Names Matter

Posted on Sun Aug 30th, 2015 @ 11:38pm by Ensign Ian Bren & Ignatius Reilly

Mission: Further Challenges
Location: Sciences

“Ariadne,” Ian recorded the name, typing it carefully so that it would be spelled correctly on the spider’s terrarium. “The others?”

Gilroy, Darwin, Eric, Norval, Kh’ali, Patrick, Ricky, Sakkath and Li, Iggy said.

Ian paused and looked at her. “As their names, Igs?”

Yes. Those bipeds are important to me and I have heard that it is good to honor people by naming children after them. She was holding onto the top of the first terrarium, tapping the glass; the ‘child’ inside that cage was mimicking her.

“Um... that is true, but maybe... confusing? Maybe ‘Ricky’ could be... don’t you call the Admiral something else?”

Oh, yes, he is the Big Kahuna!

“Okay, how about calling one of them Kahuna? The Admiral will know that’s for him,” Ian reasoned.

I like that, Ian. Shall we name one Belly Worm for Norval? Iggy crawled down the row and tapped at the glass of tank five. The spider inside reared up, waving her front legs at Iggy.

“Belly... no! That’s not a good one.” He shook his head, but he was blanking on what would be a good one. “Let’s think on the others first and come back to Norval.”

Okay... instead of Gilroy, how about Aragog?

“Aragog?” Ian’s brow wrinkled.

Maybe that should be for Darwin, since he is the one that showed me the movie with Aragog in it. Large spider, lots of babies, big hairy guy was their friend. That was... oh, the friend was Hagrid. Iggy bounced, dislodging a terrarium lid. She crawled back to the first tank.

“Okay, Aragog, Kahuna, Ariadne. Just seven more names,” Ian looked over at her then spied the open terrarium - mostly because the spider in it was just crawling out. “Hey! Iggy, be careful with these! We can’t have them wandering the Station.” He picked up a soft-bristled paintbrush and encouraged the spiderling back into the terrarium then sealed the cover.

Sorry, she said and fell quiet for a moment. She wasn’t communicating with Ian, but she was communicating, slowly and silently, with her children.

After a few minutes, Ian turned from the computer and said, “Instead of Kh’ali, how about Ammit? Goddess of Judgment in ancient Egypt. That’s a place on Earth.”

That is good, Ian. I like it. Ammit. Dammit Ammit. Yes, it works! Iggy shuffled down to the tenth tank. This one will be Ammit.

“Okay,” he recorded that. “How about more god names? Ma’at, god of order and balance? Themis, goddess of law? Sakkath is our order and balance guy; Themis could be... Eric? We’re talking about Lt. Eric Edwards, Security, right?” He looked at Iggy.

Yes, yes. I just had a fantastic adventure with Eric! I got to scout out danger for him and he helped me rescue Chance! I swung from a window on webbing and - oh! that was amazing! She chuffed, a sound that qualified as laughter for her. After a moment, she paused and said, Or... should I wait and let them choose their own names?

“Did you get to choose yours?”

No. And Oralia thought I was male, hence the boy’s name.

“If you don’t like it, you can change it, you know.”

No, I have grown into this one, Ian.

“Okay. Oh! This is perfect for Li: Freya, goddess of beauty and sex and pleasure. And, for Norval, the god Bragi, a god of eloquence and poetry.” He waited for Iggy to weigh in on those.

Norval is rather well-spoken. Iggy was silent a bit longer. These are good as well, Ian.

“Aragog, Ariadne, Kahuna, Ammit, Freya, Bragi, Ma’at, Themis.”

And Patrick and Gilroy, Iggy finished the list. There are a number of Patricks on the Station and no one is confused by them.

“Um, okay...,” Ian had some misgivings, considering how his boss was about spiders then Iggy trumped his concern:

And it was Patrick’s crystal that brought all this about.

“Oh boy..., nothing to honor Oralia or Chance or Eli?”

They are family - the grandmother and uncles of these children. We all bear the same last name. Is that not honor enough? They didn’t - Eli had his own last name; Chance used Conradi, but Iggy’s point was: they were family; names didn’t matter amongst family.

Ian nodded. “I’m sure it is. Oralia was thrilled when she saw them a couple days ago. And her mother stopped by. She wasn’t quite as thrilled.” Honestly, Oz’s mom had been a little terrified of the spiders and had muttered something about why her daughter couldn’t just get a puppy. “But she thought number two - um, Ariadne - is quite beautiful. All of them are,” he said. “Just the pink and green... that’s a striking combination. And Three, with his red knees and toes? That’s neat.”

That is Aragog, she corrected Ian.

“Right. I’ll try to remember them all!” He laughed. “Who is number one?”

Gilroy.

“Doesn’t Gilroy sort of... not like you?”, Ian asked, carefully.

Perhaps. Iggy’s tone was slightly off.

Ian looked at her closer. “Are you ...pranking him?”

Maaaybe.

Ian burst out laughing.

*************
Ignatius J. Reilly

Ensign Ian Bren
Wise Counsel