The Moon is a Harsh Mistress

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of graphic violence.

The revolutionaries take over the Authority on Luna. The Warden is alive but brain-dead from oxygen deprivation. The revolutionaries kill the Authority’s spies, and they decide to continue using Mike’s alter ego, Adam Selene, as a figurehead leader. Mike creates an avatar of the character that can be shown over video.

The next morning, “Adam” gives a public speech explaining that the Loonies are free and that for the moment, most things will continue as usual while the revolutionary government takes office. That afternoon, Manuel learns that a group of “Terran” (Earth) scientists are planning on sending a message to Earth about the coup. He intervenes and stops them. Meanwhile, the revolutionaries continue to send grain shipments to Earth to keep the Authority on Earth unaware of the rebellion on the Moon. Many Loonies volunteer to help the new revolutionary government, but only a few of them have useful skills and can be put to work as mechanics.

Overnight, the Authority Scrip currency drops in value, and farmers and civil servants are upset. The new government encourages the farmers to grow and sell goods that can be traded in Hong Kong dollars instead.