“Why didn’t you give me a translator?” I shoot back in English.

He motions for me to stand before him, and I obey. When I’m standing directly in front of him, he touches my left cheek where that horrible tattoo is. He caresses it. “Because if I would have given you a translator, you would have always been a slave, and no one would have ever respected you.”

“Then why can’t I have this tattoo removed? Why can’t I use my name? Why do you treat me like a slave if I’m not one?” I demand in the Silver language because I’m so upset I don’t know if I could even articulate this in English anymore.

He puts both hands on my shoulders which is a sign of great respect in Silver culture, especially given our different ranks. “No one treats you like a slave.” I meet his cobalt eyes, and I realize that my words have both hurt and shocked him.

“I want to have a name,” I say.

“You have a name. Volunteer 4711.”

I break away from him and begin to cry.

“This life began with that name. You changed your future with that name. I am proud of your name Volunteer 4711.”

“I never volunteered for any of this!”

“You have volunteered. You volunteered not to die when you were chosen by your people. You volunteered to do the farm work. You volunteered to save me. You volunteered to learn my language and my culture. You volunteered to become a part of this crew. And all of this you did as a Water person. You volunteered, and you have won this game that was set out against you. I only see a successful female who has achieved more than most Silver people do and that no one seeing your achievements would ever call a ‘slave.’ Your name is your fame. Your name is the record of your accomplishments. Your tattoo is a sign of your success.”

I cannot deny the way he sees it, and this is the way I want to see it, but is it the truth, or is what the other human woman says the truth?

“Who you were on the Water planet died when you received that tattoo and your new name,” he says.

I begin to cry again, thinking about that night.

“I am proud of you, Volunteer 4711. You are treated as a valuable member of this crew because you have earned it under that name, not your Water woman name.”

I try to take deep breaths and calm myself. What is true?

He continues, quieter now, “That other Water woman, she will always be a volunteer. She gives you the impression that she is not because she does not have a volunteer number or the mark of a volunteer anymore but because she cannot speak our language. She does not know our culture. She holds on to her dead life. Her Water planet life will never be hers again. You actually belong in Silver society. You have your own life and your own money. If something were to happen to me, you could find another position.”