The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress Part 30

Wright spoke up. "General Nielsen has already done so, no need to repeat. We want to hear from you."

Blinked at that. "Prof-Excuse me. Gospodin President. Do I understand that a Defense Ministry report has been made to Cabinet in my absence?"

Wright said, "Why not? You weren't on hand."

Prof grabbed it. He could see I was stretched too tight. Hadn't slept much for three days, hadn't been so tired since left Earthside. "Order," he said mildly. "Gospodin Minister for Professional Liaison, please address your comments through me. Gospodin Minister for Defense, let me correct that. There have been no reports to the Cabinet concerning your ministry for the reason that the Cabinet did not convene until you arrived. General Nielsen answered some informal questions informally. Perhaps this should not have been done. If you feel so, I will attempt to repair it."

"No harm done, I guess. Finn talked to you a half hour ago. Anything new since?"

"No, Mannie."

"Okay. Guess what you want to hear is off-Luna situation. You've been watching so you know first bombardment went off well. Still going on, some, as we're hitting their s.p.a.ce defense HQ every twenty minutes. Will continue till thirteen hundred, then at twenty-one hundred we hit China and India, plus minor targets. Then busy till four hours past midnight with Africa and Europe, skip three hours, dose Brasil and company, wait three hours and start over. Unless something breaks. But meantime we have problems here. Finn, we should evacuate Tycho Under."

"Just a moment!" Wright had hand up. "I have questions." Spoke to Prof, not to me.

"One moment. Has the Defense Minister finished?"

Wyoh was seated toward back. We had swapped smiles, but was all-kept it so around Cabinet and Congress; had been rumbles that two from same family should not be in Cabinet. Now she shook head, warning of something. I said, "Is all conceniing bombardment. Questions about it?"

"Are your questions concerned with the bombardment, Gospodin Wright?"

"They certainly are, Gospodin President." Wright stood up, looked at me. "As you know, I represent the intellectual groups in the Free State and, if I may say so, their opinions are most important in public affairs. I think it is only proper that-"

"Moment," I said. "Thought you represented Eighth Novylen District?"

"Gospodin President! Am I to be permitted to put my questions? Or not?"

"He wasn't asking question, was making speech. And I'm tired and want to go to bed."

Prof said gently, "We are all tired, Manuel. But your point is well taken. Congressman, you represent only your district. As a member of the government you have been a.s.signed certain duties in connection with certain professions."

"It comes to the same thing."

"Not quite. Please state your question."

"Uh. . . very well, I shall! Is Field Marshal Davis aware that his bombardment plan has gone wrong completely and that thousands of lives have been pointlessly destroyed? And is he aware of the extremely serious view taken of this by the intelligentsia of this Republic? And can he explain why this rash-I repeat, rash!--bombardment was undertaken without consultation? And is he now prepared to modify his plans, or is he going blindly ahead? And is it true as charged that our missiles were of the nuclear sort outlawed by all civilized nations? And how does he expect Luna Free State ever to be welcomed into the councils of civilized nations in view of such actions?"

I looked at watch-hour and a half since first load hit. "Prof," I said, "can you tell me what this is about?"

"Sorry, Manuel," he said gently. "I intended-I should have-prefaced the meeting with an item from the news. But you seemed to feel that you had been bypa.s.sed and-well, I did not. The Minister refers to a news dispatch that came in just before I called you. Reuters in Toronto. If the flash is correct-then instead of taking our warnings it seems that thousands of sightseers crowded to the targets. There probably have been casualties. How many we do not know."

"I see. What was I supposed to do? Take each one by hand and lead away? We warned them."

Wright cut in with, "The intelligentsia feel that basic humanitarian considerations make it obligatory-"

I said, "Listen, yammerhead, you heard President say this news just came in-so how do you know how anybody feels about it?"

He turned red. "Gospodin President! Epithets! Personalities!"

"Don't call the Minister names, Manuel."

"Won't if he won't. He's simply using fancier words. What's that nonsense about nuclear bombs? We haven't any and you all know it."

Prof looked puzzled. "I am confused by that, too. This dispatch so alleged. But the thing that puzzled me is that we could actually see, by video, what certainly seemed to be atomic explosions."

"Oh." I turned to Wright. "Did your brainy friends tell you what happens when you release a few billion calories in a split second all at one spot? What temperature? How much radiance?"

"Then you admit that you did use atomic weapons!"

"Oh, Bog!" Head was aching. "Said nothing of sort. Hit anything hard enough, strike sparks. Elementary physics, known to everybody but intelligentsia. We just struck d.a.m.nedest big sparks ever made by human agency, is all. Big flash. Heat, light, ultraviolet. Might even produce X-rays, couldn't say. Gamma radiation I strongly doubt. Alpha and beta, impossible. Was sudden release of mechanical energy. But nuclear? Nonsense!"

Prof said, "Does that answer your questions, Mr. Minister?"

