Malik's own English is sketchy at best, just barely enough to communicate with the rest of the crew. He remembers not knowing a word of it, and the first time he'd hesitantly responded to an order with 'aye-aye,' the second mate had roared with laughter and ruffled his hair.
He is not going to attempt to ruffle Jin Yoon's hair--somehow he thinks that would not go over well--but he does beam proudly at her. "Fucking brilliant!" he says. (He'd learned that one from Mr. Harlan. He gathers that it's a good thing, whatever it means.)