Chapter 16 Chapter fifteen

The signing process of the Declaration of Independence was as predicted by the professor. At the end of a long day, the professor suddenly announced that there was a special meeting after dinner and that Adam Selene would be speaking. Adam read aloud, fluently and musically.Tears were shed, and Wyoh was sitting next to me, and she was crying, and although I had seen it beforehand, I wanted to cry too. Adam stared at everyone and said, "The future is waiting for you, think about what to do!" He then handed over the meeting to the professor, not the chair as in the past. By ten o'clock in the evening, the quarrel started again.Of course, they liked that manifesto.

On this day, the news from the earth is full of insults against us: we are really bad, we should be punished, we should be punished, and we should learn some lessons.It's disgusting, there is no need to add oil and vinegar. The news is flying all over the sky-this is all first-hand news, and Mike has already eliminated all the second-hand goods quoted. If there was ever a day when all the Lunar people felt that they were tightly condensed into one another, it would probably have to be the second day of July 2076. The manifesto was sure to pass, the professor had figured it out before it was submitted.

But the manifesto should not be written like this - "Dear Chairman, the word 'inalienable' in the second paragraph is not good, it should be changed to 'inalienable'. Also, is it right to use 'inviolable rights'?" More solemn than 'inalienable rights'? I'd like to hear your thoughts on this." There was almost a grain of truth to what the guy said.He's a literary critic, as harmless as dead yeast in beer.But others are different. Let's say the woman who hated everything, who was there, read aloud with a long list of clauses that she wanted to add to the manifesto, "So that the people of the earth will know that we are civilized There is a place for us!"

The professor wouldn't let her talk nonsense.He encouraged her and asked her to discuss it with others.Opinions were not unanimous, of course, so the professor asked the others to vote on her proposal. (Parliament should proceed according to certain rules, which they had been arguing for days. The professor knew the rules well, but followed them only when he needed to.) Her suggestion was rejected amidst the uproar, and thereupon She walks away. And then someone stood up and said, of course her long list of clauses can't be in a manifesto, but should we have some overarching principles?Perhaps a statement: The independent government of the Moon protects liberty, equality, and security for all.Not very detailed, just some basic principles to let everyone know the purpose of the establishment of the new government.

Sounds reasonable, let's get through it - wait a minute, there's "liberty, equality, peace and security" in it, right, comrades?They began to entangle the issue of whether "free air" should be regarded as freedom or safety.Or, just be on the safe side and list "free air"?Another said that "free air" should be changed to "free air and water", because you can only have "freedom" or "safety" if you have both air and water. air, water and food. Air, water, food and shelter. Air, water, food, shelter and heat. No, write "energy" instead of "calorie", so that all aspects can be taken care of, and nothing is omitted.

Nothing missing?Dude, you're not out of your mind, are you?It's far from nothing, and what you've left out is downright offensive to women in general - stand up and say it!Don't be sneaky down there.Let me finish first.We'll make it clear to them from the start that we will never land their spaceship unless there are as many women as men on board.I said, if the immigration issue is not resolved, I will be the first to deal with them. The professor always had a smile on his face, and his dimples never faded. I'm starting to understand why the professor slept through the day today and didn't do weight training.As for me, I was tired from relocating the ballistic radar in the pressurized suit all day in the ejection bay.

Everyone was tired, and by midnight everyone was pretty worn out, convinced that nothing could be done that night, and didn't want to hear anyone's noises unless it was his own. After midnight, someone asked why the 13th issue written in this manifesto is the 4th, isn't it just the 2nd today?The professor said mildly that it was already the 3rd—it seemed impossible for us to publish our Declaration of Independence before the 4th, although the 4th of July is very historically symbolic and good for us. It was heard that the announcement would not be made until July 4th, and several people left.But I noticed one thing: the seats that were vacated in the synagogue were quickly filled.Finn Nelson slipped into a seat that had just been vacated.Comrade Clayton from Moon City, Singapore also appeared. He patted me on the shoulder, smiled at Wyoh, and took a seat.I see my youngest assistants, Slim and Hazel, sitting up front.It occurred to me right away that I would have to explain something to Hazel and tell Mumm that I had put her on party work and that was why she was up so late—and was immediately delighted to find that Mumu was with them. Beside him, there are Sidiris and Greg.Greg should have been at the new catapult by now.

