Reality Echo by James Axler Page B

her infallible memory, then why would she be able to pick up such alterations and similarities now?
    “Because you’re being thorough,” Brigid whispered to herself.
    “Thorough about what?” a familiar voice asked. A scientist from the Manitius base stood by the table that Kane had selected. Daryl Morganstern gave a small wave to her. “Hi, Brigid. I wasn’t expecting you guys back so soon.”
    Brigid’s cheeks burned. “Well, you can see Kane took a knock to the head, so we’re letting him recuperate before we go running back into the field.”
    Morganstern nodded.
    “I know that he’s from the moon base, but I for one can’t place this guy,” Kane said.
    Brigid sighed. “That’s because I hadn’t introduced you two yet.”
    “Introduced us?” Kane asked.
    Morganstern shrugged. “Well…we’re sort of dating.”
    Kane shot a glance toward Brigid. “Dating?”
    Brigid set down the coffee cups. “Have a seat, Daryl.”
    “Thanks,” Morganstern replied. He sat next to Brigid but turned his chair to avoid eye contact with Kane. He’d lowered his head, hunching his shoulders in a turtlelike defensive posture.
    “Straighten up, Daryl. I’m not going to bite your head off,” Kane said. “Dating?”
    Brigid rolled her eyes. “Listen, I’m not sure if you can remember past that head trauma, but just because you seem to have been happy to learn from Sindri that we’re married in some alternate future, I’m not buying it.”
    Kane took his cup of coffee and took a sip. “We undid that timeline, didn’t we?”
    Brigid nodded. “And aren’t you the one who’s always fighting fate?”
    Kane lifted a hand to hold off Brigid. “Hang on, Baptiste. I’m not complaining. I just didn’t realize that you’d found someone worth dating from Manitius.”
    Brigid didn’t have to look back at Morganstern, who had put a hand up to his eyes to hide his wince. The lunar scientist was a theoretical mathematician and part of a new team that Lakesh had assembled to rework the quantum equations to further enhance and refine the interphaser and mat-trans system. He was also another person who had been gifted with a near perfect memory, and while Brigid was helping out with Lakesh’s interphaser program, they had started talking. Physically, Morganstern was average, and his eyes and hair were a plain brown, though he had a sweet smile and dimples. Still, the pair had developed a rapport.
    “There are quite a few nice people who came down to Cerberus,” Brigid stated. “Plus, he’s been a great chess opponent.”
    “I’ve played chess with you,” Kane said, sounding almost hurt.
    “We don’t need the board,” Morganstern said, voice low and brittle. He looked at Brigid. “Oh. I have you in check on board two.”
    Brigid nodded. “Game five, though, I’ll mate in six moves.”
    Morganstern winced. “I was hoping you hadn’t taken queen’s pawn into that equation….”
    Kane gave a low whistle. “Okay, maybe I haven’t played chess with you that well. How many games do you have going?”
    “We’ve tied and drawn so many times, we’ve expanded it to seven concurrent games,” Morganstern admitted.
    “And how many moves until mate?” Kane asked.
    Brigid glared at Kane. “Excuse me?”
    Morganstern flinched at the flare of anger on Brigid’s part. “I don’t—”
    “Oh, I know what he meant,” Brigid replied.
    “You bust my chops over little blue-eyed Indian babies,” Kane said.
    “That doesn’t mean you can be a prick and put poor Daryl on the spot,” Brigid said.
    Morganstern swallowed. “I think I’ll go get myself a soft drink.”
    “I’m not letting Kane drive you off,” Brigid said. She narrowed her gaze at the man as he took another sip of coffee. “That’s why I didn’t introduce you—because I knew you’d be a pig.”
    “Really, Brigid. I’m just thirsty,” Morganstern said, his voice rising an octave with obvious nervousness. “I’ll be right back.”
    Brigid