That tonne-for-tonne deal– Prof had expounded it Earthside, had been argument for a Terran catapult. But privately he had no enthusiasm for it. Once he had told me, in North America, “Yes, Manuel, I feel sure it would work. But, if built, it will be temporary. There was a time, two centuries ago, when dirty laundry used to be shipped from California to Hawaii–by sailing ship, mind you–and clean laundry returned. Special circumstances. If we ever see water and manure shipped to Luna and grain shipped back, it will be just as temporary. Luna’s future lies in her unique position at the top of a gravity well over a rich planet, and in her cheap power and plentiful real estate. If we Loonies have sense enough in the centuries ahead to remain a free port and to stay out of entangling alliances, we will become the crossroads for two planets, three planets, the entire Solar System. We won’t be farmers forever.”
They met us at Station East and hardly gave time to get p-suits off–was return from Earthside over again, screaming mobs and being ridden on shoulders. Even girls, for Slim Lemke said to Lenore, “May we carry you, too?”–and Wyoh answered, “Sure, why not?”–and stilyagi fought for chance to.
Most men were pressure-suited and I was surprised to see how many carried guns–until I saw that they were not our guns; they were captured. But most of all what blessed relief to see L-City unhurt!
Could have done without triumphal procession; was itching to get to phone and find out from Mike what had happened–how much damage, how many killed, what this victory cost. But no chance. We were carried to Old Dome willy-nilly.
They shoved us up on a platform with Prof and rest of Cabinet apd vips and such, and our girls slobbered on Prof and he embraced me Latin style, kiss cheek, and somebody stuck a Liberty Cap on me. Spotted little Hazel in crowd and threw her a kiss.
At last they quieted enough for Prof to speak.
“My friends,” he said, and waited for silence. “My friends,” he repeated softly. “Beloved comrades. We meet at last in freedom and now have with us the heroes who fought the last battle for Luna, alone.” They cheered us, again he waited. Could see he was tired; hands trembled as he steadied self against pulpit. “I want them to speak to you, we want to hear about it, all of us.
“But first I have a happy message. Great China has just announced that she is building in the Himalayas an enormous catapult, to make shipping to Luna as easy and cheap as it has been to ship from Luna to Terra.”
He stopped for cheers, then went on, “But that lies in the future. Today– Oh, happy day! At last the world acknowledges Luna’s sovereignty. Free! You have won your freedom–”
Prof stopped–looked surprised. Not afraid, but puzzled. Swayed slightly.
Then he did die.
30
We got him into a shop behind platform. But even with help of a dozen doctors was no use; old heart was gone, strained too many times. They carried him out back way and I started to follow.
Stu touched my arm. “Mr. Prime Minister–”
I said, “Huh? Oh, for Bog’s sake!”
“Mr. Prime Minister,” he repeated firmly, “you must speak to the crowd, send them home. Then there are things that must be done.” He spoke calmly but tears poured down cheeks.
So I got back on platform and confirmed what they had guessed and told them to go home. And wound up in room L of Raffles, where all had started–emergency Cabinet meeting. But first ducked to phone, lowered hood, punched MYCROFTXXX.
Got null-number signal. Tried again–same. Pushed up hood and said to man nearest me, Wolfgang, “Aren’t phones working?”
“Depends,” he said. “That bombing yesterday shook things up. If you want an out-of-town number, better call the phone office.”
Could see self asking office to get me a null. “What bombing?”
“Haven’t you heard? It was concentrated on the Complex. But Brody’s boys got the ship. No real damage. Nothing that can’t be fixed.”
Had to drop it; they were waiting. I didn’t know what to do but Stu and Korsakov did. Sheenie was told to write news releases for Terra and rest of Luna; I found self announcing a lunar of mourning, twenty-four hours of quiet, no unnecessary business, giving orders for body to lie in state–all words put into mouth, I was numb, brain would not work. Okay, convene Congress at end of twenty-four hours. In Novylen? Okay.