[There is such a stretch of silence. His every trained instinct is saying to give her a mocking answer because she can't use that against him, but there is a teeny, tiny mental voice asking what if she's being sincere in wanting to know? She almost definitely doesn't want to hear it, almost definitely will wield it to hurt him later. It's what nearly everyone has done.

But they've been able to do it because he keeps taking the risk in case someone in the crowd legitimately gives a damn about more than their own experience and survival.

When Anders speaks, his voice is tight and his words are slow and measured. He is no fancy speechmaker, and he wants to make sure his meaning comes across.]

To make sure the world changes so that something that horrific never happens again. That no one ever again sees hundreds of their people signed away for the slaughter and also sees no other way to give them even a chance to fight back except by going too far.

My goal is equality, and my goal is peace. Mock its scope if you will; I have no illusions about accomplishing it single-handedly. Mock the whole concept altogether if you will. I have enough people aligned with those goals that you'll not shake me.

[Okay. Maybe there's a little lie in there. If someone with her seeming sway mocks this, he will be a little shaken. But he'll also go on. There is no other choice.]