[Ari's eyes widen. If she felt unprepared for this, as a recently-qualified spacer lieutenant, how much worse must it be when you're from a world that... well, it went beyond isolated old-frontier colony if he wasn't even familiar with space travel. This was practically first contact.]

Otherworldly is right, but there isn't anything to fear from them. These are starships, and when you're sailing between the stars, wood and canvas won't hold up. You need metal, and an engine to power them, although - look there! [She points towards a distant ship with resplendent solar sails, the light glinting brightly off them.] They can have sails. After a fashion.

[As eager as she is to introduce him to the wonder that is spacefaring society, she can hardly ignore that other claim of his.] You ride a dragon? As in, a giant flying lizard? [The words might be flippant, but Ari's curious, not dismissive.]