"The Next Morning"
Posted on 16 Feb 2026 @ 3:43am by Lieutenant JG Ryan Collingway & Lieutenant Commander Riah Amberlyn XMD
1,599 words; about a 8 minute read
Mission:
Silent Inheritance
Location: Crew Qtrs & Amberlyn's Office
Timeline: After the confession to Flammia
// LtCmdr Amberlyn’s Quarters :: Middle of the Night //
The comm trill notified Amberlyn in her quarters of a message. It was 0143 ship time. Since she rarely received benign messages in the middle of the night, she cued the lights, dim, and sat up in bed to read.
The message from Lieutenant Collingway was short and to the point.
Doctor Amberlyn,
Last night, Lieutenant Flammia interrogated me about what happened on the USS Thysia. I had to tell him everything. He may have additional questions with you about my counselling sessions with Doctor Emerson.
I'm sorry.
Lieutenant Collingway
She frowned, deeply, and re-read the note several times. Why was Lt Flammia interrogating Collingway in the middle of the night? Had Ryan done something that would warrant an investigation in the middle of the night? Was he in the Brig? Who else was there to witness that interrogation?
She sighed, and opened her comm.
“Computer, locate LTjg Ryan Collingway.”
'Lieutenant Junior Grade Ryan Collingway is in his quarters on Deck 12, Unit 31B,' replied the voice of the computer.
At least he was not in the Brig. ”Send a text to comm message to LTjg Collingway, she instructed: Lt Collingway, Is it possible for you to come to my office at 0900 this morning? — LtCmdr Amberlyn
After sending the message, she got up and padded barefoot to her desk and lit up her personal station, connecting to Starfleet Legal: Medical Regulations.
// Sickbay :: 0847 ship time //
Riah held her coffee in steady hands as she walked from the nurses’ station to the reception area. There were two people waiting, neither was Ryan Collingway. “Good morning, Carolyn. What’s my schedule at 0900?”
“Looks like a short check-in with Dr McDavid in the Annex.” she replied.
“Please contact him and tell him I’ll be 30 minutes late and if that’s a problem to reschedule,” Riah said.
“Yes, Ma’am.”
“And if Lt Collingway gets here before 0900, direct him to my office, immediately,” the doctor added.
“Yes. Ma’am.”
Riah started to walk away. “Thanks, Petty Officer.” Then she continued to her office.
///Crew Quarters////
Ryan hadn't slept much. But he had been busy.
He packed his things. He had no intention of resigning. But he had no idea what would happen once the information inevitably reached the Captain. The way he figured, it was better to pack his things rather than have some petty officer do it if he was unable to.
He received Doctor Amberlyn's note soon after he sent his and released a small sigh. Of course she would want to talk to him. He had already planned the engineering schedule for the day. Actually, several days ahead to make things easier for Commander Harlan. More preparation, again.
He could make the time. He sent an affirmative soon after.
// Sickbay :: 0857 ship time //
"Lieutenant Colligway, you can go right on in," the petty officer said cheerfully, masking any concern.
Ryan gave her a quick nod and entered Riah's office. "Doctor," he said politely, masking his own exhaustion and concern.
“You look like you might need coffee.” It was an offer.
Ryan nodded, a brief look of gratitude in his eyes. "Please." He sat down at her desk as she poured the coffee.
“Please explain what happened last night, and why it happened in the middle of the night,” she said without hint of judgment or accusation.
"I don't think the timing was intentional," Ryan said, and sighed. "When I was on shore leave, I opened up to a friend. That was my mistake. I told her a little about my past. Not a lot. Enough. I thought we were alone, but someone reported what I said to the Security Chief. It conflicts with my original testimony." He paused briefly. He hadn't really had time to think about who that was.
He would give a lot for it not to be Vel. Please. Don't let it be her.
He shook his head to clear it. "I am starting to become painfully aware that I am on the lower end of the information pole on this ship, but I wish I'd known that our CSO had also suddenly become empathic," he added.
