The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress

"No, Manuel, I can't."

"Then why we talk-talk? I can't see any chance."

"Nor I, Manuel. But we approach it differently. Revolution is an art that I pursue rather than a goal I expect to achieve. Nor is this a source of dismay; a lost cause can be as spiritually satisfying as a victory."

"Not me. Sorry."

"Ma

I stared. "You serious?"

"Quite serious. If anyone can figure out odds, Mike should be able to. Don't you think?"

"Um. Possible."

"Who, if I may ask," Prof put in, "is Mike?"

I shrugged. "Oh, just a nobody."

"Mike is Ma

"A bookie? My dear, if we bring in a fourth party we start by violating the cell principle."

"I don't see why," Wyoh answered. "Mike could be a member of the cell Ma

"Mmm... true. I withdraw objection. He is safe? You vouch for him? Or you, Manuel?"

I said, "He's dishonest, immature, practical joker, not interested in politics."

"Ma

"Wyoh, you getting enough oxygen?"

"I'm okay, I haven't been guzzling it the way you have. Think, Ma

"I must confess," said Prof, "that I find these conflicting reports very conflicting."

"Ma

"Oh, hell." So we told him, between us, all about Mike, how he woke up. got his name, met Wyoh. Prof accepted idea of a self-aware computer easier than I accepted idea of snow first time I saw. Prof just nodded and said, "Go on."

But presently he said, "This is the Warden's own computer? Why not invite the Warden to our meetings and be done with it?"

We tried to reassure him. At last i said, "Put it this way. Mike is his own boy, just as you are. Call him rational anarchist, for he's rational and he feels no loyalty to any government."

"If this machine is not loyal to its owners, why expect it to be loyal to you?"

"A feeling. I treat Mike well as I know how, he treats me same way." I told how Mike had taken precautions to protect me. "I'm not sure he could betray me to anyone who didn't have those signals, one to secure phone, other to retrieve what I've talked about or stored with him; machines don't think way people do. But feel dead sure he wouldn't want to betray me and probably could protect me even if somebody got those signals."

"Ma

"I see no harm in that."

"Matter of fact," I admitted, "already told him some secrets." I told them about recording last night's meeting and how I stored it.

Prof was distressed, Wyoh was worried. I said, "Damp it! Nobody but me knows retrieval signal. Wyoh, you know how Mike behaved about your pictures; won't let me have those pictures even though I suggested lock on them. But if you two will stop oscillating, I'll call him, make sure that nobody has retrieved that recording. and tell him to erase--then it's gone forever, computer memory is all or nothing. Or can go one better. Call Mike and have him play record back into recorder, wiping storage. No huhu."

"Don't bother," said Wyoh. "Professor, I trust Mike--and so will you."

"On second thought," Prof admitted, "I see little hazard from a recording of last night's meeting. One that large always contains spies and one of them may have used a recorder as you did, Manuel. I was upset at what appeared to be your indiscretion--a weakness a member of a conspiracy must never have, especially one at the top, as you are."

"Was not member of conspiracy when I fed that recording into Mike--and not now unless somebody quotes odds better than those so far!"

"I retract; you were not indiscreet. But are you seriously suggesting that this machine can predict the outcome of a revolution?"

"Don't know."

"I think he can!" said Wyoh.

"Hold it, Wyoh. Prof, he could predict it fed all significant data."

"That's my point, Manuel. I do not doubt that this machine can solve problems I ca

"Is that all?"

"'Is that all?' My dear boy!"

"Prof, how many history books have you read?"

"I do not know. In excess of a thousand."

"Mike can zip through that many this afternoon, speed limited only by sca

Prof blinked. "I stand corrected. Very well, let us see if he can cope with it. I still think there is something known as 'intuition' and 'human judgment.'"

"Mike has intuition," Wych said. "Feminine intuition, that is."

"As for 'human judgment,'" I added, "Mike isn't human. But all he knows he got from humans. Let's get you acquainted and you judge his judgment."

So I phoned. "Hi, Mike!"

"Hello, Man my only male friend. Greetings, Wyoh my only female friend. I heard a third person. I conjecture that it may be Professor Bernardo de la Paz."

Prof looked startled, then delighted. I said, "Too right, Mike. That's why I called you; Professor is not-stupid."

"Thank you, Man! Professor Bernardo de la Paz, I am delighted to meet you."

"I am delighted to meet you, too, sir." Prof hesitated, went on "Mi--Señor Holmes, may I ask how you knew that I was here?"

"I am sorry, sir; I ca

"Mike is being crafty, Prof. It involves something he learned doing a confidential job for me. So he threw me a hint to let you think that he had identified you by hearing your presence--and he can indeed tell much from respiration and heartbeat... mass, approximate age, sex, and quite a bit about health; Mike's medical storage is as full as any other."

"I am happy to say," Mike added seriously, "that I detect no signs of cardiac or respiratory trouble, unusual for a man of the Professor's age who has spent so many years Earthside. I congratulate you, sir."

"Thank you, Señor Holmes."

"My pleasure, Professor Bernardo de la Paz."

"Once he knew your identity, he knew how old you are, when you were shipped and what for, anything that ever appeared about you in Lunatic or Moonglow or any Lunar publication, including pictures--your bank balance, whether you pay bills on time, and much more. Mike retrieved this in a split second once he had your name. What he didn't tell--because was my business--is that he knew I had invited you here, so it's a short jump to guess that you're still here when he heard heartbeat and breathing that matched you. Mike, no need to say 'Professor Bernardo de la Paz' each time; 'Professor' or"Prof' is enough."

"Noted, Man. But he addressed me formally, with honorific."

"So both of you relax. Prof, you scan it? Mike knows much, doesn't tell all, knows when to keep mouth shut."