“Too damned many,” Dan mumbled.
“So you’ll have to rebuild without nanotechnology, I’m afraid. They won’t even allow us to sell them machinery built with nanos; they’re frightened that the machinery is somehow infected by them.”
“I know,” said Dan. Selene built spacecraft of pure diamond out of piles of carbon soot, using nanomachines. But they were allowed no closer to Earth than the space stations in low orbit. Stupid, Dan said to himself. Nothing but ignorant superstition. Yet that was the law, everywhere on Earth.
It also made more jobs for people on Earth, he realized. The spacecraft that Astro used to fly from Earth’s surface into orbit were all made basically the same way Henry Ford would have manufactured them; no nanotechnology allowed. Typical politician’s thinking, Dan thought: bow to the loudest pressure group, keep outmoded industries alive and turn your back on the new opportunities. Even with the greenhouse warming wiping out half Earth’s industrial base, they still think the same old way.
Leaning back in his easy chair, Stavenger said, “I understand you’re trying to raise the capital to develop a fusion drive.”
Dan smiled crookedly at him. “You’re well informed.”
“It doesn’t take a genius,” Stavenger said. “You’ve had talks with Yamagata and most of the major banks.”
“Plus the double-damned GEC.”
Stavenger’s brows rose slightly. “And now you’re talking to me.”
“That I am.”
“What can I do for you, Mr. Randolph?”
“Dan.”
“Dan, okay.”
“You can help me save those ten billion people down there on Earth. They need all the help they can get.”
Stavenger said nothing. He merely sat there, his face serious, waiting for Dan to go on.
“I want to open up the Asteroid Belt,” Dan said. “I want to move as much of Earth’s industrial base into orbit as we can, and we need the re-sources from the Belt to do that.”
Stavenger sighed. “It’s a pretty dream. I believed in it myself, once, but we found that it costs more than it’s worth.”
“Selene’s sent spacecraft to the NEAs,” Dan pointed out.
“Not for many years, Dan. It’s just too expensive. We decided a long time ago that we can live on the resources that the Moon provides. We have to. No asteroids.”
“But with fusion, it becomes economically feasible to extract resources from the NEAs. And even the Belt.”
“Are you certain of that?” Stavenger asked softly.
“Positively,” Dan agreed. “Same situation as the Clipperships. Your Clipperships brought down the cost of going into orbit to the point where it became economically feasible to build space stations and solar power satellites and full-scale factories.”
“They’re not my Clipperships, Dan.”
“Masterson Corporation is your family’s outfit, isn’t it?”
Stavenger shifted uneasily in his chair, his smile fading. “Masterson was founded by my family, true enough. I still own a big slice of its stock, but I’m only the Chairman Emeritus. I’m not really involved in the company’s operations any longer.”
“But they still listen to you.”
The smile returned, but it was more guarded now. “Sometimes,” Stavenger said.
“So how would Masterson like to come in with me on this fusion system? It’ll be a gold mine.”
Stavenger hesitated before replying, “I’ve been told that Humphries Space Systems is backing your fusion program.”
“Martin Humphries has offered to, that’s true,” Dan admitted.
“But you’re not satisfied with his offer?”
“I don’t know if I can trust him. He comes waltzing into my office and drops this fusion deal in my lap. Why? Why didn’t he do it for himself? What’s he want me for?”
“Maybe it’s Astro Manufacturing that he wants,” Stavenger said.
Dan nodded vigorously. “Yep, that’s what scares me. The man has a reputation for being a grabber. He’s built Humphries Space Systems by swallowing up other companies.”
Again Stavenger hesitated. At last he said, “He’s on the verge of acquiring a majority of Masterson’s stock.”
“What?” A jolt of surprise flashed through Dan.
“I’m not supposed to know, really,” Stavenger said. “It’s all been very hush-hush. Humphries is on the verge of buying out two of our biggest shareholders. If he’s successful, he’ll have enough clout to load the board of directors with his own people.”