Last Meal

Posted on 01 Dec 2025 @ 7:42pm by Ensign Ryan Collingway & Ensign Mira Quinn

799 words; about a 4 minute read

== Ten Forward ==

Mira walked into Ten Forward, still thinking of her recent discovery. She was more tired than hungry, but she knew that if she won't eat now, she won't be able to fall asleep.

She got herself a salad from the replicator, then turned to look around. A few of the science crew were sitting at a table, but before she could join them she caught sight of Vel.

"Hey, Mira!" Her roommate waved her over. Vel was sitting at a table alone.

"You won't believe what I did today," she started as Mira sat down.

"You won't either" Mira smiled, spearing a cucumber. "You first."

But Vel's attention was already elsewhere, waving more people to the table. "Ryan, over here!"

Ryan had meant to grab something quickly from the mess hall and go back to his quarters. It wasn't as though he was trying to avoid anyone. At least, that's what he was telling himself. He tensed as he heard a voice call his name, then realized it was Vel. He got his food and approached the table. "Hey Vel. Thanks again for the roadtrip," he said.

"We took a trip up to the alien ship," Vel whispered to Mira, not wanting everybody to overhear.

Mira's eyes grew wider. "Seriously?"

She glanced at Ryan, who was now sitting down. "How was it?"

"Well, we didn't exactly barge into the place," Ryan said with a smile, but was thoughtful. "We just took a look at the outside. And it looks very different from any type of ship I have seen. It definitely appears....alive. If the aliens have a telepathic connection to each other, based on the rumors, I have to wonder if the ship has a similar type of structure. And how it might react to us."

Mira chewed thoughtfully. There had been a theory that there might be some connection between the aliens and their ship, but so far that wasn't backed up by the data.

Another engineer stopped by the table. "Is this seat taken?"

Mira looked up to see Corin, and she nodded at him. "All yours."

Corin put down his tray on the table and joined the group. "You're talking about the alien ship?"

"What else?" Ryan said. His relationship with Corin was the same as the other engineers-polite, but guarded. In fact him being at this table right now was significantly coming out of his shell for him. "What's your take on it?"

Corin finished chewing. "All I know is that if we want to know more, we have to go in there."

"But maybe we don't want to know more," Mira said. All the others at the table looked at her. "What? We don't have to touch everything we see."

Corin looked at her. “Since when does a science officer back away from investigation?”

"When that investigation could kill us all," Mira answered back.

"Well, we still have the people in Sickbay. They need our help," Ryan pointed out. "So far they haven't appeared to be malevolent."

The door suddenly opened, and Ryan noticed Alura enter the mess hall. His expression changed quickly to one of guilt, and confusion. Quickly he looked away. "That's just my take on it," he finished.

"You saw what happened to the probes," Mira said to Ryan. "We wouldn't be helping those people much if we're dead. And if that ship is alive and it sees us as the enemy-"

Before she could finish the thought, her combadge chirped.

"Sorvak to Quinn, report to Transporter Room 2."

Great, Mira thought. "Well, I guess I'm going to be investigating after all," she quipped.

As she stood, she glanced at Ryan. He seemed rattled, and not by the talk of impending doom. “You okay?”

Ryan's badge also chirped. "Ensign Collingway report to Transporter Room 2." This many com badges going off could only mean one thing. "I'm fine," he said, standing, although his mind was on something else. Alura had spotted him. They locked eyes. He wanted to say something, anything to her. But this call was too urgent. He nodded at her slightly, his face full of emotion, and left.

Vel's badge also chirped. "Zodeil to shuttle bay 1."

Vel took a last bite of her food before she pushed the tray away, grinning. "Somebody’s gotta keep Ensign Doom-and-Gloom alive. "

The officers left Ten Forward, enthusiasm making them double-time it.

Finding himself sitting alone, Corin took another slow bite of his food. He didn’t understand Quinn at all. They were being handed a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and all she could think about were the dangers. He wished he could take a peek at that alien ship himself.

Ensign Ryan Collingway
Engineering Officer

Ens Mira Quinn
Science Officer

Ens Vel Zodeil
Helm Officer (npc)

Ens Corin Arlen
Engineering Officer (npc)

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