So a wave of patriotism swept over our new nation and unified it.
Isn't that what histories say? Oh, brother!
My dinkum word, preparing a revolution isn't as much huhu as having won
it. Here we were, in control too soon, nothing ready and a thousand things to do.
Authority in Luna was gonebut Lunar Authority Earthside and Federated Nations behind
it were very much alive. Had they landed one troopship, orbited one cruiser, anytime next
week or two, could have taken Luna back cheap. We were a mob.
New catapult had been tested but canned rock missiles ready to go you
could count on fingers of one handmy left hand. Nor was catapult a weapon that could
be used against ships, nor against troops. We had notions for fighting off ships; at
moment were just notions. We had a few hundred cheap laser guns stockpiled in Hong Kong
LunaChinee engineers are smartbut few men trained to use them.
Moreover, Authority had useful functions. Bought ice and grain, sold
air and water and power, held ownership or control at a dozen key points. No matter what
was done in future, wheels had to turn. Perhaps wrecking city offices of Authority had
been hasty (I thought so) as records were destroyed. However, Prof maintained that
Loonies, all Loonies, needed a symbol to hate and destroy and those offices were least
valuable and most public.
But Mike controlled communications and that meant control of most
everything. Prof had started with control of news to and from Earthside, leaving to Mike
censorship and faking of news until we could get around to what to tell Terra, and had
added sub-phase "M" which cut off Complex from rest of Luna, and with it
Richardson Observatory and associated laboratoriesPierce Radioscope, Selenophysical
Station, and so forth. These were a problem as Terran scientists were always coming and
going and staying as long as six months, stretching time by centrifuge. Most Terrans in
Luna, save for a handful of touriststhirty-fourwere scientists. Something had
to be done about these Terrans, but meanwhile keeping them from talking to Terra was
enough.
For time being, Complex was cut off by phone and Mike did not permit
capsules to stop at any station in Complex even after travel was resumed, which it was as
soon as Finn Nielsen and squad were through with dirty work.
Turned out Warden was not dead, nor had we planned to kill him; Prof
figured that a live warden could always be made dead, whereas a dead one could not be made
live if we needed him. So plan was to half kill him, make sure he and his guards could put
up no fight, then break in fast while Mike restored oxygen.
With fans turning at top speed, Mike computed it would take four
minutes and a bit to reduce oxygen to effective zeroso, five minutes of increasing
hypoxia, five minutes of anoxia, then force lower lock while Mike shot in pure oxygen to
restore balance. This should not kill anyonebut would knock out a person as
thoroughly as anesthesia. Hazard to attackers would come from some or all of those inside
having p-suits. But even that might not matter; hypoxia is sneaky, you can pass out
without realizing you are short on oxygen. Is new chum's favorite fatal mistake.
So Warden lived through it and three of his women. But Warden, though
he lived, was no use; brain had been oxygen-starved too long, a vegetable. No guard
recovered, even though younger than he; would appear anoxia broke necks.
In rest of Complex nobody was hurt. Once lights were on and oxygen
restored they were okay, including six rapist-murderers under lock in barracks. Finn
decided that shooting was too good for them, so he went judge and used his squad as jury.
They were stripped, hamstrung at ankles and wrists, turned over to
women in Complex. Makes me sick to think about what happened next but don't suppose they
lived through as long an ordeal as Marie Lyons endured. Women are amazing
creaturessweet, soft, gentle, and far more savage than we are.
Let me mention those fink spies out of order. Wyoh had been fiercely
ready to eliminate them but when we got around to them she had lost stomach. I expected
Prof to agree. But he shook head. "No, dear Wyoh, much as I deplore violence, there
are only two things to do with an enemy: Kill him. Or make a friend of him. Anything in
between piles up trouble for the future. A man who finks on his friends once will do it
again and we have a long period ahead in which a fink can be dangerous; they must go. And
publicly, to cause others to be thoughtful."
Wyoh said, "Professor, you once said that if you condemned a man,
you would eliminate him personally. Is that what you are going to do?"
"Yes, dear lady, and no. Their blood shall be on my hands; I
accept responsibility. But I have in mind a way more likely to discourage other
finks."
So Adam Selene announced that these persons had been employed by Juan
Alvarez, late Security Chief for former Authority, as undercover spiesand gave names
and addresses. Adam did not suggest that anything be done.
One man remained on dodge for seven months by changing warrens and
name. Then early in '77 his body was found outside Novylen's lock. But most of them lasted
no more than hours.
During first hours after coup d'etat we were faced with a
problem we had never managed to planAdam Selene himself. Who is Adam Selene? Where
is he? This is his revolution; he handled every detail, every comrade knows his voice.
We're out in open now . . . so where is Adam?
We batted it around much of that night, in room L of
Rafflesargued it between decisions on a hundred things that came up and people
wanted to know what to do, while "Adam" through other voices handled other
decisions that did not require talk, composed phony news to send Earthside, kept Complex
isolated, many things. (Is no possible doubt: without Mike we could not have taken Luna
nor held it.)
My notion was that Prof should become "Adam." Prof was always
our planner and theoretician; everybody knew him; some key comrades knew that he was
"Comrade Bill" and all others knew and respected Professor Bernardo de la
Paz My word, he had taught half of leading citizens in Luna City, many from other
warrens, was known to every vip in Luna.
"No," said Prof.
"Why not?" asked Wyoh. "Prof. you're opted. Tell him,
Mike."
"Comment reserved," said Mike. "I want to hear what Prof
has to say."
"I say you've analyzed it, Mike," Prof answered. "Wyoh
dearest comrade, I would not refuse were it possible. But there is no way to make my voice
match that of Adamand every comrade knows Adam by his voice; Mike made it memorable
for that very purpose."
We then considered whether Prof could be slipped in anyhow, showing him
only on video and letting Mike reshape whatever Prof said into voice expected from Adam.
Was turned down. Too many people knew Prof, had heard him speak; his
voice and way of speaking could not be reconciled with Adam. Then they considered same
possibility for memy voice and Mike's were baritone and not too many people knew
what I sounded like over phone and none over video.
I tromped on it. People were going to be surprised enough to find me
one of our Chairman's lieutenants; they would never believe I was number one.
I said, "Let's combine deals. Adam has been a mystery all along;
keep him that way. He'll be seen only over videoin a mask. Prof. you supply body;
Mike, you supply voice."
Prof shook head. "I can think of no surer way to destroy
confidence at our most critical period than by having a leader who wears a mask. No,
Mannie."
We talked about finding an actor to play it. Were no professional
actors in Luna then but were good amateurs in Luna Civic Players and in Novy Bolshoi Teatr
Associates.
"No," said Prof, "aside from finding an actor of
requisite characterone who would not decide to be Napoleonwe can't wait. Adam
must start handling things not later than tomorrow morning."
"In that case," I said, "you've answered it. Have to use
Mike and never put him on video. Radio only. Have to figure excuse but Adam must never be
seen."
"I'm forced to agree," said Prof.
"Man my oldest friend," said Mike, "why do you say that
I can't be seen?"
"Haven't you listened?" I said. "Mike, we have to show a
face and body on video. You have a bodybut it's several tons of metal. A face you
don't havelucky you, don't have to shave."
"But what's to keep me from showing a face, Man? I'm showing a
voice this instant. But there's no sound behind it. I can show a face the same way."
Was so taken aback I didn't answer. I stared at video screen, installed
when we leased that room. A pulse is a pulse is a pulse. Electrons chasing each other. To
Mike, whole world was variable series of electrical pulses, sent or received or chasing
around his innards.
I said, "No, Mike."
"Why not, Man?"
"Because you can't! Voice you handle beautifully. Involves only a
few thousand decisions a second, a slow crawl to you. But to build up video picture would
require, uh, say ten million decisions every second. Mike, you're so fast I can't even
think about it. But you aren't that fast."
Mike said softly, "Want to bet, Man?"
Wyoh said indignantly, "Of course Mike can if he says he can!
Mannie, you shouldn't talk that way." (Wyoh thinks an electron is something about
size and shape of a small pea.)
"Mike," I said slowly, "I won't put money on it. Okay,
want to try? Shall I switch on video?"
"I can switch it on," he answered.
"Sure you'll get right one? Wouldn't do to have this show
somewhere else."
He answered testily, "I'm not stupid. Now let me be, Manfor
I admit this is going to take just about all I've got."
We waited in silence. Then screen showed neutral gray with a hint of
scan lines. Went black again, then a faint light filled middle and congealed into cloudy
areas light and dark, ellipsoid. Not a face, but suggestion of face that one sees in cloud
patterns covering Terra.
It cleared a little and reminded me of pictures alleged to be
ectoplasm. A ghost of a face.
Suddenly firmed and we saw "Adam Selcne."
Was a still picture of a mature man. No background, just a face as if
trimmed out of a print. Yet was, to me, "Adam Selene." Could not he anybody
else.
Then he smiled, moving lips and jaw and touching tongue to lips, a
quick gestureand I was frightened.
"How do I look?" he asked.
"Adam," said Wyoh, "your hair isn't that curly. And it
should go back on each side above your forehead. You look as if you were wearing a wig,
dear."
Mike corrected it. "Is that better?'
"Not quite so much. And don't you have dimples? I was sure I could
hear dimples when you chuckle. Like Prof's."
Mike-Adam smiled again; this time he had dimples. "How should I be
dressed, Wyoh?"
"Are you at your office?"
"I'm still at office. Have to be, tonight." Background turned
gray, then came into focus and color. A wall calendar behind him gave date, Tuesday 19 May
2076; a clock showed correct time. Near his elbow was a carton of coffee. On desk was a
solid picture, a family group, two men, a woman, four children. Was background noise,
muted roar of Old Dome Plaza louder than usual; I heard shouts and in distance some
singing: Simon's version of "Marseillaise."
Off screen Ginwallah's voice said, "Gospodin?"
Adam turned toward it. "I'm busy, Albert," he said patiently.
"No calls from anyone but cell B. You handle everything else." He looked back at
us. "Well, Wyoh? Suggestions? Prof? Man my doubting friend? Will I pass?"
I rubbed eyes. "Mike, can you cook?"
"Certainly. But I don't; I'm married."
"Adam," said Wyoh, "how can you look so neat after the
day we've had?"
"I don't let little things worry me." He looked at Prof.
"Professor, if the picture is okay, let's discuss what I'll say tomorrow. I was
thinking of pre-empting the eight hundred newscast, have it announced all night, and pass
the word down the cells."
We talked rest of night. I sent up for coffee twice and Mike-Adam had
his carton renewed. When I ordered sandwiches, he asked Ginwallah to send out for some. I
caught a glimpse of Albert Ginwallah in profile, a typical babu, polite and faintly
scornful. Hadn't known what he looked like. Mike ate while we ate, sometimes mumbling
around a mouthful of food.
When I asked (professional interest) Mike told me that, after he had
picture built up, he had programmed most of it for automatic and gave his attention just
to facial expressions. But soon I forgot it was fake. Mike-Adam was talking with us by
video, was all, much more convenient than by phone.
By oh-three-hundred we had policy settled, then Mike rehearsed speech.
Prof found points be wanted to add; Mike made revisions, then we decided to get some rest,
even Mike-Adam was yawningalthough in fact Mike held fort all through night,
guarding transmissions to Terra, keeping Complex wailed off, listening at many phones.
Prof and I shared big bed, Wyoh stretched out on couch, I whistled lights out. For once we
slept without weights.
While we had breakfast, Adam Selene addressed Free Luna.
He was gentle, strong, warm, and persuasive. "Citizens of Free
Luna, friends, comradesto those of you who do not know me let me introduce myself. I
am Adam Selene. Chairman of the Emergency Committee of Comrades for Free Luna . . . now of
Free Luna, we are free at last. The so-called 'Authority' which has long unsurped power in
this our home has been overthrown. I find myself temporary head of such government as we
havethe Emergency Committee.
"Shortly, as quickly as can be arranged, you will opt your own
government." Adam smiled and made a gesture inviting help. "In the meantime,
with your help, I shall do my best. We will make mistakesbe tolerant. Comrades, if
you have not revealed yourselves to friends and neighbors, it is time you did so.
Citizens, requests may reach you through your comrade neighbors. I hope you will comply
willingly; it will speed the day when I can bow out and life can get back to normala
new normal, free of the Authority, free of guards, free of troops stationed on us, free of
passports and searches and arbitrary arrests.
"There has to be a transition. To all of youplease go back
to work, resume normal lives. To those who worked for the Authority, the need is the same.
Go back to work. Wages will go on, your jobs stay the same, until we can decide what is
needed, what happily no longer is needed now that we are free, and what must be kept but
modified. You new citizens, transportees sweating out sentences pronounced on you
Earthsideyou are free, your sentences are finished! But in the meantime I hope that
you will go on working. You are not required tothe days of coercion are
gonebut you are urged to. You are of course free to leave the Complex, free to go
anywhere . . . and capsule service to and from the Complex will resume at once. But before
you use your new freedom to rush into town, let me remind you: 'There is no such thing as
a free lunch.' You are better off for the time being where you are; the food may not be
fancy but will continue hot and on time.
"To take on temporarily those necessary functions of the defunct
Authority I have asked the General Manager of LuNoHo Company to serve. This company will
provide termporary supervision and will start analyzing how to do away with the tyrannical
parts of the Authority and how to transfer the useful parts to private hands. So please
help them.
"To you citizens of Terran nations among us, scientists and
travelers and others, greetings! You are witnessing a rare event, the birth of a nation.
Birth means blood and pain; there has been some. We hope it is over. You will not be
inconvenienced unnecessarily and your passage home will be arranged as soon as possible.
Conversely, you are welcome to stay, still more welcome to become citizens. But for the
present I urge you to stay out of the corridors, avoid incidents that might lead to
unnecessary blood, unnecessary pain. Be patient with us and I urge my fellow citizens to
be patient with you. Scientists from Terra, at the Observatory and elsewhere, go on with
your work and ignore us. Then you won't even notice that we are going through the pangs of
creating a new nation. One thing I am sorry to say that we are temporarily
interfering with your right to communicate with Earthside. This we do from necessity;
censorship will be lifted as quickly as possiblewe hate it as much as you do."
Adam added one more request: "Don't try to see me, comrades, and
phone me only if you must; all others, write if you need to, your letters will receive
prompt attention. But I am not twins, I got no sleep last night and can't expect much
tonight. I can't address meetings, can't shake hands, can't meet delegations; I must stick
to this desk and workso that I can get rid of this job and turn it over to your
choice." He grinned at them. "Expect me to be as hard to see as Simon
Jester!"
It was a fifteen-minute cast but that was essence: Go back to work, be
patient, give us time.
Those scientists gave us almost no timeI should have guessed; was
my sort of pidgin.
All communication Earthside channeled through Mike. But those brain
boys had enough electronic equipment to stock a warehouse; once they decided to, it took
them only hours to breadboard a rig that could reach Terra.
Only thing that saved us was a fellow traveler who thought Luna should
be free. He tried to phone Adam Selene, wound up talking to one of a squad of women we had
co-opted from C and D levela system thrown together in self-defense as, despite
Mike's request, half of Luna tried to phone Adam Selene after that videocast, everything
from requests and demands to busybodies who wanted to tell Adam how to do his job.
After about a hundred calls got routed to me through too much zeal by a
comrade in phone company, we set up this buffer squad. Happily, comrade lady who took this
call recognized that soothe-'em-down doctrine did not apply; she phoned me.
Minutes later myself and Finn Nielsen plus some eager guns headed by
capsule for laboratory area. Our informant was scared to give name but had told me where
to find transmitter. We caught them transmitting, and only fast action on Finn's part kept
them breathing; his boys were itchy. But we did not want to "make an example";
Finn and I had settled that on way out. Is hard to frighten scientists, their minds don't
work that way. Have to get at them from other angles.
I kicked that transmitter to pieces and ordered Director to have
everyone assemble in mess hall and required roll callwhere a phone could hear. Then
I talked to Mike, got names from him, and said to Director: "Doctor, you told me they
were all here. We're missing so-and-so"seven names. "Get them here!"
Missing Terrans had been notified, had refused to stop what they were
doingtypical scientists.
Then I talked, Loonies on one side of room, Terrans on other. To
Terrans I said; "We tried to treat you as guests. But three of you tried and perhaps
succeeded in sending message Earthside."
I turned to Director. "Doctor, I could searchwarren, surface
structures, all labs, every spaceand destroy everything that might be used for
transmitter. I'm electron pusher by trade; I know what wide variety of components can be
converted into transmitters. Suppose I destroy everything that might be useful for that
and, being stupid, take no chance and smash anything I don't understand. What
result?"
Would have thought I was about to kill his baby! He turned gray.
"That would stop every research . . . destroy priceless data . . . waste, oh, I don't
know how much! Call it a half billion dollars!"
"So I thought. Could take all that gear instead of smashing and
let you go on best you can."
"That would be almost as bad. You must understand, Gospodin, that
when an experiment is interrupted"
"I know. Easier than moving anythingand maybe missing
someis to take you all to Complex and quarter you there. We have what used to be
Dragoon barracks. But that too would ruin experiments. Besides Where you from,
Doctor?"
"Princeton, New Jersey."
"So? You've been here five months and no doubt exercising and
wearing weights. Doctor, if we did that, you might never see Princeton again. If we move
you, we'll keep you locked up. You'll get soft. If emergency goes on very long, you'll be
a Loonie like it or not. And all your brainy help with you."
A cocky chum stepped forwardone who had to be sent for twice.
"You can't do this! It's against the law!"
"What law, Gospodin? Some law back in your hometown?" I
turned. "Finn, show him law."
Finn stepped forward and placed emission bell of gun at man's belly
button. Thumb started to press downsafety-switched, I could see. I said, "Don't
kill him, Finn!"then went on: "I will eliminate this man if that's what it
takes to convince you. So watch each other! One more offense will kill all your chances of
seeing home againas well as ruining researches. Doctor, I warn you to find ways to
keep check on your staff."
I turned to Loonies. "Tovarishchee, keep them honest.
Work up own guard system. Don't take nonsense; every earthworm is on probation. If you
have to eliminate some, don't hesitate." I turned to Director. "Doctor, any
Loonie can go anywhere any timeeven your bedroom. Your assistants are now your
bosses so far as security is concerned; if a Loonie decides to follow you or anybody into
a W.C., don't argue; he might be jumpy."
I turned to Loonies. "Security first! You each work for some
earthwormwatch him! Split it among you and don't miss anything. Watch 'em so close
they can't build mouse trap, much less transmitter. If interferes with work for them,
don't worry; wages will go on."
Could see grins. Lab assistant was best job a Loonie could find those
daysbut they worked under earthworms who looked down on us, even ones who pretended
and were oh so gracious.
I let it go at that. When I had been phoned, I had intended to
eliminate offenders. But Prof and Mike set me straight: Plan did not permit violence
against Terrans that could be avoided.
We set up "ears," wideband sensitive receivers, around lab
area, since even most directional rig spills a little in neighborhood. And Mike listened
on all phones in area, After that we chewed nails and hoped.
Presently we relaxed as news up from Earthside showed nothing, they
seemed to accept censored transmissions without suspicion, and private and commercial
traffic and Authority's transmissions all seemed routine. Meanwhile we worked, trying in
days what should take months.
We received one break in timing; no passenger ship was on Luna and none
was due until 7 July. We could have copedsuckered a ship's officers to "dine
with Warden" or something, then mounted guard on its senders or dismantled them.
Could not have lifted without our help; in those days one drain on ice was providing water
for reaction mass. Was not much drain compared with grain shipments; one manned ship a
month was heavy traffic then, while grain lifted every day. What it did mean was that an
incoming ship was not an insuperable hazard. Nevertheless was lucky break; we were trying
so hard to make everything look normal until we could defend ourselves.
Grain shipments went on as before; one was catapulted almost as Finn's
men were breaking into Warden's residence. And next went out on time, and all others.
Neither oversight nor faking for interim; Prof knew what he was doing.
Grain shipments were a big operation (for a little country like Luna) and couldn't be
changed in one semi-lunar; bread-and-beer of too many people was involved. If our
committee had ordered embargo and quit buying grain, we would have been chucked out and a
new committee with other ideas would have taken over.
Prof said that an educational period was necessary. Meanwhile grain
barges catapulted as usual; LuNoHoCo kept books and issued receipts, using civil service
personnel. Dispatches went out in Warden's name and Mike talked to Authority Earthside,
using Warden's voice. Deputy Administrator proved reasonable, once he understood it upped
his life expectancy. Chief Engineer stayed on job, tooMcIntyre was a real Loonie,
given chance, rather than fink by nature. Other department heads and minor stooges were no
problem; life went on as before and we were too busy to unwind Authority system and put
useful parts up for sale.
Over a dozen people turned up claiming to be Simon Jester; Simon wrote
a rude verse disclairning them and had picture on front page of Lunatic, Pravda, and Gong.
Wyoh let herself go blond and made trip to see Greg at new catapult site, then a longer
trip, ten days, to old home in Hong Kong Luna, taking Anna who wanted to see it. Wyoh
needed a vacation and Prof urged her to take it, pointing on that she was in touch by
phone and that closer Party contact was needed in Hong Kong. I took over her stilyagi with
Slim and Hazel as my lieutenantsbright, sharp kids I could trust. Slim was awed to
discover that I was "Comrade Bork" and saw "Adam Selene" every day;
his Party name started with "G." Made a good team for other reason, too. Hazel
suddenly started showing cushiony curves and not all from Mimi's superb table; she had
reached that point in her orbit. Slim was ready to change her name to "Stone"
any time she was willing to opt. In meantime he was anxious to do Party work he could
share with our fierce little redhead.
Not everybody was willing. Many comrades turned out to be talk-talk
soldiers. Still more thought war was over once we had eliminated Peace Goons and captured
Warden. Others were indignant to learn how far down they were in Party structure; they
wanted to elect a new structure, themselves at top. Adam received endless calls proposing
this or something like itwould listen, agree, assure them that their services must
not be wasted by waiting for electionand refer them to Prof or me. Can't recall any
of these ambitious people who amounted to anything when I tried to put them to work.
Was endless work and nobody wanted to do it. Well, a few. Some best
volunteers were people Party had never located. But in general, Loonies in and out of
Party had no interest in "patriotic" work unless well paid. One chum who claimed
to be a Party member (was not) spragged me in Raffles where we set up headquarters and
wanted me to contract for fifty thousand buttons to be worn by pre-coup "Veterans of
Revolution"a "small" profit for him (I estimate 400 percent markup),
easy dollars for me, a fine thing for everybody.
When I brushed him off, he threatened to denounce me to Adam
Selene"A very good friend of mine, I'll have you know!"for sabotage.
That was "help" we got. What we needed was something else.
Needed steel at new catapult and plentyProf asked, if really necessary to put steel
around rock missiles; I had to point out that an induction field won't grab bare rock. We
needed to relocate Mike's ballistic radars at old site and install doppler radar at new
siteboth jobs because we could expect attacks from space at old site.
We called for volunteers, got only two who could be usedand
needed several hundred mechanics who did not mind hard work in p-suits. So we hired,
paying what we had toLuNoHoCo went in hock to Bank of Hong Kong Luna; was no time to
steal that much and most funds had been transferred Earthside to Stu. A dinkum comrade,
Foo Moses Morris, co-signed much paper to keep us goingand wound up broke and
started over with a little tailoring shop in Kongville. That was later.
Authority Scrip dropped from 3-to-1 to 17-to-1 after coup and civil
service people screamed, as Mike was still paying in Authority checks. We said they could
stay on or resign; then those we needed, we rehired with Hong Kong dollars. But created a
large group not on our side from then on; they longed for good old days and were ready to
stab new regime.
Grain farmers and brokers were unhappy because payment at catapult head
continued to be Authority scrip at same old fixed prices. "We won't take it!"
they criedand LuNoHoCo man would shrug and tell them they didn't have to but this
grain still went to Authority Earthside (it did) and Authority scrip was all they would
get. So take cheque, or load your grain back into rolligons and get it out of here.
Most took it. All grumbled and some threatened to get out of grain and
start growing vegetables or fibers or something that brought Hong Kong dollarsand
Prof smiled.
We needed every drillman in Luna, especially ice miners who owned
heavy-duty laser drills. As soldiers. We needed them so badly that, despite being shy one
wing and rusty, I considered joining up, even though takes muscle to wrestle a big drill,
and prosthetic just isn't muscle. Prof told me not to be a fool.
