Rad leaned close to Marty and whispered, “Oh, I wish.”

He grinned and said, “I do have practice…”

“All right, enough with the jokes,” the comedian said. “I’ve got somewhere else I’ve gotta be, and it’s probably past most of your bedtimes. So without further ado, put your hands together for one of the most influential scientists of our time—The Merdoc, The Merminator, the one and only, Dr. Martin Murdoch!”

Marty stood to raucous applause and uplifting music playing over the loudspeakers. He kissed Rad on the lips, kissed Elsa on the cheek, high-fived his children, then ascended the steps to the stage to address his peers.