The more we build machines in our image, the greater the chance these machines will one day outgrow their need for us. This being a central tenet of SciFi stories by many an author we are treated to yet another one. This time though its by SciFi master Harlan Ellison. In a huge starship of extremely advanced design lives the inter-mind computer that controls it and its sole human operator:Man. Man is often tasked with reparing the ship and so he has little time for leisure or foolishness. The slightest bit of insolence sends the inter-mind computer that he calls "Ship" into fits of anger and often times this means being placed in an electronic torture chamber for a punishment process known as being "Racked". Man knows his place all to well, that is until one day Ship meets with another of starship of his design. The operator of which is female. What becomes a forced coupling in order to perpetuate themselves with an offspring becomes a fulcrum for freedom and Man learns that like Ship he was meant to be free to pursue his destiny.
Review of The Human Operators
