What's In A Name

Posted on Thu Aug 27th, 2020 @ 7:19pm by Lieutenant Commander Cor Cordale & Commander Temperance Zachary
Edited on on Fri Aug 28th, 2020 @ 6:41am

Mission: Episode 04: "Tempest"
Timeline: Day 1 at 0000

As she walked out of the briefing room, Temperance hurried to fall into step next to Cordale, walking for a few moments in silence before she cast a glance at him. "Got a minute?" she asked quietly.

"Always, boss. What's on your mind?" the Thux asked, slowing to allow her to catch his pace.

"You okay? You seemed a little... distant in the meeting." There was a hint of genuine concern in Temperance's voice as she continued walking beside him. "Something bothered you?"

He took a breath, "I gots some personal history with the Ferengi. Use to work for them as a miner in a latinum mine." he paused, "Except, you know, I didn't get paid as a miner. Just enough to claim they were paying us, know-what-I-mean?" he offered. "That's where I grew up. Met my two brothers, really." he living hand idly scratched at the forearm plate of his prosthetic.

"Yeah, it's where I got this. It's where I got a lot. It's... It's where my brothers were taken from me. Where I bought my freedom." he paused again to shake his head. Pesky space dust. Couldn't even see it in his fur, though. "I got a lotta history with the Ferengi, ma'am, but if you need me there, I... I'll put it all on hold." he took a breath, held it for a slow count, then let it go gently. "Or I'll damn well try."

"The last thing I want is to put you, or any member of this crew, in a situation that they are uncomfortable or forced to do things that they don't want to do," Temperance said gently. "If we do encounter the Ferengi, I'll do whatever I can to make sure you're not involved, at least not directly involved." She paused momentarily. "We all carry ghosts from our past, just don't let them consume you," she finished with a smile.

He shivered a bit at the mention of ghosts. Seems his haunted him still. "I appreciate that. Don't wanna be no trouble, though. Just keep me busy on the 'Go Faster' drive, or keep us rooted to the floor with the boson plates." he chuckled. "Ahh, good memory that one." he paused again, choosing his next words carefully.

"I think you'd have liked them, if you could meet them. Sil and Cal. Sil was the planner. Clever. Damn clever. Cal... he was a goof ball, but if you asked him to dig to the center of the Earth, he'd start digging barehanded before you came back with the shovel. Had this patch of blue fur around his eye. We called him Patch, but not in earshot of the Ferengi. They charged a nickname tax. So we'd call him over, right.." Cordale was already chuckling. "We'd call him over and say Hey Cal, could you move that rock to the left? He'd do it, and we'd all bust out laughing. Thanks for the patch job."

Cordale let out a good hearty laugh. A belly laugh, to be told.

Temperance laughed at the quip, unable to help herself. "That is, quite possibly, one of the worst jokes I have ever heard," she laughed. "Yet it's funny, in a truly awful way." She shook her head. "Patch job..." She paused for a moment, lapsing into silence. "The Ferengi named you all? Do the names mean anything in particular?"

Cor fished out his dog tag. It was around a collar around his neck, but that collar was one he chose. Not the one he was given. The metal plate was hexagonal in design, and had Ferengi script on it. Such an odd language to look at.

"Cor Cor Dalle. One One Five." he said simply. His name was just a number. One in a series. He gave Sil and Cal's full names, and then their numbers. All they were at the mine were numbers. Property. Maybe even worse.

Definitely worse.

"How come you never changed your name?" she asked quietly after a long moment of contemplation. "Most people would have changed their name as soon as they were freed."

"Because if I'm one one five, that means there's at least one one four Thux that no one ever gets to meet. Never gets to know." he commented softly, "Because if I change my name, start a new chapter, start a new life, it lessens what happened in those mines. It makes it seem like it was somebody else."

"And besides.... do I look like a Steve?" he asked, now with a smirk.

"No... definitely not... maybe a Marvin or an Alfred," her voice was light with laughter as she teased. "Or maybe Herman?"

He gave a snicker, sounding like a certain cartoon dog from ages past. "All fine names, but none of them fit. That's why I keep the arm, too. Can't tell you how many doctors say I should upgrade to a more modern unit but..." he paused. "But... they gave to this to me. Sil. Cal. We blew a lot of our savings to get this."

"So yeah, they're my ghosts."

"They're your brothers, they'll always be with you." Temperance smiled warmly. "It's just the Ferengi we need to keep away."

He gave a nod, and a smile. No teeth, though. One of his previous counselors told him that showing teeth around humans might unnerve them. Still though, it was an honest smile. "Thanks. I appreciate you boss."

"Call me Temperance," she said with a smile. "I'm going to head back up to the bridge. Take it easy Lieutenant." She rested a hand lightly on his arm momentarily before she broke away at the junction and started toward the turbolift, offering a wave over her shoulder.

He returned the wave with a nod, and a wave of his own. Once she was out of earshot, he gave a chuckle. "Call me Herman." and then he laughed. What a ridiculous name.