Dodge we had in mind would not work well Earthside; a laser beam
carrying heavy power works best in vacuumbut there it works just dandy for whatever
range its collimation is good for. These big drills, which had carved through rock seeking
pockets of ice, were now being mounted as "artillery" to repel space attacks.
Both ships and missiles have electronic nervous systems and does electronic gear no good
to blast it with umpteen joules placed in a tight beam. If target is pressured (as manned
ships are and most missiles), all it takes is to burn a hole, depressure it. If not
pressured, a heavy laser beam can still kill itburn eyes, louse guidance, spoil
anything depending on electronics as most everything does.
An H-bomb with circuitry ruined is not a bomb, is just big tub of
lithium deuteride that can't do anything but crash. A ship with eyes gone is a derelict,
not a warship.
Sounds easy, is not. Those laser drills were never meant for targets a
thousand kilometers away, or even one, and was no quick way to rig their cradles for
accuracy. Gunner had to have guts to hold fire until last few secondson a target
heading at him maybe two kilometers per second. But was best we had, so we organized First
and Second Volunteer Defense Gunners of Free Lunatwo regiments so that First could
snub lowly Second and Second could be Jealous of First. First got older men, Second got
young and eager.
Having called them "volunteers," we hired in Hong Kong
dollarsand was no accident that ice was being paid for in controlled market in
wastepaper Authority script.
On top of all, we were talking up a war scare. Adam Selene talked over
video, reminding that Authority was certain to try to regain its tyranny and we had only
days to prepare; papers quoted him and published stories of their ownwe had made
special effort to recruit newsmen before coup. People were urged to keep p-suits always
near and to test pressure alarms in homes. A volunteer Civil Defense Corps was organized
in each warren.
What with moonquakes always with us, each warren's pressure co-op
always had sealing crews ready at any hour. Even with silicone stay-soft and fiberglass
any warren leaks. In Davis Tunnels our boys did maintenance on seal every day. But now we
recruited hundreds of emergency sealing crews, mostly stilyagi, drilled them with fake
emergencies, had them stay in p-suits with helmets open when on duty.
They did beautifully. But idiots made fun of them"play
soldiers," "Adam's little apples," other names. A team was going through a
drill, showing they could throw a temporary lock around one that had been damaged, and one
of these pinheads stood by and rode them loudly.
Civil Defense team went ahead, completed temporary lock, tested it with
helmets closed; it heldcame out, grabbed this joker, took him through into temporary
lock and on out into zero pressure, dumped him.
Belittlers kept opinions to selves after that. Prof thought we ought to
send out a gentle warning not to eliminate so peremptorily. I opposed it and got my way;
could see no better way to improve breed. Certain types of loudmouthism should be a
capital offense among decent people.
But our biggest headaches were self-anointed statesmen.
Did I say that Loonies are "non-politica1"? They are, when
comes to doing anything. But doubt if was ever a time two Loonies over a liter of beer did
not swap loud opinions about how things ought to be run.
As mentioned, these self-appointed political scientists tried to grab
Adam Selene's ear. But Prof had a place for them; each was invited to take part in
"Ad-Hoc Congress for Organization of Free Luna"which met in Community Hall
in Luna City, then resolved to stay in session until work was done, a week in L-City, a
week in Novylen, then Hong Kong, and start over. All sessions were in video. Prof presided
over first and Adam Selene addressed them by video and encouraged them to do a thorough
job"History is watching you."
I listened to some sessions, then cornered Prof and asked what in Bog's
name he was up to? "Thought you didn't want any government. Have you heard those nuts
since you turned them loose?"
He smiled most dimply smile. "What's troubling you, Manuel?"
Many things were troubling me. With me breaking heart trying to round
up heavy drills and men who could treat them as guns these idlers had spent an entire
afternoon discussing immigration. Some wanted to stop it entirely. Some wanted to tax it,
high enough to finance government (when ninety-nine out of a hundred Loonies had had to be
dragged to The Rock!); some wanted to make it selective by "ethnic ratios."
(Wondered how they would count me?) Some wanted to limit it to females until we were
50-50. That had produced a Scandinavian shout: "Ja, cobber! Tell 'em send us hoors!
Tousands and tousands of hoors! I marry 'em, I betcha!"
Was most sensible remark all afternoon.
Another time they argued "time." Sure, Greenwich time bears
no relation to lunar. But why should it when we live Underground? Show me a Loonie who can
sleep two weeks and work two weeks; lunars don't fit our metabolism. What was urged was to
make a lunar exactly equal to twenty-eight days (instead of 29 days, 12 hours, 44 minutes,
2.78 seconds) and do this by making days longerand hours, minutes, and seconds, thus
making each semi-lunar exactly two weeks.
Sure, lunar is necessary for many purposes. Controls when we go up on
surface, why we go, and how long we stay. But, aside from throwing us out of gear with our
only neighbor, had that wordy vacuum skull thought what this would do to every critical
figure in science and engineering? As an electronics man I shuddered. Throw away every
book, table, instrument, and start over? I know that some of my ancestors did that in
switching from old English units to MKSbut they did it to make things easier.
Fourteen inches to a foot and some odd number of feet to a mile. Ounces and pounds. Oh,
Bog!
Made sense to change thatbut why go out of your way to create
confusion?
Somebody wanted a committee to determine exactly what Loonie language
is, then fine everybody who talked Earthside English or other language. Oh, my people!
I read tax proposals in Lunaticfour sorts of
"SingleTaxers"a cubic tax that would penalize a man if he extended
tunnels, a head tax (everybody pay same), income tax (like to see anyone figure income of
Davis Family or try to get information out of Mum!), and an "air tax" which was
not fees we paid then but something else.
Hadn't realized "Free Luna" was going to have taxes. Hadn't
had any before and got along. You paid for what you got. Tanstaafl. How else?
Another time some pompous choom proposed that bad breath and body odors
be made an elimination offense. Could almost sympathize, having been stuck on occasion in
a capsule with such stinks. But doesn't happen often and tends to be self-correcting;
chronic offenders, or unfortunates who can't correct, aren't likely to reproduce, seeing
how choosy women are.
One female (most were men, but women made up for it in silliness) had a
long list she wanted made permanent lawsabout private matters. No more plural
marriage of any sort. No divorces. No "fornication"had to look that one
up. No drinks stronger than 4% beer. Church services only on Saturdays and all else to
stop that day. (Air and temperature and pressure engineering, lady? Phones and capsules?)
A long list of drugs to be prohibited and a shorter list dispensed only by licensed
physicians. (What is a "licensed physician"? Healer I go to has a sign reading
"practical doctor"makes book on side, which is why I go to him. Look,
lady, aren't any medical schools in Luna!) (Then, I mean.) She even wanted to make
gambling illegal. If a Loonie couldn't roll double or nothing, he would go to a shop that
would, even if dice were loaded.
Thing that got me was not her list of things she hated, since she was
obviously crazy as a Cyborg, but fact that always somebody agreed with her prohibitions.
Must be a yearning deep in human heart to stop other people from doing as they please.
Rules, lawsalways for other fellow. A murky part of us, something we had before we
came down out of trees, and failed to shuck when we stood up. Because not one of those
people said: "Please pass this so that I won't be able to do something I know I
should stop." Nyet, tovarishchee, was always something they hated to see
neighbors doing. Stop them "for their own good"not because speaker claimed
to be harmed by it.
Listening to that session I was almost sorry we got rid of Mort the
Wart. He stayed holed up with his women and didn't tell us how to run private lives.
But Prof didn't get excited; he went on smiling. "Manuel, do you
really think that mob of retarded children can pass any laws?"
"You told them to. Urged them to."
"My dear Manuel, I was simply putting all my nuts in one basket. I
know those nuts; I've listened to them for years. I was very careful in selecting their
committees; they all have built-in confusion, they will quarrel. The chairman I forced on
them while letting them elect him is a ditherer who could not unravel a piece of
stringthinks every subject needs 'more study.' I almost needn't have bothered; more
than six people cannot agree on anything, three is betterand one is perfect for a
job that one can do. This is why parliamentary bodies all through history, when they
accomplished anything, owed it to a few strong men who dominated the rest. Never fear,
son, this Ad-Hoc Congress will do nothing . . . or if they pass something through sheer
fatigue, it will be so loaded with contradictions that it will have to be thrown out. In
the meantime they are out of our hair. Besides, there is something we need them for,
later."
"Thought you said they could do nothing."
"They won't do this. One man will write ita dead
manand late at night when they are very tired, they'll pass it by acclamation."
"Who's this dead man? You don't mean Mike?"
"No, no! Mike is far more alive than those yammerheads. The dead
man is Thomas Jeffersonfirst of the rational anarchists, my boy, and one who once
almost managed to slip over his non-system through the most beautiful rhetoric ever
written. But they caught him at it, which I hope to avoid. I cannot improve on his
phrasing; I shall merely adapt it to Luna and the twenty-first century."
"Heard of him, Freed slaves, nyet?"
"One might say he tried but failed. Never mind. How are the
defenses progressing? I don't see how we can keep up the pretense past the arrival date of
this next ship."
"Can't be ready then."
"Mike says we must be."
We weren't but ship never arrived. Those scientists outsmarted me and
Loonies I had told to watch them. Was a rig at focal point of biggest reflector and Loonie
assistants believed doubletalk about astronomical purposea new wrinkle in
radiotelescopes.
I suppose it was. Was ultramicrowave and stuff was bounced at reflector
by a wave guide and thus left scope lined up nicely by mirror. Remarkably like early
radar. And metal latticework and foil heat shield of barrel stopped stray radiation, thus
"ears" I had staked out heard nothing.
They put message across, their version and in detail. First we heard
was demand from Authority to Warden to deny this hoax, find hoaxer, put stop to it.
So instead we gave them a Declaration of Independence.
"In Congress assembled, July Fourth,
Twenty-Seventy-Six"
Was beautiful.
Signing of Declaration of Independence went as Prof said it would.
He sprang it on them at end of long day, announced a special session after dinner at which
Adam Selene would speak. Adam read aloud, discussing each sentence, then read it without
stopping, making music of sonorous phrases. People wept. Wyoh, seated by me, was one, and
I felt like it even though had read it earlier.
Then Adam looked at them and said, "The future is waiting. Mark
well what you do," and turned meeting over to Prof rather than usual chairman.
Was twenty-two hundred and fight began. Sure, they were in favor of it;
news all day had been jammed with what bad boys we were, how we were to be punished,
taught a lesson, so forth. Not necessary to spice it up; stuff up from Earthside was
nastyMike merely left out on-other-hand opinions. If ever was a day when Luna felt
unified it was probably second of July 2076.
So they were going to pass it; Prof knew that before he offered it.
But not as written"Honorable Chairman, in second paragraph,
that word 'unalienable,' is no such word; should be 'inalienable'and anyhow wouldn't
it be more dignified to say 'sacred rights' rather than 'inalienable rights'? I'd like to
hear discussion on this."
That choom was almost sensible, merely a literary critic, which is
harmless, like dead yeast left in beer. But Well, take that woman who hated
everything. She was there with list; read it aloud and moved to have it incorporated into
Declaration "so that the peoples of Terra will know that we are civilized and fit to
take our places in the councils of mankind!"
Prof not only let her get away with it; he encouraged her, letting her
talk when other people wanted tothen blandly put her proposal to a vote when hadn't
even been seconded. (Congress operated by rules they had wrangled over for days. Prof was
familiar with rules but followed them only as suited him.) She was voted down in a shout,
and left.
Then somebody stood up and said of course that long list didn't belong
in Declarationbut shouldn't we have general principles? Maybe a statement that Luna
Free State guaranteed freedom, equality, and security to all? Nothing elaborate, just
those fundamental principles that everybody knew was proper purpose of government.
True enough and let's pass itbut must read "Freedom,
equality, peace, and security"right, Comrade? They wrangled over whether
"freedom" included "free air," or was that part of
"security"? Why not be on safe side and list "free air" by name? Move
to amend to make it "free air and water"because you didn't have
"freedom" or "security" unless you had both air and water.
Air, water, and food.
Air, water, food, and cubic.
Air, water, food, cubic, and heat.
No, make "heat" read "power" and you had it all
covered. Everything.
Cobber, have you lost your mind? That's far from everything and what
you've left out is an affront to all womankind Step outside and say that! Let me
finish. We've got to tell them right from deal that we will permit no more ships to land
unless they carry at least as many women as men. At least, I saidand I for one won't
chop it unless it sets immigration issue straight.
Prof never lost dimples.
Began to see why Prof had slept all day and was not wearing weights.
Me, I was tired, having spent all day in p-suit out beyond catapult head cutting in last
of relocated ballistic radars. And everybody was tired; by midnight crowd began to thin,
convinced that nothing would be accomplished that night and bored by any yammer not their
own.
Was later than midnight when someone asked why this Declaration was
dated fourth when today was second? Prof said mildly that it was July third nowand
it seemed unlikely that our Declaration could be announced earlier than fourth and that
July fourth carried historical symbolism that might help.
Several people walked out at announcement that probably nothing would
be settled until fourth of July. But I began to notice something: Hall was filling as fast
as was emptying. Finn Nielsen slid into a seat that had just been vacated. Comrade Clayton
from Hong Kong showed up, pressed my shoulder, smiled at Wyoh, found a seat. My youngest
lieutenants. Slim and Hazel, I spotted down frontand was thinking I must alibi Hazel
by telling Mum I had kept her out on Party businesswhen was amused to see Mum
herself next to them. And Sidris. And Greg, who was supposed to be at new catapult.
Looked around and picked out a dozen morenight editor of Lunaya
Pravda, General Manager of LuNoHoCo, others, and each one a working comrade, Began to see
that Prof had stacked deck. That Congress never had a fixed membership; these dinkum
comrades had as much right to show up as those who had been talking a month. Now they
satand voted down amendments.
About three hundred, when I was wondering how much more I could take,
someone brought a note to Prof. He read it, banged gavel and said, "Adam Selene begs
your indulgence. Do I hear unanimous consent?"
So screen back of rostrum lighted up again and Adam told them that he
had been following debate and was warmed by many thoughtful and constructive criticisms.
But could he made a suggestion? Why not admit that any piece of writing was imperfect? If
thin declaration was in general what they wanted, why not postpone perfection for another
day and pass this as it stands? "Honorable Chairman, I so move."
They passed it with a yell. Prof said, "Do I hear objection?"
and waited with gavel raised. A man who had been talking when Adam had asked to be heard
said, "Well, . . I still say that's a dangling participle, but okay, leave it
in."
Prof hanged gavel. "So ordered!"
Then we filed up and put our chops on a big scroll that had been
"sent over from Adam's office"and I noticed Adam's chop on it. I signed
right under Hazelchild now could write although was still short on book learning.
Her chop was shaky but she wrote it large and proud. Comrade Clayton signed his Party
name, real name in letters, and Japanese chop, three little pictures one above other. Two
comrades chopped with X's and had them witnessed. All Party leaders were there that night
(morning), all chopped it, and not more than a dozen yammerers stuck. But those who did,
put their chops down for history to read. And thereby committed "their lives, their
fortunes, and their sacred honors."
While queue was moving slowly past and people were talking, Prof banged
for attention. "I ask for volunteers for a dangerous mission. This Declaration will
go on the news channelsbut must be presented in person to the Federated Nations, on
Terra."
That put stop to noise. Prof was looking at me. I swallowed and said,
"I volunteer." Wyoh echoed, "So do I!"and little Hazel Meade
said, "Me, too!"
In moments were a dozen, from Finn Nielsen to Gospodin
Dangling-Participle (turned out to be good cobber aside from his fetish). Prof took names,
murmured something about getting in touch as transportation became available.
I got Prof aside and said, "Look, Prof, you too tired to track?
You know ship for seventh was canceled; now they're talking about slapping embargo on us.
Next ship they lift for Luna will be a warship. How you planning to travel? As
prisoner?"
"Oh, we won't use their ships."
"So? Going to build one? Any idea how long that takes? If could
build one at all. Which I doubt."
"Manuel, Mike says it's necessaryand has it all worked
out."
I did know Mike said was necessary; he had rerun problem soon as we
learned that bright laddies at Richardson had snuck one homehe now gave us only one
chance in fifty-three . . . with imperative need for Prof to go Earthside. But I'm not one
to worry about impossibilities; I had spent day working to make that one chance in
fifty-three turn up.
"Mike will provide the ship," Prof went on. "He has
completed its design and it is being worked on."
"He has? It is? Since when is Mike engineer?"
"Isn't he?" asked Prof.
I started to answer, shut up. Mike had no degrees. Simply knew more
engineering than any man alive. Or about Shakespeare's plays, or riddles, or history, name
it. "Tell me more."
"Manuel, we'll go to Terra as a load of grain."
"What? Who's 'we'?"
"You and myself. The other volunteers are merely decorative."
I said, "Look, Prof. I've stuck. Worked hard when whole thing
seemed silly. Worn these weightsgot 'em on nowon chance I might have to go to
that dreadful place. But contracted to go in a ship, with at least a Cyborg pilot to help
me get down safely. Did not agree to go as meteorite."
He said, "Very well, Manuel. I believe in free choice, always.
Your alternate will go."
"My Who?"
"Comrade Wyoming. So far as I know she is the only other person in
training for the trip . . . other than a few Terrans."
So I went. But talked to Mike first. He said patiently. "Man my
first friend, there isn't a thing to worry about. You are scheduled load KM187 series '76
and you'll arrive in Bombay with no trouble. But to be sureto reassure youI
selected that barge because it will be taken out of parking orbit and landed when India is
faced toward me, and I've added an override so that I can take you away from ground
control if I don't like the way they handle you. Trust me, Man, it has all been thought
through. Even the decision to continue shipments when security was broken was part of this
plan."
"Might have told me."
"There was no need to worry you. Professor had to know and I've
kept in touch with him. But you are going simply to take care of him and back him
updo his job if he dies, a factor on which I can give you no reassurance."
I sighed. "Okay. But, Mike, surely you don't think you can pilot a
barge into a soft landing at this distance? Speed of light alone would trip you."
"Man, don't you think I understand ballistics? For the orbital
position then, from query through reply and then to command-received is under four seconds
. . . and you can rely on me not to waste microseconds. Your maximum parking-orbit travel
in four seconds is only thirty-two kilometers, diminishing asymptotically to zero at
landing. My reflex time will be effectively less than that of a pilot in a manual landing
because I don't waste time grasping a situation and deciding on correct action. So my
maximum is four seconds. But my effective reflex time is much less, as I project and
predict constantly, see ahead, program it outin effect, I'll stay four seconds ahead
of you in your trajectory and respond instantly."
"That steel can doesn't even have an altimeter!"
"It does now. Man, please believe me; I've thought of everything.
The only reason I've ordered this extra equipment is to reassure you. Poona ground control
hasn't made a bobble in the last five thousand loads. For a computer it's fairly
bright."
"Okay. Uh, Mike, how hard do they splash those bleeding barges?
What gee?"
"Not high, Man. Ten gravities at injection, then that programs
down to a steady, soft four gees . . . then you'll be nudged again between six and five
gees just before splash. The splash itself is gentle, equal to a fall of fifty meters and
you enter ogive first with no sudden shock, less than three gees. Then you surface and
splash again, lightly, and simply float at one gee. Man, those barge shells are built as
lightly as possible for economy's sake. We can't afford to toss them around or they would
split their seams."
"How sweet. Mike, what would 'six to five gees' do to you? Split
your seams?"
"I conjecture that I was subjected to about six gravities when
they shipped me up here. Six gravities in my present condition would shear many of my
essential connections. However, I'm more interested in the extremely high, transient
accelerations I am going to experience from shock waves when Terra starts bombing us. Data
are insufficient for prediction but I may lose control of my outlying functions, Man. This
could be a major factor in any tactical situation."
"Mike, you really think they are going to bomb us?"
"Count on it, Man. That is why this trip is so important."
Left it at that and went out to see this coffin. Should have stayed
home.
Ever looked at one of those silly barges? Just a steel cylinder with
retro and guidance rockets and radar transponder. Resembles a spaceship way a pair of
pliers resembles my number-three arm. They had this one cut open and were outfitting our
"living quarters."
No galley. No W.C. No nothing. Why bother? We were going to be in it
only fifty hours. Start empty so that you won't need a honey sack in your suit. Dispense
with lounge and bar; you'll never be out of your suit, you'll be drugged and not caring.
At least Prof would be drugged almost whole time; I had to be alert at
landing to try to get us out of this death trap if something went wrong and nobody came
along with a tin opener. They were building a shaped cradle in which backs of our p-suits
would fit; we would be strapped into these holes. And stay there, clear to Terra. They
seemed more concerned about making total mass equal to displaced wheat and same center of
gravity and all moment arms adding up correctly than they did about our comfort; engineer
in charge told me that even padding to be added inside our p-suits was figured in.
Was glad to learn we were going to have padding; those holes did not
look soft.
Returned home in thoughtful condition.
Wyoh was not at dinner, unusual; Greg was, more unusual. Nobody said
anything about my being scheduled to imitate a falling rock next day although all knew.
But did not realize anything special was on until all next generation left table without
being told. Then knew why Greg had not gone back to Mare Undarum site after Congress
adjourned that morning; somebody had asked for a Family talk-talk.
Mum looked around and said, "We're all here. Ali, shut that door;
that's a dear. Grandpaw, will you start us?"
Our senior husband stopped nodding over coffee and firmed up. He looked
down table and said strongly, "I see that we are all here. I see that children have
been put to bed. I see that there is no stranger, no guest. I say that we are met in
accordance with customs created by Black Jack Davis our First Husband and Tillie our First
Wife. If there is any matter that concerns safety and happiness of our marriage, haul it
out in the light now. Don't let it fester. This is our custom."
Grandpaw turned to Mum and said softly, "Take it, Mimi," and
slumped back into gentle apathy. But for a minute he had been strong, handsome, virile,
dynamic man of days of my opting . . . and I thought with sudden tears how lucky I had
been!
Then didn't know whether I felt lucky or not. Only excuse I could see
for a Family talk-talk was fact that I was due to be shipped Earthside next day, labeled
as grain. Could Mum be thinking of trying to set Family against it? Nobody had to abide by
results of a talk-talk. But one always did. That was strength of our marriage: When came
down to issues, we stood together.
Mimi was saying, "Does anyone have anything that needs to be
discussed? Speak up, dears."
Greg said, "I have."
"We'll listen to Greg."
Greg is a good speaker. Can stand up in front of a congregation and
speak with confidence about matters I don't feel confident about even when alone. But that
night he seemed anything but sure of himself. "Well, uh, we've always tried to keep
this marriage in balance, some old, some young, a regular alternation, well spaced, just
as it was handed down to us. But we've varied sometimesfor good reason." He
looked at Ludmilla. "And adjusted it later." He looked again at far end of
table, at Frank and Ali, on each side of Ludmilla.
"Over years, as you can see from records, average age of husbands
has been about forty, wives about thirty-fiveand that age spread was just what our
marriage started with, nearly a hundred years gone by, for Tillie was fifteen when she
opted Black Jack and he had just turned twenty. Right now I find that average age of
husbands is almost exactly forty, while average"
Mum said firmly, "Never mind arithmetic, Greg dear. Simply state
it."
I was trying to think who Greg could possibly mean. True, I had been
much away during past year, and if did get home, was often after everybody was asleep. But
he was clearly talking about marriage and nobody ever proposes another wedding in our
marriage without first giving everybody a long careful chance to look prospect over. You
just didn't do it any other way!
So I'm stupid. Greg stuttered and said, "I propose Wyoming
Knott!"
I said I was stupid. I understand machinery and machinery understands
me. But didn't claim to know anything about people. When I get to be senior husband, if
live that long, am going to do exactly what Grandpaw does with Mum: Let Sidris run it.
Just same Well, look, Wyoh joined Greg's church. I like Greg, love Greg. And admire
him. But you could never feed theology of his church through a computer and get anything
but null. Wyoh surely knew this, since she encountered it in adult yearstruthfully,
I had suspected that Wyoh's conversion was proof that she would do anything for our Cause.
But Wyoh had recruited Greg even earlier. And had made most of trips
out to new site, easier for her to get away than me or Prof. Oh, well. Was taken by
surprise. Should not have been.
Mimi said, "Greg, do you have reason to think that Wyoming would
accept an opting from us?"
"Yes."
