is

"I'm surprised you've never met him; he's been friends with my father since forever. His name is Miles Rutherford but everybody calls him 'Gunny.' "
"He doesn't come across as your normal Pict or Viking or knight in shining armor."
"Oh, no, he's an early industrial reenactor.
"Early industrial?"
"Yeah. There were some big wars fought in the Po'ele back in the preinformation period. The character he plays is one of the noncommissioned officers of the infantry that fought in those campaigns."
"Oh. Okay? If his name is 'Miles,' why does everyone call him 'Gunny'?"
* * *
"Good morning, my name is June Lasker," June said without looking up from the record of the last arrival. She knew it was impolite but she didn't seem to have time to do it any other way. She heard the next person walk up and stomp to a halt but she hadn't seen who it was yet. "I'll be asking you a few questions, giving you a short introduction to Raven's Mill Settlement processes and then answering yours to the best of my ability. What is your name?" she said, looking up.
The man in front of her was two hundred and fifty if he was a day. He was standing with his legs spread shoulder-width apart, a shield leaning against his left leg and a heavily loaded rucksack leaning against his right. His left arm was steadying the shield with his right hand over the left. His back was ramrod straight and he was staring just about a decimeter over her head.
"Ma'am, my name is Miles Arthur Rutherford, ma'am!" he barked.
June looked closely to ensure that he was not in some way making fun of her but it was apparent that he had simply answered the question. His face had not changed expression a bit. She noted the name in her log and continued.
"Is that your legal name or a character name?" she asked.
"That is the name I was given at birth, ma'am!" he responded.
"Were you met at the border?"
"Yes I was, ma'am!"
She shook her head but decided that barking out declarative sentences was simply the way he talked.