Funny. I read a lot of science fiction and fantasy, and the curseword didn't bother me because I assumed the Grand Voss wasn't speaking English. Considering this is the future and a Spanish Empire, I thought the likelihood of English surviving as it currently is was unlikely. When I read speculative fiction, I always assume the characters aren't speaking my language, I'm just reading it through a translator so I understand it. Therefore, the curseword he used would have been a curseword in his own langauge or spanish, but it was translated to one I understood.
And for storyline predictions, based on the comparison in reactions of the two races, I think we're about to embark on a mini-arc in which Fillipods try to get on the ship screaming variations of "Get us out of here!" while Tesskans try to stop them. Good thing Nosh is a very good hugger. That skill might be needed soon.
