the planet. Actually, it's more like a
band than a shell.
ALEC
Like a planetary ring?
JEREMY
Kind of like a ring, but it's really wide
and really dark, and it orbits less than
a hundred miles above the surface.
ALEC
What about the atmosphere?
JEREMY
Probes have confirmed a nitrogen-oxygen
atmosphere, but the band blocks out a lot
of sunlight. Venus is actually colder
than Mars these days.
ALEC
Who funded this massive undertaking?
JEREMY
Cecil Millikan.
ALEC
Cecil Edward Millikan? The President of
Microcore?
JEREMY
One in the same. But he's been gone for
many years. Microcore actually belongs to
me now.
ALEC
Yeah, right. Microcore is worth billions.
JEREMY
Trillions, actually.
ALEC
So you're a trillionaire because of my
crystal?
JEREMY
Actually, you're the trillionaire now.
I'm giving it all to you.
ALEC
You're not kidding, are you?
JEREMY
It was the crystal that got me in so it's
only fair that you inherit the wealth.
ALEC
I'm speechless.
JEREMY
Besides, you're the new messiah to about
a billion people worldwide.
ALEC
Say what?
JEREMY
There's this little thing called The Book
of Alec. You'll see it soon enough so I
won't bore you with the details.
ALEC
I can't wait.
JEREMY
I hope you won't hold a grudge against me
for stealing the crystal.
ALEC
I wasn't even a part of the last eighty
six years so it didn't matter to me one
way or another. Besides, if you really
have Microcore to give me, I'm glad you
did it.
JEREMY
Steve thought the world of you, Alec.
When I betrayed you, I betrayed him. I'm
just glad that I have some way to repay
you.
ALEC
I don't mean to sound ungrateful but I
don't know anything about running a space
agency.
JEREMY