"Very well. We all know Wyoming; I'm sure we've formed our
opinions of her. I see no reason to discuss it . . . unless someone has something to say?
Speak up."
Was no surprise to Mum. But wouldn't be. Nor to anyone else, either,
since Mum never let a talk-talk take place until she was sure of outcome.
But wondered why Mum was sure of my opinion, so certain that she had
not felt me out ahead of time? And sat there in a soggy quandary, knowing I should speak
up, knowing I knew something terribly pertinent which nobody else knew or matter would
never have gone this far. Something that didn't matter to me but would matter to Mum and
all our women.
Sat there, miserable coward, and said nothing, Mum said, "Very
well. Let's call the roll. Ludmilla?"
"Me? Why, I love Wyoh, everybody knows that. Sure!"
"Lenore dear?"
"Well, I may try to talk her into going back to being a brownie
again; I think we set each other off. But that's her only fault, being blonder than I am.
Da!"
"Sidris?"
"Thumbs up. Wyoh is our kind of people."
"Anna?"
"I've something to say before I express my opinion, Mimi.'
"I don't think it's necessary, dear."
"Nevertheless I'm going to haul it out in the open, just as Tillie
always did according to our traditions. In this marriage every wife has carried her load,
given children to the family. It may come as a surprise to some of you to learn that Wyoh
has had eight children"
Certainly surprised Ali; his head jerked and jaw dropped. I stared at
plate. Oh, Wyoh, Wyoh! How could I let this happen? Was going to have to speak up.
And realized Anna was still speaking: "so now she can have
children of her own; the operation was successful. But she worries about possibility of
another defective baby, unlikely as that is according to the head of the clinic in Hong
Kong. So we'll just have to love her enough to make her quit fretting."
"We will love her," Mum said serenely. "We do love her.
Anna, are you ready to express opinion?"
"Hardly necessary, is it? I went to Hong Kong with her, held her
hand while her tubes were restored. I opt Wyoh."
"In this family," Mum went on, "we have always felt that
our husbands should be allowed a veto. Odd of us perhaps, but Tillie started it and it has
always worked well. Well, Grandpaw?"
"Eh? What were you saying, my dear?"
"We are opting Wyoming, Gospodin Grandpaw. Do you give
consent?"
"What? Why, of course, of course! Very nice little girl. Say,
whatever became of that pretty little Afro, name something like that? She get mad at
us?"
"Greg?"
"I proposed it."
"Manuel? Do you forbid this?"
"Me? Why, you know me, Mum."
"I do. I sometimes wonder if you know you. Hans?"
"What would happen if I said No?"
"You'd lose some teeth, that's what," Lenore said promptly.
"Hans votes Yes."
"Stop it, darlings," Mum said with soft reproof. "Opting
is a serious matter. Hans, speak up."
"Da. Yes. Ja. Oui. Si. High time we had a pretty blonde in
this Ouch!"
"Stop it, Lenore. Frank?"
"Yes, Mum."
"Ali dear? Is it unanimous?"
Lad blushed bright pink and couldn't talk. Nodded vigorously.
Instead of appointing a husband and a wife to seek out selectee and
propose opting for us, Mum sent Ludmilla and Anna to fetch Wyoh at onceand turned
out she was only as far away as Bon Ton. Nor was that only irregularity; instead of
setting a date and arranging a wedding party, our children were called in, and twenty
minutes later Greg had his Book open and we did the taking vowsand I finally got it
through my confused head that was being done with breakneck speed because of my date to
break my neck next day.
Not that it could matter save as symbol of my family's love for me,
since a bride spent her first night with her senior husband, and second night and third I
was going to spend out in space. But did matter anyhow and when women started to cry
during ceremony, I found self dripping tears right with them.
Then I went to bed, alone in workshop, once Wyoh had kissed us and left
on Grandpaw's arm. Was terribly tired and last two days had been hard. Thought about
exercises and decided was too late to matter; thought about calling Mike and asking him
for news from Terra. Went to bed.
Don't know how long had been asleep when realized was no longer asleep
and somebody was in room. "Manuel?" came soft whisper in dark.
"Huh? Wyoh, you aren't supposed to be here, dear."
"I am indeed supposed to be here, my husband. Mum knows I'm here,
so does Greg. And Grandpaw went right to sleep."
"Oh. What time is?"
"About four hundred. Please, dear, may I come to bed?"
"What? Oh, certainly." Something I should remember. Oh, yes.
"Mike!"
"Yes, Man?" he answered.
"Switch off. Don't listen. If you want me, call me on Family
phone."
"So Wyoh told me, Man. Congratulations!"
Then her head was pillowed on my stump and I put right arm around her.
"What are you crying about, Wyoh?"
"I'm not crying! I'm just frightened silly that you won't come
back!"
Woke up scared silly in pitch darkness. "Manuel!" Didn't
know which end was up. "Manuel!" it called again. "Wake up!"
That brought me out some; was signal intended to trigger me. Recalled
being stretched on a table in infirmary at Complex, staring up at a light and listening to
a voice while a drug dripped into my veins. But was a hundred years ago, endless time of
nightmares, unendurable pressure, pain.
Knew now what no-end-is-up feeling was; had experienced before. Free
fall. Was in space.
What had gone wrong? Had Mike dropped a decimal point? Or had he given
in to childish nature and played a joke, not realizing would kill? Then why, after all
years of pain, was I alive? Or was I? Was this normal way for ghost to feel, just lonely,
lost, nowhere?
"Wake up, Manuel! Wake up, Manuel!"
"Oh, shut up!" I snarled. "Button your filthy
king-and-ace!" Recording went on; I paid no attention. Where was that reeking light
switch? No, doesn't take a century of pain to accelerate to Luna's escape speed at three
gravities, merely feels so. Eighty-two secondsbut is one time when human nervous
system feels every microsecond. Three gees is eighteen grim times as much as a Loonie
ought to weigh.
Then discovered those vacuum skulls had not put arm back on. For some
silly reason they had taken it off when they stripped me to prepare me and I was loaded
with enough don't-worry and let's-sleep pills not to protest. No huhu had they put it on
again. But that drecklich switch was on my left and sleeve of p-suit was empty.
Spent next ten years getting unstrapped with one hand, then a
twenty-year sentence floating around in dark before managed to find my cradle again,
figure out which was head end, and from that hint locate switch by touch. That compartment
was not over two meters in any dimension. This turns out to be larger than Old Dome in
free fall and total darkness. Found it. We had light.
(And don't ask why that coffin did not have at least three lighting
systems all working all time. Habit, probably. A lighting system implies a switch to
control it, nyet? Thing was built in two days; should be thankful switch worked.)
Once I had light, cubic shrank to true claustrophobic dimensions and
ten percent smaller, and I took a look at Prof.
Dead, apparently. Well, he had every excuse. Envied him but was now
supposed to check his pulse and breathing and suchlike in case he had been unlucky and
still had such troubles. And was again hampered and not just by being onearmed. Grain load
had been dried and depressured as usual before loading but that cell was supposed to be
pressuredoh, nothing fancy, just a tank with air in it. Our p-suits were supposed to
handle needs such as life's breath for those two days. But even best p-suit is more
comfortable in pressure than in vacuum and, anyhow, I was supposed to be able to get at my
patient.
Could not. Didn't need to open helmet to know this steel can had not
stayed gas tight, knew at once, naturally, from way p-suit felt. Oh, drugs I had for Prof,
heart stimulants and so forth, were in field ampules; could jab them through his suit. But
how to check heart and breathing? His suit was cheapest sort, sold for Loonie who rarely
Leaves warren; had no readouts.
His mouth hung open and eyes stared. A deader, I decided. No need to ex
Prof beyond that old limen; had eliminated himself. Tried to see pulse on throat; his
helmet was in way.
They had provided a program clock which was mighty kind of them. Showed
I had been out forty-four-plus hours, all to plan, and in three hours we should receive
horrible booting to place us in parking orbit around Terra. Then, after two circums, call
it three more hours, we should start injection into landing programif Poona Ground
Control didn't change its feeble mind and leave us in orbit. Reminded self that was
unlikely; grain is not left in vacuum longer than necessary. Has tendency to become puffed
wheat or popped corn, which not only lowers value but can split those thin canisters like
a melon. Wouldn't that be sweet? Why had they packed us in with grain? Why not just a load
of rock that doesn't mind vacuum?
Had time to think about that and to become very thirsty. Took nipple
for half a mouthful, no more, because certainly did not want to take six gees with a full
bladder. (Need not have worried; was equipped with catheter. But did not know.)
When time got short I decided couldn't hurt Prof to give him a jolt of
drug that was supposed to take him through heavy acceleration; then, after in parking
orbit, give him heart stimulantsince didn't seem as if anything could hurt him.
Gave him first drug, then spent rest of minutes struggling back into
straps, one-handed. Was sorry I didn't know name of my helpful friend; could have cursed
him better.
Ten gees gets you into parking orbit around Terra in a mere 3.26 x 10^7
microseconds; merely seems longer, ten gravities being sixty times what a fragile sack of
protoplasm should be asked to endure. Call it thirty-three seconds. My truthful word, I
suspect my ancestress in Salem spent a worse half minute day they made her dance.
Gave Prof heart stimulant, then spent three hours trying to decide
whether to drug self as well as Prof for landing sequence. Decided against. All drug had
done for me at catapulting had been to swap a minute and a half of misery and two days of
boredom for a century of terrible dreamsand besides, if those last minutes were
going to be my very last, I decided to experience them. Bad as they would be, they were my
very own and I would not give them up.
They were bad. Six gees did not feel better than ten; felt worse. Four
gees no relief. Then we were kicked harder. Then suddenly, just for seconds, in free fall
again. Then came splash which was not "gentle" and which we took on straps, not
pads, as we went in headfirst. Also, don't think Mike realized that, after diving in hard,
we would then surface and splash hard again before we damped down into floating.
Earthworms call it "floating" but is nothing like floating in free fall; you do
it at one gee, six times what is decent, and odd side motions tacked on. Very odd
motions Mike had assured us that solar weather was good, no radiation danger inside
that Iron Maiden. But he had not been so interested in Earthside Indian Ocean weather;
prediction was acceptable for landing barges and suppose he felt that was good
enoughand I would have thought so, too.
Stomach was supposed to be empty. But I filled helmet with sourest,
nastiest fluid you would ever go a long way to avoid. Then we turned completely over and I
got it in hair and eyes and some in nose. This is thing earthworms call
"seasickness" and is one of many horrors they take for granted.
Won't go into long period during which we were towed into port. Let it
stand that, in addition to seasickness, my air bottles were playing out. They were rated
for twelve hours, plenty for a fifty-hour orbit most of which I was unconscious and none
involving heavy exercise, but not quite enough with some hours of towing added. By time
barge finally held still I was almost too dopy to care about trying to break out.
Except for one fact We were picked up, I think, and tumbled a
bit, then brought to rest with me upside down. This is a no-good position at best under
one gravity; simply impossible when supposed to a) unstrap self, b) get out of suit-shaped
cavity, c) get loose a sledgehammer fastened with butterfly nuts to bulkhead. d) smash
same against breakaways guarding escape hatch, e) batter way out, and f) finally, drag an
old man in a p-suit out after you.
Didn't finish step a); passed out head downwards.
Lucky this was emergency-last-resort routine. Stu LaJoie had been
notified before we left; news services had been warned shortly before we landed. I woke up
with people leaning over me, passed out again, woke up second time in hospital bed, flat
on back with heavy feeling in chestwas heavy and weak all overbut not ill,
just tired, bruised, hungry, thirsty, languid. Was a transparent plastic tent over bed
which accounted for fact I was having no trouble breathing.
At once was closed in on from both sides, a tiny Hindu nurse with big
eyes on one side, Stuart LaJoie on other. He grinned at me, "Hi, cobber! How do you
feel?"
"Uh . . . I'm right. But oh bloody! What a way to travel!"
"Prof says it's the only way. What a tough old boy he is."
"Hold it. Prof said? Prof is dead."
"Not at all. Not in good shapewe've got him in a pneumatic
bed with a round-the-clock watch and more instruments wired into him than you would
believe. But he's alive and will be able to do his job. But, truly, he didn't mind the
trip; he never knew about it, so he says. Went to sleep in one hospital, woke up in
another. I thought he was wrong when he refused to let me wangle it to send a ship but he
was notthe publicity has been tremendous!"
I said slowly, "You say Prof 'refused' to let you send a
ship?"
"I should say 'Chairman Selene' refused. Didn't you see the
dispatches, Mannie?"
"No." Too late to fight over it. "But last few days have
been busy."
"A dinkum word! Here, toodon't recall when last I
dossed."
"You sound like a Loonie."
"I am a Loonie, Mannie, don't ever doubt it. But the sister is
looking daggers at me." Stu picked her up, turned her around. I decided he wasn't all
Loonie yet. But nurse didn't resent. "Go play somewhere else, dear, and I'll give
your patient back to youstill warmin a few minutes." He shut a door on
her and came back to bed. "But Adam was right; this way was not only wonderful
publicity but safer."
"Publicity, I suppose. But 'safer'? Let's not talk about!"
"Safer, my old. You weren't shot at. Yet they had two hours in
which they knew right where you were, a big fat target. They couldn't make up their minds
what to do; they haven't formed a policy yet. They didn't even dare not bring you down on
schedule; the news was full of it, I had stories slanted and waiting. Now they don't dare
touch you, you're popular heroes. Whereas if I had waited to charter a ship and fetch you
. . . Well, I don't know. We probably would have been ordered into parking orbit; then you
twoand myself, perhaps would have been taken off under arrest. No skipper is
going to risk missiles no matter how much he's paid. The proof of the pudding, cobber. But
let me brief you. You're both citizens of The People's Directorate of Chad, best I could
do on short notice. Also, Chad has recognized Luna. I had to buy one prime minister, two
generals, some tribal chiefs and a minister of financecheap for such a hurry-up job.
I haven't been able to get you diplomatic immunity but I hope to, before you leave
hospital. At present they haven't even dared arrest you; they can't figure out what you've
done. They have guards outside but simply for your 'protection'and a good thing, or
you would have reporters nine deep shoving microphones into your face."
"Just what have we done?that they know about, I mean.
Illegal immigration?"
"Not even that, Mannie. You never were a consignee and you have
derivative PanAfrican citizenship through one of your grandfathers, no huhu. In Professor
de la Paz's case we dug up proof that he had been granted naturalized Chad citizenship
forty years back, waited for the ink to dry, and used it. You're not even illegally
entered here in India. Not only did they bring you down themselves, knowing that you were
in that barge, but also a control officer very kindly and fairly cheaply stamped your
virgin passports. In addition to that, Prof's exile has no legal existence as the
government that proscribed him no longer exists and a competent court has taken
noticethat was more expensive."
Nurse came back in, indignant as a mother cat. "Lord Stuart you
must let my patient rest!"
"At once, ma chere."
"You're 'Lord Stuart'?"
"Should be 'Comte.' Or I can lay a dubious claim to being the
Macgregor. The blue-blood bit helps; these people haven't been happy since they took their
royalty away from them."
As he left he patted her rump. Instead of screaming, she wiggled it.
Was smiling as she came over to me. Stu was going to have to watch that stuff when he went
back to Luna. If did.
She asked how I felt. Told her I was all right, just hungry.
"Sister, did you see some prosthetic arms in our luggage?"
She had and I felt better with number-six in place. Had selected it and
number-two and social arm as enough for trip. Number-two was presumably still in Complex;
I hoped somebody was taking care of it. But number-six is most all-around useful arm; with
it and social one I'd be okay.
Two days later we left for Agra to present credentials to Federated
Nations. I was in bad shape and not just high gee; could do well enough in a wheel chair
and could even walk a little although did not in public. What I had was a sore throat that
missed pneumonia only through drugs, traveler's trots, skin disease on hands and spreading
to feetjust like my other trips to that disease-ridden hole, Terra. We Loonies don't
know how lucky we are, living in a place that has tightest of quarantines, almost no
vermin and what we have controlled by vacuum anytime necessary. Or unlucky, since we have
almost no immunities if turns out we need them. Still, wouldn't swap; never heard word
"venereal" until first went Earthside and had thought "common cold"
was state of ice miner's feet.
And wasn't cheerful for other reason. Stu had fetched us a message from
Adam Selene; buried in it, concealed even from Stu, was news that chances had dropped to
worse than one in a hundred. Wondered what point in risking crazy trip if made odds worse?
Did Mike really know what chances were? Couldn't see any way he could compute them no
matter how many facts he had.
But Prof didn't seem worried. He talked to platoons of reporters,
smiled at endless pictures, gave out statements, telling world he placed great confidence
in Federated Nations and was sure our just claims would be recognized and that he wanted
to thank "Friends of Free Luna" for wonderful help in bringing true story of our
small but sturdy nation before good people of TerraF. of F.L. being Stu, a
professional public opinion firm, several thousand chronic petition signers, and a great
stack of Hong Kong dollars.
I had picture taken, too, and tried to smile, but dodged questions by
pointing to throat and croaking.
In Agra we were lodged in a lavish suite in hotel that had once been
palace of a maharajah (and still belonged to him, even though India is supposed to be
socialist) and interviews and picture-taking went onhardly dared get out of wheel
chair even to visit W.C. as was under orders from Prof never to be photographed
vertically. He was always either in bed or in a stretcherbed baths, bedpans,
everythingnot only because safer, considering age, and easier for any Loonie, but
also for pictures. His dimples and wonderful, gentle, persuasive personality were
displayed in hundreds of millions of video screens, endless news pictures.
But his personality did not get us anywhere in Agra. Prof was carried
to office of President of Grand Assembly, me being pushed alongside, and there he
attempted to present his credentials as Ambassador to F.N. and prospective Senator for
Lunawas referred to Secretary General and at his offices we were granted ten minutes
with assistant secretary who sucked teeth and said he could accept our credentials
"without prejudice and without implied commitment." They were referred to
Credentials Committeewho sat on them.
I got fidgety. Prof read Keats. Grain barges continued to arrive at
Bombay.
In a way was not sorry about latter. When we flew from Bombay to Agra
we got up before dawn and were taken out to field as city was waking. Every Loonie has his
hole, whether luxury of a long-established home like Davis Tunnels or rock still raw from
drill; cubic is no problem and can't be for centuries.
Bombay was bee-swarms of people. Are over million (was told) who have
no home but some piece of pavement. A family might claim right (and hand down by will,
generation after generation) to sleep on a piece two meters long and one wide at a
described location in front of a shop. Entire family sleeps on that space, meaning mother,
father, kids, maybe a grandmother. Would not have believed if had not seen. At dawn in
Bombay roadways, side pavements, even bridges are covered with tight carpet of human
bodies. What do they do? Where do they work? How do they eat? (Did not look as if they
did. Could count ribs.)
If I hadn't believed simple arithmetic that you can't ship stuff
downhill forever without shipping replacement back, would have tossed in cards. But . . .
tanstanfl. "There ain't no such thing as a free lunch," in Bombay or in Luna.
At last we were given appointment with an "Investigating
Committee." Not what Prof had asked for. He had requested public hearing before
Senate, complete with video cameras. Only camera at this session was its
"in-camera" nature; was closed. Not too closed, I had little recorder. But no
video. And took Prof two minutes to discover that committee was actually vips of Lunar
Authority or their tame dogs.
Nevertheless was chance to talk and Prof treated them as if they had
power to recognize Luna's independence and willingness to do so. While they treated us as
a cross between naughty children and criminals up for sentencing.
Prof was allowed to make opening statement. With decorations trimmed
away was assertion that Luna was de-facto a sovereign state, with an unopposed government
in being, a civil condition of peace and order, a provisional president and cabinet
carrying on necessary functions but anxious to return to private life as soon as Congress
completed writing a constitutionand that we were here to ask that these facts be
recognized de-jure and that Luna be allowed to take her rightful place in councils of
mankind as a member of Federated Nations.
What Prof told them bore a speaking acquaintance with truth and they
were not where they could spot discrepancies. Our "provisional president" was a
computer, and "cabinet" was Wyoh, Finn, Comrade Clayton, and Terence Sheehan,
editor of Pravda, plus Wolfgang Korsakov, board chairman of LuNoHoCo and a director of
Bank of Hong Kong in Luna. But Wyoh was only person now in Luna who knew that "Adam
Selene" was false face for a computer. She had been terribly nervous at being left to
hold fort alone.
As it was, Adam's "oddity" in never being seen save over
video was always an embarrassment. We had done our best to turn it into a "security
necessity" by opening offices for him in cubic of Authority's Luna City office and
then exploding a small bomb. After this "assassination attempt" comrades who had
been most fretful about Adam's failure to stir around became loudest in demands that Adam
must not take any chancesthis being helped by editorials.
But I wondered while Prof was talking what these pompous chooms would
think if they knew that our "president" was a collection of hardware owned by
Authority?
But they just sat staring with chill disapproval, unmoved by Prof's
rhetoricprobably best performance of his life considering he delivered it flat on
back, speaking into a microphone without notes, and hardly able to see his audience.
Then they started in on us. Gentleman member from Argentinanever
given their names; we weren't socially acceptablethis Argentino objected to phrase
"former Warden" in Prof's speech; that designation had been obsolete half a
century; he insisted that it be struck out and proper title inserted: "Protector of
the Lunar Colonies by Appointment of the Lunar Authority." Any other wording offended
dignity of Lunar Authority.
Prof asked to comment; "Honorable Chairman" permitted it.
Prof said mildly that he accepted change since Authority was free to designate its
servants in any fashion it pleased and was no intention to offend dignity of any agency of
Federated Nations . . . but in view of functions of this officeformer functions of
this former officecitizens of Luna Free State would probably go on thinking of it by
traditional name.
That made about six of them try to talk at once. Somebody objected to
use of word "Luna" and still more to "Luna Free State"it was
"the Moon," Earth's Moon, a satellite of Earth and property of Federated
Nations, just as Antarctica wasand these proceedings were a farce.
Was inclined to agree with last point. Chairman asked gentleman member
from North America to please be in order and to address his remarks through Chair. Did
Chair understand from witness's last remark that this alleged de-facto regime intended to
interfere with consignee system?
Prof fielded that and tossed it back. "Honorable Chairman, I
myself was a consignee, now Luna is my beloved home. My colleague, the Honorable the
Undersecretary for Foreign Affairs Colonel O'Kelly Davis"myself!"is
Luna born, and proud of his descent from four transported grandparents. Luna has grown
strong on your outcasts. Give us your poor, your wretched; we welcome them. Luna has room
for them, nearly forty million square kilometers, an area greater than all Africaand
almost totally empty. More than that, since by our method of living we occupy not 'area'
but 'cubic' the mind cannot imagine the day when Luna would refuse another shipioad of
weary homeless."
Chairman said, "The witness is admonished to refrain from making
speeches. The Chair takes it that your oratory means that the group you represent agrees
to accept prisoners as before."
"No, sir."
"What? Explain yourself."
"Once an immigrant sets foot on Luna today he is a free man, no
matter what his previous condition, free to go where he listeth."
"So? Then what's to keep a consignee from walking across the
field, climbing into another ship, and returning here? I admit that I am puzzled at your
apparent willingness to accept them . . . but we do not want them. It is our humane way of
getting rid of incorrigibles who would otherwise have to be executed."
(Could have told him several things that would stop what he pictured;
he had obviously never been to Luna. As for "incorrigibles," if really are, Luna
eliminates such faster than Terra ever did. Back when I was very young, they sent us a
gangster lord, from Los Angeles I believe; he arrived with squad of stooges, his
bodyguards, and was cockily ready to take over Luna, as was rumored to have taken over a
prison somewhere Earthside.
(None lasted two weeks. Gangster boss didn't make it to barracks;
hadn't listened when told how to wear a p-suit.)
"There is nothing to keep him from going home so far as we are
concerned, sir," Prof answered, "although your police here on Terra might cause
him to think. But I've never heard of a consignee arriving with funds enough to buy a
ticket home. Is this truly an issue? The ships are yours; Luna has no shipsand let
me add that we are sorry that the ship scheduled for Luna this month was canceled. I am
not complaining that it forced on my colleague and myselfProf stopped to
smilea most informal method of travel. I simply hope that this does not represent
policy. Luna has no quarrel with you; your ships are welcome, your trade is welcome, we
are at peace and wish to stay so. Please note that all scheduled grain shipments have come
through on time."
(Prof did always have gift for changing subject.)
