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[neverjoinyou]

Leave a message. I will hear you.

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[tetractys]

Bill looks at the hand. Okay. Okay. He's trying. Communicate. Bill takes his fingertips briefly in his teeny little muppet hand, then lets go.

"NO. I'M FRUSTRATED. I DID THIS AS RIGHT AS I KNEW HOW TO DO IT, AND IT DIDN'T MATTER. THEY JUST TOOK IT ALL APART. THEY JUST KILLED YOU, AND HURT FORD, AND ARE TRYING TO GET YOU DEMOTED. AND SOMEONE SHOULD BE MAD ABOUT IT, SO IT HAS TO BE ME."

[neverjoinyou]

Luke's hand drops, and he nods.

"Yeah," he agrees. "And that sucks. People aren't always going to understand. Sometimes it's because you're wrong, at least partly. Sometimes it's because they're not ready. Sometimes it's for a totally different reason. But what we have to do is try our best to figure it out. And do better next time."

What he's trying to say is, it does matter.

"Be mad," he says, though a voice whispers in his ear that anger is the path to the Dark Side, "but don't let it consume you. Don't let it guide your actions."

[tetractys]

Ugggh, that's good advice. Bill has made more mistakes when he's lost his temper ...

"WHAT'S... THE POINT OF EVEN TRYING IF PEOPLE AREN'T GOING TO CARE EITHER WAY?"

[neverjoinyou]

"How long have you been alive?" Luke asks dubiously. "It's not all or nothing. It's not your one chance to do something, good or bad. It's one try."

[tetractys]

"THEY DIDN'T CARE WHEN YOU TRIED, EITHER."

[neverjoinyou]

He frowns.

"I spent years fighting a rebellion," he says. "And I've spent a few years on this ship, convincing people you're worth it. And guess what?" He gestures up towards the Barge. "At least some of them agree with me, including the guy who decided I was worth bringing back. And you, too. So don't give me this 'nothing matters' crap. Don't make me have to argue that my dying actually meant something."

[tetractys]

"NO, NO. NO. I WON'T."

Bill's grip on his own wrist tightens, and he stares back at the ship like he's trying to bore a hole in it.

"YOU DESERVE BETTER. YOU DESERVE PEOPLE TO TREAT YOU BETTER, BUT THEY WON'T."

[neverjoinyou]

Luke looks back at Bill, his expression softening.

"I know," he says gently. "Doing what's right doesn't always make people like you. And that's okay. What matters to me is what you think."

[tetractys]

Bill half-turns.

"WHY ARE PEOPLE EVEN WORTH IT, TO YOU?"

[neverjoinyou]

Luke has never had to ask himself that. He wonders if he should have, or what it means that he hasn't. He's not sure he has a good enough answer for Bill.

"I guess," he says after a long moment, "because, if I'm worth it, I have to believe other people are. I'm no different from them."

[tetractys]

"YOU'RE DIFFERENT FROM THEM IN A LOT OF WAYS. HAVEN'T YOU HAD PEOPLE PICKING YOU OUT FROM THE CROWD YOUR WHOLE LIFE? NOT EVEN ALWAYS IN A GOOD WAY!"

Bill drums his fingers.

"I'M NOT GOING TO TALK YOU INTO THIS, I KNOW."

[neverjoinyou]

"That's not what I mean," Luke says, shaking his head. "Sure, I'm different. But I'm not better. I'm not worth more. Being different or better or worse at something doesn't change that equation. Because if it does, there's no place to stop. No balance you can possibly find, no math that makes sense."

He stops, expression softening.

"But... thank you. I think."