Undawntech: I Am Another You

Posted: April 3, 2026 | Author: DL Mullan/Undawntech | Filed under: AI Technology, Undawntech | Tags: AI Technology, DL Mullan, Undawntech, Writing to be Read |Leave a comment

With the panic in the creative writing community over a new technology interfacing with creators called artificial intelligence (AI), editors and publishers are confusing natural writing and grammar/spell checkers with AI content. This is a disservice to the writing community. As creators of content, writers have to manage their products, as much as they have to handle other people’s perception of what is and is not authentically human.

Let’s put a free AI content checker to the test.

In the article, I Tested 20+ AI Tools, These Are the 8 Best AI Detectors That Actually Work in 2026, the writer lists many fee-based checkers with one free website.
https://beebom.com/best-ai-detector/

Since most people, who are not medium to large size editors or publishing houses, will utilize any free program online, we will use: AI Detector | The AI Content Detector | ChatGPT & AI Checker.
https://contentdetector.ai/

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Here is an unedited, unfinished scene I placed in this AI Content Detector:

Aboard the Epikus
Microfiction By: DL Mullan

            “Cate, whatever you did, worked.” The captain’s voice poured through the loud speaker. “We lost them. No one could follow that.”

            Against the wall and on the floor, she scrambled to her feet. Wires dangled from panels and instruments. She hit the communication’s button. “I’ll have regular engines online in a minute.”

            “Perfect timing, by the way.”

            “Well, don’t count on it until after dry dock. I don’t want to overload the engines again.”

            “Again?” She heard another man’s voice.

            “Jaisan, tell your guest to keep his shirt on. Out.”

            After she switched off communications, Cate undid what she created in engineering that gave the ship a momentary power boost. Captain Jaisan Sullivan’s ship was a mess, but the push had worked. The Epikus had avoided capture.

            She rubbed her face on her bare arm. “Dammit.”

            The metal smell of the ship had absorbed into her skin. She knew weeks on a planet would be necessary just to get the odor out of her nostrils. From her pores, that was another issue.

            “It’ll take years.” She snorted. She had other worries. Her main concern besides the engines was the captain’s visitor.

            Boag, a funny name for a not so funny guy. Six feet tall, dark hair, light eyes, crow’s feet, and he had an attitude she hated. Cate hoped her list of duties would keep her from meeting him again.

            She plugged and unplugged wires. Lights flickered then remained on. She smiled. Engines were at maximum power.

            Finished with the project, she went to close the panel. She pushed on the large, metallic flap, but the piece would not lock. She shoved the heavy metal. After a few more failed attempts, a man lent his shoulder and the door clicked into place.

            “Thanks.” Then she saw that her helper was the stranger. “Shouldn’t you be telling your secrets to the captain?”

            “Our closed meeting has concluded.”

            “You shouldn’t be down here.”

            “You seem to be good at security and engineering.” His annoying British accent filled her ears. “Jaisan’s made good use of you.”

            “I do what I can. Fill in the gaps. People died help saving me back on Mars. The least I could do is cover for them until he gets some replacements.”

            “You must’ve known what was to come.”

            “To come?”

            “Your eventual departure.”

            She slung a tool into its box. “Don’t have something else to do?”

            “You don’t like me, do you?”

            “I don’t know you and you’re in a restricted area.”

            “I have free reign. Call Jaisan if you don’t believe me.”

            “I just might.”

            He folded his arms over his stomach. “How may I make this simpler?”

            “Go away.”

            “You’re angry with me.”

            “You don’t understand.”

            “I understand quite nicely. You’re emotionally attached to Jaisan and his crew. Now that that’s ending, you’re looking for someone to blame.”

            “You’re as good as any.” She mirrored his stance.

            “Cate. Cate Cross. Is that your real name?”

            “It’s my name . . . for now. I’ll change it soon enough, so no one can follow my exploits and track them back here. Anyway, Boag? Boag’s your name?”

            “Yes.”

            “First or last?”

            “Yes.” He walked away. “Coming?”

            “Yes? Yes. Of course.” After she smacked a console, she followed him talking to herself. “It’s my frast name.”

            “Have a problem?”

            She muttered. “Besides you?”

            He turned around. “What?”

            “Boag ain’t a name. It’s a swamp.”

            “Ain’t? You’re criticizing my Scottish ancestry and you can’t speak grammatically correct Standard English?”

            “So sue me. And what does it matter anyway? We drop you off and that’s the last we’re going to see of you.”

            “Not quite. I’m your next phase of training.”

            “Training? I don’t remember wanting to be trained. I have a good gig here. Engineering and security duties for room and board. Sorry, someone got their wires crossed, but I don’t need you. So go away, Mister Boag.”

            “You’re much more than a lackey. Avery befriended you and got you out of detention. Jaisan was to give you a safe place to recover. Now, I’m going to take you planet side and train you to become one of us.”

            “Like Jaisan?”

            “No, he’s a telepath. He’s not like us.”

            “What’s this ‘us’? There is no ‘us.’”

            “Telekinetics are prized and rare. What I saw you do . . .”

            “All apart of the service. Once we land, I disappear.”

            “You don’t have to.”

            “I’m wanted. Wherever I go is a great big sign with an arrow pointed at me. A telepath can track me fifty yards away and I wouldn’t know it. So, I don’t want to be in your little club. I just want out.”

