Chapter 10: Conclusion of the Negotiation
Musk did not react with the furious embarrassment that Ron had imagined; rather, his eyes glimmered with increasing interest.
"Then I guess you must have something you think is worth trading. Why don't you show me your chips? I mean the contents of your briefcase. Perhaps I can give it a valuation?"
Ron, no longer keeping his cards close to his chest, placed a children's notebook from his briefcase on Musk's desk.
"Although this notebook looks a bit worn, I believe the contents will astonish you. I think it's reasonable to exchange it for shares in your company."
To think that a mere notebook could be exchanged for shares in his company, and a children's notebook at that! Musk almost wanted to let out an expletive.
However, with his composure, he picked up the notebook and flipped through it casually, only to find himself unable to look away.
Ron remained calm, patiently waiting.
This notebook had been used by Sheldon when he was nine years old. That year, he had posed a question: "If the space industry is so costly, why not reuse rockets?"
The NASA spokesperson had merely tried to placate him with a sticker, but an infuriated Sheldon had spent a month sleeplessly calculating and ultimately completed all the calculations for a rocket's launch and recovery.
In other words, this notebook contained a fully feasible plan for a reusable rocket! It was the very concept that Ron had seen before in SpaceX's Falcon 9, which Musk at the moment couldn't fathom, but he was nonetheless intrigued by the bold genius behind it.
As for the ownership of the notebook… It had originally been left at NASA when Old George took his family there, but Ron had been clever enough to go back and retrieve it.
He had even managed to negotiate for the complete ownership of the notebook in exchange for resolving a problem Sheldon had encountered.
Thus, Ron could confidently assert that the notebook now completely belonged to him!
"Tell me, young man, whose genius idea is this? It's simply brilliant! If we were to design the rockets according to this concept, the launch costs would plummet to an incredible level!" Musk exclaimed.
"The identity of the creator isn't important; the key issue is that it entirely belongs to me. So, Mr. Musk, how much do you think it's worth in shares?" Ron asked nonchalantly, as if he were merely inquiring about lunch, though inside he was bursting with excitement.
What a joke! These were shares in a space exploration company, which by 2020 would be valued at $40 billion. Even if Ron did nothing afterward, just selling the shares at the right moment could earn him enough money for a lifetime.
Thank you, Sheldon!
However, Musk did not rush to make an offer. Instead, he closed the notebook and pushed it back toward Ron.
"I admit this is a brilliant idea, but who told you I want to buy it? You may not know, but I have many scientists working for me.
This idea itself isn't particularly difficult; it won't be long before I can replicate it."
As a capitalist, his priority was maximizing profit. Since he already knew the idea, why pay for something he could easily copy?
This reasoning was indeed powerful.
Yet Ron showed no signs of panic; instead, he countered, "Your point is valid, but I would like to ask you a question."
Musk gestured for him to continue.
"You see, what I'm offering you is a thoroughly calculated plan. Perhaps you can copy my idea, but completing all the technical calculations will likely take you quite a bit of time, won't it?"
"That's right; it will probably take about one to two months. But I can wait," Musk replied confidently, still unwilling to compromise.
Ron continued, "That's true, but I think if I sell it to Mr. Bezos, he might save that one to two months. What do you think?"
With that, Ron placed the notebook back into his briefcase but didn't rush to leave. Instead, he sat back, enjoying the coffee brought by Musk's attractive secretary while casually toying with Musk's cigar.
There were, of course, other companies in the U.S. involved in space exploration, and in fact, Blue Origin, which focused on space exploration, was founded even earlier than Musk's SpaceX.
That company belongs to Jeff Bezos, the president of Amazon, and both companies are currently competing for NASA's launch contracts over the next decade.
This is a lucrative deal! At the moment, Musk is at a disadvantage.
Musk's expression was fluctuating, caught off guard by Ron's unexpected maneuver, lost in thought and silent, while Ron found himself growing a bit bored.
In this frustrating era without smartphones, he couldn't even play a mobile game to pass the time.
Why do the protagonists in other time-travel novels adapt to their new environments so quickly? God knows how long it took him to adjust to a life without a smartphone! Fortunately, next year Apple will release the first iPhone, ushering in the era of smart devices, and the following year, the first Android phone will debut, leading to a two-horse race in the mobile market. His current Nokia will soon fade into obscurity.
With that in mind, Ron became less fixated on Musk's shares in SpaceX and Tesla. If he could negotiate for a portion of the shares along with some cash, he would be satisfied.
Maybe purchasing some stocks in Apple and Google could also yield significant profits down the line?
"Alright, you win. How many shares do you want?" After a long pause, Musk finally replied, "I still need to maintain control of the company, so if you're open to accepting some cash, I would greatly appreciate it."
"Of course, Elon, may I call you that?" Ron said, rising with a sense of triumph. Musk shrugged at his new nickname, acknowledging it with a nod. "Additionally, although I don't know how long it will take, can we expedite our transaction?
If we can move faster, I would be willing to accept a larger sum of cash."
In that fleeting moment, he contemplated agreeing to a deal now and dragging it out while secretly seeking help from scientists to finalize the plan before Ron and Bezos could finalize their transaction.
Ron blinked, and Musk offered a wry smile, realizing his scheme had been seen through. Indeed, anyone capable of being a spy is no fool.
"At first, Tuohy told me that you were the most outstanding young person he had ever met, and I was somewhat skeptical. Now, I believe it."
Ron smiled back. "Not only Mr. Tuohy, but Mr. Buffett has said the same. Trust me, Elon, you've made a wise decision."