"Sometimes even discussing the hypothetical can upset someone," Adia replies in a soft tone. "Especially if such an experiment may not have been hypothetical at all for a certain group of people..."

Gods know that her own world's history is rife with examples. But maybe it's not the case with this man, or this is the first time he's coming across it. "Do you feel misunderstood?" she asks gently. "I know I would be, if I were in your shoes. I'm a microbiologist," she adds, so that he knows she's speaking from experience. "Was this a professional argument or, um... more personal than that?"