"I'm not going to disagree with you about that, Mr. Hoffman," Gabriel informs him. "Your team was the one in the field, and it was your judgement call to make."

He offers a cordial, half-wry smile, adding,

"I'd much rather know of the conversation itself, even without its content, than have your people discovered through getting too close."

A pause.

"I trust that Ensign Chao wasn't being watched?"