*grin* I actually thought of that when I realized I should do this scene, and reread the first part of Pride of Chanur for ideas on getting past the language barrier. These poor displaced critters are even more lost than Tully, though--they are a non-spacefaring species abducted from their own planet. Fortunately at this point they're in a much more stable position.

It's just, you know, nowhere near home ...