"It simply raises more questions. For example, this bombardment is far beyond anything the Cabinet authorized. You saw the shocked faces when those terrible lights appeared on the screen. Yet the Minister of Defense says that it is even now continuing, every twenty minutes. I think-"

Glanced at watch. "Another just hit Cheyenne Mountain."

Wright said, "You hear that? You hear? He boasts of it. Gospodin President, this carnage must stop!"

I said, "Yammer-Minister, are you suggesting that their s.p.a.ce defense HQ is not a military target? Which side are you on? Luna's? Or F.N.?"

"Manuel!"

"Tired of this nonsense! Was told to do job, did it. Get this yammerhead off my back!"

Was shocked silence, then somebody said quietly, "May I make a suggestion?"

Prof looked around. "If anyone has a suggestion that will quiet this unseemliness, I will be most happy to hear it."

"Apparently we don't have very good information as to what these bombs are doing. It seems to me that we ought to slow up that twenty-minute schedule. Stretch it out, say to one every hour-and skip the next two hours while we get more news. Then we might want to postpone the attack on great China at least twenty-four hours."

Were approving nods from almost everybody and murmurs: "Sensible idea!"-"Da. Let's not rush things." Prof said, "Manuel?"

I snapped, "Prof, you know answer! Don't shove it on me!"

"Perhaps I do, Manuel. . . but I'm tired and confused and can't remember it."

Wyoh said suddenly, "Mannie, explain it. I need it explained, too."

So pulled self together. "A simple matter of law of gravitation. Would have to use computer to give exact answer but next half dozen shots are fully committed. Most we can do is push them off target-and maybe hit some town we haven't warned. Can't dump them into an ocean, is too late; Cheyenne Mountain is fourteen hundred kilometers inland. As for stretching schedule to once an hour, that's silly. Aren't tube capsules you start and stop; these are falling rocks. Going to hit somewhere every twenty minutes. You can hit Cheyenne Mountain which hasn't anything alive left on it by now-or can hit somewhere else and kill people. Idea of delaying strike on Great China by twenty-four hours is just as silly. Can abort missiles for Great China for a while yet. But can't slow them up. If you abort, you waste them-and everybody who thinks we have steel casings to waste had better go up to catapult head and look."

Prof wiped brow. "I think all questions have been answered, at least to my satisfaction."

"Not to mine, sir!"

"Sit down, Gospodin Wright. You force me to remind you that your ministry is not part of the War Cabinet. If there are no more questions-I hope there are none-I will adjourn this meeting. We all need rest. So let us-"

"Prof!"

"Yes, Manuel?"

"You never let me finish reporting. Late tomorrow or early Sunday we catch it."

"How, Manuel?"

"Bombing. Invasion possible. Two cruisers headed this way."

That got attention. Presently Prof said tiredly, "The Government Cabinet is adjourned. The War Cabinet will remain."

"Just a second," I said. "Prof, when we took office, you got undated resignations from us."

"True. I hope not to have to use any of them, however."

"You're about to use one."

"Manuel, is that a threat?"

"Call it what you like." I pointed at Wright. "Either that yammerhead goes. . . or I go."

"Manuel, you need sleep."

Was blinking back tears. "Certainly do! And going to get some. Right now! Going to find a doss here at Complex and get some. About ten hours. After that, if am still Minister of Defense, you can wake me. Otherwise let me sleep."

By now everybody was looking shocked. Wyoh came up and stood by me. Didn't speak, just slipped hand into my arm.

Prof said firmly, "All please leave save the War Cabinet and Gospodin Wright." He waited while most filed out. Then said, "Manuel, I can't accept your resignation. Nor can I let you chivvy me into hasty action concerning Gospodin Wright, not when we are tired and overwrought. It would be better if you two were to exchange apologies, each realizing that the other has been overstrained."

"Uh-" I turned to Finn. "Has he been fighting?" I indicated Wright.

"Huh? h.e.l.l, no. At least he's not in my outfits. How about it, Wright? Did you fight when they invaded us?'

Wright said stiffly, "I had no opportunity. By the time I knew of it, it was over. But now both my bravery and my loyalty have been impugned. I shall insist-"

"Oh, shut up," I said. "If duel is what you want, can have it first moment I'm not busy. Prof, since he doesn't have strain of fighting as excuse for behavior, I won't apologize to a yammerhead for being a yammerhead. And you don't seem to understand issue. You let this yammerhead climb on my back-and didn't even try to stop him! So either fire him, or fire me."

Finn said suddenly, "I match that, Prof. Either fire this louse-or fire us both." He looked at Wright. "About that duel, choom-you're going to fight me first. You've got two arms-Mannie hasn't."

"Don't need two arms for him. But thanks, Finn."

Wyoh was crying-could feel it though couldn't hear it. Prof said to her most sadly, "Wyoming?"

"I'm s-s-sorry, Prof! Me, too."

Only "Clayton" Watenabe, Judge Brody, Wolfgang, Stu, and Sheenie were left, handful who counted-War Cabinet. Prof looked at them; I could see they were with me, though it cost Wolfgang an effort; he worked with Prof. not with me.