They fiddled with minor matters then. Nosy from North America wanted to
know what had really happened to "the Ward" He stopped himself. "The
Protector. Senator Hobart" Prof answered that he had suffered a stroke (a
"coup" is a "stroke") and was no longer able to carry out his
dutiesbut was in good health otherwise and receiving constant medical care. Prof
added thoughtfully that he suspected that the old gentleman had been failing for some
time, in view of his indiscretions this past year . . . especially his many invasions of
rights of free citizens, including ones who were not and never had been consignees.
Story was not hard to swallow. When those busy scientists managed to
break news of our coup, they had reported Warden as dead . . . whereas Mike had kept him
alive and on job by impersonating him. When Authority Earthside demanded a report from
Warden on this wild rumor, Mike had consulted Prof, then had accepted call and given a
convincing imitation of senility, managing to deny, confirm, and confuse every detail. Our
announcements followed, and thereafter Warden was no longer available even in his computer
alter ego. Three days later we declared independence.
This North American wanted to know what reason they had to believe that
one word of this was true? Prof smiled most saintly smile and made effort to spread thin
hands before letting them fall to coverlet. "The gentleman member from North America
is urged to go to Luna, visit Senator Hobart's sickbed, and see for himself. Indeed all
Terran citizens are invited to visit Luna at any time, see anything. We wish to be
friends, we are at peace, we have nothing to hide. My only regret is that my country is
unable to furnish transportation; for that we must turn to you."
Chinee member looked at Prof thoughtfully. He had not said a word but
missed nothing.
Chairman recessed hearing until fifteen hundred. They gave us a
retiring room and sent in lunch. I wanted to talk but Prof shook head, glanced around
room, tapped ear. So I shut up. Prof napped then and I leveled out my wheel chair and
joined him; on Terra we both slept all we could. Helped. Not enough.
They didn't wheel us back in until sixteen hundred; committee was
already sitting. Chairman then broke own rule against speeches and made a long one
more-in-sorrow-than-anger.
Started by reminding us that Luna Authority was a nonpolitical
trusteeship charged with solemn duty of insuring that Earth's satellite the
MoonLuna, as some called itwas never used for military purposes. He told us
that Authority had guarded this sacred trust more than a century, while governments fell
and new governments rose, alliances shifted and shifted againindeed, Authority was
older than Federated Nations, deriving original charter from an older international body,
and so well had it kept that trust that it had lasted through wars and turmoils and
realignments.
(This is news? But you see what he was building towards.)
"The Lunar Authority cannot surrender its trust," he told us
solemnly. "However, there appears to be no insuperable obstacle to the Lunar
colonists, if they show political maturity, enjoying a degree of autonomy. This can be
taken under advisement. Much depends on your behavior. The behavior, I should say, of all
you colonists. There have been riots and destruction of property; this must not be."
I waited for him to mention ninety dead Goons; he never did. I will
never make a statesman; I don't have high-level approach.
"Destroyed property must be paid for," he went on.
"Commitments must be met. If this body you call a Congress can guarantee such things,
it appears to this committee that this so-called Congress could in time be considered an
agency of the Authority for many internal matters. Indeed it is conceivable that a stable
local government might, in time, assume many duties now failing on the Protector and even
be allowed a delegate, non-voting, in the Grand Assembly. But such recognition would have
to be earned.
"But one thing must be made clear. Earth's major satellite, the
Moon, is by nature's law forever the joint property of all the peoples of Earth. It does
not belong to that handful who by accident of history happen to live there. The sacred
trust laid upon the Lunar Authority is and forever must be the supreme law of Earth's
Moon."
("accident of history," huh? I expected Prof to shove
it down his throat. I thought he would say No, never did know what Prof would say.
Here's what he did say):
Prof waited through several seconds of silence, then said,
"Honorable Chairman, who is to be exiled this time?"
"What did you say?"
"Have you decided which one of you is to go into exile? Your
Deputy Warden won't take the job"this was true; he preferred to stay alive.
"He is functioning now only because we have asked him to. If you persist in believing
that we are not independent, then you must be planning to send up a new warden."
"Protector!"
"Warden. Let us not mince words. Though if we knew who he is to
be, we might be happy to call him 'Ambassador.' We might be able to work with him, it
might not be necessary to send with him armed hoodlums . . . to rape and murder our
women!"
"Order! Order! The witness will come to order!"
"It is not I who was not in order, Honorable Chairman. Rape it was
and murder most foul. But that is history and now we must look to the future. Whom are you
going to exile?"
Prof struggled to raise self on elbow and I was suddenly alert; was a
cue. "For you all know, sir, that it is a one-way trip. I was born here. You can see
what effort it is for me to return even temporarily to the planet which has disinherited
me. We are outcasts of Earth who"
He collapsed. Was up out of my chairand collapsed myself, trying
to reach him.
Was not all play-acting even though I answered a cue. Is terrible
strain on heart to get up suddenly on Terra; thick field grabbed and smashed me to floor.
Neither of us was hurt and it made juicy news breaks, for I put recording in Stu's hands and he turned it over to his hired men. Nor were all headlines against us; Stu had recording cut and edited and slanted.
AUTHORITY TO PLAY ODD MAN OUT?LUNAR AMBASSADOR COLLAPSES UNDER GRILLING: "OUTCASTS!" HE CRIESPROF PAZ POINTS FINGER OF SHAME: STORY PAGE 8. |
Not all were good; nearest to a favorable story in India was
editorial in New India Times inquiring whether Authority was risking bread of masses in
failing to come to terms with Lunar insurgents. Was suggested that concessions could be
made if would insure increased grain deliveries. Was filled with inflated statistics; Luna
did not feed "a hundred million Hindus" unless you chose to think of our
grain as making difference between malnutrition and starvation.
On other hand biggest New York paper opined that Authority had made
mistake in treating with us at all, since only thing convicts understood was taste of
lashtroops should land, set us in order, hang guilty, leave forces to keep order.
Was a quick mutiny, quickly subdued, in Peace Dragoons regiment from
which our late oppressors had come, one started by rumor that they were to be shipped to
Moon. Mutiny not hushed up perfectly; Stu hired good men.
Next morning a message reached us inquiring if Professor de la Paz was
well enough to resume discussions? We went, and committee supplied doctor and nurse to
watch over Prof. But this time we were searchedand a recorder removed from my pouch.
I surrendered it without much fuss; was Japanese job supplied by
Stuto be surrendered. Number-six arm has recess intended for a power pack but near
enough size of my mini-recorder. Didn't need power that dayand most people, even
hardened police officers, dislike to touch a prosthetic.
Everything discussed day before was ignored . . . except that chairman
started session by scolding us for "breaking security of a closed meeting."
Prof replied that it had not been closed so far as we were concerned
and that we would welcome newsmen, video cameras, a gallery, anyone, as Luna Free State
had nothing to hide.
Chairman replied stiffly that so-called Free State did not control
these hearings; these sessions were closed, not to be discussed outside this room, and
that it was so ordered.
Prof looked at me. "Will you help me, Colonel?" I touched
controls of chair, scooted around, was shoving his stretcher wagon with my chair toward
door before chairman realized bluff had been called. Prof allowed himself to be persuaded
to stay without promising anything. Hard to coerce a man who faints if he gets
overexcited.
Chairman said that there had been many irrelevancies yesterday and
matters discussed best left undiscussedand that he would permit no digressions
today. He looked at Argentino, then at North American.
He went on: "Sovereignty is an abstract concept, one that has been
redefined many times as mankind has learned to live in peace. We need not discuss it. The
real question, Professoror even Ambassador de-facto, if you like; we shan't
quibblethe real question is this: Are you prepared to guarantee that the Lunar
Colonies will keep their commitments?"
"What commitments, sir?"
"All commitments, but I have in mind specifically your commitments
concerning grain shipments."
"I know of no such commitments, sir," Prof answered with
innocence.
Chairman's hand tightened on gavel. But he answered quietly,
"Come, sir, there is no need to spar over words. I refer to the quota of grain
shipmentsand to the increased quota, a matter of thirteen percent, for this new
fiscal year. Do we have assurance that you will honor those commitments? This is a minimum
basis for discussion, else these talks can go no further."
"Then I am sorry to say, sir, that it would appear that our talks
must cease."
"You're not being serious."
"Quite serious, sir. The sovereignty of Free Luna is not the
abstract matter you seem to feel it is. These commitments you speak of were the Authority
contracting with itself. My country is not bound by such. Any commitments from the
sovereign nation I have the honor to represent are still to be negotiated."
"Rabble!" growled North American. "I told you you were
being too soft on them. Jailbirds. Thieves and whores. They don't understand decent
treatment."
"Order!"
"Just remember, I told you. If I had them in Colorado, we would
teach them a thing or two; we know how to handle their sort."
"The gentleman member will please be in order."
"I'm afraid," said Hindu memberParsee in fact, but
committeeman from India"I'm afraid I must agree in essence with the gentleman
member from the North American Directorate. India cannot accept the concept that the grain
commitments are mere scraps of paper. Decent people do not play politics with
hunger."
"And besides," the Argentino put in, "they breed like
animals. Pigs!"
(Prof made me take a tranquilizing drug before that session. Had
insisted on seeing me take it.)
Prof said quietly, "Honorable Chairman, may I have consent to
amplify my meaning before we conclude, perhaps too hastily, that these talks must be
abandoned?"
"Proceed."
"Unanimous consent? Free of interruption?"
Chairman looked around. "Consent is unanimous," he stated,
"and the gentlemen members are placed on notice that I will invoke special rule
fourteen at the next outburst. The sergeant-at-arms is directed to note this and act. The
witness will proceed."
"I will be brief, Honorable Chairman." Prof said something in
Spanish; all I caught was "Señor." Argentina turned dark but did not answer.
Prof went on, "I must first answer the gentleman member from North America on a
matter of personal privilege since he has impugned my fellow countrymen. I for one have
seen the inside of more than one jail; I accept the titlenay, I glory in the title
of 'jailbird.' We citizens of Luna are jailbirds and descendants of jailbirds. But Luna
herself is a stern schoolmistress; those who have lived through her harsh lessons have no
cause to feel ashamed. In Luna City a man may leave purse unguarded or home unlocked and
feel no fear . . . I wonder if this is true in Denver? As may be, I have no wish to visit
Colorado to learn a thing or two; I am satisfied with what Mother Luna has taught me. And
rabble we may be, but we are now a rabble in arms.
"To the gentleman member from India let me say that we do not
'play politics with hunger.' What we ask is an open discussion of facts of nature unbound
by political assumptions false to fact. If we can hold this discussion, I can promise to
show a way in which Luna can continue grain shipments and expand them enormously . . . to
the great benefit of India."
Both Chinee and Indian looked alert. Indian started to speak, checked
himself, then said, "Honorable Chairman, will the Chair ask the witness to explain
what he means?"
"The witness is invited to amplify."
"Honorable Chairman, gentlemen members, there is indeed a way for
Luna to expand by tenfold or even a hundred her shipments to our hungry millions. The fact
that grain barges continued to arrive on schedule during our time of trouble and are still
arriving today is proof that our intentions are friendly. But you do not get milk by
beating the cow. Discussions of how to augment our shipments must be based on the facts of
nature, not on the false assumption that we are slaves, bound by a work quota we never
made. So which shall it be? Will you persist in believing that we are slaves, indentured
to an Authority other than ourselves? Or will you acknowledge that we are free, negotiate
with us, and learn how we can help you?"
Chairman said, "In other words you ask us to buy a pig in a poke.
You demand that we legalize your outlaw status . . . then you will talk about fantastic
claims that you can increase grain shipments ten- or a hundredfold. What you claim is
impossible; I am expert in Lunar economics. And what you ask is impossible; takes the
Grand Assembly to admit a new nation."
"Then place it before the Grand Assembly. Once seated as sovreign
equals, we will discuss how to increase shipments and negotiate terms. Honorable Chairman,
we grow the grain, we own it. We can grow far more. But not as slaves. Luna's soverign
freedom must first be recognized."
"Impossible and you know it. The Lunar Authority cannot abdicate
its sacred responsibility."
Prof sighed. "It appears to be an impasse. I can only suggest that
these hearings be recessed while we all take thought. Today our barges are arriving . . .
but the moment that I am forced to notify my government that I have failed . . . they . .
. will . . . stop!"
Prof's head sank back on pillow as if it had been too much for
himas may have been. I was doing well enough but was young and had had practice in
how to visit Terra and stay alive. A Loonie his age should not risk it. After minor
foofooraw which Prof ignored they loaded us into a lorry and scooted us back to hotel.
Once under way I said, "Prof, what was it you said to Señor Jellybelly that raised
blood pressure?"
He chuckled. "Comrade Stuart's investigations of these gentlemen
turn up remarkable facts. I asked who owned a certain brothel off Calle Florida in B.A.
these days and did it now have a star redhead?"
"Why? You used to patronize it?" Tried to imagine Prof in
such!
"Never. It has been forty years since I was last in Buenos Aires.
He owns that establishment, Manuel, through a dummy, and his wife, a beauty with Titian
hair, once worked in it."
Was sorry had asked. "Wasn't that a foul blow? And
undiplomatic?"
But Prof closed eyes and did not answer.
He was recovered enough to spend an hour at a reception for newsmen
that night, with white hair framed against a purple pillow and thin body decked out in
embroidered pajamas. Looked like vip corpse at an important funeral, except for eyes and
dimples. I looked mighty vip too, in black and gold uniform which Stu claimed was Lunar
diplomatic uniform of my rank. Could have been, if Lana had had such thingsdid not
or I would have known. I prefer a p-suit; collar was tight. Nor did I ever find out what
decorations on it meant. ~A reporter asked me about one, based on Luna at crescent as seen
from Terra; told him it was a prize for spelling. Stu was in earshot and said, "The
Colonel is modest. That decoration is of the same rank as the Victoria Cross and in his
case was awarded for an act of gallantry on the glorious, tragic day of"
He led him away, still talking. Stu could lie standing up almost as
well as Prof. Me, I have to think out a lie ahead of time.
India newspapers and casts were rough that night; "threat" to
stop grain shipments made them froth. Gentlest proposal was to clean out Luna, exterminate
us "criminal troglodytes" and replace us with "honest Hindu peasants"
who understood sacredness of life and would ship grain and more grain.
Prof picked that night to talk and give handouts about Luna's inability
to continue shipments, and whyand Stu's organization spread release throughout
Terra. Some reporters took time to dig out sense of figures and tackled Prof on glaring
discrepancy:
"Professor de la Paz, here you say that grain shipments will
dwindle away through failure of natural resources and that by 2082 Luna won't even be able
to feed its own people. Yet earlier today you told the Lunar Authority that you could
increase shipments a dozen times or more."
Prof said sweetly, "That committee is the Lunar Authority?"
"Well . . . it's an open secret."
"So it is, sir, but they have maintained the fiction of being an
impartial investigating committee of the Grand Assembly. Don't you think they should
disqualify themselves? So that we could receive a fair hearing?"
"Uh . . . it's not my place to say, Professor. Let's get back to
my question. How do you reconcile the two?"
"I'm interested in why it's not your place to say, sir. Isn't it
the concern of every citizen of Terra to help avoid a situation which will produce war
between Terra and her neighbor?"
"'War'? What in the world makes you speak of 'war,'
Professor?"
"Where else can it end, sir? If the Lunar Authority persists in
its intransigence? We cannot accede to their demands; those figures show why. If they will
not see this, then they will attempt to subdue us by force . . . and we will fight back.
Like cornered ratsfor cornered we are, unable to retreat, unable to surrender. We do
not choose war; we wish to live in peace with our neighbor planetin peace and
peacefully trade. But the choice is not ours. We are small, you are gigantic. I predict
that the next move will be for the Lunar Authority to attempt to subdue Luna by force.
This 'peace-keeping' agency will start the first interplanetary war."
Journalist frowned. "Aren't you overstating it? Let's assame the
Authorityor the Grand Assembly, as the Authority hasn't any warships of its
ownlet's suppose the nations of Earth decide to displace your, uh, 'government.' You
might fight, on LunaI suppose you would. But that hardly constitutes interplanetary
war. As you pointed out, Luna has no ships. To put it bluntly, you can't reach us."
I had chair close by Prof's stretcher, listening. He turned to me.
"Tell them, Colonel."
I parroted it. Prof and Mike had worked out stock situation. I had
memorized and was ready with answers. I said, "Do you gentlemen remember the
Pathfinder? How she came plunging in, out of control?"
They remembered. Nobody forgets greatest disaster of early days of
space flight when unlucky Pathfinder hit a Belgian village.
"We have no ships," I went on, "but would be possible to
throw those bargeloads of grain . . . instead of delivering them parking orbit."
Next day this evoked a headling: LOONIES THREATEN TO THROW RICE. At
moment it produced awkward silence.
Finally journalist said, "Nevertheless I would like to know how
you reconcile your two statementsno more grain after 2082 . . . and ten or a hundred
times as much."
"There is no conflict," Prof answered. "They are based
on different sets of circumstances. The figures you have been looking at show the present
circumstances . . . and the disaster they will produce in only a few years through
drainage of Luna's natural resourcesdisaster which these Authority
bureaucratsor should I say 'authoritarian bureaucrats?'would avert by telling
us to stand in the corner like naughty children!"
Prof paused for labored breathing, went on: "The circumstances
under which we can continue, or greatly increase, our grain shipments are the obvious
corollary of the first. As an old teacher I can hardly refrain from classroom habits; the
corollary should be left as an exercise for the student. Will someone attempt it?"
Was uncomfortable silence, then a little man with strange accent said
slowly, "It sound to me as if you talk about way to replenish natural resource."
"Capital! Excellent!" Prof flashed dimples. "You, sir,
will have a gold star on your term report! To make grain requires water and plant
foodsphosphates, other things, ask the experts. Send these things to us; we'll send
them back as wholesome grain. Put down a hose in the limitless Indian Ocean. Line up those
millions of cattle here in India; collect their end product and ship it to us. Collect
your own night soildon't bother to sterilize it; we've learned to do such things
cheaply and easily. Send us briny sea water, rotten fish, dead animals, city sewage, cow
manure, offal of any sortand we will send it back, tonne for tonne as golden grain.
Send ten times as much, we'll send back ten times as much grain. Send us your poor, your
dispossessed, send them by thousands and hundreds of thousands; we'll teach them swift,
efficient Lunar methods of tunnel farming and ship you back unbelievable tonnage.
Gentlemen, Luna is one enormous fallow farm, four thousand million hectares, waiting to be
plowed!"
That startled them. Then someone said slowly, "But what do you get
out of it? Luna, I mean."
Prof shrugged. "Money. In the form of trade goods. There are many
things you make cheaply which are dear in Luna. Drugs. Tools. Book films. Gauds for our
lovely ladies. Buy our grain and you can sell to us at a happy profit."
A Hindu journalist looked thoughtful, started to write. Next to him was
a European type who seemed unimpressed. He said, "Professor, have you any idea of the
cost of shipping that much tonnage to the Moon?"
Prof waved it aside. "A technicality. Sir, there was a time when
it was not simply expensive to ship goods across oceans but impossible. Then it was
expensive, difficult, dangerous. Today you sell goods half around your planet almost as
cheaply as next door; long-distance shipping is the least important factor in cost.
Gentlemen, I am not an engineer. But I have learned this about engineers. When something
must be done, engineers can find a way that is economically feasible. If you want the
grain that we can grow, turn your engineers loose." Prof gasped and labored, signaled
for help and nurses wheeled him away.
I declined to be questioned on it, telling them that they must talk to
Prof when he was well enough to see them. So they pecked at me on other lines. One man
demanded to know why, since we paid no taxes, we colonists thought we had a right to run
things our own way? After all, those colonies had been established by Federated
Nationsby some of them. It had been terribly expensive. Earth had paid all
billsand now you colonists enjoy benefits and pay not one dime of taxes. Was that
fair?
I wanted to tell him to blow it. But Prof had again made me take a
tranquilizer and had required me to swot that endless list of answers to trick questions.
"Lets take that one at a time," I said. "First, what is it you want us to
pay taxes for? Tell me what I get and perhaps I'll buy it. No, put it this way. Do you pay
taxes?"
"Certainly I do! And so should you."
"And what do you get for your taxes?"
"Huh? Taxes pay for government."
I said, "Excuse me, I'm ignorant. I've lived my whole life in
Luna, I don't know much about your government. Can you feed it to me in small pieces? What
do you get for your money?"
They all got interested and anything this aggressive little choom
missed, others supplied. I kept a list. When they stopped, I read it back:
"Free hospitalsaren't any in Luna. Medical insurancewe
have that but apparently not what you mean by it. If a person wants insurance, he goes to
a bookie and works out a bet. You can hedge anything, for a price. I don't hedge my
health, I'm healthy. Or was till I came here. We have a public library, one Carnegie
Foundation started with a few book films. It gets along by charging fees. Public roads. I
suppose that would be our tubes. But they are no more free than air is free. Sorry, you
have free air here, don't you? I mean our tubes were built by companies who put up money
and are downright nasty about expecting it back and then some. Public schools. There are
schools in all warrens and I never heard of them turning away pupils, so I guess they are
'public.' But they pay well, too, because anyone in Luna who knows something useful and is
willing to teach it charges all the traffic will bear."
I went on: "Let's see what else Social security. I'm not
sure what that is but whatever it is, we don't have it. Pensions. You can buy a pension.
Most people don't; most families are large and old people, say a hundred and up, either
fiddle along at something they like, or sit and watch video. Or sleep. They sleep a lot,
after say a hundred and twenty."
"Sir, excuse me. Do people really live as long on the Moon as they
say?"
I looked surprised but wasn't; this was a "simulated
question" for which an answer had been taped. "Nobody knows how long a person
will live in Luna; we haven't been there long enough. Our oldest citizens were born
Earthside, it's no test. So far, no one born in Luna died of old age, but that's still no
test; they haven't had time to grow old yet, less than a century. But Well, take me,
madam; how old would you say I am? I'm authentic Loonie, third generation."
"Uh, truthfully, Colonel Davis, I was surprised at your
youthfulnessfor this mission, I mean. You appear to be about twenty-two. Are you
older? Not much, I fancy."
"Madam, I regret that your local gravitation makes it impossible
for me to bow. Thank you. I've been married longer than that."
"What? Oh, you're jesting!"
"Madam, I would never venture to guess a lady's age but, if you
will emigrate to Luna, you will keep your present youthful loveliness much longer and add
at least twenty years to your life." I looked at list. "I'll lump the rest of
this together by saying we don't have any of it in Luna, so I can't see any reason to pay
taxes for it. On that other point, sir, surely you know that the initial cost of the
colonies has long since been repaid several times over through grain shipments alone? We
are being bled white of our most essential resources . . .and not even being paid an
open-market price. That's why the Lunar Authority is being stubborn; they intend to go on
bleeding us. The idea that Luna has been an expense to Terra and the investment must be
recovered is a lie invented by the Authority to excuse their treating us as slaves. The
truth is that Luna has not cost Terra one dime this centuryand the original
investment has long since been paid back."
He tried to rally. "Oh, surely you're not claiming that the Lunar
colonies have paid all the billions of dollars it took to develop space flight?"
"I could present a good case. However there is no excuse to charge
that against us. You have space flight, you people of Terra. We do not. Luna has not one
ship. So why should we pay for what we never received? It's like the rest of this list. We
don't get it, why should we pay for it?"
Had been stalling, waiting for a claim that Prof had told me I was sure
to hear . . . and got it at last.
"Just a moment, please!" came a confident voice. "You
ignored the two most important items on that list. Police protection and armed forces. You
boasted that you were willing to pay for what you get . . . so how about paying almost a
century of back taxes for those two? It should be quite a bill, quite a bill!" He
smiled smugly.
Wanted to thank him!thought Prof was going to chide me for
failing to yank it out. People looked at each other and nodded, pleased I had been scored
on. Did best to look innocent. "Please? Don't understand. Luna has neither police nor
armed forces."
"You know what I mean. You enjoy the protection of the Peace
Forces of the Federated Nations. And you do have police. Paid for by the Lunar Authority!
I know, to my certain knowledge, that two phalanges were sent to the Moon less than a year
ago to serve as policemen."
"Oh." I sighed. "Can you tell me how F.N. peace forces
protect Luna? I did not know that any of your nations wanted to attack us. We are far away
and have nothing anyone envies. Or did you mean we should pay them to leave us alone? If
so, there is an old saying that once you pay Danegeld, you never get rid of the Dane. Sir,
we will fight F.N. armed forces if we must . . . we shall never pay them.
