Well. [A little smile.] Diplomatic, maybe, but I am capable of telling that you're being very kind.

[And because of that, he listens to this too and takes it into account. Not an 'us' vs 'them,' necessarily, but a much larger and more complex cluster. Sounds a little like home, actually, and he finds himself nodding along.]

The admiral sounds to me like a bit of a drinker.

[He doesn't mean to change the topic, or make light. He's just in no position to reciprocate just yet.]