            “I can teach you to defend yourself.”

            “You saw me throw those military guards with a wave of my hand. I don’t need your instruction.”

            “Maybe a lesson in manners. Then I can teach you endurance for the battles ahead. That one endeavor drained you. Don’t bother lying, I saw it.”

            “But we got out alive. And I didn’t see you do any heavy lifting.”

            “I wanted to see you in action.”

            “Great. You saw. Congratulations. Now go away!”

            “I can’t. Your parents left you in my care.”

            “My parents abandoned me. Never came to see me. Never provided me with counsel. Nothing. I haven’t seen nor heard from them since this all started.”

            “Cover for them. They contacted a friend of mine who looked into your case. He decided I should get involved.”

            “Who’s this friend?”

            “Someone you’ll never meet.”

            “Well, who the hell are you? I don’t see why you got involved at all.”

            “It’s my job.”

            “And that is?”

            “Save. Recruit. Train.”

            “If that includes me-”

            “Yes, it does.”

            “Well, don’t.” She pointed at him. “I respect Jaisan. We made a deal when he got recalled back to his base of operations, I would fend for myself. So I expect you to leave me alone. Now, if you’ll excuse me, the captain’s waiting for my report.”

She stormed past Boag.

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Spelling errors and all, I wrote this scene over 10 years ago at 1000 words. No AI at that time. I had no editor. I had no support with free or human grammar/spell checkers or beta readers, but the AI detector still detected what was inhuman.

See image above… Likely Human, but 27% chance that it is AI Content. So, my natural writing with no AI grammar/spelling checks is about 1/3 non-human, according to an AI content checker.

Is AI another me? Am I another you?

The form to place text in states that “above 250 words for better accuracy.” Obviously, it is still inaccurate. Or, I am genetically akin to a non-player character (NPC).

The creative writing community must be cautious before throwing around the AI accusation. Some people write that way naturally. It appears that I do.

Perhaps, it is the years of writing research articles, essays, and long form papers during my college and university years. Or, my Hollywood-scriptwriter, the screenwriter was from the Kate & Ally Sitcom et al., training after I graduated from high school. Maybe yet, it is my professional writing education and training I received from writers like Timothy Zahn, science fiction and fantasy author of the Thrawn trilogy fame; Connie Flynn, PRISM Award winner & National Best-Selling Author in the romance genre; or Michael A. Stackpole, science fiction/fantasy, New York Times Best-Selling Author.

Or… these artificial intelligence content detectors are bunk.

I’m going with bunk.

Will there be cheaters who will use AI content and slap their names on the writing? Of course, there will be. The trick is to evaluate a creator’s writing for its originality of thought and execution versus living in fear by calling everyone and everything AI.

The technology now is so ubiquitous in society, how are we supposed to spot it, correct it or, even, avoid it?

In my professional writing career, as well as a member of professional art organizations, I was cautioned to keep notebooks, notes, inspirations, and other information on hand to protect my copyright claim. I have tons of cheap notebooks and composition books with my scribbles. That is why you see me on online posting poems and other writings. If anyone ever questioned my originality, there I have it posted with a time and date stamp.

In the meantime, creators cannot jump to conclusions every time something is published. The written work may not be AI.

It just may be another you.

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If you would like to read a non-AI content creation, then The Story of Vigdis and Adalbrandir is for you!

What if you knew the real story of the gods and how these immortals came to inhabit the Earth? Who would you tell? What would you do?

This narrative recounts the mythological journey of how Vigdis and Adal transformed into twin swords, entrusted to their son, Jacobous, for all eternity.

Love can last forever.

For more information and to purchase your copy, visit www.undawnted.com/p/the-story-of-vigdis-and-adalbrandir.html

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DL Mullan’s lecture, Spacescapes: Where Photography Ends; Imagination Begins, debuted at the Phoenix Astronomy Society, which then led to her Sally Ride Festival lectures. Her presentation, Bridging the Gap between Technology and Women, won her accolades at a community college’s Student Success Conference. She has been a panelist at speculative fiction, science fiction, and other regional conventions. Her digital exhibition pieces have won awards at convention art shows, as well as garnered her Second Premium at the Arizona State Fair. As an independent publisher, she uses her technical background to innovate in the creative arts.

As a creator, Ms. Mullan, began writing short stories and poetry before adolescence. Over the years, she has showcased her literary talents by self-publishing several collections of her poetry. She also writes novels, designs apparel, and creates digital art. DL Mullan‘s creative writing is available in digital and print collections, from academia to commercial anthologies. She is an award-winning digital artist and poet.

Currently, she has embarked on writing her multi-book Legacy Universe, Supernatural Superhero Series, as well as creating original soundtracks for her publications and independent electronic music albums, featured on SoundCloud and YouTube.

DL Mullan holds a Master of Arts in Teaching and Learning with Technology, and is a syndicated columnist, writing the creative nonfiction, Undawntech.

For news and updates, subscribe to the Undawntable Newsletter. Find DL on Amazon, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube via her website.

Be sure to subscribe to her newsletters and follow her on social media. For further information, visit her at www.undawntech.com and www.undawnted.com.

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This segment of “Undawntech” is sponsored by the Time Travel Adventure Series and WordCrafter Press.