"Have a cigar," Dan called out, and pushed the package across the table.
"What's the drill now?" Gino asked, biting off the end and looking for a match.
"Another conference, big brass, lots of turmoil. We'll go in in a moment as soon as some of the shouting dies down. There is a theory now as to what happened, but not much agreement on it even though Einstein himself dreamed it up...."
"Einstein! But he's dead...."
"Not now he isn't, I've seen him. A grand old gent of over ninety, as fragile as a stick but still going strong. He ... say, wait—isn't that a news broadcast?"
They listened to the speaker that one of the MP's had turned up.
"... in spite of fierce fighting the city of San Antonio is now in enemy hands. Up to an hour ago there were still reports from the surrounded Alamo where units of the 5th Cavalry have refused to surrender, and all America has been following this second battle of the Alamo. History has repeated itself, tragically, because there now appears to be no hope that any survivors...."
"Will you gentlemen please follow me," a staff officer broke in, and the two astronauts went out after him. He knocked at a door and opened it for them. "If you please."
"I am very happy to meet you both," Albert Einstein said, and waved them to chairs.