I looked around and saw a dozen more people—the evening editor of Luna Pravda, the general manager of the Luna House company, and a few others, comrades at work.Only then did I discover that the professor had already hidden a trump card.There is no regular membership in this meeting, real comrades have the same rights as those who have been talking bullshit at the meeting for a month.Now they sat down and voted down a series of amendments that were just proposed. It was three o'clock in the morning and I was wondering how much more time it would take when someone handed the professor a note.

He looked at it, tapped the small stone gavel, and said, "Adam Selene wants to take a few minutes of your time, do you agree?" The screen behind the podium came back on and Adam told them that he had been listening to their discussions and was interested in the many thoughtful and constructive comments.But can he make a suggestion?Why not admit that no article can be perfect?If the manifesto largely reflects what everyone thinks, why not pass it first and continue to improve it later? "My lord, that's what I'm going to say." They passed it with cheers.The professor held up a small stone gavel and asked, "Are there any objections?"

Someone who's been talking about it just now said, "Oh... I'm still going to say that's a dangling participle, but that's fine, let's just let it hang there." "That's it!" said the professor, and the small stone gavel fell. Then, one by one, we went up and signed a scroll "from Adam's office"—I saw Adam had signed it.I signed my name under Hazel.Hazel could write now, but she hadn't read much, and her handwriting was crooked, but it was large and bold.Comrade Clayton signed his political party name, real name, and Japanese name on it, overlapping each other.The two comrades signed "X", and other people testified that this was their signature.Where were all the party leaders that night (or early morning) and signed.Most of the chatterers and loud complainers had left, but only a dozen or so remained.But they also left their names in history, swearing to dedicate "our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor".

