"No, nor do I know Roman." This would be the exact moment that Doul first decides that he might well hate the Nexus and all its damn oddities of time and space. He's used to having an air of tragedy around him, but this is something new and painfully unpleasant.

He watches her go before awkwardly sitting back down. Now what? At the best of times he's not very good with people and their real emotions, and this is no exception.