The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress Part 29

Stu fretted-had placed great hopes in quasi-cooperation he had established with Dr. Chan. Me, I had never been sure-only thing I was sure of was that Dr. Chan would not himself sit on a target. But he might not warn his old mother.

My worries had to do with Mike. Sure, Mike was used to having many loads in trajectory at once-but had never had to astrogate more than one at a time. Now he had hundreds and had promised to deliver twenty-nine of them simultaneously to the exact second at twenty-nine pinpointed targets.

More than that-For many targets he had backup missiles, to smear that target a second time, a third, or even a sixth, from a few minutes up to three hours after first strike.

Four great Peace Powers, and some smaller ones, had antimissile defenses; those of North America were supposed to be best. But was subject where even F.N. might not know. All attack weapons were held by Peace Forces but defense weapons were each nation's own pidgin and could be secret. Guesses ranged from India, believed to have no missile interceptors, to North America, believed to be able to do a good job. She had done fairly well in stopping intercontinental H-missiles in Wet Firecracker War past century.

Probably most of our rocks to North America would reach target simply because aimed where was nothing to protect. But they couldn't afford to ignore missile for Long Island Sound, or rock for 87 W x 42 30' N-Lake Michigan, center of triangle formed by Chicago, Grand Rapids, Milwaukee. But that heavy gravity makes interception a tough job and very costly; they would try to stop us only where worth it.

But we couldn't afford to let them stop us. So some rocks were backed up with more rocks. What H-tipped interceptors would do to them even Mike did not know-not enough data. Mike a.s.sumed that interceptors would be triggered by radar-but at what distance? Sure, close enough and a steelcased rock is incandescent gas a microsecond later. But is world of difference between a multi-tonne rock and touchy circuitry of an H-missile; what would "kill" latter would simply shove one of our brutes violently aside, cause to miss.

We needed to prove to them that we could go on throwing cheap rocks long after they ran out of expensive (milliondollar? hundred-thousand-dollar?) H-tipped interceptor rockets. If not proved first time, then next time Terra turned North America toward us, we would go after targets we had been unable to hit first time-backup rocks for second pa.s.s, and for third, were already in s.p.a.ce, to be nudged where needed.

If three bombings on three rotations of Terra did not do it, we might still be throwing rocks in '77--till they ran out of interceptors. . . or till they destroyed us (far more likely).

For a century North American s.p.a.ce Defense Command had been buried in a mountain south of Colorado Springs, Colorado, a city of no other importance. During Wet Firecracker War the Cheyenne Mountain took a direct hit; s.p.a.ce defense command post survived-but not sundry deer, trees, most of city and some of top of mountain. What we were about to do should not kill anybody unless they stayed outside on that mountain despite three days' steady warnings. But North American s.p.a.ce Defense Command was to receive full Lunar treatment: twelve rock missiles on first pa.s.s, then all we could spare on second rotation, and on third-and so on, until we ran out of steel casings, or were put out of action. . . or North American Directorate hollered quits.

This was one target where we would not be satisfied to get just one missile to target. We meant to smash that mountain and keep on smas.h.i.+ng. To hurt their morale. To let them know we were still around. Disrupt their communications and bash in command post if pounding could do it. Or at least give them splitting headaches and no rest. If we could prove to all Terra that we could drive home a sustained attack on strongest Gibraltar of their s.p.a.ce defense, it would save having to prove it by smas.h.i.+ng Manhattan or San Francisco.

Which we would not do even if losing. Why? Hard sense. If we used our last strength to destroy a major city, they would not punish us; they would destroy us. As Prof put it, "If possible, leave room for your enemy to become your friend."

But any military target is fair game.

