The Moon is a Harsh Mistress Book 2: A Rabble in Arms, Chapter 14 Summary

  • A wave of patriotism set to a Queen soundtrack sweeps across Luna. Well, at least that's what the history books say, but Mannie says he got the real deal.
  • Mike controls communications so the Authority doesn't realize what's happened on Luna—in other words, Loonies still get all the perks of membership.
  • As for the Peace Dragoons, well, it still makes Mannie sick to think about what happened to them (14.12). Mort the Wart is still alive, but brain damaged so as to be effectively senile.
  • Prof, Wyoh, and Mannie try to decide what to do about Adam Selene and his technical non-existence. Mike decides to create him as a visual image and, just like that, they have themselves an instant revolution chairman.
  • Adam makes a speech proclaiming Luna to be free, and he asks the Loonies to be patient as the new government is established.
  • The captured scientists manage to rig a system to get word earthside, then Mannie and Finn pay them a visit to destroy some transmitter equipment and set them straight.
  • Mannie seems to face endless problems: There's work to be done, but people don't want to do it; authority money drops in value; they need to prepare defenses. The honeymoon with freedom is officially over.
  • Science Snack: Moonquakes are totally a thing.
  • The Luna Congress is established, and Mannie worries they'll start establishing laws, but Prof assures him that those people were put in Congress because they couldn't pass laws. Sly.