The line moves slowly, people talk, and the professor thumps his gavel: "Now we need some volunteers for a dangerous mission. This manifesto will continue to be broadcast on the news channel - but someone has to deliver it in person. Earth government." The venue was suddenly silent. The professor looked at me, I swallowed and said, "I do." Wyoh immediately agreed: "I do!" Little Hazel also said: "I am willing too!" In a short while, a dozen people had signed up, from Finn Nelson to Mr. "Hanging Participle" (who, besides being a bit brainy, was actually a good comrade). The professor wrote down the name and whispered a few words about contacting the earth as soon as the communication with the earth resumed. I took the professor aside and said, "Professor, I think you are tired and confused. You know that the 7th ship has been cancelled, and now they are discussing embargoing us. The next ship to the moon will go to the moon." It's a battleship. How do you plan to get to Earth? As a prisoner?" "We won't use their boats." "Don't use their boat? Shall we build a boat ourselves? Even if it can be built, do you know how long it will take? And I doubt it will be possible." "Manuel, Mike said it was necessary to build the ship—the ship was designed." I know Mike said that boat building is necessary.As soon as he learned that the cunning scientists at Richardson Observatory had smuggled the message back to Earth, Mike recalculated the odds.The odds of success he gives us now are only 1 in 53... The premise is that the professor is sent to Earth immediately.But I'm not one of those -- thinking the impossible, I'm working on it all day, hoping that fifty-one-thirds chance will come true. "Mike will supply the boat," the professor went on, "he has finished the design and is building it now." "Really? Since when did Mike become an engineer?" "Isn't he?" asked the professor. I was about to answer when I closed my mouth again.Mike doesn't have a degree, but he has more engineering knowledge than any living person, or Shakespeare's plays, or riddles, or history, almost everything. "Tell me some more details," I said. "Manuel, we're going to be shipped to Earth as grain." "What? Who does 'we' mean?" "You and me. The other volunteers are just embellishment." I said, "Professor, I'm a very dedicated person. I've been working hard and I've been working hard since the whole thing looked ridiculous. Because I've been wearing these heavy things in case I'm going to go to that horrible place." — still wearing it. But we agreed to go in a spaceship, and at least one cyborg pilot helped me land safely. I didn't agree to go straight down like a shooting star." He said: "Very well, Manuel, I have always respected freedom of choice. If you don't go, your substitute will go." "My—who?" "Comrade Wyoming. As far as I know, besides you and a few Earthlings, she is the only person trained to fly on that ship." So I just had to go.But I have to talk to Mike first. He said patiently: "Man, my first friend, you don't have to worry at all. You are on the 2076 series of barges, and you will reach Mumbai safely. Just to be on the safe side - to put you at ease - I deliberately That barge was chosen because it's going to break out of its parking orbit and land after India is right up to me... I've put in an override so that if I don't know the way they maneuver you If you are not satisfied, I can get you out of the control of the earth. Believe me, Man, everything is arranged properly. Why send food to the earth after the news leaks, it is for this plan, this is part of the plan. " 【① Residence orbit: refers to the temporary orbit around the Earth of the spacecraft. 】 "You should have told me sooner." "I don't want to worry you. The professor has to know, so I have been in touch with him. The reason why you are going is to take care of the professor and be his backup-if he dies, you will take over his job ...his life or death is a factor that I cannot offer assurances about." I sighed and said, "Okay. But Mike, can you guarantee that this remote control will make the barge soft land successfully? That high speed alone is a huge obstacle." "Man, do you think I don't understand ballistics? As far as the position of the orbit is concerned, from asking to answering to receiving orders, this process can be completed within four seconds... Believe me, I won't waste a single microsecond. In four seconds, you can only travel thirty-two kilometers in the parking orbit, and then gradually reduce to zero speed, and then land. My reaction time is shorter than the manual landing time of the pilot, because I don't waste time to grasp the situation, to figure out how to act correctly. So, I only need four seconds at most. My actual reaction time is actually shorter, because I am constantly predicting and acting as soon as I foresee-in fact, I Your action will always be four seconds ahead of you in orbit, and you can respond instantly." "That steel tank doesn't even have a height gauge!" "It's there now. Trust me: I've thought it through, and I've attached this device just to protect you. Ground control in Pune hasn't missed a single load in the past five thousand loads. For a computer, Pune That machine is pretty good." "Okay. Well, Mike, did those goddam food ships hit the ground hard? How much g?" "Not much. Ten g's on orbit, then down to a stable, light four g's... back to five or six g's before the splashdown. The splashdown is gentle, the equivalent of a drop from fifty meters. You Just getting into the drop curve, less than three g's, no sudden vibrations. Then leveling out, splashing down again, gently, just one g's, floating on the water. Man, those grain barge hulls are all built to save Probably light, so we never