The Running Man
by Stephen King
Contents
…Minus 010 and COUNTING… “Jesus,” Richards said. He was stand
Overview
Richards visits the cockpit and discovers that the jet is being flown by an advanced automatic pilot called Otto. The scene emphasizes Richards’s uneasy attention to the plane’s controls as Harding approaches, while Holloway and Duninger reveal both sympathy for him and discomfort around him.
The chapter narrows the story’s focus to the aircraft itself, making the mechanics of flight and control newly important as Richards nears his destination.
Summary
Richards enters the cockpit and is startled to see the jet’s controls moving with no one touching them. Holloway and Duninger explain that “Otto,” the automatic pilot, is flying the plane while they communicate with navigation systems.
Duninger unexpectedly says some of the crew had been rooting for Richards. Holloway tries to make the moment less awkward by explaining that Otto locks onto a point of destination and follows Voice-Radar, making pilots mostly necessary for takeoffs, landings, and emergencies.
Richards questions how much control the pilots truly have if something goes wrong. Holloway answers with uneasy sincerity that they can pray, while Duninger insists the computer never makes mistakes and can be overridden if necessary.
Richards remains fascinated and disturbed by the self-moving controls until Holloway tells him Harding will become visible on the horizon in five or six minutes. Richards leaves without comment, and Holloway admits to Duninger that Richards unnerves him; Duninger notes that Richards seemed not to like the automatic pilot.
Who Appears
- Ben RichardsExamines the cockpit, questions the automatic pilot, and silently unsettles the pilots.
- HollowayPilot who explains Otto, notes Harding ahead, and calls Richards a spook.
- DuningerCockpit crewman who trusts the automatic pilot and says some crew rooted for Richards.
- OttoAutomatic pilot controlling the jet through constant, precise adjustments.