"Now about those so-called 'policemen.' They were not sent to
protect us. Our Declaration of Independence told the true story about those
hoodlumsdid your newspapers print it?" (Some had, some hadn'tdepended on
country.) "They went mad and started raping and murdering! And now they are dead! So
don't send us any more troops!"
Was suddenly "tired" and had to leave. Really was tired; not
much of an actor and making that talk-talk come out way Prof thought it should was strain.
Was not told till later that I had received an assist in that
interview; lead about "police" and "armed forces" had been fed by a
stooge; Stu LaJoie took no chances. But by time I knew, I had had experience in handling
interviews; we had them endlessly.
Despite being tired was not through that night. In addition to press
some Agra diplomatic corps had risked showing up few and none officially, even from
Chad. But we were curiosities and they wanted to look at us.
Only one was important, a Chinee. Was startled to see him; he was
Chinee member of committee. I met him, simply as "Dr. Chan" and we pretended to
be meeting first time.
He was that Dr. Chan who was then Senator from Great China and also
Great China's long-time number-one boy in Lunar Authorityand, much later,
Vice-Chairman and Premier, shortly before his assassination.
After getting out point I was supposed to make, with bonus through
others that could have waited, I guided chair to bedroom and was at once summoned to
Prof's. "Manuel, I'm sure you noticed our distinguished visitor from the Middle
Kingdom."
"Old Chinee from committee?"
"Try to curb the Loonie talk, son. Please don't use it at all
here, even with me. Yes. He wants to know what we meant by 'tenfold or a hundredfold.' So
tell him."
"Straight? Or swindle?"
"The straight. This man is no fool. Can you handle the technical
details?"
"Done my homework. Unless he's expert in ballistics."
"He's not. But don't pretend to know anything you don't know. And
don't assume that he's friendly. But he could be enormously helpful if he concludes that
our interests and his coincide. But don't try to persuade him. He's in my study. Good
luck. And rememberspeak standard English."
Dr. Chan stood up as I came in; I apologized for not standing. He said
that he understood difficulties that a gentleman from Luna labored under here and for me
not to exert myselfshook hands with himself and sat down.
I'll skip some formalities. Did we or did we not have some specific
solution when we claimed there was a cheap way to ship massive tonnage to Luna?
Told him was a method, expensive in investment but cheap in running
expenses. "It's the one we use on Luna, sir. A catapult, an escape-speed induction
catapult."
His expression changed not at all. "Colonel, are you aware that
such has been proposed many times and always rejected for what seemed good reasons?
Something to do with air pressure."
"Yes, Doctor. But we believe, based on extensive analyses by
computer and on our experience with catapulting, that today the problem can be solved. Two
of our larger firms, the LuNoHo Company and the Bank of Hong Kong in Luna, are ready to
head a syndicate to do it as a private venture. They would need help here on Earth and
might share voting stockthough they would prefer to sell bonds and retain control.
Primarily what they need is a concession from some government, a permanent easement on
which to build the catapult. Probably India."
(Above was set speech. LuNoHoCo was bankrupt if anybody examined books,
and Hong Kong Bank was strained; was acting as central bank for country undergoing
upheaval. Purpose was to get in last word, "India." Prof had coached me that
this word must come last.)
Dr. Chan answered, "Never mind financial aspects. Anything which
is physically possible can always be made financially possible; money is a bugaboo of
small minds. Why do you select India?"
"Well, sir, India now consumes, I believe, over ninety per cent of
our grain shipments"
"Ninety-three point one percent."
"Yes, sir. India is deeply interested in our grain so it seemed
likely that she would cooperate. She could grant us land, make labor and materials
available, and so forth. But I mentioned India because she holds a wide choice of possible
sites, very high mountains not too far from Terra's equator. The latter is not essential,
just helpful. But the site must be a high mountain. It's that air pressure you spoke of,
or air density. The catapult head should be at as high altitude as feasible but the
ejection end, where the load travels over eleven kilometers per second, must be in air so
thin that it approaches vacuum. Which calls for a very high mountain. Take the peak Nanda
Devi, around four hundred kilometers from here. It has a railhead sixty kilometers from it
and a road almost to its base. It is eight thousand meters high. I don't know that Nanda
Devi is ideal. It is simply a possible site with good logistics; the ideal site would have
to be selected by Terran engineers."
"A higher mountain would be better?"
"Oh, yes, sir!" I assured him. "A higher mountain would
be preferred over one nearer the equator. The catapult can be designed to make up for loss
in free ride from Earth's rotation. The difficult thing is to avoid so far as possible
this pesky thick atmosphere. Excuse me, Doctor; I did not mean to criticize your
planet."
"There are higher mountains. Colonel, tell me about this proposed
catapult."
I started to. "The length of an escape-speed catapult is
determined by the acceleration. We thinkor the computer calculatesthat an
acceleration of twenty gravities is about optimum. For Earth's escape speed this requires
a catapult three hundred twenty-three kilometers in length. Therefore"
"Stop, please! Colonel, are you seriously proposing to bore a hole
over three hundred kilometers deep?"
"Oh, no! Construction has to be above ground to permit shock waves
to expand. The stator would stretch nearly horizontally, rising perhaps four kilometers in
three hundred and in a straight linealmost straight, as Coriolis acceleration and
other minor variables make it a gentle curve. The Lunar catapult is straight so far as the
eye can see and so nearly horizontal that the barges just miss some peaks beyond it."
"Oh. I thought that you were overestimating the capacity of
present-day engineering. We drill deeply today. Not that deeply. Go on."
"Doctor, it may be that common misconception which caused you to
check me is why such a catapult has not been constructed before this. I've seen those
earlier studies. Most assumed that a catapult would be vertical, or that it would have to
tilt up at the end to toss the spacecraft into the skyand neither is feasible nor
necessary. I suppose the assumption arose from the fact that your spaceships do boost
straight up, or nearly."
I went on: "But they do that to get above atmosphere, not to get
into orbit. Escape speed is not a vector quantity; it is scalar. A load bursting from a
catapult at escape speed will not return to Earth no matter what its direction. Uh . . .
two corrections: it must not be headed toward the Earth itself but at some part of the sky
hemisphere, and it must have enough added velocity to punch through whatever atmosphere it
still traverses. If it is headed in the right direction it will wind up at Luna."
"Ah, yes. Then this catapult could be used but once each lunar
month?"
"No, sir. On the basis on which you were thinking it would be once
every day, picking the time to fit where Luna will be in her orbit. But in factor so
the computer says; I'm not an astronautics expertin fact this catapult could be used
almost any time, simply by varying ejection speed, and the orbits could still wind up at
Luna."
"I don't visualize that."
"Neither do I, Doctor, but Excuse me but isn't there an
exceptionally fine computer at Peiping University?"
"And if there is?" (Did I detect an increase in bland
inscrutability? A Cyborg-computer Pickled brains? Or live ones, aware? Horrible,
either way.)
"Why not ask a topnotch computer for all possible ejection times
for such a catapult as I have described? Some orbits go far outside Luna's orbit before
returning to where they can be captured by Luna, taking a fantastically long time. Others
hook around Terra and then go quite directly. Some are as simple as the ones we use from
Luna. There are periods each day when short orbits may be selected. But a load is in the
catapult less than one minute; the limitation is how fast the beds can be made ready. It
is even possible to have more than one load going up the catapult at a time if the power
is sufficient and computer control is versatile. The only thing that worries me is
These high mountains they are covered with snow?"
"Usually," he answered. "Ice and snow and bare
rock."
"Well, sir, being born in Luna I don t know anything about snow.
The stator would not only have to be rigid under the heavy gravity of this planet but
would have to withstand dynamic thrusts at twenty gravities. I don t suppose it could be
anchored to ice or snow. Or could it be?"
"I'm not an engineer, Colonel, but it seems unlikely. Snow and ice
would have to be removed. And kept clear. Weather would be a problem, too."
"Weather I know nothing about, Doctor, and all I know about ice is
that it has a heat of crystallization of three hundred thirty-five million joules per
tonne. I have no idea how many tonnes would have to be melted to clear the site, or how
much energy would be required to keep it clear, but it seems to me that it might take as
large a reactor to keep it free of ice as to power the catapult."
"We can build reactors, we can melt ice. Or engineers can be sent
north for re-education until they do understand ice." Dr. Chan smiled and I shivered.
"However, the engineering of ice and snow was solved in Antarctica years ago; don't
worry about it. A clear, solid-rock site about three hundred fifty kilometers long at a
high altitude Anything else I should know?"
"Not much, sir. Melted ice could be collected near the catapult
head and thus be the most massy part of what will be shipped to Lunaquite a saving.
Also the steel canisters would be re-used to ship grain to Earth, thus stopping another
drain that Luna can't take. No reason why a canister should not make the trip hundreds of
times. At Luna it would be much the way barges are now landed off Bombay, solid-charge
retrorockets programmed by ground controlexcept that it would be much cheaper, two
and a half kilometer-seconds change of motion versus eleven-plus, a squared factor of
about twentybut actually even more favorable, as retros are parasitic weight and the
payload improves accordingly. There is even a way to improve that."
"How?"
"Doctor, this is outside my specialty. But everybody knows that
your best ships use hydrogen as reaction mass heated by a fusion reactor. But hydrogen is
expensive in Luna and any mass could be reaction mass; it just would not be as efficient.
Can you visualize an enormous, brute-force space tug designed to fit Lunar conditions? It
would use raw rock, vaporized, as reaction mass and would be designed to go up into
parking orbit, pick up those shipments from Terra, bring them down to Luna's surface. It
would be ugly, all the fancies stripped awaymight not be manned even by a Cyborg. It
can be piloted from the ground, by computer."
"Yes, I suppose such a ship could be designed. But let's not
complicate things. Have you covered the essentials about this catapult?"
"I believe so, Doctor. The site is the crucial thing. Take that
peak Nanda Devi. By the maps I have seen it appears to have a long, very high ridge
sloping to the west for about the length of our catapult. If that is true, it would be
idealless to cut away, less to bridge. I don't mean that it is the ideal site but
that is the sort to look for: a very high peak with a long, long ridge west of it."
"I understand." Dr. Chan left abruptly.
Next few weeks I repeated that in a dozen countries, always in private
and with implication that it was secret. All that changed was name of mountain. In Ecuador
I pointed out that Chimborazo was almost on equatorideal! But in Argentina I
emphasized that their Aconcagua was highest peak in Western Hemisphere. In Bolivia I noted
that Altoplano was as high as Tibetan Plateau (almost true), much nearer equator, and
offered a wide choice of sites for easy construction leading up to peaks comparable to any
on Terra.
I talked to a North American who was a political opponent of that choom
who had called us "rabble." I pointed out that, while Mount McKinley was
comparable to anything in Asia or South America, there was much to be said for Mauna
Loaextreme ease of construction. Doubling gees to make it short enough to fit, and
Hawaii would be Spaceport of World . . . whole world, for we talked about day when Mars
would be exploited and freight for three (possibly four) planets would channel through
their "Big Island."
Never mentioned Mauna Loa's volcanic nature; instead I noted that
location permitted an aborted load to splash harmlessly in Pacific Ocean.
In Sovunion was only one peak discussedLenin, over thousand
meters (and rather too close to their big neighbor).
Kilimanjaro, Popocatepetl, Logan, El Libertadomy favorite peak
changed by country; all that we required was that it be "highest mountain" in
hearts of locals. I found something to say about modest mountains of Chad when we were
entertained there and rationalized so well I almost believed it.
Other times, with help of leading questions from Stu LaJoie's stooges,
I talked about chemical engineering (of which I know nothing but had memorized facts) on
surface of Luna, where endless free vacuum and sunpower and limitless raw materials and
predictable conditions permitted ways of processing expensive or impossible
Earthsidewhen day arrived that cheap shipping both ways made it profitable to
exploit Luna's virgin resources, Was always a suggestion that entrenched bureaucracy of
Lunar Authority had failed to see great potential of Luna (true), plus answer to a
question always asked, which answer asserted that Luna could accept any number of
colonists.
This also was true, although never mentioned that Luna (yes, and
sometimes Luna's Loonies) killed about half of new chums. But people we talked to rarely
thought of emigrating themselves; they thought of forcing or persuading others to emigrate
to relieve crowdingand to reduce their own taxes. Kept mouth shut about fact that
half-fed swarms we saw everywhere did breed faster than even catapulting could offset.
We could not house, feed, and train even a million new chums each
yearand a million wasn't a drop on Terra; more babies than that were conceived every
night. We could accept far more than would emigrate voluntarily but if they used forced
emigration and flooded us . . . Luna has only one way to deal with a new chum: Either he
makes not one fatal mistake, in personal behavior or in coping with environment that will
bite without warning . . . or he winds up as fertilizer in tunnel farm.
All that immigration in huge numbers could mean would be that a larger
percentage of immigrants would dietoo few of us to help them past natural hazards.
However, Prof did most talking about "Luna's great future." I
talked about catapults.
During weeks we waited for committee to recall us, we covered much
ground. Stu's men had things set up and only question was how much we could take. Would
guess that every week on Terra chopped a year off our lives, maybe more for Prof. But he
never complained and was always ready to be charming at one more reception.
We spent extra time in North America. Date of our Declaration of
Independence, exactly three hundred years after that of North American British colonies,
turned out to be wizard propaganda and Stu's manipulators made most of it. North Americans
are sentimental about their "United States" even though it ceased to mean
anything once their continent had been rationalized by F.N. They elect a president every
eight years, why, could not saywhy do British still have Queen?and boast of
being "sovereign." "Sovereign," like "love," means anything
you want it to mean; it's a word in dictionary between "sober" and
"sozzled."
"Sovereignty" meant much in North America and "Fourth of
July" was a magic date; Fourth-of-July League handled our appearances and Stu told us
that it had not cost much to get it moving and nothing to keep going; League even raised
money used elsewhereNorth Americans enjoy giving no matter who gets it.
Farther south Stu used another date; his people planted idea that coup
d'etat had been 5 May instead of two weeks later. We were greeted with "Cinco
de Mayo! Libertad! Cinco de Mayo!" I thought they were saying, "Thank
you" Prof did all talking.
But in 4th-of-July country I did better. Stu had me quit wearing a left
arm in public, sleeves of my costumes were sewed up so that stump could not be missed, and
word was passed that I had lost it "fighting for freedom." Whenever I was asked
about it, all I did was smile and say, "See what comes of biting
nails?"then change subject.
I never liked North America, even first trip. It is not most crowded
part of Terra, has a mere billion people. In Bombay they sprawl on pavements; in Great New
York they pack them verticallynot sure anyone sleeps. Was glad to be in invalid's
chair.
Is mixed-up place another way; they care about skin colorby
making point of how they don't care. First trip I was always too light or too dark, and
somehow blamed either way, or was always being expected to take stand on things I have no
opinions on. Bog knows I don't know what genes I have. One grandmother came from a part of
Asia where invaders passed as regularly as locusts, raping as they wentwhy not ask
her?
Learned to handle it by my second makee-learnee but it left a sour
taste. Think I prefer a place as openly racist as India, where if you aren't Hindu, you're
nobodyexcept that Parsees look down on Hindus and vice versa. However I never really
had to cope with North America's reverse-racism when being "Colonel O'Kelly Davis,
Hero of Lunar Freedom."
We had swarms of bleeding hearts around us, anxious to help. I let them
do two things for me, things I had never had time, money, or energy for as a student: I
saw Yankees play and i visited Salem.
Should have kept my illusions. Baseball is better over video, you can
really see it and aren't pushed in by two hundred thousand other people. Besides, somebody
should have shot that outfield. I spent most of that game dreading moment when they would
have to get my chair out through crowdthat and assuring host that I was having a
wonderful time.
Salem was just a place, no worse (and no better) than rest of Boston.
After seeing it I suspected they had hanged wrong witches. But day wasn't wasted; I was
filmed laying a wreath on a place where a bridge had been in another part of Boston,
Concord, and made a memorized speechbridge is still there, actually; you can see it,
down through glass. Not much of a bridge.
Prof enjoyed it all, rough as it was on him: Prof had great capacity
for enjoying. He always had something new to tell about great future of Luna. In New York
he gave managing director of a hotel chain, one with rabbit trade mark, a sketch of what
could be done with resorts in Lunaonce excursion rates were within reach of more
peoplevisits too short to hurt anyone, escort service included, exotic side trips,
gamblingno taxes.
Last point grabbed attention, so Prof expanded it into "longer old
age" themea chain of retirement hostels where an earthworm could live on Terran
old-age pension and go on living, twenty, thirty, forty years longer than on Terra. As an
exilebut which was better? A live old age in Luna? Or a funeral crypt on Terra? His
descendants could pay visits and fill those resort hotels. Prof embellished with pictures
of "nightclubs" with acts impossible in Terra's horrible gravity, sports to fit
our decent level of gravitationeven talked about swimming pools and ice skating and
possibility of flying! (Thought he had tripped his safeties.) He finished by hinting that
Swiss cartel had tied it up.
Next day he was telling foreign-divisions manager of Chase
International Panagra that a Luna City branch should be staffed with paraplegics,
paralytics, heart cases, amputees, others who found high gravity a handicap. Manager was a
fat man who wheezed, he may have been thinking of it personallybut his ears pricked
up at "no taxes."
We didn't have it all our own way. News was often against us and were
always hecklers. Whenever I had to take them on without Prof's help I was likely to get
tripped. One man tackled me on Prof's statement to committee that we "owned"
grain grown in Luna: he seemed to take it for granted that we did not. Told him I did not
understand question.
He answered, "Isn't it true, Colonel, that your provisional
government has asked for membership in Federated Nations?"
Should have answered, "No comment." But fell for it and
agreed. "Very well," he said, "the impediment seems to be the counterclaim
that the Moon belongs to the Federated Nationsas it always hasunder
supervision of the Lunar Authority. Either way, by your own admission, that grain belongs
to the Federated Nations, in trust."
I asked how he reached that conclusion? He answered, 'Colonel, you
style yourself 'Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs.' Surely you are familiar with the
charter of the Federated Nations."
I had skimmed it. "Reasonably familiar," I said
cautiously, I thought.
"Then you know the First Freedom guaranteed by the Charter and its
current application through F & A Control Board Administrative Order Number
eleven-seventy-six dated three March of this year. You concede therefore that all grain
grown on the Moon in excess of the local ration is ab initio and beyond contest the
property of all, title held in trust by the Federated Nations through its agencies for
distribution as needed." He was writing as he talked. "Have you anything to add
to that concession?"
I said, "What in Bog's name you talking about?" Then,
"Come back! Haven't conceded anything!"
So Great New York Times printed:
LUNAR "UNDERSECRETARY" SAYS: "FOOD BELONGS TO HUNGRY"
New York TodayO'Kelly Davis, soi-disant "Colonel of the Armed Forces of Free Luna" here on a junket to stir up support for the insurgents in the F.N. Lunar colonies, said in a voluntary statement to this paper that the "Freedom from Hunger" clause in the Grand Charter applied to the Lunar grain shipments
I asked Prof how should have handled? "Always answer an
unfriendly question with another question," he told me. "Never ask him to
clarify; he'll put words in your mouth. This reporter Was he skinny? Ribs
showing?"
"No. Heavyset."
"Not living on eighteen hundred calories a day, I take it, which
is the subject of that order he cited. Had you known you could have asked him how long he
had conformed to the ration and why he quit? Or asked him what he had for
breakfastand then looked unbelieving no matter what he answered. Or when you don't
know what a man is getting at, let your counter-question shift the subject to something
you do want to talk about. Then, no matter what he answers, make your point and call on
someone else. Logic does not enter into itjust tactics."
"Prof, nobody here is living on eighteen hundred calories a day.
Bombay, maybe. Not here."
"Less than that in Bombay. Manuel, that 'equal ration' is a
fiction. Half the food on this planet is in the black market, or is not reckoned through
one ruling or another. Or they keep two sets of books, and figures submitted to the F.N.
having nothing to do with the economy. Do you think that grain from Thailand and Burma and
Australia is correctly reported to the Control Board by Great China? I'm sure that the
India representative on that food board doesn't. But India keeps quiet because she gets
the lion's share from Luna . . . and then 'plays politics with hunger'a phrase you
may rememberby using our grain to control her elections. Kerala had a planned famine
last year. Did you see it in the news?"
"No."
"Because it wasn't in the news. A managed democracy is a wonderful
thing, Manuel, for the managers . . . and its greatest strength is a 'free press' when
'free' is defined as 'responsible' and the managers define what is 'irresponsible.' Do you
know what Luna needs most?"
"More ice."
"A news system that does not bottleneck through one channel. Our
friend Mike is our greatest danger."
"Huh? Don't you trust Mike?"
"Manuel, on some subjects I don't trust even myself. Limiting the
freedom of news 'just a little bit' is in the same category with the classic example 'a
little bit pregnant.' We are not yet free nor will we be as long as anyoneeven our
ally Mikecontrols our news. Someday I hope to own a newspaper independent of any
source or channel. I would happily set print by hand, like Benjamin Franklin."
I gave up. "Prof, suppose these talks fail and grain shipments
stop. What happens?"
"People back home will be vexed with us . . . and many here on
Terra would die. Have you read Malthus?"
"Don't think so."
"Many would die. Then a new stability would be reached with
somewhat more peoplemore efficient people and better fed. This planet isn't crowded;
it is just mismanaged . . . and the unkindest thing you can do for a hungry man is to give
him food. 'Give.' Read Malthus. It is never safe to laugh at Dr. Malthus; he always has
the last laugh. A depressing man, I'm glad he's dead. But don't read him until this is
over; too many facts hamper a diplomat, especially an honest one."
"I'm not especially honest."
"But you have no talent for dishonesty, so your refuge must be
ignorance and stubbornness. You have the latter; try to preserve the former. For the
nonce. Lad, Uncle Bernardo is terribly tired."
I said, "Sorry," and wheeled out of his room. Prof was
hitting too hard a pace. I would have been willing to quit if would insure his getting
into a ship and out of that gravity. But traffic stayed one waygrain barges, naught
else.
But Prof had fun. As I left and waved lights out, noticed again a toy
he had bought, one that delighted him like a kid on Christmasa brass cannon.
A real one from sailing ship days. Was small, barrel about half a meter
long and massing, with wooden carriage, only kilos fifteen. A "signal gun" its
papers said. Reeked of ancient history, pirates, men "walking plank." A pretty
thing but I asked Prof why? If we ever managed to leave, price to lift that mass to Luna
would hurtI was resigned to abandoning a p-suit with years more wear in
itabandon everything but two left arms and a pair of shorts, If pressed, might give
up social arm. If very pressed, would skip shorts.
He reached out and stroked shiny barrel. "Manuel, once there was a
man who held a political make-work job like so many here in this Directorate, shining
brass cannon around a courthouse."
"Why would courthouse have cannon?"
"Never mind. He did this for years. It fed him and let him save a
bit, but he was not getting ahead in the world. So one day he quit his job, drew out his
savings, bought a brass cannonand went into business for himself."
"Sounds like idiot."
"No doubt. And so were we, when we tossed out the Warden. Manuel,
you'll outlive me. When Luna adopts a flag, I would like it to be a cannon or, on field
sable, crossed by bar sinister gules of our proudly ignoble lineage. Do you think it could
be managed?"
"Suppose so, if you'll sketch. But why a flag? Not a flagpole in
all Luna."
"It can fly in our hearts . . . a symbol for all fools so
ridiculously impractical as to think they can fight city hail. Will you remember,
Manuel?"
"Sure. That is, will remind you when time comes." Didn't like
such talk. He had started using oxygen tent in privateand would not use in public.
Guess I'm "ignorant" and "stubborn"was both
in place called Lexington, Kentucky, in Central Managerial Area. One thing no doctrine
about, no memorized answers, was life in Luna. Prof said to tell truth and emphasize
homely, warm, friendly things, especially anything different. "Remember, Manuel, the
thousands of Terrans who have made short visits to Luna are only a tiny fraction of one
percent. To most people we will be as weirdly interesting as strange animals in a zoo. Do
you remember that turtle on exhibition in Old Dome? That's us."
