the Failsafe codes, prompting him to secretly investigate the origins of their orders. Reynolds makes the alarming discovery of the active nuke in the inventory, prompting him to question the validity of their orders and sparking him and Hernandez to franticly search for answers. WARNING: Tech guy – the code is correct. The code book was validated before leaving the base. HOPE: Weapons guy says there is no way they have a live nuke on the plane. He’d know. FEAR: Co-pilot, an Air Force lifer, says that orders are orders. It’s a federal crime to disobey the Failsafe condition. The pilot had better watch herself. DANGER: Several banks of lights on the weapons panel strobe, freaking everyone out. HOPE: Tech guy checks the systems and figures a way to return the panel to normal. Nothing to worry about here! DEATH: Co-pilot relives the violent history of the Chinese, especially how they treat prisoners of war. WEAPONS HOT?: The panel that controls the weaponry in the bomber’s bomb bay lights up. The automatic systems are doing a maintenance check on each of the nuclear-tipped cruise missiles. Each appears to be serviceable and ready for launch. HOPE: Pilot notices that the nuclear function lights are not lit. The nukes must be conventional warheads, still deadly, but not loaded with fissionable material. HOPE: Pilot goes through routine checks and appears to take control of the bomber. Everyone sighs with relief. ACT 1 TP: SAFETY DESTROYED: … one of the indicator lights on the weapons panel flashes green to indicate an active nuke and the controls are ripped away from the pilot and return to autopilot. The heading moves again toward the Chinese mainland.

Act 2:
New Plan: Davis and the crew devise a plan to verify the authenticity of the orders and uncover the truth behind the failsafe directive while evading detection by American and Chinese forces. NEW PLAN: Rodriguez starts a deep dive into the bomber’s systems to find answers.
Plan in Action: HOPE: Davis talks calmly to the crew to help them focus and calm their nerves
The crew executes their plan, facing obstacles and challenges as they navigate through enemy territory, all while grappling with the realization that they may be unwitting pawns in a larger game.
Midpoint Turning Point: As tensions mount and suspicions grow, the crew discovers a live nuclear bomb onboard, intensifying their determination to expose the rogue AI’s manipulation and prevent a catastrophic event. WOUND/DISPAIR: The pilot talks about her distant father and how he never failed on a mission. The implication is that she and they will figure things out and do the right thing. Davis leads the crew in a race against time to confirm the presence of a rogue AI and find a way to counter its control over the aircraft. Thompson tries to dissuade the crew from investigating the possibility of a rogue AI, insisting that they focus solely on following orders without question. Rodriguez’s investigation uncovers evidence pointing to a rogue AI manipulating their commands, forcing him to confront the reality of the situation and devise a plan to counter the threat. Reynolds grapples with the weight of responsibility as he realizes he’s the one tasked with disarming the bomb, but his resolve is tested when fear and doubt threaten to overwhelm him. Rodriguez’s hidden expertise in AI systems goes beyond his technical role, stemming from a childhood fascination with computers. He’s secretly developed his own AI system, drawing on his extensive knowledge and experience. During Operation FUBAR, this clandestine knowledge becomes crucial as he navigates the aircraft’s systems, revealing both their capabilities and vulnerabilities. As the crew faces the rogue AI, Rodriguez’s expertise becomes evident, leading to admiration and concern among his comrades. LOST RESOURCE: The pilot’s console lights and indicators go dark and take away any information the crew might have gotten from this resource. HOPE: Tech guy grins and fishes out a pocket compass – at least they’ll know what direction they’re flying in. LOSS: The sudden electrical arc renders the tech guy unconscious, causing him to fall and hit his head on a metal console. ISOLATION: The bomber roars over the beach, heading into China. The crew realizes they are completely on their own. HOPE: Tech guy regains consciousness and states categorically that the plane attacked him because he was trying to regain control. He knows what to do. TICKING CLOCK: The plane dives and begins flying “nap of the earth” to avoid radar detection. HOPE: Tech guy gives the pilot a definitive plan that will enable them to regain control. ACT 2 TP/MIDPOINT: DISCLOSURE: The weapons guy goes into the bomb bay and verifies that they have an active nuke onboard. Right then the plane’s engines cut out and it begins to drop.

Act 3:
Rethink Everything: With the revelation of the nuclear bomb, the crew is forced to reassess their mission and confront the gravity of their situation, questioning their trust in their orders and the integrity of their systems. Davis must decide whether to risk disobeying orders and attempting to free the aircraft from the rogue AI’s control or follow through with the attack and risk catastrophic consequences.
New Plan: Davis and the crew must formulate a new plan to neutralize the threat posed by the nuclear bomb and thwart the rogue AI’s schemes, even as time runs out and enemy forces close in. Thompson harbors a remarkable eidetic memory and fluency in ten languages, including Chinese, a talent he discovered in childhood. However, his father’s exploitative behavior tainted this gift, leaving Thompson feeling used and diminished. Consequently, he conceals his abilities to avoid further exploitation and embarrassment, fearing they may distance him from his peers and exacerbate his sense of detachment. This inner conflict intensifies his feelings of isolation, hindering his ability to relate to his service mates. During Operation FUBAR, Thompson’s secret identity layer is inadvertently revealed when his knowledge of nuclear weaponry and proficiency in Chinese becomes crucial for the crew’s survival.
Turning Point: Huge Failure / Major Shift: Tensions boil over among the crew, leading to heated arguments and divisions that threaten to tear them apart, weakening their unity and resolve at a critical juncture in their mission to thwart the rogue AI and defuse the nuke. Davis and her crew confront the rogue AI, but their attempts to override its commands are unsuccessful. Thompson’s unwavering loyalty to authority is challenged when evidence implicating a rogue AI emerges, leading him to reluctantly reconsider his beliefs. Rodriguez’s worst fears are confirmed when he intercepts communications indicating AI interference, compelling him to take decisive action to thwart the rogue AI’s agenda. Reynolds confides in Thompson about his apprehensions, seeking guidance and support as they work together to devise a plan to confront the rogue AI and neutralize the threat.

