"So you are the one who's been causing us so much trouble," Doctor Peyman spoke in Galactic Standard. He tucked his tail up tightly against his right side, a Sata'anic gesture of respect.
"Why are you annexing this planet?"
"If I tell you, you know Shay'tan will put a bounty onto my head."
"If you don't tell us," Mikhail said, "the Chief of these good people will order them to flay you alive."
"Flay me?" Doctor Peyman said, his expression perplexed. "Why would they do that? Didn't I offer them vaccinations and knowledge of healing?"
"You brought them slavery," Mikhail said, "and force them to pay tribute to a distant god."
The lizard tasted the air with his long, forked tongue. He tilted his head, genuinely curious.
"And what of you, Angelic," Doctor Peyman said. "Your species is dy