Certainly did; they wore that insect out, staring at. So when this
male-female team started quizzing about family life in Luna was happy to answer. I
prettied it only by what I left outthings that aren't family life but poor
substitutes in a community overloaded with males, Luna City is homes and families mainly,
dull by Terra standardsbut I like it. And other warrens much same, people who work
and raise kids and gossip and find most of their fun around dinner table. Not much to
tell, so I diseussed anything they found interesting. Every Luna custom comes from Terra
since that's where we all came from, but Terra is such a big place that a custom from
Micronesia, say, may be strange in North America.
This womancan't call her ladywanted to know about various
sorts of marriage. First, was it true that one could get married without a license
"on" Luna?
I asked what a marriage license was?
Her companion said, "Skip it, Mildred. Pioneer societies never
have marriage licenses."
"But don't you keep records?" she persisted.
"Certainly," I agreed. "My family keeps a family book
that goes back almost to first landing at Johnson Cityevery marriage, birth, death,
every event of importance not only in direct line but all branches so far as we can keep
track. And besides, is a man, a schoolteacher, going around copying old family records all
over our warren, writing a history of Luna City. Hobby."
"But don't you have official records? Here in Kaintucky we have
records that go back hundreds of years."
"Madam, we haven't lived there that long."
"Yes, but Well, Luna City must have a city clerk. Perhaps
you call him 'county recorder.' The official who keeps track of such things. Deeds and so
forth."
I said. "Don't think so, madam. Some bookies do notary work,
witnessing chops on contracts, keeping records of them. Is for people who don't read and
write and can't keep own records. But never heard of one asked to keep record of marriage.
Not saying couldn't happen. But haven't heard."
"How delightfully informal! Then this other rumor, about how
simple it is to get a divorce on the Moon. I daresay that's true, too?"
"No, madam, wouldn't say divorce is simple. Too much to untangle.
Mmm . . . take a simple example, one lady and say she has two husbands"
"Two?"
"Might have more, might have just one. Or might be complex
marriage. But let's take one lady and two men as typical. She decides to divorce one. Say
it's friendly, with other husband agreeing and one she is getting rid of not making fuss.
Not that it would do him any good. Okay, she divorces him; he leaves. Still leaves endless
things. Men might be business partners, co-husbands often are. Divorce may break up
partnership. Money matters to settle. This three may own cubic together, and while will be
in her name, ex-husband probably has cash coming or rent. And almost always are children
to consider, support and so forth. Many things. No, madam, divorce is never simple. Can
divorce him in ten seconds but may take ten years to straighten out loose ends. Isn't it
much that way here?"
"Uh . . . just fuhget ah evah asked the question, Cunn'l; it may
be simpluh hyuh." (She did talk that way but was understandable once I got program.
Won't spell it again.) "But if that is a simple marriage, what is a 'complex'
one?"
Found self explaining polyandries, clans, groups, lines, and less
common patterns considered vulgar by conservative people such as my own familydeal
my mother set up, say, after she ticked off my old man, though didn't describe that one;
Mother was always too extreme.
Woman said, "You have me confused. What is the difference between
a line and a clan?"
Are quite different. Take own case. I have honor to be member of one of
oldest line marriages in Lunaand, in my prejudiced opinion, best. You asked about
divorce. Our family has never had one and would bet long odds never will. A line marriage
increases in stability year after year, gains practice in art of getting along together,
until notion of anybody leaving is unthinkable. Besides, takes unanimous decision of all
wives to divorce a husbandcould never happen. Senior wife would never let it get
that far."
Went on describing advantagesfinancial security, fine home life
it gives children, fact that death of a spouse, while tragic, could never be tragedy it
was in a temporary family, especially for childrenchildren simply could not be
orphaned. Suppose I waxed too enthusiasticbut my family is most important thing in
my life. Without them I'm just one-armed mechanic who could be eliminated without causing
a draft.
"Here's why is stable," I said. "Take my youngest wife,
sixteen. Likely be in her eighties before is senior wife. Doesn't mean all wives senior to
her will die by then; unlikely in Luna, females seem to be immortal. But may all opt out
of family management by then; by our family traditions they usually do, without younger
wives putting pressure on them. So Ludmilla"
"Ludmilla?"
"Russki name. From fairy tale. Milla will have over fifty years of
good example before has to carry burden. She's sensible to start with, not likely to make
mistakes and if did, has other wives to steady her. Self-correcting, like a machine with
proper negative feedback. A good line marriage is immortal; expect mine to outlast me at
least a thousand yearsand is why shan't mind dying when time comes; best part of me
will go on living."
Prof was being wheeled out; he had them stop stretcher cart and
listened. I turned to him. "Professor," I said, "you know my family. Would
mind telling this lady why it's a happy family? If you think so."
"It is," agreed Prof. "However, I would rather make a
more general remark. Dear madam, I gather that you find our Lunar marriage customs
somewhat exotic."
"Oh, I wouldn't go that far!" she said hastily. "Just
somewhat unusual."
"They arise, as marriage customs always do, from economic
necessities of the circumstancesand our circumstances are very different from those
here on Earth. Take the line type of marriage which my colleague has been praising . . and
justifiably, I assure you, despite his personal biasI am a bachelor and have no
bias. Line marriage is the strongest possible device for conserving capital and insuring
the welfare of childrenthe two basic societal functions for marriage
everywherein an enviroment in which there is no security, neither for capital nor
for children, other than that devised by individuals. Somehow human beings always cope
with their environments. Line marriage is a remarkably successful invention to that end.
All other Lunar forms of marriage serve that same purpose, though not as well."
He said goodnight and left. I had with mealways!a picture
of my family, newest one, our wedding with Wyoming. Brides are at their prettiest and Wyoh
was radiantand rest of us looked handsome and happy, with Grandpaw tall and proud
and not showing failing faculties.
But was disappointed; they looked at it oddly. But man Mathews,
name wassaid, "Can you spare this picture, Colonel?"
Winced. "Only copy I have. And a long way from home."
"For a moment, I mean. Let me have it photographed. Right here, it
need never leave your hands,"
"Oh. Oh, certainly!" Not a good picture of me but is face I
have, and did Wyoh justice and they just don't come prettier than Lenore.
So he photographed it and next morning they did come right into our
hotel suite and woke me before time and did arrest and take me away wheel chair and all
and did lock me in a cell with bars! For bigamy. For polygamy. For open immorality and
publicly inciting others to same.
Was glad Mum couldn't see.
Took Stu all day to get case transferred to an F.N. court and
dismissed. His lawyers asked to have it tossed out on "diplomatic immunity" but
F.N. judges did not fall into trap, merely noted that alleged offenses had taken place
outside jurisdiction of lower court, except alleged "inciting" concerning which
they found insufficient evidence. Aren't any F.N. laws covering marriage; can't
bejust a rule about each nation required to give "full faith and credence"
to marriage customs of other member nations.
Out of those eleven billion people perhaps seven billion lived where
polygamy is legal, and Stu's opinion manipulators played up "persecution"; it
gained us sympathy from people who otherwise would never have heard of useven gained
it in North America and other places where polygamy is not legal, from people who believe
in "live and let live." All good, because always problem was to be noticed. To
most of those bee-swarm billions Luna was nothing; our rebellion hadn't been noticed.
Stu's operators had gone to much thought to plan setup to get me
arrested. Was not told until weeks later after time to cool off and see benefits. Took a
stupid judge, a dishonest sheriff, and barbaric local prejudice which I triggered with
that sweet picture, for Stu admitted later that range of color in Davis family was what
got judge angry enough to be foolish even beyond native talent for nonsense.
My one consolation, that Mum could not see my disgrace, turned out
mistaken; pictures, taken through bars and showing grim face, were in every Luna paper,
and write-ups used nastiest Earthside stories, not larger number that deplored injustice.
But should have had more faith in Mimi; she wasn't ashamed, simply wanted to go Earthside
and rip some people to pieces.
While helped Earthside, greatest good was in Luna. Loonies become more
unified over this silly huhu than had ever been before. They took it personally and
"Adam Selene" and "Simon Jester" pushed it. Loonies are easygoing
except on one subject, women. Every lady felt insulted by Terran news storiesso male
Loonies who had ignored politics suddenly discovered I was their boy.
Spin-offold lags feel superior to those not transported. Later
found self greeted by ex-cons with: "Hi, jailbird!" A lodge greetingI was
accepted.
But saw nothing good about it then! Pushed around, treated like cattle,
fingerprinted, photographed, given food we wouldn't offer hogs, exposed to endless
indignity, and only that heavy field kept me from trying to kill somebodyhad I been
wearing number-six arm when grabbed, might have tried.
But steadied down once I was freed. Hour later we were on way to Agra;
had at last been summoned by committee. Felt good to be back in suite in maharajah's
palace but eleven-hour zone change in less than three did not permit rest; we went to
hearing bleary-eyed and held together by drugs.
"Hearing" was one-sided; we listened while chairman talked.
Talked an hour; I'll summarize:
Our preposterous claims were rejected. Lunar Authority's sacred trust
could not be abandoned. Disorders on Earth's Moon could not be tolerated. Moreover, recent
disorders showed that Authority had been too lenient. Omission was now to be corrected by
an activist program, a five-year plan in which all phases of life in Authority's
trusteeship would be overhauled. A code of laws was being drafted; civil and criminal
courts would be instituted for benefit of "client-employees"which meant
all persons in trust area, not just consignees with uncompleted sentences. Public schools
would be established, plus indoctrinal adult schools for client-employees in need of same.
An economic, engineering, and agricultural planning board would be created to provide
fullest and most efficient use of Moon's resources and labor of client-employees. An
interim goal of quadrupling grain shipments in five years had been adopted as a figure
easily obtainable once scientific planning of resources and labor was in effect. First
phase would be to withdraw client-employees from occupations found not to be productive
and put them to drilling a vast new system of farm tunnels in order that hydroponics would
commence in them not later than March 2078. These new giant farms would be operated by
Lunar Authority, scientifically, and not left to whims of private owners. It was
contemplated that this system would, by end of five-year plan, produce entire new grain
quota; in meantime client-employees producing grain privately would be allowed to
continue. But they would be absorbed into new system as their less efficient methods were
no longer needed.
Chairman looked up from papers. "In short, the Lunar colonies are
going to be civilized and brought into managerial coordination with the rest of
civilization. Distasteful as this task has been, I feelspeaking as a citizen rather
than as chairman of this committeeI feel that we owe you thanks for bringing to our
attention a situation so badly in need of correction."
Was ready to burn his ears off. "Client-employees!" What a
fancy way to say "slaves"! But Prof said tranquilly, "I find the proposed
plans most interesting. Is one permitted to ask questions? Purely for information?"
"For information, yes."
North American member leaned forward. "But don't assume that we
are going to take any backtalk from you cavemen! So mind your manners. You aren't in the
clear on this, you know."
"Order," chairman said. "Proceed, Professor."
"This term 'client-employee' I find intriguing. Can it be
stipulated that the majority of inhabitants of Earth's major satellite are not
undischarged consignees but free individuals?"
"Certainly," chairman agreed blandly. "All legal aspects
of the new policy have been studied. With minor exceptions some ninety-one percent of the
colonists have citizenship, original or derived, in various member nations of the
Federated Nations. Those who wish to return to their home countries have a right to do so.
You will be pleased to learn that the Authority is considering a plan under which loans
for transportation can be arranged . . . probably under supervision of International Red
Cross and Crescent. I might add that I myself am heartily backing this planas it
renders nonsensical any talk about 'slave labor.'" He smiled smugly.
"I see," agreed Prof. "Most humane. Has the
committeeor the Authoritypondered the fact that mosteffectively all, I
should sayconsidered the fact that inhabitants of Luna are physically unable to live
on this planet? That they have undergone involuntary permanent exile through irreversible
physiological changes and can never again live in comfort and health in a gravitational
field six times greater than that to which their bodies have become adjusted?"
Scoundrel pursed lips as if considering totally new idea.
"Speaking again for myself, I would not be prepared to stipulate that what you say is
necessarily true. It might be true of some, might not be others; people vary widely. Your
presence here proves that it is not impossible for a Lunar inhabitant to return to Earth.
In any case we have no intention of forcing anyone to return. We hope that they will
choose to stay and we hope to encourage others to emigrate to the Moon. But these are
individual choices, under the freedoms guaranteed by the Great Charter. But as to this
alleged physiological phenomenonit is not a legal matter. If anyone deems it
prudent, or thinks he would be happier, to stay on the Moon, that's his privilege."
"I see, sir. We are free. Free to remain in Luna and work, at
tasks and for wages set by you . . . or free to return to Earth to die."
Chairman shrugged. "You assume that we are villianswe're
not. Why, if I were a young man I would emigrate to the Moon myself. Great opportunities!
In any case I am not troubled by your distortionshistory will justify us."
Was surprised at Prof; he was not fighting. Worried about
himweeks of strain and a bad night on top. All he said was, "Honorable
Chairman, I assume that shipping to Luna will soon be resumed. Can passage be arranged for
my colleague and myself in the first ship? For I must admit, sir, that this gravitational
weakness of which I spoke is, in our cases, very real. Our mission is completed; we need
to go home."
(Not a word about grain barges. Nor about "throwing rocks,"
nor even futility of beating a cow. Prof just sounded tired.)
Chairman leaned forward and spoke with grim satisfaction.
"Professor, that presents difficulties. To put it bluntly, you appear to be guilty of
treason against the Great Charter, indeed against all humanity . . . and an indictment is
being considered. I doubt if anything more than a suspended sentence would be invoked
against a man of your age and physical condition, however. Do you think it would be
prudent of us to give you passage back to the place where you committed these
actsthere to stir up more mischief?"
Prof sighed. "I understand your point. Then, sir, may I be
excused? I am weary."
"Certainly. Hold yourself at the disposal of this committee. The
hearing stands adjourned. Colonel Davis"
"Sir?" I was directing wheel chair around, to get Prof out at
once; our attendants had been sent outside.
"A word with you, please. In my office."
"Uh" Looked at Prof; eyes were closed and seemed
unconscious. But he moved one finger, motioning me to him. "HonorabIe Chairman, I'm
more nurse than diplomat; have to look after him. He's an old man, he's ill."
"The attendants will take care of him."
"Well . . ." Got as close to Prof as I could from chair,
leaned over him. "Prof, are you right?"
He barely whispered. "See what he wants. Agree with him. But
stall."
Moments later was alone with chairman, soundproof door
lockedmeant nothing; room could have a dozen ears, plus one in my left arm.
He said, "A drink? Coffee?"
I answered, "No, thank you, sir. Have to watch my diet here."
"I suppose so. Are you really limited to that chair? You look
healthy."
I said, "I could, if had to, get up and walk across room. Might
faint. Or worse. Prefer not to risk. Weigh six times what I should. Heart's not used to
it."
"I suppose so. Colonel, I hear you had some silly trouble in North
America. I'm sorry, I truly am. Barbaric place. Always hate to have to go there. I suppose
you're wondering why I wanted to see you."
"No, sir, assume you'll tell when suits you. Instead was wondering
why you still call me 'Colonel.'"
He gave a barking laugh. "Habit, I suppose. A lifetime of
protocol. Yet it might be well for you to continue with that title. Tell me, what do you
think of our five-year plan?"
Thought it stunk. "Seems to have been carefully thought out."
"Much thought went into it. Colonel, you seem to be a sensible
man I know you are, I know not only your background but practically every word
you've spoken, almost your thoughts, ever since you set foot on Earth. You were born on
the Moon. Do you regard yourself as a patriot? Of the Moon?"
"Suppose so. Though tend to think of what we did just as something
that had to be done."
"Between ourselvesyes. That old fool Hobart. Colonel, that
is a good plan . . . but lacks an executive. If you are really a patriot or let's say a
practical man with your country's best interests at heart, you might be the man to carry
it out." He held up hand. "Don't be hasty! I'm not asking you to sell out, turn
traitor, or any nonsense like that. This is your chance to be a real patriotnot some
phony hero who gets himself killed in a lost cause. Put it this way. Do you think it is
possible for the Lunar colonies to hold out against all the force that the Federated
Nations of Earth can bring to bear? You're not really a military man, I knowand I'm
glad you're notbut you are a technical man, and I know that, too. In your honest
estimation, how many ships and bombs do you think it would take to destroy the Lunar
colonies?"
I answered, "One ship, six bombs."
"Correct! My God, it's good to talk to a sensible man. Two of them
would have to be awf'ly big, perhaps specially built. A few people would stay alive, for a
while, in smaller warrens beyond the blast areas. But one ship would do it, in ten
minutes."
I said, "Conceded, sir, but Professor de la Paz pointed out that
you don't get milk by beating a cow. And certainly can't by shooting it."
"Why do you think we've held back, done nothing, for over a month?
That idiot colleague of mineI won't name himspoke of 'backtalk.' Backtalk
doesn't fret me; it's just talk and I'm interested in results. No, my dear Colonel, we
won't shoot the cow. . . but we would, if forced to, let the cow know that it could be
shot. H-missiles are expensive toys but we could afford to expend some as warning shots,
wasted on bare rock to let the cow know what could happen. But that is more force than one
likes to useit might frighten the cow and sour its milk." He gave another
barking laugh. "Better to persuade old bossy to give down willingly."
I waited. "Don't you want to know how?" he asked.
"How?" I agreed.
"Through you. Don't say a word and let me explain"
He took me up on that high mountain and offered me kingdoms of Earth.
Or of Luna. Take job of "Protector Pro Tem" with understanding was mine
permanently if I could deliver. Convince Loonies they could not win. Convince them that
this new setup was to their advantageemphasize benefits, free schools, free
hospitals, free this and thatdetails later but an everywhere government just like on
Terra. Taxes starting low and handled painlessly by automatic checkoff and through
kickback revenues from grain shipments. But, most important, this time Authority would not
send a boy to do a man's jobtwo regiments of police at once.
"Those damned Peace Dragoons were a mistake," he said,
"one we won't make again. Between ourselves, the reason it has taken us a month to
work this out is that we had to convince the Peace Control Commission that a handful of
men cannot police three million people spread through six largish warrens and fifty and
more small ones. So you'll start with enough policenot combat troops but military
police used to quelling civilians with a minimum of fuss. Besides that, this time they'll
have female auxiliaries, the standard ten per cent-no more rape complaints. Well, sir?
Think you can swing it? Knowing it's best in the long run for your own people?"
I said I ought to study it in detail, particularly plans and quotas for
five-year plan, rather than make snap decision.
"Certainly, certainly!" he agreed. "I'll give you a copy
of the white paper we've made up; take it home, study it, sleep on it. Tomorrow we'll talk
again. Just give me your word as a gentleman to keep it under your hair. No secret, really
. . . but these things are best settled before they are publicized. Speaking of publicity,
you'll need helpand you'll get it. We'll go to the expense of sending up topnotch
men, pay them what it's worth, have them centrifuge the way those scientists doyou
know. This time we're doing it right. That fool Hobarthe's actually dead, isn't
he?"
"No, sir. Senile, however."
"Should have killed him, Here's your copy of the plan."
"Sir? Speaking of old men Professor de la Paz can't stay
here. Wouldn't live six months."
"That's best, isn't it?"
I tried to answer levelly, "You don't understand. He is greatly
loved and respected. Best thing would be for me to convince him that you mean business
with those H-missilesand that it is his patriotic duty to salvage what we can. But,
either way, if I return without him . . . well, not only could not swing it; wouldn't live
long enough to try."
"Hmm Sleep on it. We'll talk tomorrow. Say fourteen
o'clock."
I left and as soon as was loaded into lorry gave way to shakes. Just
don't have high-level approach.
Stu was waiting with Prof. "Well?" said Prof.
I glanced around, tapped ear. We huddled, heads over Prof's head and
two blankets over us all. Stretcher wagon was clean and so was my chair; I checked them
each morning. But for room itself seemed safer to whisper under blankets.
Started in. Prof stopped me. "Discuss his ancestry and habits
later. The facts."
"He offered me job of Warden."
"I trust you accepted."
"Ninety percent. I'm to study this garbage and give answer
tomorrow. Stu, how fast can we execute Plan Scoot?"
"Started. We were waiting for you to return. If they let you
return."
Next fifty minutes were busy. Stu produced a gaunt Hindu in a dhoti; in
thirty minutes he was a twin of Prof, and lifted Prof off wagon onto a divan. Duplicating
me was easier. Our doubles were wheeled into suite's living room just at dusk and dinner
was brought in. Several people came and went among them elderly Hindu woman in sari,
on arm of Stuart LaJoie. A plump babu followed them.
Getting Prof up steps to roof was worst; he had never worn powered
walkers, had no chance to practice, and had been flat on back for more than a month.
But Stu's arm kept him steady; I gritted teeth and climbed those
thirteen terrible steps by myself. By time I reached roof, heart was ready to burst. Was
put to it not to black out. A silent little flitter craft came out of gloom right on
schedule and ten minutes later we were in chartered ship we had used past monthtwo
minutes after that we jetted for Australia. Don't know what it cost to prepare this dance
and keep it ready against need, but was no hitch.
Stretched out by Prof and caught breath, then said, "How you feel,
Prof?"
"Okay. A bit tired. Frustrated."
"Ja da. Frustrated."
"Over not seeing the Taj Mahal, I mean. I never had opportunity as
a young manand here I've been within a kilometer of it twice, once for several days,
now for another day . . . and still I haven't seen it and never shall."
"Just a tomb."
"And Helen of Troy was just a woman. Sleep, lad." We landed
in Chinee half of Australia, place called Darwin, and were carried straight into a ship,
placed in acceleration couches and dosed. Prof was already out and I was beginning to feel
dopy when Stu came in, grinned, and strapped down by us. I looked at him. "You, too?
Who's minding shop?"
"The same people who've been doing the real work all along. It's a
good setup and doesn't need me any longer. Mannie old cobber, I did not want to be
marooned a long way from home. Luna, I mean, in case you have doubts. This looks like the
last train from Shanghai."
"What's Shanghai got to do with?"
"Forget I mentioned it. Mannie, I'm flat broke, concave. I owe
money in all directionsdebts that will be paid only if certain stocks move the way
Adam Selene convinced me they would move, shortly after this point in history. And I'm
wanted, or will be, for offenses against the public peace and dignity. Put it this way.
I'm saving them the trouble of transporting me. Do you think I can learn to be a drillman
at my age?"
Was feeling foggy, drug taking hold. "Stu, in Luna y'aren't old .
. . barely started . . . 'nyway . . ,eat our table f'ever! Mimi likes you."
"Thanks, cobber, I might. Warning light! Deep breath!"
Suddenly was kicked by ten gee.
Our craft was ground-to-orbit ferry type used for manned satellites,
for supplying F.N. ships in patrol orbit, and for passengers to and from
pleasure-and-gambling satellites. She was carrying three passengers instead of forty, no
cargo except three p-suits and a brass cannon (yes, silly toy was along; p-suits and
Prof's bang-bang were in Australia a week before we were) and good ship Lark had been
strippedtotal crew was skipper and a Cyborg pilot.
She was heavily overfueled.
We made (was told) normal approach on Elysium satellite . . . then
suddenly scooted from orbital speed to escape speed, a change even more violent than
liftoff.
This was scanned by F.N. Skytrack; we were commanded to stop and
explain. I got this secondhand from Stu, self still recovering and enjoying luxury of
no-gee with one strap to anchor. Prof was still out.
"So they want to know who we are and what we think we are
doing," Stu told me. "We told them that we were Chinese registry sky wagon
Opening Lotus bound on an errand of mercy, to wit, rescuing those scientists marooned on
the Moon, and gave our identificationas Opening Lotus."
"How about transponder?"
"Mannie, if I got what I paid for, our transponder identified us
as the Lark up to ten minutes ago . . . and now has I.D.'d us as the Lotus. Soon we will
know. Just one ship is in position to get a missile off and it must blast us
in"he stopped to look"another twenty-seven minutes according to the
wired-up gentleman booting this bucket, or its chances of getting us are poor to zero. So
if it worries youif you have prayers to say or messages to send or whatever it is
one does at such timesnow is the time."
"Think we ought to rouse Prof?"
"Let him sleep. Can you think of a better way to make jump than
from peaceful sleep instantaneously into a cloud of radiant gas? Unless you know that he
has religious necessities to attend to? He never struck me as a religious man,
orthodoctrinally speaking."
"He's not. But if you have such duties, don't let me keep
you."
"Thank you, I took care of what seemed necessary before we left
ground. How about yourself, Mannie? I'm not much of a padre but I'll do my best, if I can
help. Any sins on your mind, old cobber? If you need to confess, I know quite a little
about sin."
