"My, aren't we dutiful." An observation, and definitely not one in a derogatory fashion. He could understand the obligations of duty and the sacrifices that come with it, and he could also understand what decisions it could force those in charge to make.

"Others may assume that we would have an advantage given our abundance of memories, but it does make the decision more difficult, doesn't it?" 'We' being those who have walked the world longer than others. "Time only makes those memories more precious."