"It's as you prefer," seems to be honest, for all he does have a meet in an office vibe. "As you say, Ellie didn't use it much, so I usually found her up here. But with the damage it's sustained, if you find it temporarily more useful to meet elsewhere, I'm at your disposal."

He pauses, then feels compelled to clarify: "I generally see my role as ... I'm less supervising those of you who report to me than I'm gathering a summary I can take to the Division heads. Yes, sometimes resources are going to be a zero sum game, that's unavoidable. But the main reason I want to meet with you is to see what you need, not to lean over your shoulder while you make decisions. I certainly don't know more than you about the griffons, for what it's worth." He's been on them, but as a passenger only, and he hardly think that qualifies him.