shake them from side to side or the seams will crack." "How thoughtful. Mike, what would happen to you if you took five or six g's? Would your seams crack?" "When they shipped me here, I figured I was through about six g's. In my current state, six g's would have severed a lot of my vital links. Now, though, I'm more interested in extremely fast, instantaneous high-velocity motion, It's the shock wave. I'll experience it when the Earth starts bombarding us. There's not enough data yet to predict it accurately...I'm guessing I'll lose some of the ancillary functions. This will have a major impact on our tactical situation." "Mike, do you really think they're going to bomb us?" "Believe it, Man. That's why this trip to Earth is so important." I left there and looked at the "coffin" again.I should really stay home.Have you ever seen those stupid barges?It's just a steel cylinder with brake rockets, guide rockets, and radar. If you say this thing is like a spaceship, then you can say that the pair of pincers are like my third arm. They have cut that steel cylinder open and are assembling our "living quarters". No kitchen, no toilets, nothing.There is no need to have it, isn't it just to stay in it for fifty hours.Sailing on an empty stomach, you don't have to stuff a pee bag in your clothes either.It's okay without the sofa and bar, anyway, you stay in the pressurized suit all the time, you will be anesthetized, and you don't have to worry about anything. At least, the professor will be under anesthesia most of the time.I have to be awake during the landing phase, in case something goes wrong and no one comes to open the cabin for us, I have to try my best to save us from the dead end.They're building a form-fitting frame that the back of our pressurized suit just fits into.We'll be chained to these racks all the way to Earth.Their concern is not our comfort, but how to make the total weight equal to the total weight of the replaced wheat and all improvised weapons.The engineer in charge told me that even the pads in our pressurized suits were counted. I'm glad to hear there's padded in the pressurized suit, those racks look pretty stiff.I thought all the way, and I didn't feel at home. It was unusual not to see Wyoh eating; it was even more unusual for Greg to be eating.No one mentioned it even though it was known that tomorrow I was assigned to simulate a rock fall.I didn't realize that something special was going to happen until all the next generation voluntarily left the dinner table.The next thing I understood was why Greg hadn't gone back to the Maure-on-Deraine after Parliament adjourned that morning: a family conference had been mentioned. Mumu looked around and said, "Everyone is here. Ali, close that door, thank you, dear. Grandpa, you start first!" The eldest husband, who had been dozing off at the coffee table, perked up when Mumu spoke.He looked down at the table and said emphatically, "I see that everyone is here, the children are asleep, there are no strangers here, no guests. I certify that we follow our first husband, Blake Jack Davis and first wife Tilly meet here as a routine. If there is anything that concerns the safety and well-being of our marriage, please bring it up now. Don't let it fuel resentment. This is our routine." The uncle turned to Mumu and said softly, "Go on, Mumu." Then he fell into the original state of indifference.But just now, he returned to the strong, chic, masculine, and energetic man in the past, the way he was when I first entered this family... Thinking about it, tears already filled my eyes, how lucky I have always been! But then, I don't know whether I should feel lucky or unlucky.I know that the only reason why this family meeting is held is: the next day, I will be labeled as food and sent to the earth.Does Mumu want to mobilize the whole family to stop this?She doesn't force anyone to obey the outcome of the meeting, but everyone usually does so voluntarily.Here lies the strength of our marriage: when the big moments come, the whole family stands together. Mom asked: "Is there anything you want to discuss? Tell me, dear." Greg said, "I have." "Let's hear what Greg has to say." Greg is a good speaker.He spoke with confidence in front of the crowd that I had no confidence in when I was alone in self-reflection.But that night, he seemed very insecure. "Well, uh, we've tried to keep a balance in our marriage, old and young, alternating regularly, evenly distributed. This marriage has always been that way. But sometimes we change—if there's a good If there is a reason," he looked at Lyudmila, "it has been adjusted." He looked at Frank and Ali on the opposite side of Lyudmila. "You can see from the records that for many years, the average age of the husband is forty years old, and the average age of the wife is thirty-five years old... The average age of men and women in our early marriage is also similar. Nearly a hundred years have passed Well, when Tilly chose Black Jack, she was only fifteen and he was barely twenty. Now I find the average age of husbands is just forty, and the average age of wives—” Mom interrupted him: "Stop doing arithmetic for us, dear Greg, and just speak straight." I was wondering who Greg was referring to.In the past few years, I have often been away from home, and when I do, it is often after everyone has gone to bed.But obviously he was talking about marriage.In our family, anyone would give other members a long time to do their research before offering to recruit someone. I'm stupid enough to have no idea who Greg was talking about. Greg stammered, "I propose to Wyoming Knott!" I said I was stupid.I understand machines, and machines understand me, but I dare not say that I understand people.If