"For Want of a Nail" is the 2011 Hugo award-winning short story by Mary Robinette Kowal. This science-fiction short story explores the choices that an AI and her wrangler must make to solve a seemingly simple technical problem. The catch is that they are on a generation ship, and the resources are limited.
Also in this edition, is bonus material that includes author's notes as well as a look at the writing process. The original and unedited first draft of this story has a completely different plot. Read it and the brainstorming notes to get a peek into the creative process.