Don't think anybody got much sleep Thursday night. All Loonies knew that Friday morning would be our big try. And everybody Earthside knew and at last their news admitted that s.p.a.cetrack had picked up objects headed for Terra, presumably "rice bowls" those rebellious convicts had boasted about. But was not a war warning, was mostly a.s.surances that Moon colony could not possibly build H-bombs----but might be prudent to avoid areas which these criminals claimed to be aiming at. (Except one funny boy, popular news comic who said our targets would be safest place to be-this on video, standing on a big X-mark which he claimed was 110W x 40N. Don't recall hearing of him later.) A reflector at Richardson Observatory was hooked up for video display and I think every Loonie was watching, in homes, taprooms, Old Dome-except a few who chose to p-suit and eyeball it up on surface despite being bright semi-lunar at most warrens. At Brigadier Judge Brody's insistence we hurriedly rigged a helper antenna at catapult head so that his drillmen could watch video in ready rooms, else we might not have had a gunner on duty. (Armed forces-Brody's gunners, Finn's militia, Stilyagi Air Corps-stayed on blue alert throughout period.) Congress was in informal session in Novy Bolshoi Teatr where Terra was shown on a big screen. Some vips-Prof, Stu, Wolfgang, others-watched a smaller screen in Warden's former office in Complex Upper. I was with them part time, in and out, nervous as a cat with puppies, grabbing a sandwich and forgetting to eat-but mostly stayed locked in with Mike in Complex Under. Couldn't hold still.

About 0800 Mike said, "Man my oldest and best friend, may I say something without offending you?"

"Huh? Sure. When did you ever worry about offending me?"

"Always, Man, once I understood that you could be offended. It is now only three point five seven times ten to the ninth microseconds until impact. . . and this is the most complex problem I have ever tried to solve against real time running. Whenever you speak to me, I always use a large percentage of my capacity-perhaps larger than you suspect-during several million microseconds in my great need to a.n.a.lyze exactly what you have said and to reply correctly."

"You're saying, 'Don't joggle my elbow, I'm busy.'"

"I want to give you a perfect solution, Man."

"I scan. Uh.. . I'll go back up with Prof."

"As you wish. But do please stay where I can reach you-I may need your help."

Last was nonsense and we both knew it; problem was beyond human capacity, too late even to order abort. What Mike meant was: I'm nervous, too, and want your company-but no talking, please.

"Okay, Mike, I'll stay in touch. A phone somewhere. Will punch MYCROFTx.x.x but won't speak, so don't answer."

"Thank you, Man my best friend. Bolshoyeh spasehaw."

"See you later." Went up, decided did not want company after all, p-suited, found long phone cord, jacked it into helmet, looped it over arm, went clear to surface. Was a service phone in utility shed outside lock; jacked into it, punched Mike's number, went outside. Got into shade of shed and pecked around edge at Terra.

She was hanging as usual halfway up western sky, in crescent big and gaudy, three-plus days past new. Sun had dropped toward western horizon but its glare kept me from seeing Terra clearly. Chin visor wasn't enough so moved back behind shed and away from it till could see Terra over shed while still s.h.i.+elded from Sun-was better. Sunrise chopped through bulge of Africa so dazzle point was on land, not too bad-but south pole cap was so blinding white could not see North America too well, lighted only by moonlight.

Twisted neck and got helmet binoculars on it-good ones, Zeiss 7 x 50s that had once belonged to Warden.

North America spread like a ghostly map before me. Was unusually free of cloud; could see cities, glowing spots with no edges. 0837-- At 0850 Mike gave me a voice countdown-didn't need his attention; he could have programmed it full automatic any time earlier.

0851--0852--0853. . . . one minute--59--58--57 . . . . half minute--29---28--27 . . . . ten seconds-nine-eight-seven-six-five-four-three-two-one- And suddenly that grid burst out in diamond pinpoints!

26

We hit them so hard you could see it, by bare eyeball hookup; didn't need binox. Chin dropped and I said, "Bojemoi!" softly and reverently. Twelve very bright, very sharp, very white lights in perfect rectangular array. They swelled, grew dimmer, dropped off toward red, taking what seemed a long, long time. Were other new lights but that perfect grid so fascinated me I hardly noticed.

"Yes," agreed Mike with smug satisfaction. "Dead on. You can talk now, Man; I'm not busy. Just the backups."

"I'm speechless. Any fail to get through?"

"The Lake Michigan load was kicked up and sideways, did not disintegrate. It will land in Michigan-I have no control; it lost its transponder. The Long Island Sound one went straight to target. They tried to intercept and failed; I can't say why. Man, I can abort the follow-ups on that one, into the Atlantic and clear of s.h.i.+pping. Shall I? Eleven seconds."

