"Yes. You will listen -- because it's not the knowing of something that is important. But it's the hearing of it. And the telling of it. And the discourse which follows. Discourse has never been a strength of ours."

Only she said it in a way that sounded as though it was less a strength of his, but she'd included herself in the criticism for fairness's sake. Or because she dreaded alienating him. Or because she was still a Liaison and didn't know how not to speak diplomatically. Carol kept step with him and tried not to glance back at the small line which they were skipping entirely.