“I have come as a peace emissary,” I sez, “in an effort to reach an equitable settlement of our differences.”
The Deveel simply makes a rude noise at this, which I magnanimously ignore as I continue.
“I would suggest you meet our offer with equal enthusiasm for peace … seein’ as how continued hostilities between us will doubtless result in my colleagues and me trashin’ this fine establishment of yours …”
“What? My place?” the proprietor blinks, his mouth continuin’ to open and close like a fish out of water.
“… As well as spreadin’ the word about your bein’ a Deveel to the authorities you was so ungraciously threatenin’ us with . , . and anyone else in this town who will listen. Know what I mean?”
Now, I have this joker cold, and we both know it. Still he rallies back like a punch-drunk boxing champ on the downslide, fightin’ more from guts and habit than from any hope of winnin’.
“You can’t do that!” he sez, gettin’ his mouth workin’ well enough to at least sputter. “If you turn me in as a demon, then I’ll incriminate you, too! We’ll all end up getting killed, or at least run out of town.”
“There is one major difference in our circumstantials which you are overlookin’,” I sez, grinnin’ at him. “While I will admit that my cousin and me have done some dimension travelin’, this particular dimension of Klah happens to be our home territory. The appearances you see are legit and not disguises, so any attempt to accuse us of bein’ from off-dimension would be difficult to prove, as we are not. On the other hand, you, bereft of disguise, would encounter extreme difficulty in convincin’ a jury or lynch mob that you was from around here.”