 How would Casey describe most of the scorpions he saw?
Sure, the crystals are deadly, but I was smuggling them legitimately, in a manner of speaking, for this doctor to experiment with. How could any—" The senior judge rapped ferociously, and I skidded to a halt. Those inhabitants were charming, just charming if you like scorpions. Well, a cross between a scorpion and a grasshopper, to be accurate. Big as hen's eggs, an even dozen of 'em; and flawless, I'm a-shoutin', not a flaw!" Those emeralds were in the inner shrine of the super-sacred, super-secret temple of the cavern-dwelling tribe of Killicuts on Mars—the real aborigines.
 terrifying yet peaceful
 intelligent and fierce  huge and curious  ugly yet caring  terrifying yet peaceful