Mate in Two Moves

"Mate in Two Moves" by Winston K. Marks is a science fiction tale set in a future where a strange epidemic is causing a surge in romantic attachments across the population. At the heart of this story is Dr. Sylvester Murt, a pathologist, who finds himself caught between solving the mystery of this emotional outbreak and experiencing his own romantic feelings. The story follows Dr. Murt's journey as he and his assistant, Dr. Phyllis Sutton, investigate a virus causing people to fall in love, a virus ironically named "Murt's Virus." As they study the quickly spreading phenomenon, both scientists struggle with their professional objectivity and their blossoming affections for each other. The tension between them grows as societal pressures mount, eventually leading to a spontaneous marriage brought on by the virus's effects. The narrative highlights the real connection between the pair, while also displaying some of the complications of how that relationship started, concluding with a funny and poignant view of love and science in an extraordinary setting.