The Human Operator
Episode 3
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Hale’s roiling face as Fisch marches her down the anodyne corridor for privacy. She wants to fight him. She wants to thwart his attempt to do this where no one can see.
He stops and looks around to make sure no one is nearby. He leans in. “You’ve got to stop with this.”
“Are you kidding?” Hale’s voice is shrill and defiant. She stands up at full height against his weasely frame.
He realizes she’s asking a literal question. “No, I’m not kidding. This is not a joke. You have got to stop acting this way. Your job is on the line.”
“I deserve to be recognized for my work!” She is almost spitting with rage. Far more furious than it’s wise for an employee to be with her boss.
He lowers his tone in an effort to make her lower her tone. “Your ‘work,’ as you put it, involves creating something that’s deeply invisible, that needs to remain invisible because of what it can do. We cannot put a face on that!”
“Everyone in this building is under an NDA! I can be the face in here. Because I am the fucking face.” Suddenly Hale sways - almost like she’s gonna pass out. Fisch doesn’t seem to notice.
“That’s why we pay you. We own your intellectual property, not you.” As a physicist, Fisch wasn’t exactly trained for managing people. He exhibits a disdain for this part of the job.
“This isn’t about money! I am the creator and I want that known.” She pleads. Her face is grey now.
“We just need to ... de-emphasize ... your role. A bit.”
“What the hell are you talking about.”
“There’s been some ... noise ... from above.”
“From above? You’re the CEO! You’re above.”
“I’m talking founder level. You need to understand ... everything is riding on Washington. Either we win this or it’s over. This is existential.” Fisch is wound tighter than a bow-string, so eager to get this problem contained. He hunches around her, as if to silence her.
“I created the fucking thing!” Hale leaning away and shouting.
Fisch seems embarrassed at her emotion. He quickly looks around to see if they’re being watched. “Calm down. We all know what you did. No one is questioning that. But this is beyond the technology. We have to tell them a story that enchants them. If they think there’s human operators with their fingers on the dials ... that’s just not gonna work.”
“I can’t believe you’re doing this.”
“Would you rather own one hundred percent of nothing?”
“This isn’t about my equity!”
“Yes it is. What will your options be worth if we go out of business?”
“I don’t give a fuck about the options! This is my life’s work and you’re trying to take it away.” Her face screws up as if she’s gonna cry. Oh god.
“It’s not just the options. You think this is ever gonna see the light of day if we don’t get Washington behind us? One hundred percent credit for nothing, that’s what you’re gonna wind up with.”
Hale can’t believe what he’s saying. She looks sick, mortified, glaring at him.
Fisch changes tack. “I know shipping this has been a lot. You’re exhausted. We’ve all noticed. Why don’t you take a break. Go on vacation.”
She glowers at him. “I don’t take vacations.”
“This isn’t a suggestion. Take a vacation.”