AN: This one is related to the previous drabble.
Prompt: Margaret Houlihan -"There are so many things I was sure I'd have in my life by now. Every birthday reminds me of what's still not there. This just turned out to be another day in the middle of nowhere." - 'M*A*S*H'
Chakotay started to look up at the sound of his office door, but as the person coming through it started speaking immediately he didn't need his eyes to tell him who was barging in. The fact that it was one of his Maquis didn't surprise him.
"I am not giving into their naming practices just to make things more convenient for them or less confusing no matter what you or anyone else says! I know I promised to follow your orders, and I do and I will, even if it means wearing the uniform of an organization that stood by and did nothing while my people suffered at the hands of the Cardassians but I won't desecrate my parents' memory by switching my name to match some other culture's naming convention!"
How the young man had gotten the words out in one breath, Chakotay had no idea, but he was surprised by the outburst. Gerron had been one of the less vocal members of his crew. He followed orders without question and put his full effort into whatever he was doing. He knew Janeway was questioning his inclusion into the Starfleet crew because of his age, but hadn't mention anything else.
"Sit," Chakotay instructed, motioning to the chair across from him. "Has somebody told you that you had to?" he asked, after Gerron had followed the instruction.
"No." Now that his initial outburst was over, his gaze was focused on the desk between them.
"Then why the assumption that you'll be asked to?"
"A member of Voyager's crew introduced herself this morning. She's Bajoran and she changed the order of her name in the academy so it was less confusing. I won't follow suit."
"I promise, you won't have to. I'll also make sure that the Captain, the senior officers and your supervisor are aware of traditional Bajoran naming customs so you are addressed properly."
"You're sure it won't be an issue?"
"I'll take care of it," Chakotay promised him, not seeing it as a problem but willing to handle it regardless. "We're all going to have to make concessions out here but I assure you that given up your identity will not be one of them."
"You think this will work? Merge the crews."
"It won't be easy but it will because our survival depends on it. There are a lot of things that I thought I'd have or have done by now. Each birthday I'm reminded of the things that haven't come to pass. But I'm also reminded that survival is a natural instinct and when put in a tough spot, we will do what we need to do to survive. The Maquis depended on that instinct daily. We're use to surviving against the odds. Out here in the middle of nowhere, that experience is something we've got over this Starfleet crew. That's why they need us. For us, this is just another day in the middle of nowhere, like every other day of our fight has been."