They sat on the floor and stared at the jellylike block. After ten minutes, Hellman yawned, leaned back and closed his eyes.
"All right, coward," Casker said bitterly. "I'll try it. Just remember, though, if I'm poisoned, you'll never get off this planet. You don't know how to pilot."
"Just take a little bite, then," Hellman advised.
Casker leaned over and stared at the block. Then he prodded it with his thumb.
The rubbery red block giggled.
"Did you hear that?" Casker yelped, leaping back.
"I didn't hear anything," Hellman said, his hands shaking. "Go ahead."
Casker prodded the block again. It giggled louder, this time with a disgusting little simper.
"Okay," Casker said, "what do we try next?"
"Next? What's wrong with this?"