Page 5

PANEL @12
The two kids, facing us, look straight at us, incredulous. Rob's face is heated, consistent with the second "Rob" dialogue snippet below.
ROB: Huh??? (recovers) Well, that was ol' Bounce. He—
ROB: But just a sec—what kind of stupid question is that???
PANEL @13
G.S., eagerly scribbles with his fountain pen, barely looking up.
G.S.: 'Bounce'...Hurrah! the final fact I needed for my thesis!
G.S.: I do thank you.
PANEL @14
They accost him from both sides.
ROB: Thesis? You're a...graduate student?
MANDY: (skeptical) A dog named 'Bounce' in a thesis? I don't buy it.
PANEL @15
The G.S. tucks notebook and pen away, about to leave. At the same time, he bends to give Mandy some consolation, confiding to her while Rob is in the background.
G.S.: Dear girl, I am the most chronic grad student. A proper thesis must be complete in every detail. And my thesis is about your friend there, who happens to be very important—or will be. Even here in the 26th century, scholars revere his—