The Moon is a Harsh Mistress

During that day’s fighting, an estimated 2,000 soldiers and 6,000 Loonies are killed. Manuel notes that the highly trained soldiers from Earth were at a disadvantage on the Moon because they were not accustomed to the gravity on the Moon, which is one-sixth that of Earth. The Federated Nations took so long to retaliate because they had been planning the sneak attack.

After the battle, Manuel cannot get in contact with the Professor. With some militia members and the head of the armed forces, Finn, Manuel uses a laser gun to burn holes in one of the transport ships that had landed to flush out any soldiers within. Then, Mike announces that “Adam Selene” died in the battle. Manuel is shocked, but Mike explains it is time to retire the figurehead, and the battle is a good excuse. Then, Mike reports that their odds of success are “even.” Manuel goes out to check the radar systems for damage. While there, he sees another ship coming in for landing. He burns it with a laser gun; then, Mike takes over the ship’s controls and makes it crash land.

Manuel goes to Mike’s control room. He tells Mike it is time to start “Operation Hard Rock.” Operation Hard Rock is a plan to attack Earth by catapulting canisters of moon rocks.

The goal of Operation Hard Rock is to cause maximum disruption on Earth with minimal casualties. Mike calculates trajectories for the canisters that are very precise. The first canister is designed to reach the Earth around three days after launch. The revolutionaries will warn people on Earth to evacuate target zones. They have three days to do so before impact. 

Their first target is North America, and they plan to attack the North American Space Defense Command under Cheyenne Mountain in Colorado Springs. Then, the other major nations will be attacked in rotation. The “bombs” will cause enormous explosions, similar to a nuclear bomb, without the attending radioactive fallout. The revolutionaries issue an ultimatum stating that they will hold off on bombing if the national governments recognize their sovereignty.

The revolutionaries begin warning Earth about their targets on the morning of October 13. Meanwhile, they send news to Earth that the Terran attack on the Moon has failed. Manuel reflects that the Federated Nations forces could beat them if they wanted to; the goal of the Loonies’ attack is to make it too costly for the FN to attempt another invasion. The Professor contacts Manuel and approves the decision to “kill” the Adam Selene persona. Manuel learns that a young girl in his family, Ludmilla, was killed in the fighting. The family mourns together.

The FN and the people of Earth do not take the revolutionaries’ warnings seriously. At nine o’clock on Thursday, the first canisters hit Earth.

Mike tells Manuel that watching the munitions hit feels like an “orgasm.” This troubles Manuel. Mike reports that another ship has departed Earth’s orbit and is heading toward them. He estimates it will arrive in two days’ time and recommends that the settlement of Tycho Under be evacuated because it is the most vulnerable to bombing. Mike reports that the ship will most likely attack the large catapult. Manuel recommends they turn off the radar systems and monitor the ship using telescopes so that it will be lured into a false sense of security and will get low enough for them to attack it.

Then, Manuel meets with the Professor and other members of the Cabinet. The “Minister for Professional Liaison,” Howard Wright, criticizes Manuel’s handling of the attack and its aftermath. Manuel is tired and not interested in hearing Wright’s criticisms. Manuel tells the Professor that either Wright must be fired, or Manuel will quit. The Professor tells Manuel if he insists on his ultimatum, the Professor himself will resign.

After this meeting, Wright disappears. The next day, Manuel prepares for the attack on “Great China.” The revolutionaries receive news from Earth that people were so unconcerned about the attack from the Moon that, instead of evacuating, people had gone to the target sites for sightseeing. World leaders and the public are incensed that the revolutionaries had killed civilians. Meanwhile, the evacuation of Tycho Under is going slowly, but the Professor tells Manuel they need to use persuasion, not force, to get people to leave.

The bombardment continues. Manuel goes with Wyoming to a settlement called Mare Undarum to program their backup computer, dubbed Junior, to be used in case Mike is taken out in an attack. Meanwhile, his position in the cabinet is changed so that if the existing government is killed, he can take over.

On Saturday evening, while Manuel is out of touch working on programming the backup computer, an FN ship attacks, takes out two of the Moon’s radar systems, and kills a number of militia members. On Sunday morning, Mike informs Manuel that there is another FN ship in orbit, preparing to attack. Meanwhile, on Earth, the media reports that the Lunar radar systems have been destroyed. A few hours later, the second FN ship attacks and destroys the large catapult system.

Manuel considers whether to bomb Great China a second time using the second, small catapult. LaJoie recommends they call off the attack because Dr. Chan had contacted them with a message implying China plans to recognize the Lunar colony’s independent government. Manuel decides to go ahead anyway because he wants the people on Earth to see them as strong and not weakened by the FN attack. The revolutionaries send a message to Earth, warning them that the next round of attacks would target Federated Nations buildings. Soon after the bombs hit, governments around the world agree to recognize Lunar sovereignty. Further bombing is aborted, and the FN calls off its ships.

On his way back to Lunar City, Manuel realizes that the Professor’s plan all along had been to goad the FN into destroying the main catapult so that grain shipments would be halted. The Professor had explained to Manuel during their press tour on Earth that he believed the Lunar colony could transform from an agrarian economy into a transport hub for colonies across “the entire Solar System” (376).

Manuel and the rest of the Cabinet are feted at a rally celebrating their success. The Professor gives a victory speech, and he then dies onstage.

After the Professor’s death, Manuel is appointed interim Prime Minister, and he dismisses the rally attendees. Then, he attempts to call Mike but does not receive a response. He assumes the phone lines are out or that part of Mike’s system was damaged in the attack.

Soon after, Manuel steps down as prime minister. Other revolutionaries are given the positions of president and prime minister. Manuel goes to the computer headquarters and attempts to talk to Mike, but he does not receive a response. He is not sure why Mike doesn’t “wake up.”

Over the next few years, LaJoie joins Manuel’s family. Manuel ensures that the flag design the Professor wanted for the new nation is approved. The Lunar colony’s motto is TANSTAAFL (There Ain’t No Such Thing As A Free Lunch). Manuel is disappointed that the government did not adopt the Professor’s ideas for a libertarian model of governance. He misses his friend, Mike, and thinks that on some nights he can hear Mike whispering to him, “Man my best friend” (382). Manuel says that new colonies are being established in the Asteroid Belt and he is considering moving there as he’s “not even a hundred yet” (382).