Catching up

Posted on 16 Apr 2026 @ 3:32pm by Alura Ryn & Lieutenant Ryan Collingway

1,092 words; about a 5 minute read

///Crew Quarters///

Ryan traded his uniform for casual clothes-green sweater and black jeans. It had been a while since he wore something else other than his uniform. Probably the last time he had been on shore leave, and that had been a disaster.

Hopefully this time would be different.

He wanted to check in with Alura first. He hadn't been to a carnival in ages. Not since he was a kid, and too young to remember much of that. If anyone knew the best places to go, she would.

Plus, it would be nice to talk to her. He walked over to her quarters and gave her door a chime.

The chime barely had time to finish before the door slid open.

Color came with it.

Alura stood framed in the doorway like she’d stepped out of a celebration rather than her own quarters. The jumpsuit was a rich, luminous purple that caught the light with every small movement, fitted but flowing in all the right places, threaded with subtle iridescent accents that shifted toward teal and gold when she turned. Her makeup was brighter than usual, playful, soft shimmer across her cheekbones, a hint of gold dust at the corners of her hazel eyes, and a sweep of color that matched the carnival she’d clearly already decided was the most important event in the quadrant.

Her hair was half-pinned, half-wild in soft waves, and there might have been a tiny ribbon woven in near the back.

She lit up the second she saw him.

“Ryan!”

No hesitation. No restraint. Just genuine delight as she stepped aside immediately, one hand already gesturing him in like he’d been expected all along.

“Oh, this is perfect timing—come in, come in, you are absolutely not allowed to stand out there looking like that.”

Her eyes flicked over him, not critically, but with amused approval, her grin widening.

“Look at you, out of uniform. I was starting to think that was just a permanent feature.” She leaned in just slightly as he stepped past her, lowering her voice in mock conspiracy. “I like this version better. Much more ‘person who might actually enjoy a carnival’ and less ‘person who is about to tell me something is structurally unsound.’”

"Yeah, someone finally pried me away from the warp core," Ryan said, smiling in spite of himself as he entered. There was something about Alura that made her excitement contagious, especially after everything that happened. "You look...wow, yourself." Drop-dead gorgeous, was what he wanted to say. Quickly he added, "The carnival is why I'm here. I figured you would be the one who would know the best places to go to. I haven't been to one in ages."

Alura brightened instantly, his reason for being there landing exactly where it needed to.

“Oh, you came to the right place,” she said, a small, delighted laugh slipping through. “There’s so much going on it’s almost unfair.”

She lifted a hand, ticking things off lightly as she spoke.

“Music venues all over the promenade, a zero-gravity acrobat troupe that looks completely unreal, and the food vendors alone could keep you busy for days.” A quick grin. “I already have a favorite from a preview menu, but there’s also this Andorian dessert that changes flavor as it melts and I’m determined to try it at least once.”

A brief pause, her tone softening just a touch.

“And the meteor shower light show every night on the promenade? Don’t skip that.”

Her gaze shifted back to him, curious now, the energy settling into something more focused.

“So,” she asked, tilting her head slightly, “what are you most excited about?”

"Hmm...." Ryan said. "As an engineer I have an unfair advantage of being able to see if something is faked, so I guess the more impressive show the better. Commander Bantenburg told me to take two days off, so what I'll probably try and do is just sample as much as I can. Overwhelm my brain a bit so I can't focus on what's happening here."

"Are you planning to go to the Starbase yourself fairly soon? Or later?" he asked casually. "How's your rotation looking?"

Alura’s expression softened at that, just a flicker, but she caught it, what he wasn’t saying as much as what he was.

“Then we aim for the things that make you forget to analyze,” she said lightly, a small, knowing smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. “The acrobats might actually win that one. Or the light show. It’s less about how it works and more about how it feels.”

She let that sit for a beat, then his question pulled her right back into motion.

“Oh, I’m going,” she said immediately, like there had never been any doubt. “I just need to stagger it a little so I’m not completely useless afterward. My rotation’s flexible enough that I can slip away and things are settling down here.”

A quick tilt of her head, studying him again, a hint of something playful returning.

“But I don’t think I’d do the full ‘overwhelm your brain’ approach solo if I were you,” she added. “That sounds like something that’s better shared. Less chance of you wandering off into a structural analysis spiral halfway through something fun.”

Her smile warmed, just a touch more personal now.

“If you don’t want to tackle it alone, I wouldn’t mind a peak at the opening ceremony tonight.”

Ryan's smile was genuine at her response. "I'd love that," he said greatfully. "Truly."

He glanced at the time. That still left him a good chunk of the day. "I'll head to the Starbase early, and see what they've set up so far." Maybe there would be a few things open ahead of time. "I'll meet you there?"

Alura’s smile brightened, easy and genuine at that.

“Perfect,” she said, already nodding. “Go do your early reconnaissance. I expect a full report on anything worth repeating.”

A small step back toward the doorway, but her energy lingered warm and bright.

“I’ll meet you on the promenade before the opening lights,” she added, a hint of anticipation slipping through. “You won’t miss it. Trust me.”

She paused just long enough to catch his eye again, softer now.

“And Ryan?” A small, reassuring smile. “Try to enjoy it, not just figure it out.”

LtJG Ryan Collinway
Engineering Officer

Alura Ryn
MWR Director

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