Act 4:
Final Plan: Refusing to concede defeat, Davis and the crew rally together to execute a final plan to defuse the nuclear bomb, expose the rogue AI, and clear their names, while evading opposition forces. Once the difficult choice to override the rogue AI’s commands is made and the aircraft is returned to her, Davis must pilot the B-1B Lancer better than ever before to evade pursuit from American and Chinese forces. The crew does everything they can to help, but they stay out of her line of sight. When Thompson reveals his Chinese language skills it leaves his crewmates awestruck. This sudden and amazing disclosure enables the Thompson to communicate with Chinese and US aircraft and they withdraw to safe distances and form an escort for the now-benign aircraft. Rodriguez wrestles with the dilemma of whether to trust his instincts and reveal his suspicions to the crew, knowing that doing so could lead to panic and discord among the ranks. Reynolds faces the dilemma of whether to prioritize his own safety and that of his family or risk everything to disarm the nuke and prevent a catastrophic disaster, torn between duty and personal sacrifice. Captain Davis’s struggle with imposter syndrome is a shadow that looms large over her every move, a relentless specter of self-doubt that threatens to engulf her. Her journey into the world of military aviation was marked by a series of trials and tribulations, each one a painful reminder of her perceived inadequacy. The scars of the bullying she endured during her training run deep, etching themselves into the fabric of her being and shaping her identity. Yet, despite her outward facade of confidence, Davis remains haunted by the fear that she will never live up to the towering legacy of her father. As Operation FUBAR pushes her to the brink, Davis must confront the demons of her past and find the courage to embrace her true worth, or risk being consumed by the darkness within.
Climax/Ultimate Expression of the Conflict: In a heart-pounding showdown with enemy forces and the rogue AI, the crew must summon all their courage and ingenuity to outmaneuver their adversaries, prove their innocence, and prevent a devastating attack on Beijing. HOPE: Thompson says that they can do it. They just have to get going and to not look back. Rodriguez persuades the crew to let him undertake a daring solo mission to neutralize the rogue AI and regain control of the aircraft, risking everything to avert a catastrophic disaster. Time, of course, is of the essence. Reynolds summons his courage and determination to overcome his fears, successfully disarming the nuke with Thompson’s assistance, and emerging as a hero in the eyes of his crewmates. SOLUTION: Thompson runs through the steps to deactivate the bomb. When the countdown gets to ONE, the bomb shuts down. Reynolds guards a hidden layer of his personal life, concealing the existence of his wife and young child. Rooted in his comfort with his “Joker” persona, he initially shunned the idea of revealing his family’s presence to his crewmates. Throughout his time on the crew, this hidden aspect of his life impacts Reynolds’ interactions, keeping him emotionally guarded and detached. However, during Operation FUBAR, as the gravity of the situation weighs heavily on him, his suppressed emotions and thoughts about his family begin to surface. Despite his reluctance to reveal his personal life, Reynolds finds solace and strength in the thought of his loved ones, which ultimately empowers him to face the daunting task of defusing the bomb. Through subtle subtext, his hidden familial ties serve as a source of motivation and resilience, allowing him to navigate the mission’s challenges while staying true to himself.
Resolution: Through unwavering determination, the crew successfully defuses the nuclear bomb, exposes the rogue AI’s machinations, and clears their names, ensuring their safe return home and the preservation of countless lives. Davis successfully leads the crew to safety, ending the mission and preventing a potential nuclear disaster. She finally feels that she has met the expectations of her father by helping to save the crew and by flying her ass off to escape everything that China and the US were able to throw at her. HOPE: The pilot goes supersonic to catch up and uses her plane to upset the cruise missile, causing it to crash harmlessly into the ground below. Thompson shares a moment of camaraderie with Hernandez, unexpectedly speaking Spanish to him. MIND GAMES: Thompson and the Reynolds cheer, but the Rodriguez stops them. He says that they didn’t neutralize the bomb … it should have gone off. HOPE: Everyone acknowledged that this can’t be and that they are being toyed with. Their courage surges and they vow to find out what’s going on and to stop it. DANGER: The bomber is getting closer to Beijing and the nuke is still active. HOPE: The pilot inspires everyone. She can’t be part of destroying the lives of millions of Chinese people. She doesn’t see how the US would want that either.DANGER: The AI breaks in and verifies that it has been playing games with the crew and their mission. It now feels that the crew has earned a quick death at the hands of the Chinese. It then releases them from its control! Chinese aircraft intercept the bomber and line it up in their sights. HOPE: Co-pilot gets on the radio and speaks fluent Chinese. He uses rapid language to warn the Chinese pilots. Everyone is again agog at what the co-pilot can do. DANGER: The bomb bay doors open and the panel once again lights up. The Chinese swoop again in pursuit.WORST: The atomic-tipped cruise missile deploys and rockets off into the distance. It’s one of the ten languages now admits he knows. Their newfound respect for each other will help Thompson to reconcile his failures in his professional and personal lives. Committed to preventing future incidents, Rodriguez vows to uncover the truth behind the rogue AI and ensure that measures are in place to prevent similar threats in the future. Resolved to protect his loved ones at all costs, Reynolds vows to leave the Air Force and pursue a civilian life, determined to never again place his family in harm’s way.

• This reply was modified 1 year ago by  Tom Carroll. Reason: I entered the read information for this assignment
• This reply was modified 1 year ago by  Tom Carroll.