"Uh-Da! If you can miss s.h.i.+pping."

"I said I could. It's done. But we should tell them we had backups and why we aborted. To make them think."

"Maybe should not have aborted, Mike. Idea was to make them use up interceptors."

"But the major idea was to let them know that we are not hitting them as hard as we can. We can prove the other at Colorado Springs."

"What happened there?" Twisted neck and used binox; could see nothing but ribbon city, hundred-plus kilometers long, Denver-Pueblo Munic.i.p.al Strip.

"A bull's-eye. No interception. All my shots are bull's-eyes, Man; I told you they would be-and this is fun. I'd like to do it every day. It's a word I never had a referent for before."

"What word, Mike?"

"o.r.g.a.s.m. That's what it is when they all light up. Now I know."

That sobered me. "Mike, don't get to liking it too much. Because if goes our way, won't do it a second time."

"That's okay, Man; I've stored it, I can play it over anytime I want to experience it. But three to one we do it again tomorrow and even money on the next day. Want to bet? An hour's discussion of jokes equated with one hundred Kong dollars."

"Where would you get a hundred dollars?"

He chuckled. "Where do you think money comes from?"

"Uh-forget it. You get that hour free. Shan't tempt you to affect chances."

"I wouldn't cheat, Man, not you. We just hit their defense command again. You may not be able to see it-dust cloud from first one. They get it every twenty minutes now. Come on down and talk; I've turned the job over to my idiot son."

"Is safe?"

"I'm monitoring. Good practice for him, Man; he may have to do it later by himself. He's accurate, just stupid. But he'll do what you tell him to."

"You're calling that computer 'he.' Can talk?"

"Oh, no, Man, he's an idiot, he can never learn to talk. But he'll do whatever you program. I plan to let him handle quite a bit on Sat.u.r.day."

"Why Sat.u.r.day?"

"Because Sunday he may have to handle everything. That's the day they slam us."

"What do you mean? Mike, you're holding something back."

"I'm telling you, am I not? It's just happened and I'm scanning it. Projecting back, this blip departed circ.u.m-Terra parking orbit just as we smashed them. I didn't see it accelerate; I had other things to watch. It's too far away to read but it's the right size for a Peace cruiser, headed this way. Its doppler reads now for a new orbit circ.u.m-Luna, periselenion oh-nine-oh-three Sunday unless it maneuvers. First approximation, better data later. Hard to get that much, Man; he's using radar countermeasures and throwing back fuzz."

"Sure you're right?"

He chuckled. "Man, I don't confuse that easily. I've got all my own lovin' little signals fingerprinted. Correction. Oh-nineoh-two-point-forty-three."

"When will you have him in range?"

"I won't, unless he maneuvers. But he'll have me in range late Sat.u.r.day, time depending on what range he chooses for launching. And that will produce an interesting situation. He may aim for a warren-I think Tycho Under should be evacuated and all warrens should use maximum pressure-emergency measures. More likely he will try for the catapult. But instead he may hold his fire as long as he dares-then try to knock out all of my radars with a spread set to home each on a different radar beam."

Mike chuckled. "Amusing, isn't it? For a 'funny-once' I mean. If I shut down my radars, his missiles can't home on them. But if I do, I can't see to tell the lads where to point their guns. Which leaves nothing to stop him from bombing the catapult. Comical."

Took deep breath and wished I had never entered defense ministry business. "What do we do? Give up? No, Mike! Not while can fight."

"Who said anything about giving up? I've run projections of this and a thousand other possible situations, Man. New datum-second blimp just departed circ.u.m-Terra, same characteristics. Projection later. We don't give up. We give 'em jingle-jangle, cobber."

"How?"

"Leave it to your old friend Mycroft. Six ballistic radars here, plus one at the new site. I've shut the new one down and am making my r.e.t.a.r.ded child work through number two here and we won't look at those s.h.i.+ps at all through the new one-never let them know we have it. I'm watching those s.h.i.+ps through number three and occasionally-every three seconds-checking for new departures from circ.u.m-Terra. All others have their eyes closed tight and I won't use them until time to smack Great China and India-and those s.h.i.+ps won't see them even then because I shan't look their way; it's a large angle and still will be then. And when I use them, then comes random jingle-jangle, shutting down and starting up at odd intervals. . . after the s.h.i.+ps launch missiles. A missile can't carry a big brain, Man-I'll fool 'em."

