[he has no trouble understanding what he's saying--he's gotten a lot of practice reading much faster and lazier signs over the years. so it's not the words that take him a while to process, it's the situation.
he... hrm, he'd really been hoping he could just get away with it. he'd showed up with a blunt idea that whatever the engineers are doing is not nearly as important as the potential for scientific discovery. they can find another way to do... whatever they're doing.
but... this small, harmless-looking person does have a point. zhas is not a complete jerk. he is starting to feel kind of bad. so after a few moments of setting his jaw and thinking about whether or not it's actually worth it to just keep walking away, he gives up. a trade is fine. seems too reasonable to ignore. maybe he can find something better, anyway.
so he takes the tool up in his hand again, holds it out with only a short nod.
no subject
he... hrm, he'd really been hoping he could just get away with it. he'd showed up with a blunt idea that whatever the engineers are doing is not nearly as important as the potential for scientific discovery. they can find another way to do... whatever they're doing.
but... this small, harmless-looking person does have a point. zhas is not a complete jerk. he is starting to feel kind of bad. so after a few moments of setting his jaw and thinking about whether or not it's actually worth it to just keep walking away, he gives up. a trade is fine. seems too reasonable to ignore. maybe he can find something better, anyway.
so he takes the tool up in his hand again, holds it out with only a short nod.
he can have his thing back. that's fair.]