The Man Who Sold Mars (3 page)

Undeterred I continued, “Mergers and
acquisitions is what we do.  We find an asset in which the market is not
reflecting its true value and then make it do so.”

Leanne stated a truth, “There is no
market for Mars.”

I smiled, “Yet.”

Hemmingson raised a finger, “Assuming we
could . . . sell Mars.  What would you do with a planet?”

I asked him, “Mike, what would you do
with a planet of your own?”

Hemmingson thought for an instant and
then his eyes blazed with knowledge and hedonism.  “I’m in.”

A few other voices chorused his consent,
a very few, two.

Selena smiled, “I’m in.”

And so did Gardner, “I’m in.”

Camilla teased, “Knowing Mr. Hemmingson,
he’d have strippers and hookers on every corner.”

“And call it . . . Paradise.” Was his reply
quickly followed by the group’s laughter.

George Carleton, perpetually no nonsense;
hard boiled, business minded contemplating much spoke, “I take it you are
proposing a manned—“

“Staffed, women will be going too.” 
Leanne corrected.  “I’m in.”

“My apologies, Leanne and to all.  I take
it you are proposing a staffed expedition to Mars.”

“Yes.”

Sunny asked, “And how long do you propose
it will take?”

“Four years to prepare.  Six months to
eighteen months in transit time there and back and a year in exploration.

Kevin Fay contemplated, “Seven to eight
years total.”

“Yes.  Approximately.”

George no doubt weighing the soundness of
this investment asked, “Only four years?”

“Approximately, possibly more.  The
technology already exist.  We just need to marry it and enhance it.”  He
thought for a moment and then said, “I’m in.”

George surprised me.  His decisions
usually ran to the immediate and practical, not to the highly speculative.

Leday said, “That’s a long time for money
to be tied up doing nothing.”

Kevin grinned with great knowledge.  He’d
already figured out where I would no doubt take us and with his own spin on it,
knew the possibilities and probabilities.  “It’s not doing nothing.  It’s
appreciating out of control.”

George concurred, “If we structure this
right, we make money from day one and every day.”

And Leanne added, “And keep making money
whether we make it to Mars or not.”

“We will make it to Mars.”  I sat down
and let The Group discuss their implications of my plan.

Allan Matsumura spoke, “There’s not a
single piece of technology in this room—“

“Or this world that is untouched by the
Space Programs.”  Camilla interjected.

Kevin finished a note.  “We’ll make a
fortune licensing new technology developed for our program.”

Excited Sunny turned to me, “Stephen,
give us more.”

“That’s all I have for now.  There’ll be
much more.  This is a highly risky and speculative venture.  I mentioned it
today because I intend to make it happen.”

Gardner supported me as always,
“Everything we do is risky and speculative.  But if we use the same strategies
we’ve always used, OPM, Other People’s Money, we can do this.”

I glanced around the room and spoke,
“Judging from the looks of disbelief I’m getting from most of you, I don’t
anticipate this is something that all of you will be interested in.  I am
committed to this.  Accordingly, I am tendering my resignation as the Chairman
of The Board and Chief Executive Officer, but not as a member.  If you’re
interested in the venture, please let me know at your leisure.”

In a remarkably brief time, later in the
busy
CNN
news center, a newscaster sat before millions.

Today billionaire wall street Tycoon, Stephen
Young, announced the formation of Young Stellar Resources, YSR.”

For the audience, news conference video
rolled of me hosting a gala event at the New York City Observatory, as
beautifully clad men and women wined and dined around and throughout the
monument.

I spoke to the people of the world via
the cameras of the reporters.  “The world’s governments have done an excellent
job of laying the foundations for intra stellar flight, exploration and
colonization of our neighbors in the heavens.  It’s time for the corporate
citizens to do their part.”

A reporter asked, “Corporations are in
the business of making money.  How can they make money off of space when the
governments find space exploration unprofitable?”

“Money is the life’s blood of all of us,
humans, governments and corporations.  Typically, governments aren’t in the
business of making money.  They provide us, their citizens, with services so
that we can make money and in turn infuse governments.  Europe’s colonization
of the New World is an example.  A small investment by Spain enriched the
mercantilist of Europe.”

“At the expense of countless indigenous
people.” Another reporter commented.

“True.  But we aren’t planning anything
remotely linked to exo-genocide or any form for that matter.  To the best of
our knowledge, Mars and the moon are uninhabited.  We’re looking at
applications of zero gravity for the manufacture of medicines and materials. 
The capture of direct sunlight as an inexpensive, clean, and transmittable
energy source.  The discovery of new metals and alloys . . .

The video of me dissolved into the
CNN
Anchor.  “For Wall Street’s reaction we go to our business correspondent
Margarite Madrid.”

Margarite spoke to the audience via the
camera.  “Wall Street greeted the announcement of what is no doubt the most
awaited Initial Public Offering, IPO, ever with optimism and skepticism.  Some
market analysis hailed it as a “bold step for a man and an even bolder step for
mankind” while others have dubbed it “Stephen’s Folly”.  As for me, I think
there’s room in my 401K for an investment in our collective futures”

In the beyond elegant living room of my
condo, a testament of Selena’s design and taste, Selena, Gardner and I watched
the news broadcast end.  Then I picked up the remote and muted the television.

Gardner laughed, ““Stephen’s Folly”. 
“Folly” that’s what they said about Fulton and his steamboat.”