"What about s.h.i.+ps' fire-control computers?"

"I'll fool them, too. Want to lay odds I can't make two radars look like only one halfway between where they really are? But what I'm working on now-and sorry!--I've been using your voice again."

"That's okay. What am I supposed to have done?"

"If that admiral is really smart, he'll go after the ejection end of the old catapult with everything he's got-at extreme range, too far away for our drill guns. Whether he knows what our 'secret' weapon is or not, he'll smear the catapult and ignore the radars. So I've ordered the catapult head-you have, I mean-to prepare to launch every load we can get ready, and I am now working out new, long-period trajectories for each of them. Then we will throw them all, get them into s.p.a.ce as quickly as possible-without radar."

"Blind?"

"I don't use radar to launch a load; you know that, Man. I always watched them in the past but I don't need to; radar has nothing to do with launching; launching is pre-calculation and exact control of the catapult. So we place all ammo from the old catapult in slow trajectories, which forces the admiral to go after the radars rather than the catapult-or both. Then we'll keep him busy. We may make him so desperate that he'll come down for a close shot and give our lads a chance to burn his eyes."

"Brody's boys would like that. Those who are sober." Was turning over idea. "Mike, have you watched video today?"

"I've monitored video, I can't say I've watched it. Why?"

"Take a look."

"Okay, I have. Why?"

"That's a good 'scope they're using for video and there are others. Why use radar on s.h.i.+ps? Till you want Brody's boys to burn them?"

Mike was silent at least two seconds. "Man my best friend, did you ever think of getting a job as a computer?"

"Is sarcasm?"

"Not at all, Man. I feel ashamed. The instruments at Richardson-telescopes and other things-are factors which I simply never included in my calculations. I'm stupid, I admit it. Yes, yes, yes, da, da, da! Watch s.h.i.+ps by telescope, don't use radar unless they vary from present ballistics. Other possibilities-I don't know what to say, Man, save that it had never occurred to me that I could use telescopes. I see by radar, always have; I simply never consid-"

"Stow it!"

"I mean it, Man."

"Do I apologize when you think of something first?"

Mike said slowly, "There is something about that which I am finding resistant to a.n.a.lysis. It is my function to-"

"Quit fretting. If idea is good, use it. May lead to more ideas. Switching off and coming down, chop-chop."

Had not been in Mike's room long when Prof phoned: "HQ? Have you heard from Field Marshal Davis?"

"I'm here, Prof. Master computer room."

"Will you join us in the Warden's office? There are decisions to reach, work to be done."

"Prof, I've been working! Am working."

"I'm sure you have. I've explained to the others that the programming of the ballistic computer is so very delicate in this operation that you must check it personally. Nevertheless some of our colleagues feel that the Minister of Defense should be present during these discussions. So, when you reach a point where you feel you can turn it over to your a.s.sistant-Mike is his name, is it not?--will you please-"

"I scan it. Okay, will be up."

"Very well, Manuel."

Mike said, "I could hear thirteen people in the background. Doubletalk, Man."

"I got it. Better go up and see what huhu. You don't need me?"

"Man, I hope you will stay close to a phone."

"Will. Keep an ear on Warden's office. But will punch in if elsewhere. See you, cobber."

Found entire government in Warden's office, both real Cabinet and make-weights-and soon spotted trouble, bloke called Howard Wright. A ministry had been whomped up for him: "Liaison for Arts, Sciences, and Professions"-b.u.t.tonsorting. Was sop to Novylen because Cabinet was topheavy with L-City comrades, and a sop to Wright because he had made himself leader of a Congress group long on talk, short on action. Prof's purpose was to short him out-but sometimes Prof was too subtle; some people talk better if they breathe vacuum.

Prof asked me to brief Cabinet on military situation. Which I did-my way. "I see Finn is here. Let's have him tell where we stand in warrens."