Tom watched. Years he had spent preparing for a life that he would never lead. A life on a different planet with aliens that spoke a foreign tongue. One could always find a way to communicate. Observation was key. He tried to connect mumbled words and gestured with meanings. And then, when the alien grabbed his daughter's arm, he was ready to jump. Grab the stool from the stall they were standing next to and bash its head in. It was a primal fear that had only griped his soul a few times in his life.
But it had occurred for nothing. One look at the gems and he could confirm Sookie's hypothesis. "Yeah, I've seen people pay with that." He glanced back at the aliens and gave a nod. He remembered something he had seen. He raised his hand to his chest and tapped his shirt with it twice. Merchants had done this after being handed their pay. He could only hope it meant 'thank you'. The alien showed something he could only interpret as a smile and returned the gesture. "Yeah, okay, let's go."