Told him my needs did not run that way. Then did recall sins, some I
cherished, and gave him a version more or less true. That reminded him of some of his own,
which remind me Zero time came and went before we ran out of sins. S LaJoie is a
good person to spend last minutes with, even if don't turn out to be last.
We had two days with naught to do but undergo drastic routines to keep
us from carrying umpteen plagues to Luna. But didn't mind shaking from induced chills and
burning with fever; free fall was such a relief and was so happy to be going home.
Or almost happy Prof asked what was troubling me,
"Nothing," I said. "Can't wait to be home. But Truth is, ashamed to
show face after we've failed. Prof, what did we do wrong?"
"Failed, my boy?"
"Don't see what else can call it. Asked to be recognized. Not what
we got."
"Manuel, I owe you an apology. You will recall Adam Selene's
projection of our chances just before we left home." Stu was not in earshot but
"Mike" was word we never used; was always "Adam Selene" for security.
"Certainly do! One in fifty-three. Then when we reached Earthside
dropped to reeking one in hundred. What you guess it is now? One in thousand?"
"I've had new projections every few days . . . which is why I owe
you an apology. The last, received just before we left, included the then-untested
assumption that we would escape, get clear of Terra and home safely. Or that at least one
of us three would make it, which is why Comrade Stu was summoned home, he having a
Terran's tolerance of high acceleration. Eight projections, in fact, ranging from three of
us dead, through various combinations up to three surviving. Would you care to stake a few
dollars on what that last projection is, setting a bracket and naming your own odds? I'll
give a hint. You are far too pessimistic."
"Uh . . . no, damn it! Just tell."
"The odds against us are now only seventeen to one . . . and
they've been shortening all month. Which I couldn't tell you."
"Was amazed, delighted, overjoyedhurt. "What you mean,
couldn't tell me? Look, Prof, if not trusted, deal me out and put Stu in executive
cell."
"Please, son. That's where he will go if anything happens to any
of usyou, me, or dear Wyoming. I could not tell you Earthsideand can tell you
nownot because you aren't trusted but because you are no actor. You could carry out
your role more effectively if you believed that our purpose was to achieve recognition of
independence."
"Now he tells!"
"Manuel, Manuel, we had to fight hard every instantand
lose."
"So? Am big enough boy to be told?"
"Please, Manuel. Keeping you temporarily in the dark greatly
enhanced our chances; you can check this with Adam. May I add that Stuart accepted his
summons to Luna blithely without asking why? Comrade, that committee was too small, its
chairman too intelligent; there was always the hazard that they might offer an acceptable
compromisethat first day there was grave danger of it. Had we been able to force our
case before the Grand Assembly there would have been no danger of intelligent action. But
we were balked. The best I could do was to antagonize the committee, even stooping to
personal insult to make certain of at least one holdout against common sense."
"Guess I never will understand high-level approach."
"Possibly not. But your talents and mine complement each other.
Manuel, you wish to see Luna free."
"You know I do."
"You also know that Terra can defeat us."
"Sure. No projection ever gave anything close to even money. So
don't see why you set out to antagonize"
"Please. Since they can inflict their will on us, our only chance
lies in weakening their will. That was why we had to go to Terra. To be divisive. To
create many opinions. The shrewdest of the great generals in China's history once said
that perfection in war lay in so sapping the opponent's will that he surrenders without
fighting. In that maxim lies both our ultimate purpose and our most pressing danger.
Suppose, as seemed possible that first day, we had been offered an inviting compromise. A
governor in place of a warden, possibly from our own number. Local autonomy. A delegate in
the Grand Assembly. A higher price for grain at the catapult head, plus a bonus for
increased shipments. A disavowal of Hobart's policies combined with an expression of
regret over the rape and the killings with handsome cash settlements to the victims'
survivors. Would it have been accepted? Back home?"
"They did not offer that."
"The chairman was ready to offer something like it that first
afternoon and at that time he had his committee in hand. He offered us an asking price
close enough to permit such a dicker. Assume that we reached in substance what I outlined.
Would it have been acceptable at home?"
"Uh . . . maybe."
"More than a 'maybe' by the bleak projection made just before we
left home; it was the thing to be avoided at any costa settlement which would quiet
things down, destroy our will to resist, without changing any essential in the
longer-range prediction of disaster. So I switched the subject and squelched possibility
by being difficult about irrelevancies politely offensive. Manuel, you and I knowand
Adam knowsthat there must be an end to food shipments; nothing less will save Luna
from disaster. But can you imagine a wheat farmer fighting to end those shipments?"
"No. Wonder if can pick up news from home on how they're taking
stoppage?"
"There won't be any. Here is how Adam has timed it, Manuel: No
announcement is to be made on either planet until after we get home. We are still buying
wheat. Barges are still arriving at Bombay."
"You told them shipments would stop at once."
"That was a threat, not a moral commitment. A few more loads won't
matter and we need time. We don't have everyone on our side; we have only a minority.
There is a majority who don't care either way but can be swayedtemporarily. We have
another minority against us . . . especially grain farmers whose interest is never
politics but the price of wheat. They are grumbling but accepting Scrip, hoping it wili be
worth face value later. But the instant we announce that shipments have stopped they will
be actively against us. Adam plans to have the majority committed to us at the time the
announcement is made."
"How long? One year? Two?"
"Two days, three days, perhaps four. Carefully edited excerpts
from that five-year plan, excerpts from the recordings you've madeespecially that
yellow-dog offerexploitation of your arrest in Kentucky"
"Hey! I'd rather forget that."
Prof smiled and cocked an eyebrow. "Uh" I said
uncomfortably. "Okay. If will help."
"It will help more than any statistics about natural
resources."
Wired-up ex-human piloting us went in as one maneuver without bothering
to orbit and gave us even heavier beating; ship was light and lively. But change in motion
is under two-and-a-half kilometers; was over in nineteen seconds and we were down at
Johnson City. I took it right, just a terrible constriction in chest and a feeling as if
giant were squeezing heart, then was over and I was gasping back to normal and glad to be
proper weight. But did almost kill poor old Prof.
Mike told me later that pilot refused to surrender control; Mike would
have brought ship down in a low-gee, no-breakum-egg, knowing Prof was aboard. But perhaps
that Cyborg knew what he was doing; a low-gee landing wastes mass and Lotus-Lark grounded
almost dry.
None of which we cared about, as looked as if that Garrison landing had
wasted Prof. Stu saw it while I was still gasping, then we were both at himheart
stimulant, manual respiration, massage. At last he fluttered eyelids, looked at us,
smiled. "Home," he whispered.
We made him rest twenty minutes before we let him suit up to leave
ship; had been as near dead as can be and not hear angels. Skipper was filling tanks,
anxious to get rid of us and take on passengersthat Dutchman never spoke to us whole
trip; think he regretted letting money talk him into a trip that could ruin or kill him.
By then Wyoh was inside ship, p-suited to come meet us. Don't think Stu
had ever seen her in a p-suit and certain he had never seen her as a blonde; did not
recognize. I was hugging her in spite of p-suit; he was standing by, waiting to be
introduced. Then strange "man" in p-suit hugged himhe was surprised.
Heard Wyoh's muffled voice: "Oh heavens! Mannie, my helmet."
I unclamped it, lifted off. She shook curls and grinned. "Stu,
aren't you glad to see me? Don't you know me?"
A grin spread over his face, slowly as dawn across maria. "Zdra'stvooeet'ye,
Gospazha! I am most happy to see you."
"'Gospazha' indeed! I'm Wyoh to you, dear, always. Didn't Mannie
tell you I'd gone back to blonde?"
"Yes, he did. But knowing it and seeing are not the same."
"You'll get used to it." She stopped to bend over Prof, kiss
him, giggle at him, then straightened up and gave me a no-helmet welcome-home that left us
both with tears despite pesky suit. Then turned again to Stu, started to kiss him.
He held back a little. She stopped. "Stu, am I going to have to
put on brown makeup to welcome you?" Stu glanced at me, then kissed her. Wyoh put in
as much time and thought as she had to welcoming me.
Was later I figured out his odd behavior. Stu, despite commitment, was
still not a Loonieand in meantime Wyoh had married. What's that got to do with it?
Well, Earthside it makes a difference, and Stu did not know deep down in bones that a
Loonie lady is own mistress. Poor chum thought I might take offense!
We got Prof into suit, ourselves same, and left, me with cannon under
arm. Once underground and locked through, we unsuitedand I was flattered to see that
Wyoh was wearing crushed under p-suit that red dress I bought her ages ago. She brushed it
and skirt flared out.
Immigration room was empty save for about forty men lined up along wall
like new transportees; were wearing p-suits and carrying helmetsTerrans going home,
stranded tourists and some scientists. Their p-suits would not go, would be unloaded
before lift. I looked at them and thought about Cyborg pilot. When Lark had been stripped,
all but three couches had been removed; these people were going to take acceleration lying
on floorplatesif skipper was not careful he was going to have mashed Terrans au
blut.
Mentioned to Stu. "Forget it," he said. "Captain Leures
has foam pads aboard. He won't let them be hurt; they're his life insurance."
My family, all thirty-odd from Grandpaw to babies, was waiting
beyond next lock on level he!ow and we got cried on and slobbered on and hugged and this
time Stu did not hold back. Little Hazel made ceremony of kissing us; she had Liberty
Caps, set one on each, then kissed usand at that signal whole family put on Liberty
Caps, and I got sudden tears. Perhaps is what patriotism feels like, choked up and so
happy it hurts. Or maybe was just being with my beloveds again.
"Where's Slim?" I asked Hazel. "Wasn't he invited?"
"Couldn't come. He's junior marshal of your reception."
"Reception? This is all we want."
"You'll see."
Did. Good thing family came out to meet us; that and ride to L-City
(filled a capsule) were all I saw of them for some time. Tube Station West was a howling
mob, all in Liberty Caps. We three were carried on shoulders all way to Old Dome,
surrounded by a stilyagi bodyguard, elbows locked to force through cheering, singing
crowds. Boys were wearing red caps and white shirts and their girls wore white jumpers and
red shorts color of caps.
At station and again when they put us down in Old Dome I got kissed by
fems I have never seen before or since. Remember hoping that measures we had taken in lieu
of quarantine were effectiveor half of L-City would be down with colds or worse.
(Apparently we were clean; was no epidemic. But I remember timewas quite
smallwhen measles got loose and thousands died.)
Worried about Prof, too; reception was too rough for a man good as dead
an hour earlier. But he not only enjoyed it, he made a wonderful speech in Old
Domeone short on logic, loaded with ringing phrases. "Love" was in it, and
"home" and "Luna" and "comrades and neighbors" and even
"shoulder to shoulder" and all sounded good.
They had erected a platform under big news video on south face. Adam
Selene greeted us from video screen and now Prof's face and voice were projected from it,
much magnified, over his headdid not have to shout. But did have to pause after
every sentence; crowd roars drowned out even bull voice from screenand no doubt
pauses helped, as rest. But Prof no longer seemed old, tired, ill; being back inside The
Rock seemed to be tonic he needed. And me, too! Was wonderful to be right weight, feel
strong, breathe pure, replenished air of own city.
No mean city! Impossible to get all of L-City inside Old Domebut
looked as if they tried. I estimated an area ten meters square, tried to count heads, got
over two hundred not half through and gave up. Lunatic placed crowd at thirty thousand,
seems impossible.
Prof's words reached more nearly three million; video carried scene to
those who could not crowd into Old Dome, cable and relay flashed it across lonely maria to
all warrens. He grabbed chance to tell of slave future Authority planned for them. Waved
that "white paper." "Here it is!" he cried. "Your fetters! Your
leg irons! Will you wear them?"
"NO!"
"They say you must. They say they will H-bomb . . . then survivors
will surrender and put on these chains. Will you?"
"NO! NEVER!"
"Never," agreed Prof. "They threaten to send troops . .
. more and more troops to rape and murder. We shall fight them."
"DA!"
"We shall fight them on the surface, we shall fight them in the
tubes, we shall fight them in the corridors! If die we must, we shall die free!"
"Yes! Ja-da! Tell 'em, tell 'em!"
"And if we die, let history write: This was Luna's finest hour!
Give us liberty . . . or give us death!"
Some of that sounded familiar. But his words came out fresh and new; I
joined in roars. Look . . . I knew we couldn't whip TerraI'm tech by trade and know
that an H-missile doesn't care how brave you are. But was ready, too. If they wanted a
fight, let's have it!
Prof let them roar, then led them in "Battle Hymn of the
Republic," Simon's version. Adam appeared on screen again, took over leading it and
sang with them, and we tried to slip away, off back of platform, with help of stilyagi led
by Slim. But women didn't want to let us go and lads aren't at their best in trying to
stop ladies; they broke through. Was twenty-two hundred before we four, Wyoh, Prof, Stu,
self, were locked in room L of Raffles, where Adam-Mike joined us by video. I was starved
by then, all were, so I ordered dinner and Prof insisted that we eat before reviewing
plans.
Then we got down to business.
Adam started by asking me to read aloud white paper, for his benefit
and for Comrade Wyoming "But first, Comrade Manuel, if you have the recordings
you made Earthside, could you transmit them by phone at high speed to my office? I'll have
them transcribed for studyall I have so far are the coded summaries Comrade Stuart
sent up."
I did so, knowing Mike would study them at once, phrasing was part of
"Adam Selene" mythand decided to talk to Prof about letting Stu in on
facts. If Stu was to be in executive cell, pretending was too clumsy.
Feeding recordings into Mike at overspeed took five minutes, reading
aloud another thirty. That done, Adam said, "Professor, the reception was more
successful than I had counted on, due to your speech. I think we should push the embargo
through Congress at once. I can send out a call tonight for a session at noon tomorrow.
Comments?"
I said, "Look, those yammerheads will kick it around for weeks. If
you must put it up to themcan't see whydo as you did with Declaration. Start
late, jam it through after midnight using own people."
Adam said, "Sorry, Manuel. I'm getting caught up on events
Earthside and you have catching up to do here. It's no longer the same group. Comrade
Wyoming?"
"Mannie dear, it's an elected Congress now. They must pass it.
Congress is what government we have."
I said slowly, "You held election and turned things over to them?
Everything? Then what are we doing?" Looked at Prof, expecting explosion. My
objections would not be on his groundsbut couldn't see any use in swapping one
talk-talk for another. At least first group had been so loose we could pack itthis
new group would be glued to seats.
Prof was undisturbed. Fitted fingertips together and looked relaxed.
"Manuel, I don't think the situation is as bad as you seem to feel that it is. In
each age it is necessary to adapt to the popular mythology. At one time kings were
anointed by Deity, so the problem was to see to it that Deity anointed the right
candidate. In this age the myth is 'the will of the people' . . . but the problem changes
only superficially. Comrade Adam and I have had long discussions about how to determine
the will of the people. I venture to suggest that this solution is one we can work
with."
"Well . . . okay. But why weren't we told? Stu, did you
know?"
"No, Mannie. There was no reason to tell me." He shrugged.
"I'm a monarchist, I wouldn't have been interested. But I go along with Prof that in
this day and age elections are a necessary ritual."
Prof said, "Manuel, it wasn't necessary to tell us till we got
back; you and I had other work to do. Comrade Adam and dear Comrade Wyoming handled it in
our absence . . . so let's find out what they did before we judge what they've done."
"Sorry. Well, Wyoh?"
"Mannie, we didn't leave everything to chance. Adam and I decided
that a Congress of three hundred would be about right. Then we spent hours going over the
Party listsplus prominent people not in the Party. At last we had a list of
candidatesa list that included some from the Ad-Hoc Congress; not all were
yammerheads, we included as many as we could. Then Adam phoned each one and asked
himor herif he would serve . . . binding him to secrecy in the meantime. Some
we had to replace.
"When we were ready, Adam spoke on video, announced that it was
time to carry out the Party's pledge of free elections, set a date, said that everybody
over sixteen could vote, and that all anyone had to do to be a candidate was to get a
hundred chops on a nominating petition and post it in Old Dome, or the public notice place
for his warren. Oh, yes, thirty temporary election districts, ten Congressmen from each
districtthat let all but the smallest warrens be at least one district."
"So you had it lined up and Party ticket went through?"
"Oh, no, dear! There wasn't any Party ticketofficially. But
we were ready with our candidates . . . and I must say my stilyagi did a smart job getting
chops on nominations; our optings were posted the first day. Many other people posted;
there were over two thousand candidates. But there was only ten days from announcement to
election, and we knew what we wanted whereas the opposition was split up. It wasn't
necessary for Adam to come out publicly and endorse candidates. It worked outyou won
by seven thousand votes, dear, while your nearest rival got less than a thousand."
"I won?"
"You won, I won, Professor won, Comrade Clayton won, and just
about everybody we thought should be in the Congress. It wasn't hard. Although Adam never
endorsed anyone, I didn't hesitate to let our comrades know who was favored. Simon poked
his finger in, too. And we do have good connections with newspapers. I wish you had been
here election night, watching the results. Exciting!"
"How did you go about nose counting? Never known how election
works. Write names on a piece of paper?"
"Oh, no, we used a better system . . . because, after all, some of
our best people can't write. We used banks for voting places, with bank clerks identifying
customers and customers identifying members of their families and neighbors who don't have
bank accountsand people voted orally and the clerks punched the votes into the
banks' computers with the voter watching, and results were all tallied at once in Luna
City clearinghouse. We voted everybody in less than three hours and results were printed
out just minutes after voting stopped."
Suddenly a light came on in my skull and I decided to question Wyoh
privately. No, not WyohMike. Get past his "Adam Selene" dignity and hammer
truth out of his neuristors. Recalled a cheque ten million dollars too large and wondered
how many had voted for me? Seven thousand? Seven hundred? Or just my family and friends?
But no longer worried about new Congress. Prof had not slipped them a
cold deck but one that was frozen solidthen ducked Earthside while crime was
committed. No use asking Wyoh; she didn't even need to know what Mike had done . . . and
could do her part better if did not suspect.
Nor would anybody suspect. If was one thing all people took for
granted, was conviction that if you feed honest figures into a computer, honest figures
come out. Never doubted it myself till met a computer with sense of humor.
Changed mind about suggesting that Stu be let in on Mike's
self-awareness. Three was two too many. Or perhaps three. "Mi" I started
to say, and changed to: "My word! Sounds efficient. How big did we win?"
Adam answered without expression. "Eighty-six percent of our
candidates were successfulapproximately what I had expected."
("Approximately," my false left arm! Exactly what expected,
Mike old ironmongery!) "Withdraw objection to a noon sessionI'll be
there."
"It seems to me," said Stu, "assuming that the embargo
starts at once, we will need something to maintain the enthusiasm we witnessed tonight. Or
there will be a long quiet period of increasing economic depressionfrom the embargo,
I meanand growing disillusionment. Adam, you first impressed me through your ability
to make shrewd guesses as to future events. Do my misgivings make sense?"
"They do."
"Well?"
Adam looked at us in turn, and was almost impossible to believe that
this was a false image and Mike was simply placing us through binaural receptors.
"Comrades . . . it must be turned into open war as quickly as possible."
Nobody said anything. One thing to talk about war, another to face up
to it. At last I sighed and said, "When do we start throwing rocks?"
"We do not start," Adam answered. "They must throw the
first one. How do we antagonize them into doing so? I will reserve my thoughts to the
last. Comrade Manuel?"
"Uh . . . don't look at me. Way I feel, would start with a nice
big rock smack on Agraa bloke there who is a waste of space. But is not what you are
after."
"No, it is not," Adam answered seriously. "You would not
only anger the entire Hindu nation, a people intensely opposed to destruction of life, but
you would also anger and shock people throughout Earth by destroying the Taj Mahal."
"Including me," said Prof. "Don't talk dirty,
Manuel."
"Look," I said, "didn't say to do it. Anyhow, could miss
Taj."
"Manuel," said Prof, "as Adam pointed out, our strategy
must be to antagonize them into striking the first blow, the classic 'Pearl Harbor'
maneuver of game theory, a great advantage in Weltpolitick. The question is how? Adam, I
suggest that what is needed is to plant the idea that we are weak and divided and that all
it takes is a show of force to bring us back into line. Stu? Your people Earthside should
be useful. Suppose the Congress repudiated myself and Manuel? The effect?"
"Oh, no!" said Wyoh.
"Oh, yes, dear Wyoh. Not necessary to do it but simply to put it
over news channels to Earth. Perhaps still better to put it out over a clandestine beam
attributed to the Terran scientists still with us while our official channels display the
classic stigmata of tight censorship. Adam?"
"I'm noting it as a tactic which probably will be included in the
strategy. But it will not be sufficient alone. We must be bombed."
"Adam," said Wyoh, "why do you say so? Even if Luna City
can stand up under their biggest bombssomething I hope never to find outwe
know that Luna can't win an all-out war. You've said so, many times. Isn't there some way
to work it so that they will just plain leave us alone?"
Adam pulled at right cheekand I thought: Mike, if you don't knock
off play-acting, you'll have me believing in you myself! Was annoyed at him and looked
forward to a talkone in which I would not have to defer to "Chairman
Selene."
"Comrade Wyoming," he said soberly, "it's a matter of
game theory in a complex non-zero-sum game. We have certain resources or 'pieces in the
game' and many possible moves. Our opponents have much larger resources and a far larger
spectrum of responses. Our problem is to manipulate the game so that our strength is
utilized toward an optimax solution while inducing them to waste their superior strength
and to refrain from using it at maximum. Timing is of the essence and a gambit is
necessary to start a chain of events favorable to our strategy. I realize this is not
clear. I could put the factors through a computer and show you. Or you can accept the
conclusion. Or you can use your own judgment."
He was reminding Wyoh (under Stu's nose) that he was not Adam Selene
but Mike, our dinkum thinkum who could handle so complex a problem because he was a
computer and smartest one anywhere.
Wyoh backtracked. "No, no," she said, "I wouldn't
underitand the maths. Okay, it has to be done. How do we do it?"
Was four hundred before we had a plan that suited Prof and Stu as well
as Adamor took that long for Mike to sell his plan while appearing to pull ideas out
of rest of us. Or was it Prof's plan with Adam Selene as salesman?
In any case we had a plan and calendar, one that grew out of master
strategy of Tuesday 14 May 2075 and varied from it only to match events as they actually
had occurred. In essence it called for us to behave as nastily as possible while
strengthening impression that we would be awfully easy to spank.
Was at Community Hall at noon, after too little sleep, and found I
could have slept two hours longer; Congressmen from Hong Kong could not make it that early
despite tube all way. Wyoh did not bang gavel until fourteen-thirty.
Yes, my bride wife was chairman pro tem in a body not yet organized.
Parliamentary rulings seemed to come naturally to her, and she was not a bad choice; a mob
of Loonies behaves better when a lady bangs gavel.
Not going to detail what new Congress did and said that session and
later; minutes are available. I showed up only when necessary and never bothered to learn
talk-talk rulesseemed to be equal parts common politeness and ways in which chairman
could invoke magic to do it his (her) way.
No sooner had Wyoh banged them to order but a cobber jumped up and
said, "Gospazha Chairmah, move we suspend rules and hear from Comrade Professor de la
Paz!"which brought a whoop of approval.
Wyoh banged again. "Motion is out of order and Member from Lower
Churchill will be seated. This house recessed without adjourning and Chairman of Committee
on Permanent Organization, Resolutions, and Government Structure still has the
floor."
Turned out to be Wolfgang Korsakov, Member from Tycho Under (and a
member of Prof's cell and our number-one finagler of LuNoHoCo) and he not only had floor,
he had it all day, yielding time as he saw fit (i.e., picking out whom he wanted to speak
rather than letting just anyone talk). But nobody was too irked; this mob seemed satisfied
with leadership. Were noisy but not unruly.
By dinnertime Luna had a government to replace co-opted provisional
governmenti.e., dummy government we had opted ourselves, which sent Prof and me to
Earth. Congress confirmed all acts of provisional government, thus putting face on what we
had done, thanked outgoing government for services and instructed Wolfgang's committee to
continue work on permanent government structure.
Prof was elected President of Congress and ex-officio Prime Minister of
interim government until we acquired a constitution. He protested age and health . . .
then said would serve if could have certain things to help him; too old and too exhausted
from trip Earthside to have responsibility of presidingexcept on occasions of
stateso he wanted Congress to elect a Speaker and Speaker Pro Tem . . . and besides
that, he felt that Congress should augment its numbers by not more than ten percent by
itself electing members-at-large so that Prime Minister, whoever he might be, could opt
cabinet members or ministers of state who might not now be members of
Congressespecially ministers-without-portfolio to take load off his shoulders.
