Naming Conventions

"We will be exiting slipspace in 45 minutes, relative earth time," came the voice over the PA, "Please begin to move towards your designated realspace positions."

Captain Caskar sighed as he entered the observation area. He needed to be back on the bridge for reversion, but wanted to let his stomach settle after his breakfast. He thought that perhaps the bacon may have been slightly too much considering the toll reversion always takes on his system. As he moved towards the centre he spotted The Emissary by the main window, gazing deep into the void of slipspace.

"Beautiful isn't it," he said as he came up next to the Emissary at the window, "I never get tired of seeing it."

"I just wish reversion didn't hit me quite so hard," he continued with a smile, "Still, it's worth it for the view".

"Yes," replied the Emissary, "The beauty of the beyond lights a fire in all voyagers' hearts. However, I was actually admiring your ship as opposed to the scenery. It is beautiful for a warship. Elegant ...but deadly."

"Oh? I agree with you there. She's a beauty alright," said Caskar like a proud father, "Pride of the fleet. There isn't a ship that'll match her pound for pound this side of the Galaxy."

The Emissary frowned slightly at that, and gazed out silently at the ship once more. Caskar glanced at the Emissary's face and puzzled at the frown painted there. A tough choice faced him now. He could either attempt to break the silence and root out his passengers' troubles, or he could return to the bridge and prepare for realspace reversion.

"Is there something wrong, Your Excellency?" Caskar asked, deciding that he didn't want to go to the bridge yet and try to prepare to stomach reversion. Looking after a guest was a Captain's duty as well, he thought to himself.

"No nothing is wrong, Captain," replied the Emissary in a quiet voice.

"It's just..." the Emissary continued before falling silent once more.

"Just what?" Caskar asked, more curious now than anything else, all ideas of going to the bridge having disappeared.

The Emissary turned to face Caskar and looked down at him, staring straight into his eyes. The Captain wasn't exactly a small man, but the Emissary was a good head taller than him, though half his width with a long slim angular body. The eyes of the Emissary were as expressionless as ever sunken into their pale almost bone white face.

"She," the Emissary continued finally, ending their staring contest with a word.

"You called your ship, she," the Emissary continued, an unspoken question in their voice.

"Yes, she. All human ships are female," he responded nonplussed at the confusion coming from the Emissary.

"All your ships are female," responded the Emissary louder this time, "This I know, but do not understand. My real question is the name. Why?" The final word was stamped down almost as a demand.

Caskar paused at what had to be the loudest most authoritative sentence he had heard from the Emissary in the entire trip. This question must have been bothering them for a while, thought the Captain, though he was pleased to have finally gotten to the core of his passenger's worries.

"Ahh the name. Of course. Your people don't name their ships, do they?" replied Caskar with the air of confidence of a detective finally uncovering the mastermind, "I suppose that makes sense for you. Your species goes by their function instead of a name after all."

"As for us, all human ships have names, the same way all humans have names. It's just what we do."

The Emissary stared back at Caskar blankly, their face devoid of expression or emotion. Seeing this, Caskar's own expression descended into consternation.