A bit of shopping
Posted on 05 Nov 2025 @ 4:09pm by Alura Ryn & Ensign Ryan Collingway
1,277 words; about a 6 minute read
Mission:
After Tarvik
Location: Starbase 369
//Starbase 369///
Ryan hadn't expected to be back at the Starbase so soon after his shore leave, but there were a couple of things Commander Boren asked to drop off, and he was happy to do so, while giving the well-wishes of the engineering team. He was on his way back to the ship via the retail decks, mostly lost in his own thoughts.
The smell of roasted beans drifted from one of the new kiosks along the retail deck, rich and earthy against the metallic tang of recycled air. Alura Ryn stood at the counter, studying a row of labeled tins with the seriousness of someone choosing tactical gear.
“Something bold,” she murmured to herself, “but not so bold it makes people question their life choices at 0300.”
The barista, a wiry Bolian with a patient smile, offered her a sample tin. She inhaled, wrinkled her nose, then smiled anyway. “Perfect for the engineers,” she decided, dropping a pouch into her basket alongside tea blends, cocoa sachets.
As she turned to go, her gaze caught a familiar figure weaving through the central walkway.
“Ensign Collingway!” she called, her voice bright as a bell over the station hum. “Tell me, do you take your coffee strong enough to dissolve hull plating, or just the regular ‘keep-me-alive-through-another-shift’ variety?”
Ryan froze when he heard her voice, although he didn't have the deer-in-the-headlights look he did before. He supposed that meant he was getting used to her unexpected presence in his life. "I think any engineer would tell you it depends on how the day is going. Most of us would scream for the strongest cup possible if the mission is going badly," he said lightly. "Erm...sorry I didn't have a chance to taste your selection earlier."
Alura caught the flicker of surprise in his eyes and hid a grin behind the basket on her arm. She was getting better at not calling attention to it; baby steps.
“Well, lucky me,” she said brightly, stepping aside so he could see the display. “Because I don’t actually drink coffee. Never acquired the taste. My people are more… tropical fruit and sunshine than caffeine and hull polish.”
She gestured at the shelves, tilting her head thoughtfully. “But since the ship’s engineers seem to run on this stuff, I’d rather have the good kind in my stash. So...” her hazel eyes sparkled with mock gravity, "...help a hopeless amateur out, would you?
What blend keeps morale intact during those late-night spaner sessions?”
"Honestly? Simple is better. Some prefer plain black coffee over something which sounds fancy. The more bitter, the better. It reminds them of Earth. But others don't mind experimenting with other blends too. So definitely stock the safe stuff, and maybe offer something else on the side," Ryan suggested.
Alura nodded as though he’d just revealed a classified engineering secret. “Ah, the sacred art of bitter but reliable,” she said, reaching for two bags and holding them up for inspection. “All right then, expert consultant option A: ‘Warp Core Roast,’ or option B: ‘Vulcan Vigil.’ Which one saves the ship at 0300?”
"Let's go with the first one," Ryan suggested
When he pointed, she tossed the chosen bag into her basket with a satisfied grin. “See? I knew I needed your professional opinion. Seems I’m finding myself in need of your expert consultation a lot lately.”
Her tone was light, teasing, but there was a flicker of genuine appreciation beneath it, the easy warmth of someone who liked seeing him out of his shell, even just a little.
Ryan felt momentarily conflicted as a small part of him did indeed want to retreat back into his shell. Still, he pressed on. "Well, let's just say that neither of us want an army of angry caffeine-deprived engineers if we get it wrong," he deflected.
"Speaking of expertise..I was working on a bit on the schematics on your new cart last night. Although I might have overdone it a bit," he admitted, showing her the padd.
She leaned in, looking at the PADD. Alura's eyebrows lifted as a delighted laugh escaped her. "Does it reach warp?" Alura wasn't exactly sure what all she was looking at, but the cart mockup he had made it looked like it would be flying through the corridors of the ship.
Then, with a warmer tone of appreciation, "Oh, Ryan, I owe you for this. I'll have to come up with something, maybe not just caffeinated fuel."
"You don't owe me..." Ryan began as he saw a flash of blue in one of the stores, and for a few seconds he stared hard of it, trying to identify the source. No, it was a Bolian, not a Benzite. Bolians were far more common in Starfleet. He swallowed a hard lump in his throat and realized he had trailed off. "...anything. If something needs fixing, I'm just inclined to do that. Might go to warp. Haven't fully tested it yet. I promise not more than warp one," he added jokingly.
Alura tilted her head, following his line of sight, but whatever had caught his attention was already gone, or perhaps it had never been clear to begin with. There was something in his expression for a heartbeat, something distant, but then it was gone, shuttered behind that practiced composure she’d started to recognize.
She decided not to press. Instead, she smiled, bright and easy again. “Well, it’s really sweet anyway, and I mean that in the least morale, officer way possible.” Her hand brushed the edge of the padd before she straightened, basket shifting against her hip. “You’ve officially made my job easier. Which, considering how many ribbons I go through in a week, is saying something.”
She hesitated just long enough to catch his gaze. “Thanks, Ryan. Really.”
"You're welcome." Not the first time, Alura was bringing out feelings he wasn't used to. Confusion, guilt, and a desire for a friendship he felt like he didn't deserve. But at the same time, he was starting to get used to those feelings around her. "Tell you what-at some point if you're free for lunch, I can test your new coffee, and we can go over the specs in more detail."
Alura’s smile softened, something more genuine than her usual sparkle. She could feel the careful offer behind his words, the way he framed it as a technical discussion rather than what it really was, an invitation.
“Lunch and a systems review?” she echoed, pretending to weigh the proposal. “That sounds dangerously close to fun, Ensign.” Her grin returned, lighter now. “It’s a deal. But only if you let me bring dessert. I have a feeling you don’t indulge nearly enough.”
"It's a deal. I'm sure engineering can suffer an afternoon of me dangerously caffeinated and with a sugar rush," Ryan said, almost lightening up before seemingly snapping himself out of it once again. As though there was a mechanism that seemingly prevented him from truly doing so. "I need to run, but I'll see you back on the ship."
Alura’s laugh was soft and genuine. “Dangerously caffeinated and sugared? Sounds like the perfect morale experiment. I’ll make sure the medical team’s on standby.”
She shifted the basket to her hip, studying him for a heartbeat longer than the moment required, just enough to catch that subtle retreat behind his expression. Then she smiled, not calling it out, just offering the steadiness of it.
“Deal,” she said. “And I’ll hold you to it. Safe travels back, Ensign.”
Alura Ryn
MWR Director
Ensign Ryan Collingway
Engineering Officer
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