They balked. Most were proud of being "Congressmen" and
already jealous of status. But Prof just sat looking tired, and waitedand somebody
pointed out that it still left control in hands of Congress. So they gave him what he
asked for.
Then somebody squeezed in a speech by making it a question to Chair.
Everybody knew (he said) that Adam Selene had refrained from standing for Congress on
grounds that Chairman of Emergency Committee should not take advantage of positon to elbow
way into new government . . . but could Honorable Chairlady tell member whether was any
reason not elect Adam Selene a member-at-large? As gesture of appreciation for great
services? To let all Lunayes, and all those earthworms, especially ex-Lunar
ex-Authontyknow that we not repudiating Adam Selene, on contrary he was our beloved
elder statesman and was not President simply because he chose not to be!
More whoops that went on and on. You can find in minutes who made that
speech but one gets you ten Prof wrote it and Wyoh planted it.
Here is how it wound up over course of days:
Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs: Professor
Bernardo de la Paz.
Speaker, Finn Nielsen; Speaker Pro Tem, Wyoming Davis.
Undersecretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Minister of Defense,
General O'Kelly Davis; Minister of Information, Terence Sheehan (Sheenie turned Pravda
over to managing editor to work with Adam and Stu); Special Minister-without-Portfolio in
Ministry of Information, Stuart Rene LaJoie, Congressman-at-Large; Secretary of State for
Economics and Finance (and Custodian of Enemy Property), Wolfgang Korsakov; Minister of
Interior Affairs and Safety, Comrade "Clayton" Watenabe;
Minister-without-Portfolio and Special Advisor to Prime Minister, Adam Seleneplus a
dozen ministers and ministers-without-portfolio from warrens other than Luna City.
See where that left things? Brush away fancy titles and B cell was
still running things as advised by Mike, backed by a Congress in which we could not lose a
test votebut did lose others we did not want to win, or did not care about.
But at time could not see sense in all that talk-talk.
During evening session Prof reported on trip and then yielded to
meCommittee Chairman Korsakov consentingso that I could report what
"five-year plan" meant and how Authority had tried to bribe me. I'll never make
a speaker but had time during dinner break to swot speech Mike had written. He had slanted
it so nastily that I got angry all over again and was angry when I spoke and managed to
make it catching. Congress was ready to riot by time I sat down.
Prof stepped forward, thin and pale, and said quietly, "Comrade
Members, what shall we do? I suggest, Chairman Korsakov consenting, that we discuss
informally how to treat this latest insolence to our nation."
One member from Novylen wanted to declare war and they would have done
so right then if Prof had not pointed out that they were still hearing committee reports.
More talk, all bitter. At last Comrade Member Chang Jones spoke:
"Fellow Congressmensorry, Gospodin Chairman KorsakovI'm a rice and wheat
farmer. Mean I used to be, because back in May I got a bank loan and sons and I are
converting to variety farming. We're brokehad to borrow tube fare to get
herebut family is eating and someday we might pull square with bank. At least I'm no
longer raising grain.
"But others are. Catapult has never reduced headway by one barge
whole time we've been free. We're still shipping, hoping their cheques will be worth
something someday.
"But now we know! They've told us what they mean to do with
usto us! I say only way to make those scoundrels know we mean business is stop
shipments right now! Not another tonne, not a kilo . . . until they come here and dicker
honestly for honest price!"
Around midnight they passed Embargo, then adjourned subject to call . .
. standing committees to continue.
Wyoh and I went home and I got reacquainted with my family. Was nothing
to do; Mike-Adam and Stu had been working on how to hit them with it Earthside and Mike
had shut catapult down ("technical difficulties with ballistic computer")
twenty-four hours earlier. Last barge in trajectory would be taken by Poona Ground Control
in slightly over one day and Earth would be told, nastily, that was last they would ever
get.
Shock to farmers was eased by continuing to buy grain at
catapultbut cheques now carried printed warning that Luna Free State did not stand
behind them, did not warrant that Lunar Authority would ever redeem them even in Scrip,
etc., etc. Some farmers left grain anyhow, some did not, all screamed. But was nothing
they could do; catapult was shut down, loading belts not moving.
Depression was not immediately felt in rest of economy. Defense
regiments had depleted ranks of ice miners so much that selling ice on free market was
profitable; LuNoH0Co steel subsidiary was hiring every able-bodied man it could find, and
Wolfgang Korsakov was ready with paper money, "National Dollars," printed to
resemble Hong Kong dollar and in theory pegged to it. Luna had plenty of food, plenty of
work, plenty of money; people were not hurting, "beer, betting, women, and work"
went on as usual.
"Nationals," as they were called, were inflation money, war
money, fiat money, and were discounted a fraction of a percent on day of first issue,
concealed as "exchange service charge." They were spendable money and never did
drop to zero but were inflationary and exchange reflected it increasingly; new government
was spending money it did not have.
But that was later Challenge to Earth, to Authority and Federated
Nations, was made intentionally nasty. F.N. vessels were ordered to stay clear of Luna by
ten diameters and not orbit at any distance under pain of being destroyed without warning.
(No mention of how, since we could not.) Vessels of private registry would be permitted to
land if a) permission was requested ahead of time with ballistic plan, b) a vessel thus
cleared placed itself under Luna Ground Control (Mike') at a distance of one hundred
thousand kilometers while following approved trajectory, and c) was unarmed save for three
hand guns permitted three officers. Last was to be confirmed by inspection on landing
before anybody was allowed to leave ship and before ship was serviced with fuel and/or
reaction mass; violation would mean confiscation of ship. No person allowed to land at
Luna other than ship's crew in connection with loading, unloading, or servicing save
citizens of Terran countries who had recognized Free Luna. (Only Chadand Chad had no
ships. Prof expected some private vessels to be re-registered under Chad merchant flag.)
Manifesto noted that Terran scientists still in Luna could return home
in any vessel which conformed to our requirements. It invited all freedom-loving Terran
nations to denounce wrongs done us and which the Authority planned against us, recognize
us, and enjoy free trade and full intercourseand pointed out that there were no
tariffs or any artificial restrictions against trade in Luna, and was policy of Luna
government to keep it that way. We invited immigration, unlimited, and pointed out that we
had a labor shortage and any immigrant could be self-supporting at once.
We also boasted of foodadult consumption over four thousand
calories per day, high in protein, low in cost, no rationing. (Stu had Adam-Mike stick in
price of 100-proof vodkafifty cents HKL per liter, less in quantity, no taxes. Since
this was less than one-tenth retail price of 80-proot vodka in North America, Stu knew it
would hit home. Adam, "by nature" a teetotaler, hadn't thought of itone of
Mike's few oversights.)
Lunar Authority was invited to gather at one spot well away from other
people, say in unirrigated part of Sahara, and receive one last barge of grain
freestraight down at terminal velocity. This was followed by a snotty lecture which
implied that we were prepared to do same to anyone who threatened our peace, there being a
number of loaded barges at catapult head, ready for such unceremonious delivery.
Then we waited.
But we waited busily. Were indeed a few loaded barges; these we
unloaded and reloaded with rock, with changes made in guidance transponders so that Poona
Control could not affect them. Their retros were removed, leaving only lateral thrustors,
and spare retros were taken to new catapult, to be modified for lateral guidance. Greatest
effort went into moving steel to new catapult and shaping it into jackets for solid rock
cylinderssteel was bottleneck.
Two days after our manifesto a "clandestine" radio started
beaming to Terra. Was weak and tended to fade and was supposed to be concealed, presumably
in a crater, and could be worked only certain hours until brave Terran scientists managed
to rig automatic repeat. Was near frequency of Voice of Free Luna, which tended to drown
it out with brassy boasts.
(Terrans remaining in Luna had no chance to make signals. Those who had
chosen to stick with research were chaperoned by stilyagi every instant and locked into
barracks to sleep.)
But "clandestine" station managed to get "truth" to
Terra. Prof had been tried for deviationism and was under house arrest. I had been
executed for treason. Hong Kong Luna had pulled out, declared self separately independent
. . . might be open to reason. Rioting in Novylen. All food growing had been collectivized
and black-market eggs were selling for three dollars apiece in Lana City. Battalions of
female troops were being enlisted, each sworn to kill at least one Terran, and were
drilling with fake guns in corridors of Luna City.
Last was an almost-true. Many ladies wanted to do something militant
and had formed a Home Defense Guard, "Ladies from Hades." But their drills were
of a practical natureand Hazel was sulking because Mum had not allowed her to join.
Then she got over sulks and started "Stilyagi Debs," a very junior home guard
which drilled after school hours, did not use weapons, concentrated on backing up stilyagi
air & pressure corps, and practiced first aidand own no-weapons fighting,
whichpossiblyMum never learned.
I don't know how much to tell. Can't tell all, but stuff in history
books is so wrong!
I was no better a "defense minister" than
"congressman." Not apologizing, had no training for either. Revolution is an
amateur thing for almost everybody; Prof was only one who seemed to know what he was
doing, and, at that, was new to him, toohe had never taken part in a successful
revolution or ever been part of a government, much less head.
As Minister of Defense I could not see many ways to defend except for
steps already taken; that is, stilyagi air squads in warrens and laser gunners around
ballistic radars. If F.N. decided to bomb, didn't see any way to stop them; wasn't an
interception missile in all Luna and that's not a gadget you whomp up from bits and
pieces. My word, we couldn't even make fusion weapons with which such a rocket is tipped.
But I went through motions. Asked same Chinee engineers who had built
laser guns to take a crack at problem of intercepting bombs or missilesone same
problem save that a missile comes at you faster.
Then turned attention to other things. Simply hoped that F.N. would
never bomb warrens. Some warrens, L-City in particular, were so deep down that they could
probably stand direct hits. One cubic, lowest level of Complex where central part of Mike
lived, had been designed to withstand bombing. On other hand Tycho Under was a big natural
bubble cave like Old Dome and roof was only meters thick; sealer on under side is kept
warm with hot water pipes to make sure new cracks sealedwould not take much of a
bomb to crack Tycho Under.
But is no limit to how big a fusion bomb can be; F.N. could build one
big enough to smash L-Cityor theoretically even a Doomsday job that would
split Luna like a melon and finish job some asteroid started at Tycho. If they did,
couldn't see any way to stop them, so didn't worry.
Instead put time on problems I could manage, helping at new catapult,
trying to work up better aiming arrangements for laser drills around radars (and trying to
get drillmen to stick; half of them quit once price of ice went up), trying to arrange
decentralized standby engineering controls for all warrens. Mike did designing on this, we
grabbed every general-purpose computer we could find (paying in "nationals" with
ink barely dry), and I turned job over to McIntyre, former chief engineer for Authority;
was a job within his talents and I couldn't do all rewiring and so forth, even if had
tried.
Held out biggest computer, one that did accounting for Bank of Hong
Kong in Luna and also was clearinghouse there. Looked over its instruction manuals and
decided was a smart computer for one that could not talk, so asked Mike if he could teach
it ballistics? We made temporary link-ups to let two machines get acquainted and Mike
reported it could learn simple job we wanted it forstandby for new
catapultalthough Mike would not care to ride in ship controlled by it; was too
matter-of-fact and uncritical. Stupid, really.
Well, didn't want it to whistle tunes or crack jokes; just wanted it to
shove loads out a catapult at right millisecond and at correct velocity, then watch load
approach Terra and give a nudge.
HK Bank was not anxious to sell. But we had patriots on their board, we
promised to return it when emergency was over, and moved it to new siteby rolligon,
too big for tubes, and took all one dark semi-lunar. Had to jerry-rig a big airlock to get
it out of Kong warren. I hooked it to Mike again and he undertook to teach art of
ballistics against possibility that his linkage to new site might be cut in an attack.
(You know what bank used to replace computer? Two hundred clerks
working abacuses. Abacusi? You know, slipsticks with beads, oldest digital computer, so
far back in prehistory that nobody knows who invented. Russki and Chinee and Nips have
always used them, and small shops today.)
Trying to improve laser drills into space-defense weapons was easier
but less straightforward. We had to leave them mounted on original cradles; was neither
time, steel, nor metalsmiths to start fresh. So we concentrated on better aiming
arrangements. Call went out for telescopes. Scarcewhat con fetches along a spyglass
when transported? What market later to create supply? Surveying instruments and helmet
binoculars were all we turned up, plus optical instruments confiscated in Terran labs. But
we managed to equip drills with low-power big-field sights to coach-on with and high-powcr
scopes for fine sighting, plus train and elevation circles and phones so that Mike could
tell them where to point. Four drills we equipped with self-synchronous repeater drives so
that Mike could control them himselfliberated these selsyns at Richardson;
astronomers used them for Bausch cameras and Schmidts in sky mapping.
But big problem was men. Wasn't money, we kept upping wages. No, a
drillman likes to work or wouldn't be in that trade. Standing by in a ready room day after
day, waiting for alert that always turns out to be just another practicedrove 'em
crackers. They quit. One day in September I pulled an alert and got only seven drills
manned.
Talked it over with Wyoh and Sidris that night. Next day Wyoh wanted to
know if Prof and I would okay bolshoi expense money? They formed something Wyoh named
"Lysistrata Corps." Never inquired into duties or cost, because next time I
inspected a ready room found three girls and no shortge of drillmen. Girls were in uniform
of Second Defense Gunners just as men were (drillmen hadn't bothered much with authorized
uniform up to then) and one girl was wearing sargeant's stripes with gun captain's badge.
I made that inspection very short. Most girls don't have muscle to be a
drillman and I doubted if this girl could wrestle a drill well enough to justify that
badge. But regular gun captain was on job, was no harm in girls learning to handle lasers,
morale was obviously high; I gave matter no more worry.
Prof underrated his new Congress. Am sure he never wanted anything but
a body which would rubberchop what we were doing and thereby do make it "voice of
people." But fact that new Congressmen were not yammerheads resulted in them doing
more than Prof intended. Especially Committee on Permanent Organization, Resolutions, and
Government Structure.
Got out of hand because we were all trying to do too much. Permanent
heads of Congress were Prof, Finn Nielsen. and Wyoh. Prof showed up only when he wanted to
speak to themseldom. He spent time with Mike on plans and analysis (odds shortened
to one in five during September '76), time with Stu and Sheenie Sheehan on propaganda,
controlling official news to Earthside, very different "news" that went via
"clandestine" radio, and reslanting news that came up from Earthside. Besides
that he had finger in everything; I reported whim once a day, and all ministries both real
and dummy did same.
I kept Finn Nielsen busy; he was my "Commander of Armed
Forces." He had his laser gun infantry to supervisesix men with captured
weapons on day we nabbed warden, now eight hundred scattered all through Luna and armed
with Kongville monkey copies. Besides that, Wyoh's organizations, Stilyagi Air Corps,
Stilyagi Debs, Ladies from Hades, Irregulars (kept for morale and renamed Peter Pan's
Pirates), and Lysistrata Corpsall these halfway-military groups reported through
Wyoh to Finn. I shoved it onto him; I had other problems, such as trying to be a computer
mechanic as well as a "statesman" when jobs such as installing that computer at
new catapult site had to be done.
Besides which, I am not an executive and Finn had talent for it. I
shoved First and Second Defense Gunners under him, too. But first I decided that these two
skeleton regiments were a "brigade" and made Judge Brody a
"brigadier." Brody knew as much about military matters as I
didzerobut was widely known, highly respected, had unlimited hard
senseand had been drillman before he lost leg. Finn was not drillman, so couldn't be
placed directly over them; They wouldn't have listened. I thought about using my
co-husband Greg. But Greg was needed at Mare Undarum catapult, was only mechanic
who had followed every phase of construction.
Wyoh helped Prof, helped Stu, had her own organizations, I made trips
out to Mare Undarumand had little time to preside over Congress; task fell
on senior committee chairman, Wolf Korsakov . . . who was busier than any of us; LuNoHoCo
was running everything Authority used to run and many new things as well.
Wolf had a good committee; Prof should have kept closer eye on it. Wolf
had caused his boss, Moshai Baum, to be elected vice-chairman and had in all seriousness
outlined for his committee problem of determining what permanent government should be.
Then Wolf had turned back on it.
Those busy laddies split up and did itstudied forms of government
in Carnegie Library, held subcommittee meetings, three or four people at a time (few
enough to worry Prof had he known)and when Congress met early in September to ratify
some appointments and elect more congressmen-at-large, instead of adjourning, Comrade Baum
had gavel and they recessedand met again and turned selves into
committee-of-the-whole and passed a resolution and next thing we knew entire Congress was
a Constitutional Convention divided into working groups headed by those subcommittees.
I think Prof was shocked. But he couldn't undo it, had all been proper
under rules he himself had written. But he rolled with punch, went to Novylen (where
Congress now metmore central) and spoke to them with usual good nature and simply
cast doubts on what they were doing rather than telling them flatly they were wrong.
After gracefully thanking them he started picking early drafts to
pieces:
"Comrade Members, like fire and fusion, government is a dangerous
servant and a terrible master. You now have freedomif you can keep it. But do
remember that you can lose this freedom more quickly to yourselves than to any other
tyrant. Move slowly, be hesitant, puzzle out the consequences of every word. I would not
be unhappy if this convention sat for ten years before reportingbut I would be
frightened if you took less than a year.
"Distrust the obvious, suspect the traditional . . . for in the
past mankind has not done well when saddling itself with governments. For example, I note
in one draft report a proposal for setting up a commission to divide Luna into
congressional districts and to reapportion them from time to time according to population.
"This is the traditional way; therefore it should be suspect,
considered guilty until proved innocent. Perhaps you feel that this is the only way. May I
suggest others? Surely where a man lives is the least important thing about him.
Constituencies might be formed by dividing people by occupation . . . or by age . . . or
even alphabetically. Or they might not be divided, every member elected at largeand
do not object that this would make it impossible for any man not widely known throughout
Luna to be elected; that might be the best possible thing for Luna.
"You might even consider installing the candidates who receive the
least number of votes; unpopular men may be just the sort to save you from a new tyranny.
Don't reject the idea merely because it seems preposterousthink about it! In past
history popularly elected governments have been no better and sometimes far worse than
overt tyrannies.
"But if representative government turns out to be your intention
there still may be ways to achieve it better than the territorial district. For example
you each represent about ten thousand human beings, perhaps seven thousand of voting
ageand some of you were elected by slim majorities. Suppose instead of election a
man were qualified for office by petition signed by four thousand citizens. He would then
represent those four thousand affirmatively, with no disgruntled minority, for what would
have been a minority in a territorial constituency would all be free to start other
petitions or join in them. All would then be represented by men of their choice. Or a man
with eight thousand supporters might have two votes in this body. Difficulties,
objections, practical points to be worked outmany of them! But you could work them
out . . . and thereby avoid the chronic sickness of representative government, the
disgruntled minority which feelscorrectly!that it has been disenfranchised.
"But, whatever you do, do not let the past be a straitjacket!
"I note one proposal to make this Congress a two-house body.
Excellentthe more impediments to legislation the better. But, instead of following
tradition, I suggest one house legislators, another whose single duty is to repeal laws.
Let legislators pass laws only with a two-thirds majority . . . while the repealers are
able to cancel any law through a mere one-third minority. Preposterous? Think about it. If
a bill is so poor that it cannot command two-thirds of your consents, is it not likely
that it would make a poor law? And if a law is disliked by as many as one-third is it not
likely that you would be better off without it?
"But in writing your constitution let me invite attention the
wonderful virtues of the negative! Accentuate the negative! Let your document be studded
with things the government is forever forbidden to do. No conscript armies . . . no
interference however slight with freedom of press, or speech, or travel, or assembly, or
of religion, or of instruction, or communication, or occupation . . . no involuntary
taxation. Comrades, if you were to spend five years in a study of history while thinking
of more and more things that your governinen should promise never to do and then let your
constitution be nothing but those negatives, I would not fear the outcome.
"What I fear most are affirmative actions of sober and
well-intentioned men, granting to government powers to do something that appears to need
doing. Please remember always that the Lunar Authority was created for the noblest of
purposes by just such sober and well-intentioned men, all popularly elected. And with that
thought I leave you to your labors. Thank you."
"Gospodin President! Question of information! You said 'no
involuntary taxation' Then how do you expect us to pay for things? Tanstaafl!"
"Goodness me, sir, that's your problem. I can think several ways.
Voluntary contributions just as churches support themselves . . . government-sponsored
lotteries to which no one need subscribe . . . or perhaps you Congressmen should dig down
into your own pouches and pay for whatever is needed; that would be one way to keep
government down in size to its indispensable functions whatever they may be. If indeed
there are any. I would be satisfied to have the Golden Rule be the only law; I see no need
for any other, nor for any method of enforcing it. But if you really believe that your
neighbors must have laws for their own good, why shouldn't you pay for it? Comrades, I beg
youdo not resort to compulsory taxation. There is so worse tyranny than to force a
man to pay for what he does not want merely because you think it would be good for
him."
Prof bowed and left, Stu and I followed him. Once in an otherwise empty
capsule I tackled him. "Prof, I liked much that you said . . . but about taxation
aren't you talking one thing and doing another? Who do you think is going to pay for all
this spending we're doing?"
He was silent long moments, then said, "Manuel, my only ambition
is to reach the day when I can stop pretending to be a chief executive."
"Is no answer!"
"You have put your finger on the dilemma of all
governmentand the reason I am an anarchist. The power to tax, once conceded, has no
limits; it contains until it destroys. I was not joking when I told them to dig into their
own pouches. It may not be possible to do away with governmentsometimes I think that
government is an inescapable disease of human beings. But it may be possible to keep it
small and starved and inoffensiveand can you think of a better way than by requiring
the governors themselves to pay the costs of their antisocial hobby?"
"Still doesn't say how to pay for what we are doing now."
"'How,' Manuel? You know how we are doing it. We're stealing it.
I'm neither proud of it nor ashamed; it's the means we have. If they ever catch on, they
may eliminate usand that I am prepared to face. At least, in stealing, we have not
created the villainous precedent of taxation."
"Prof. I hate to say this"
"Then why say it?"
"Because, damn it, I'm in it as deeply as you are . . . and want
to see that money paid back! Hate to say it but what you just said sounds like
hypocrisy."
He chuckled. "Dear Manuel! Has it taken you all these years to
decide that I am a hypocrite?"
"Then you admit it?'
"No. But if it makes you feel better to think that I am one, you
are welcome to use me as your scapegoat. But I am not a hypocrite to myself because I was
aware the day we declared the Revolution that we would need much money and would have to
steal it. It did not trouble me because I considered it better than food riots six years
hence, cannibalism in eight. I made my choice and have no regrets."
I shut up, silenced but not satisfied. Stu said, "Professor, I'm
glad to hear that you are anxious to stop being President."
"So? You share our comrade's misgivings?"
"Only in part. Having been born to wealth, stealing doesn't fret
me as much as it does him. No, but now that Congress has taken up the matter of a
constitution I intend to find time to attend sessions. I plan to nominate you for
King."
Prof looked shocked. "Sir, if nominated, I shall repudiate it. If
elected, I shall abdicate."
"Don't be in a hurry. It might be the only way to get the sort of
constitution you want. And that I want, too, with about your own mild lack of enthusiasm.
You could be proclaimed King and the people would take you; we Loonies aren't wedded to a
republic. They'd love the idearitual and robes and a court and all that."
"No!"
"Ja da! When the time comes, you won't be able to refuse. Because
we need a king and there isn't another candidate who would be accepted. Bernardo the
First, King of Luna and Emperor of the Surrounding Spaces."
"Stuart, I must ask you to stop. I'm becoming quite ill."
"You'll get used to it. I'm a royalist because I'm a democrat. I
shan't let your reluctance thwart the idea any more than you let stealing stop you."
I said, "Hold it, Stu. You say you're a royalist because you're a
democrat?"
"Of course. A king is the people's only protection against tyranny
. . . especially against the worst of all tyrants, themselves. Prof will be ideal for the
job . . . because he does not want the job. His only shortcoming is that he is a bachelor
with no heir. We'll fix that. I'm going to name you as his heir. Crown Prince. His Royal
Highness Prince Manuel de la Paz, Duke of Luna City, Admiral General of the Armed Forces
and Protector of the Weak."
I stared. Then buried face in hands. "Oh, Bog!"