BACKGROUND
TK-8871 has not always been an oddly-shaped machine. His conciousness was once mind of one of many Kusarians which sought fortune in Crow Nebula, rich in Helium-3 elements. One day however, due to fatal accident in which his vessel was destroyed by Corsair pirates and officially claimed dead by Gas Miners Guild - truth being quite opposite. At the moment he already gave up his mortal unto Gods of the Kusarian panteon, his walk towards the Eternal Light was interrupted - and his soul being put into cold machine. With his dying conciousness moved from massacred living body into a silicon artificial chip, there were no other options but to move onwards and at least try to accept the unexpected change.
BEHAVIOUR
Obviously, TK-8871 does behave in a way different manner than most of self-aware AI - either of alien and human origin. However, the self-denial and post-incident trauma is present due to the past experiences as a normal person made of flesh and bones. A sudden loss of all attributes usually associated with normal human being - save for his emotions - is a trauma that cannot be so easily expressed. Picking up a normal name in order to retain remaining humanity is a first step towards the future - one of many to be achieved.