"Well, I could stand a little cash."
"I'm sorry," he said, and did look pained. "We can't interfere in
business. We don't have any of your currency and we are forbidden to
duplicate or steal it."
He frowned and studied me. Suddenly his face brightened. He bawled
orders and several smaller Sybillians rushed forward and started
scampering all over me. One of them nipped a piece of flesh out of my
arm.
"Ouch!" I yelped, rubbing the spot. "What are you doing?"
"You humans are a proud race," Brknk explained. "I'll give you reason
to be prouder than the rest. We'll change your metabolism, your
endocrine balance, toughen your muscle fibers a thousandfold. We'll
make you the strongest man on Earth!"
"Look," I said, "I don't want to be the strongest man on Earth."
"Well, how about the world's champion boxer? We can speed up your
reflexes at least ten times."
I shook my head. "I don't want that, either. Sounds too much like
work. Besides, I never liked getting into fights."
Brknk scowled, called a huddle. They buzzed at each other, their tails
vibrating like mad. One of them finally yipped and everybody spun
around.