Black Coffee, Salvaging the Soul
Posted on 30 Mar 2026 @ 3:25am by Lieutenant Ryan Collingway & Alura Ryn
1,414 words; about a 7 minute read
Mission: Arawyn’s Itchy Trigger Finger
For a fraction of a second, the rest of Engineering came into focus around him. The damage. The disruption. The unmistakable signs of a space that had taken a hit and was still trying to hold itself together.
Alura didn’t let herself linger on it.
Not yet.
Because Ryan was right there.
Pale. Drawn. There was a tightness to him, something held together by will more than strength. But beneath it all, he was still moving. Still focused. Still determined in that quiet, stubborn way that engineers seemed to carry like a second spine.
She guided the cart forward, closing the distance between them. Her attention narrowed with deliberate care until the rest of the room fell away again.
“Hey,” she said softly, her voice warm without pressing, steady without asking too much. “Are you okay?”
This time, she didn’t stop herself.
Her hand found his, fingers wrapping gently but firmly around it, giving a small, grounding squeeze. Not to pull him away from what he was doing, just enough to remind him he wasn’t standing in it alone.
“Because I brought coffee,” she added, a touch lighter, a flicker of something familiar returning to her tone, “and I have a feeling that’s still a priority around here.”
There was a moment's hesitation, and then he squeezed her fingers back. "You shouldn't be here," he said, but his tone was gentle. "Engineering was shot at. Whoever is after us might try that again. But we just got shields back, so I can allow a few minutes for coffee."
Alura felt the squeeze and held it for a brief second before letting go.
“I’ll take my chances,” she said gently. “It’s better than sitting alone in my quarters.”
A small, softer smile followed.
“I feel a lot safer here with you all.”
She nudged the cart slightly toward him.
“So… don’t waste your few minutes.”
He leaned back slightly against the counsel. "How I am? It feels like I've aged a hundred days in three hours. The Commander is in critical care. Everyone above my station are in sickbay. And...I just did a stunt that could have exploded the entire ship to restore power." He sighed. "It's difficult. Especially when so many people are injured or just...gone. And I still have no idea why. Why someone is shooting at us."
Alura didn’t interrupt him.
She just listened.
By the time he finished, her expression had shifted, the brightness tempered into something steadier, more intentional. She reached for one of the cups, pouring carefully, the simple motion giving him a moment to breathe.
“Hey,” she said softly, offering it to him.
Her eyes lingered on his for a second, reading what he wasn’t quite saying out loud.
Then she glanced up, raising her voice just enough to carry.
“Coffee’s up. Come grab it while it’s hot.”
It wasn’t a request. Just an opening.
Her attention returned to Ryan, quieter again.
“Can you take five?” she asked gently. “Come sit in Harlan’s office for a minute.”
"Sure," Ryan said, and nodded to Mike. "Call me if something urgent comes up."
///Commander Harlan's Office////
The office seemed to be the only place in Engineering that hadn't suffered any damage at all. Ryan sat down in the chair, the burden of an unexpected command making it all the more heavier. "How are you doing?" He wanted to ask. "Are you all right?"
Alura didn’t sit right away.
She lingered for a second, watching him, taking in the way the weight of it had settled on him now that he had stopped moving.
“Hey,” she said gently, shaking her head just a little. “Don’t do that.”
Her tone wasn’t sharp. Just certain.
“That thing where you try to turn it around and make it about someone else.”
She stepped a little closer, her voice softening.
“I’ve seen that look before. I know what that is.”
A small breath, then a faint, reassuring smile.
“I’m not a counselor,” she added lightly, “but I’m pretty good at reading people. And right now? You’re trying to deflect.”
Her gaze held his, steady but kind.
“You don’t have to be okay.”
A beat, quieter.
“A lot just happened. And somehow you ended up carrying all of it at once.”
She eased into the chair across from him then, finally settling.
“That’s a lot for anyone.”
Ryan nodded, but he glanced at the red alert light flashing. Thankfully the sound was muted. "I do have to be okay, though. Until that thing finally shuts off. Because there is no one else right now in charge of Engineering. But when things calm down..." He sighed, and something in his expression broke a little. "I won't be okay. I'm not sure anyone will be for a while at least."
He took a sip of coffee. It was strong and delicious. Probably one of the blends they had picked at the market. "I never really told you that one of the things that messed me up when we first met. My ship before the Arawyn was also unexpectantly attacked. There were only a few survivors, including myself. I kept my distance because I didn't want to get close to anyone. But over time I relaxed. And...I thought it wouldn't happen again. I was wrong. I am in the exact same position all over again," he added with a trace of bitterness. He should have never relaxed his guard. That had been a mistake. "And people I care about are getting hurt."
Alura didn’t rush to fill the silence.
She let him speak. Let it all come out the way it needed to, without interruption, without trying to soften it too soon. By the time he finished, something in her expression had shifted again. Not dimmed. Just steadier. More grounded.
She leaned forward slightly, resting her forearms on her knees, keeping her voice quiet so it stayed just between them.
“Hey… look at me.”
Not a command. Just enough to gently pull his focus back.
“That didn’t happen because you let your guard down.”
She held his gaze there, not letting him slip away from it.
“You didn’t cause this by caring about people. That’s not a mistake, Ryan. That’s the only reason any of this matters at all.”
A small breath, then softer.
“And yeah… you’re right. You do have to be okay out there for a little while. They need that from you.”
Her head tilted just slightly, something warmer returning.
“But in here?” she added quietly, tapping her fingers once against the arm of the chair, anchoring the space. “You don’t.”
Ryan said nothing for a moment. Then a few tears fell. There was a shift of movement, and Ryan could feel arms around him as everything-his terror, anger, and grief boiled over.
It wasn't a long moment. He couldn't afford it to be. But it was enough to tie him over.
Thank you," he said quietly. "Do me a favor, though. There are a lot of engineers and crew in sickbay who are terrified right now and are hiding it too. I'm sure they could use a coffee visit from the Chief Moral Officer too."
He gave the request a bit more easily. Not as someone overwhelmed with emotion.
Alura didn’t pull away right away.
She held him through it. Not tightly. Not trying to fix it. Just steady. Present. Letting that brief break happen without making it something bigger than he could afford.
When he spoke, she eased back, her hands lingering just long enough to be sure he was grounded again.
Her smile returned, softer this time. Not bright. Real.
“Yeah,” she said quietly, giving a small nod. “I figured I might be needed elsewhere.”
She stood, smoothing her hands lightly against her sides, resetting in her own way. Then she caught the stray tear that hadn’t quite fallen, brushing it away gently with her thumb.
She studied him for a second, something quietly impressed in her expression at how quickly he had pulled himself back together.
“Just remember,” she said softly, meeting his eyes, “you’re not alone.”
"I know," Ryan said, and a small smile touched his lips. A genuine one. "We'll get throught this."
Lieutenant (JG) Ryan Collingway
Engineering Officer
USS Arawyn
&
Alura Ryn
MWR Director
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