Yasmin speaks Pelevah and Anglic. Dagny speaks Eylan and a little pidgin Anglic. Roan Tom speaks Eylan and Anglic. Nikeans speak Anglic but with some crucial changed meanings.
In Tom's absence, Dagny, using single words, signs and sketches, slowly tells Yasmin that:
"'We've nothing to go on but hope.'" (p. 489)
This makes for a comparison with a recent discussion of virtues. See Diana's Faith And Hope. As against the traditional virtues of faith, hope and charity, Dagny proposes a different list: hope, courage, wits and endurance. But these are necessary specifically for survival. In their circumstances as fugitives on Nike, Dagny has no need to discuss any more civilized virtues. Civilization is being rebuilt but not in the space of a single short story. The barbarism of Dagny's home planet, Kraken, is shown when she says:
"'We may or may not be able to get Tom back unhurt. I vow the gods a hundred Blue Giant sea beasts if we do!'" (ibid.)
- a conceptual link back to some of Poul Anderson's historical fiction.
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