But were it any other name, would it still be as deadly?

Posted on Monday, 25 January 2021 - 5:39pm by Lieutenant JG Adrianna Eberhardt

"Baciami?" a commander walked in.

Adrianna looked up from her perch on a bed in the brig of the USS September, "Si?"

"What are you doing in the brig?"

Adrianna raised a brow, "you really don't know?"

The commander offered a small smile, "I do, but I'm more surprised that you are here alone." The man lowered the shield, "look, I've sorted it. All your evidence has checked out too. You're free to go, so to speak. There's a new course starting up so that you can be trained to work and start feeling like a good guy."

Adrianna shifted uncomfortably. After a moment she stood up and started walking out, "you ever think people will stop seeing me as a villain?"

The commander considered the question, "my grandfather always used to say that to have change, you must be the change."

The Italian simply nodded, "mine used to say that being forced to change is fine, but being forced to lose yourself should be punishable by a death fit for hell's top three murders."

The commander looked seemingly impressed, "you don't have to lose yourself, Baciami, but you do need to remember not to bite the hand that feeds you."

***Present Day***

Adrianna was thinking about wedding plans. Her mind seemed to be focused on her PaDD as Leopold was getting ready for bed.

Adrianna Eberhardt.

There was a time she longed to be anyone else but a Baciami. The further into her life's story Adrianna got, the more she felt she was losing herself. Baciami was the last thing she had of her past; her surname was a reminder of origin, a reminder of home and a reminder of herself.

It was a self that she was not proud of.

Perhaps, Eberhardt would be a name significant of a phoenix? Starfleet was her fresh start, perhaps the new name would be an equivilant of the embered wings that the legend spoke of.

Even from a stupid perspective, was she really ready to part with the joke that was the translation of her surname into standard.

Baciami.

Kiss me.

What did Eberhardt mean? Aside from the philosophical that wandered into her mind in such a Janus faced manner, she wasn't sure.

Adrianna reached for a PaDD in the hopes of an answer, just to settle her curiosity.

On an initial glance, it meant nothing. From splitting up the words, she found an answer.

Eber.

Wild boar.

Hardt.

Brave.

Minus the pig reference, perhaps the change from a kiss of death, to being wild but brave would be welcomed.

Kiss me.

I'm brave.