“Not a chance,” Dan snapped.

With a careless shrug, Humphries said, “That’s not important. I came here to talk to you about the current situation.”

Dan waved toward the window. “You mean the greenhouse cliff?”

“I mean the way we can help the global economy to recover from the staggering losses it’s sustained — and make ourselves a potful of profits while we’re doing it.” Dan felt his brows hike up. He reached for one of the delicate little pastries, then decided to pour himself a cup of coffee first. Dan’s firm, Aslio Manufacturing Inc., was close to bankruptcy and the whole financial community knew it. “I could use a potful of profits,” he said carefully.

Humphries smiled, but Dan saw no warmth in it.

“What do you have in mind?” he asked.

“The Earth is in chaos because of this sudden climate shift,” said Humphries.

“The greenhouse cliff, yes,” Dan agreed.

“Selene and the other lunar communities are doing rather well, though.”

Dan nodded. “On the Moon there’s no shortage of energy or raw materials.

They’ve got everything they need. They’re pretty much self-sufficient now.”

“They could be helping the Earth,” said Humphries.” Building solar power satellites. Sending raw materials to Earth. Even manufacturing products that people down here need but can’t get because their own factories have been destroyed.”

“We’ve tried to do that,” Dan said. “We’re trying it now. It’s not enough.” Humphries nodded. “That’s because you’ve been limiting yourself to the resources you can obtain from the Moon.”

“And the NEAs,” Dan added.

“The Near-Earth asteroids, yes.” Humphries nodded as if he’d expected that response.

“So what are you suggesting?”

Humphries glanced over his shoulder, as if afraid that someone might be eavesdropping. “The Belt,” he said, almost in a whisper. Dan looked at Humphries for a long, silent moment. Then he leaned his head back and laughed, long and loud and bitterly.