The difference generally would be in what Alys and Aral mean by 'handling' it. Though they've worked together long enough that their motives and endpoints tend to overlap often enough. Many times it happened without Aral particularly meaning to.

There had been the thought that Ivan was trying to explode his career. Aral had already checked to be sure there wasn't any particularly terrifying promotions coming Ivan's way almost the moment Alys left his office. There was the fact that Gregor was particularly happy with him... but that was hardly enough to bring out the rocket fuel and the plasma arc.

And there was that new information that Lord Dono- he still had a bit of a hitch, thinking about that, despite his wife's gentle corrections... and the occasional not so gentle one - had arranged it.

Frankly, Byerly's career was in quite a bit more danger, if it wasn't played right.

"You might," Aral advised, quite seriously. "Talk about it, that is."