Selena glanced up from her PDA’s screen,
“It looks like we only have commitments from Argine Maroutian, Allan Matsumura,
Lupe Agoncillo, Greg Tomsho, Camilla, Leanne, George Carleton—“

“George surprised me.”  I was still
shocked.

And Gardner, “Me too.”

Selena continued with her list, “Kevin
Fay, Michael Hemmingson, Leday, Linda Singh, and Sunny Sahijwani also signed
on.”

“Eleven, thirteen including you two.  Way
more than I expected. Or needed.”

Gardner asked, “How many did you need?”

“Two.”

Selena’s eyes sparkled, “You don’t need
anyone.”

“I do need you two.  Because—“ I feigned
crying.  “Now, you’re making me all weepy eyed.”

We all laughed.

Gardner poured himself more wine.  “What
next?”

“We need to find someone to really run this
thing.”

Selena puzzled.  “You’re not?”

“I am and I will.  My product is a very
successful company.  Our company’s primary product is a very successful mission
to Mars and back.  And, I already have him.”

In Alexandria Virginia’s
Charthouse
restaurant, the head of
NASA
, Gerard Hillard, sat relaxing with a drink,
while glancing out the big bay windows at the full moon’s light, dancing across
the low, lazy waves on the Potomac River.

The voice of a flaming gay man intruded
upon his silence.  “I saw your cute self sitting over here and I just had to
come and meet you.”

Gerard flamed back, “Well girlfriend, you
just come over here and give me some lovin’.”

He and I embraced with a laugh.

Then in his normal voice he asked,
“Stephen, how have you been?”

“Good.  Good.  How are Gloria and the
girls?”

We sat.

“Good.  The girls are all teenagers now. 
Nowhere near their peak spending years, but still doing significant damage.”

I laughed, “So, how are you, you old
devil dog.”

“Cute of course.”

We laughed.

“Your old shuttle crew says hi and to
pass you their resumes.”

“They’re hired.  How does Gloria feel
about making a new home in—“

“I haven’t told her.”

“You’re not—“

“No.  I’m not.”

“How can you pass on this?  Mars.  It’s
an amazing opportunity.”

“I know it is.”

“Gerard, “Just think about it—“

“I have.  Way more than you can imagine. 
You’ve picked an incredibly impossible task.”

“I know.  But going to Mars is not
difficult.”

“Not difficult!  Stephen—”

“OK.  Not difficult in the grand scheme
of things.”

“Like creating the universe.”

Again, we laughed.

“True.  So.  Join me.”

“The U.S. Government is—“

“The government is behind me.”

“True.  And that’s not a good place.  You
should know that by now.  Always, keep the government in front of you, so you
can see what it’s doing.  Because behind you, there’s elements of it that are
going to pull down your pants and undies, bend you over, and not even bother to
lube up.”

I laughed.  “I’m not worried.”

“While you and the “Billionaire Boys &
Girls Club” were just content to amass a fortune The Government was content to
let you.  This is different.”

“How?  They’re embarrassed.”

“And maaaaaaad.  Granted not everyone. 
Ninety Nine point ninety nine percent of the people at NASA will join you in a
heartbeat.  It’s that point zero one that’s a problem.”

“It always is.  The “Billionaire Boys
& Girls Club” did not amass a fortune by not being ruthless or more when
forced to be.”

“You have a whole group of people who
through your actions had their lives’ works invalidated, by essentially calling
them lazy, short sighted people who lack vision and initiative.”

“The truth will set them free.  It should
have a long time ago.  Some of those people should be selling hot dogs from a
cart, not managing multi billion dollar space programs.”

“Now, they’re enkindled and redirected
their initiative.  And you my friend are their target.”

“I’m ready.  I was ready for them and a
whole lot of other people waaaaaaayyy before I opened my mouth.”

“Really?  Because when they come—“

“Which side are you on?”

“The next scheduled human moon landing is
in 2025?  Or should I say first.”

“What?!  First?  What do you mean?”

“I came to NASA to put people in space,
to colonize worlds, I’ve never known.  What side do you think I’m on?  And then
there’s you and I.  Sweetness.”

“Thank you.”

“It’s just after they’ve left your dream
in shatters, I would still like to have mine.”

I grinned.  “It’s not going to happen.”

“I would like to hope not.  However, I do
know someone who’d be interested in the position and exceptional.”

I walked into the offices of Tatyana
Fedorova, a woman of unimaginable intelligence, beauty, command, style and
grace, the head of the
RSA
, the
Russian Space Agency
and by far
the youngest to ever hold that post.

For a moment, I was stunned by how
attractive she was.  She, knowing it, began calculating her moves.  I noticed
she was strategizing and my eyes gleamed in response to the challenge.  Flashing
a becoming smile, I signaled the game was on and she accepted.

In a heavy Russian accent she said,
“Mister Young.  To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?”

“Since you’ve refused my offer, I am here
to make it in person.”

“Mister Young—“

“Stephen.”

“Stephen.  You know how difficult spurned
women can be.”

I laughed, “I know how difficult all
women can be.”

Tatyana laughed and gave me a sensual
smile.  “I should throw you out my office for that.”

“But you won’t.”

“But the day is still young, Mr. Young.”

“Yes.  You were not my second choice.  It
was more like a tie for first.  When you have two exceptional opportunities,
but can only choose one.”