Prof looked back at me and said softly, "Manuel, it works both ways. What you are doing is forcing me to resign." He looked around. "Goodnight, comrades. Or rather, 'Good morning.' I'm going to get some badly needed rest." He walked briskly out without looking back.

Wright was gone; I didn't see him leave. Finn said, "What about these cruisers, Mannie?"

I took deep breath. "Nothing earlier than Sat.u.r.day afternoon. But you ought to evacuate Tycho Under. Can't talk now. Groggy."

Agreed to meet him there at twenty-one hundred, then let Wyoh lead me away. Think she put me to bed but don't remember.

27

Prof was there when I met Finn in Warden's office shortly before twenty-one hundred Friday. Had had nine hours' sleep, bath, breakfast Wyoh had fetched from somewhere, and a talk with Mike-everything going to revised plan, ships had not changed ballistic, Great China strike about to happen.

Got to office in time to see strike by video-all okay and effectively over by twenty-one-oh-one and Prof got down to business. Nothing said about Wright, or about resigning. Never saw Wright again.

I mean I never saw him again. Nor ask about him. Prof didn't mention row, so I didn't.

We went over news and tactical situation. Wright had been correct in saying that "thousands of lives" had been lost; news up from Earthside was full of it. How many we'll never know; if a person stands at ground zero and tonnes of rock land on him, isn't much left. Those they could count were ones farther away, killed by blast. Call if fifty thousand in North America.

Never will understand people! We spent three days warning them-and you couldn't say they hadn't heard warnings; that was why they were there. To see show. To laugh at our nonsense. To get "souvenirs." Whole families went to targets, some with picnic baskets. Picnic baskets! Bojemoi!

And now those alive were yelling for our blood for this "senseless slaughter." Da. Hadn't been any indignation over their invasion and (nuclear!) bombing of us four days earlier-but oh were they sore over our "premeditated murder." Great New York Times demanded that entire Lunar "rebel" government be fetched Earthside and publicly executed-"This is clearly a case in which the humane rule against capital punishment must be waived in the greater interests of all mankind."

Tried not to think about it, just as had been forced not to think too much about Ludmilla. Little Milla hadn't carried a picnic lunch. She hadn't been a sightseer looking for thrills.

Tycho Under was pressing problem. If those ships bombed warrens-and news from Earthside was demanding exactly that-Tycho Under could not take it; roof was thin. H-bomb would decompress all levels; airlocks aren't built for H-bomb blasts.

(Still don't understand people. Terra was supposed to have an absolute ban against using H-bombs on people; that was what F.N. was all about. Yet were loud yells for F.N. to H-bomb us. They quit claiming that our bombs were nuclear, but all North America seemed frothingly anxious to have us nukebombed) Don't understand Loonies for that matter. Finn had sent word through his militia that Tycho Under must be evacuated; Prof had repeated it over video. Nor was it problem; Tycho Under was small enough that Novylen and L-City could doss and dine them. We could divert enough capsules to move them all in twenty hours-dump them into Novylen and encourage half of them to go on to L-City. Big job but no problems. Oh, minor problems-start compressing city's air while evacuating people, so as to save it; decompress fully at end to minimize damage; move as much food as was time for; cofferdam accesses to lower farm tunnels; so forth-all things we knew how to do and with stilyagi and militia and munic.i.p.al maintenance people had organization to do.

Had they started evacuating? Hear that hollow echo!

Were capsules lined up nose to tail at Tycho Under and no room to send more till some left. And weren't moving. "Mannie," said Finn, "don't think they are going to evacuate."

"d.a.m.n it," I said, "they've got to. When we spot a missile headed for Tycho Under will be too late. You'll have people trampling people and trying to crowd into capsules that won't hold them. Finn, your boys have got to make them."

Prof shook his head. "No, Manuel."

I said angrily, "Prof, you carry this 'no coercion' idea too far! You know they'll riot."

"Then they will riot. But we will continue with persuasion, not force. Let us now review plans.'

Plans weren't much but were best we could do. Warn everybody about expected bombings and/or invasion. Rotate guards from Finn's militia above each warren starting when and if cruisers pa.s.sed around Luna into blind s.p.a.ce, Farside-not get caught flat-footed again. Maximum pressure and p-suit precautions, all warrens. All military and semi-military to go on blue alert sixteen hundred Sat.u.r.day, red alert if missiles launched or ships maneuvered. Brody's gunners encouraged to go into town and get drunk or whatever, returning by fifteen hundred Sat.u.r.day-Prof's idea. Finn wanted to keep half of them on duty. Prof said No, they would be in better shape for a long vigil if they relaxed and enjoyed selves first-I agreed with Prof.

As for bombing Terra we made no changes in first rotation. Were getting anguished responses from India, no news from Great China. Yet India had little to moan about. Had not used a grid on her, too heavily populated. Aside from picked spots in Thar Desert and some peaks, targets were coastal waters off seaports.

But should have picked higher mountains or given less warning; seemed from news that some holy man followed by endless pilgrims chose to climb each target peak and hold off our retaliation by sheer spiritual strength.