I had been the eldest husband—if I had lived that long—I would have Sidiris run the house the way my grandfather did my sister.But think back to Wyoh's joining Greg's church.Why?I love Greg, love Greg.But if his theology is entered into a computer, the result can only be zero.Wyoh must have known this, because she hadn't been introduced to religion until she was an adult.Honestly, I've always suspected that Wyoh's conversion wasn't just to prove she'd do anything for our cause. Wyoh had absorbed Greg into the organization earlier.Persuading him to work on the new catapult site was largely done by Wyoh, who was less likely to attract attention than me or the professor.Well, this news caught me off guard, but in fact there have been signs, and there is nothing surprising about it. Mum asked, "Greg, do you have reason to think that Wyoming will accept us?" "yes." "Very good. We all know Wyoming. I believe everyone already knows her well. I don't think there is any need to discuss it...unless someone has something to say. Please speak boldly." Mumu didn't think it was strange.The same goes for everyone else.Mumu wouldn't hold a family meeting unless she was confident of the outcome. But I don't know why Mumu is so sure about my thoughts, she is so confident that she didn't even test my attitude beforehand.I sat there in embarrassment, and I knew I should say something.I know things that no one else knows, things that matter.I don't care much myself, but my sister and the women in the house do. Poor coward, I sat without saying a word. Mum said, "Okay, let me do the roll call. Lyudmila?" "Me? I like Wyoh, everyone knows that. Of course!" "My dear Lenore?" "Oh, I'm trying to convince her to change her make-up again, and she's still the same brown skin, and now she looks a little different from us. But that's her only flaw, blonde hair and fair skin." "Sidiris?" "She's great. Wyoh is our kind." "Anna?" "Before I express my opinion, I have something to say, Mom." "Honey, I don't think that's necessary." "But I'm going to put things out in front of everyone, it's our tradition, and that's what Tilly has done in the past. In our marriage, each wife has fulfilled her role and produced children for the family .. some of you will be surprised to hear that Wyoh has had eight children—” Ali was obviously surprised by this statement, his head jerked up, and his mouth was open from ear to ear. I stare at the plate.Oh Wyoh!Wyoh!How can I let this happen?I should have volunteered to speak up sooner. I realize that Anna is still saying: "—now she can have her own child, the operation was successful. But she is worried that she will have a defective child. According to the doctor in the Singapore clinic, this is unlikely. .So, we have to give her more love." "We will love her," said Mother quietly, "we will love her. Anna, can you express your opinion?" "I almost don't need to say that, do I? I've been to Singapore with her and I've held her hand the whole time she had her tubal closure. I'm for it." "In this family," continued Mum, "our husbands have always had the veto. It's not like other families, but Tilly started it and it's always worked out well. Sir?" "Oh? What are you talking about, honey?" "We're going to recruit Wyoh to the door. Do you agree, my lord?" "What? Ah? Of course! Of course! Pretty little girl. By the way, where is the little brown girl from before? Angry with us?" "Greg?" "I proposed the marriage proposal." "Manuel? Do you object?" "Me? Why object? You know me, sister." "I know. Sometimes I wonder if you know yourself. Hans, do you?" "What if I say no?" "Well, you're going to lose your teeth," said Lenore immediately, "and Hans agrees." "Don't be fooling around, dear," said Sister slightly reproachfully. "Acquisition is serious business. Tell me, Hans." "Ah, ok, our family just needs a blonde - ouch!" "Stop it, Lenore! Frank?" "Yes, Mom." "Dear Ali, is it unanimous?" Ali blushed and couldn't speak, but nodded vigorously. Mum did not appoint a husband and a wife to find Wyoh and get her in.She sent Lyudmila and Anna to pick up Wyoh at once - she was at the salon. The whole ceremony was not very formal, we didn't pick a date, we didn't have a wedding ceremony, we just called the kids and twenty minutes later Greg opened his creed and we took our vows.It finally dawned on my confused mind that they got married at lightning speed because tomorrow I was going on an adventure. It's just a symbol of the family, that the whole family loves me, it doesn't really mean much, because the first night of the bride will be spent with her oldest husband, and the second and third nights I will spend in the universe Pass.But when women start crying at weddings, I find myself crying with them. Wyoh kissed us one by one, the uncle hugged her and left, and I stayed alone in the workshop and went to bed. I feel very tired, the past two days have been really hard.I want to do exercise, but it's too late.I want to call Mike and ask him what's the news from Earth... I fell asleep. I don't know how long I slept, I realized that I woke up and someone was in the room. "Manuel?" came a soft whisper in the darkness. "Oh, Wyoh, you shouldn't be here, dear." "Of course I should be here, my husband. Both Mom and Greg know I'm here. Master's gone to bed." "Oh, what time is it?" "About four o'clock. Honey, can I go to bed?" "What? Oh, of course." I think there is something else.Oh yes, I remembered, "Mike!" "Is something wrong?" he replied. "Turn off the power. No eavesdropping. If you want me, call me at home." "Wyoh told me. Congratulations!" She rested her head on my left arm and I put my right arm around her. "Why are you crying?" "I'm not crying! I'm just afraid you won't be able to come back!"