That last part is along the lines of what Ford was expecting. He's seen what Bill does when he's free from limits; Ford needs no clarification there. And Bill's implied before that there are things he can't say on the Barge.
But the first?
"Real?" Ford repeats, in a tone that says I have no idea what you're talking about. "What do you mean, real?" Bill's real now. Frustratingly real, in fact. Ford hasn't wondered about whether Bill is real or not since the 80s. Please tell him this isn't about to be a "brilliant scientist with paranoid delusions was imagining the demon in his head all along" award-winning movie, Ford really, really doesn't want that to be the case. He values his sanity.
no subject
But the first?
"Real?" Ford repeats, in a tone that says I have no idea what you're talking about. "What do you mean, real?" Bill's real now. Frustratingly real, in fact. Ford hasn't wondered about whether Bill is real or not since the 80s. Please tell him this isn't about to be a "brilliant scientist with paranoid delusions was imagining the demon in his head all along" award-winning movie, Ford really, really doesn't want that to be the case. He values his sanity.