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--- kb:the_moon_is_a_harsh_mistress [2022-02-17 23:31] – jaeyoung
+++ kb:the_moon_is_a_harsh_mistress [2024-04-30 04:03] (current) – external edit 127.0.0.1
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 ==== Chapter 11 ====
+Manuel travels to Hong Kong to meet some new comrades.
+A group of teenagers asks Manuel to be their judge. They seek to punish a tourist from Earth who tried to kiss a girl without permission. Manuel rules to fine the tourist a small amount. He then explains to the tourist, whose name is Stuart Rene LaJoie, that there are no laws on Luna, and that women are very highly valued because there are so many more men than women on Luna. Manuel considers that Stuart could be the revolution's contact on Earth. Manuel takes Stuart to his home.
+==== Chapter 12 ====
+Public support for the revolution wanes. Mike rewrites lyrics to old revolutionary songs and disseminates them. The catapult is tested by launching a rock into the south Indian Ocean. "Adam Selene" takes out an ad on Lunaya Pravda, announcing his lecture on poetry and art, which party members were told to stay away from. Liberty Caps start to become popular. Stuart LaJoie stays at Manuel's house for a few months and gets recruited into the revolution. He goes back to Earth with a codebook.
+Mike cracks the code used by the Warden and the Authority. They learn that the Warden has been requesting help due to increasing unrest. These requests are denied. They decide to hold back on revolutionary activities until the organization is ready for a more direct confrontation. The Warden starts moving people out of the complex, an ominous sign for the revolutionaries.
+==== Chapter 13 ====
+Six Peace Dragoons rape and kill a woman named Marie Lyons. Manuel, Wyoh, and Prof hear from Finn Nielsen that riots have started and that rumors of Peace Dragoons raping and killing all women are spreading. At first, Manuel does not want to incite rioting, but Prof says that this is "the Day," and that they must. They further spread the rumor of Dragoons raping and killing all women. Armed with a laser gun, Manuel joins the fray. He has Mike spoof a call assuming the identity of a dead guard to his C.O., sounding frightened. Alvarez is killed, while the Warden, guards, and Peace Dragoons are holed up in the Complex. Mike reduces oxygen levels in the Complex enough to make people inside pass out, except for the Warden's room, where the oxygen is completely cut, killing him. They seize control of Luna.
+==== Chapter 14 ====
+Manuel recognizes that the revolution has seized control too soon. They do not have enough ammunition for the catapult, and the Authority did perform useful functions, such as facilitating trade. However, Mike maintained control of communications, including communications with Earth. The Complex is isolated from the rest of Luna. The Warden had not died, but is effectively brain-dead. The six rapist-murderers are turned over to the women inside the Complex, who presumably kill them. Mike releases the identities of double agents as Adam Selene; most of them are killed within hours. Prof, Wyoh, and Manuel ponder how to reveal Adam Selene's identity. Mike renders a video of a Adam Selene, and they decide to show this rendered Adam Selene to Luna. The next morning, Adam Selene gives a speech to Luna, telling citizens that this was the beginning of a transition to a democratic Luna and urging citizens to keep living life as usual. Scientists from Earth attempt to communicate with Earth using scientific equipment, but are caught. Each scientist is assigned a Lunar citizen who keeps an eye on them, preventing them from sending any transmissions. Grain shipments continued as before, as did most operations on Luna.
+The economic situation deteriorates: the exchange rate between Authority scrip and Hong Kong dollars goes from 3:1 to 17:1. Grain farmers, who are still paid in Authority script, complain. Many civil servants quit, and some are rehired and paid in Hong Kong dollars. The interim government prepares for war, repurposing laser drills as defensive artillery and recruiting gunners. Prof sets up meetings where people can discuss political ideas. Manuel gets frustrated because these ideas have little to do with the needs of Luna at the moment, including organizing a defense force. Prof reassures Manuel that they will never be able to pass anything because they do not agree on anything.
+The scientists are able to outsmart their assistants and get a message to Earth. The Authority on Earth sends a message to Luna, thinking that the transmission from the scientists is a prank. They respond with a Declaration of Independence.
+==== Chapter 15 ====
+The Declaration of Independence is read and signed.
+They decide to send representatives to Earth. The plan is to send the representatives with a shipment of grain. Manuel is reluctant at first, but eventually agrees to be one of the representatives, along with Prof.
+Wyoh joins Manuel's marriage.
+==== Chapter 16 ====
+Manuel wakes up in the grain shipment container, which is in free fall in space. Manuel thinks Prof is dead, but he is later revealed to be alive. The container lands in the ocean, and Manuel and Prof are rescued by Stuart LaJoie. It turns out that Stuart could have sent a ship, but that could have been more dangerous, since it could have been shot down. Stuart had bought recognition of Luna by the People's Directorate of Chad.
+Manuel and Prof go to Agra to present credentials to the Federated Nations. Mike claims that the chance of success has dropped to one in one hundred. They are given a meeting with an "Investigating Committee." Prof gives a speech about the desired status of Luna as a recognized independent state of the Federated Nations. The committee maintains that Luna is the property of the Federated Nations, as Antarctica was. They also discuss other matters, such as immigration to Luna, what happened to the Warden, or the Protector, as he is called by the committee, reparations for destroyed property. The meeting ends when Prof collapses while talking about the atrocities committed by the Peace Dragoons on Luna.
+==== Chapter 17 ====
+Manuel gives the recording of the meeting to Stuart, who leaks it to the press. Many, but not all, articles are favorable to Luna. Another meeting is held. The committee asserts that Luna must maintain its commitment of regular grain shipments. Prof says that Luna has no such commitment. Prof talks about the possibility of increasing farming yields by tenfold or a hundredfold, which is promptly dismissed by the committee.
+Later, they take questions from reporters. A reporter reveals that the committee is actually the Lunar Authority. Prof mentions the possibility of war with Earth. Manuel refers to the Pathfinder, which landed on a Belgian village, and implies that Luna could wage war on Earth by throwing bargeloads of grain onto the Earth. Prof explains that the yields could be increased by replenishing raw materials on Luna from Earth. A reporter says that Luna should still pay taxes, to which Manuel responds that they do not benefit from any government services, so they should not have to pay taxes.
+==== Chapter 18 ====
+Manuel has meetings with government officials from various nations. In each of these meetings, he discusses the possibility of building a space catapult, which would allow cheap shipments to Luna, on a tall mountain in the country from which the official comes. Manuel and Prof go to North America, visiting the United States and Mexico. Manuel explains his marriage situation to some curious Kentuckians. The next day, he is arrested for polygamy.