"If you don't want to call me anything, that's fine. Newcomers often found the sensation disturbing - both referring to others with such a feeling of unfamiliarity, and being referred to by others with words they'd never own. Of course, the idea of not using names altogether can be even more disturbing to those unaccustomed... and more than a little confusing, in a work environment. We usually just went by vague physical descriptors, when required, or words related to our work."

"The only way to regain your name when it's been taken," they say, "is to have it given back to you by the one who took it. Names are something that can be bought and sold, as it turns out. Or even stolen."