"I went to the gym. He was there. I felt nervous around him. I didn't know him too well. He deemed it as suspicious, and prevented me from leaving. He told me the accusations. Said that it would be better for me if I told him the truth before it became a formal investigation. It was pointless to try and lie. Not with his ability."
He took a long sip of coffee. "We went to his office. I had tried to tell him that Doctor Emerson had said that I didn't need to talk about it until I was ready. But I think he took that as a confession against your office, rather than a point of argument. That's why I'm sorry. I didn't mean to involve you both in this. At any rate, I told him everything. Including what I feared would happen if that information got out."
He finally took a deep breath. "None of this changes the fact that I lied. This is my mess to clean up, not anyone else's. It should have never gotten to this point. I intend to submit to whatever punishment the Captain deems appropriate, without contest.”
“I see,” Riah replied with a sigh of empathy. “It sounds like he was quite intentionally aggressive and intimidating. Intimidating you in a gym in the middle of the night hardly seems the proper, professional way to approach an investigation. I’m sorry that happened. You say he made an accusation. Did he say how he knew about it in the first place?”
"No. He just said there was a witness who overhead me and brought it to his attention. I'm not sure who. He had already requested records of the tribuneral before he talked to me." Ryan hesitated. "He also confessed that his abilities were new, I think. He was having problems because my emotions were too volatile. Maybe that influenced what happened. I'm not sure."
Ryan shifted a little. "He wanted me to also confirm that you and Doctor Emerson were advising me to 'conceal information', which also sounded more like an accusation than anything else. I wanted you to know before anything else happened.”
Riah nodded thoughtfully. “If he thought he had a case against you, he should have called you into his office for an inquiry. You should have had a lawyer or legal advocate there if it was an official interrogation. As far as Dr Emerson and I, you and we are protected by Doctor-Patient confidentiality. We are not required to reveal anything you have told us unless we consider you to be a clear threat to the ship. And only a JAG court could force us to reveal any part of it and only that part that pertains to why it would cause danger to the ship. That’s very clear in the Simca, SMCA, Starfleet Medical Confidentiality Agreement.” She intentionally did not address Ryan’s mention of Flammia’s apparent empathic abilities, because Flammia was likewise protected by Simca. “So how did that all end last night and you returned to your quarters?”
"After that meeting, I thought I would be in the brig," Ryan said honestly. "But maybe I'm on borrowed time. The Lieutenant said he would take everything under consideration. I expect it will be sent to the Captain before too long."
Ryan shrugged. "I've told him everything, and his abilities undoubtedly told him I was telling the truth. It's just a matter of waiting for whatever the Captain decides to do next." It'll either be the Captain, whom he only had one decent conversation with, or the walking lie detecter who seemed keen to trample on his rights in the middle of the night. Either way wasn't going to be fun.
“Ok. Well, we wait and see. If he goes to the Captain, then it will be left in hands of someone who is level headed and knows and follows the rules and laws involved. I’ll talk to Dr Emerson and explain that there may be an issue with the case. I won’t go into detail about what you and I have discussed here at this point. The less we muddy the waters the better at this point. You might want to write down all that you remember of the situation last night and even our conversation. Not as evidence for a court, but to have it for your own reference. I’m sure we will be hearing more about it soon enough. How are you coping with this?"
"It was a rough night. And today might be more difficult. But I'm okay. As soon as I find out what happens, I'll feel better either way. I know I can talk to you or Doctor Emerson," Ryan assured her.
“Good. You may be surprised to hear this, but you sound stronger than I've heard you speak in the past, more confident. I hear that level engineer’s mind coming through. And yes, contact me or Dr Emerson if you need to. If one isn’t available, try the other of us. You can handle this, Ryan. We’re here for you," Amberlyn assured him.
"I appreciate that," Ryan said, already thinking about what he was going to potentially say to the Captain. "Thank you."
LtCmdr Riah Amberlyn, XMD
Chief Medical Officer
USS Arawyn
Lieutenant (JG) Ryan Collingway
Engineering Officer
USS Arawyn
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