"Darcy, you were about to say something?" you say.
"No, I'm good," Darcy says.
"You know," you say. "if we locked away all pattern books, then Taylor wouldn't have learned about magic."
"Taylor's the exception, clearly. But you want people to be safe? Keep untutored people away from magic."
"Only the right people can be trusted with magic?" Taylor says.
"Isn't that obvious?" Darcy says.
"Who the 'right' people are isn't constructed in a fair or equitable way." Taylor twists the corner of his scarf. "It's funny how certain groups of people are never considered to be the 'right' people to be practitioners." Taylor doesn't say it like it's funny at all. "But as I said, we should work on the symposium."
Darcy's outburst didn't help her, and by the look she gives you, she realizes you baited her into it.
Next
"Then let's get to work," Darcy says, with only a trace of frustration. "What do you think the symposium should focus on, Taylor?" Before Taylor can speak, Darcy continues, "I think we should emphasize practical demonstrations."
"I'm flexible where the topics are concerned," Taylor says. He pulls a small notebook out of an olive drab canvas messenger bag.
"Will Repro present at the symposium?" you ask. "Show off their latest work?"
"Careful, Bomomsay Clestenrogo," Darcy says with a crooked smile. "You might spook Taylor off."
"Of course Repro will present," Taylor says. "Or, rather, Repro will submit talks. It's up to the committee to decide if they pass muster."
Like the committee would tell the major sponsor "no."
"What do you think the symposium should focus on?" Taylor asks you.