Six manufacturers gather to celebrate their newest product: the watchbird, a flying machine that senses the intent to kill and stops murderers before they strike. Charlie Gelsen, one of the makers, has doubts, and as the learning circuits teach themselves new definitions of murder, the birds begin to protect more than anyone intended.
A sharp, darkly funny parable of automated policing from one of the wittiest writers of 1950s magazine SF. Download the free EPUB.