Lost in Space: Part 3/3

Posted on Wed Apr 15th, 2026 @ 1:31am by Petty Officer 3rd Class Constantin Vansen & Petty Officer 1st Class Gabriel Stark

2,044 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: Prologue: To Boldly Go
Location: Valhalla Bar - USS Fenrir
Timeline: Day 13

CONTINUED:

Gabriel clapped his hands together as he looked around the bar with a fond sigh. "So, you like it spicy?"

Constantin considered it with a smile, looking at him before he nodded. "I don't mind it spicy..." he said with a slight blush. "To try something."

"Noodles," Gabriel said firmly, slapping the back of his hand against his shoulder, leading him to a table to bring up the menu. "You pick a world to inspire the flavours and ingredients...go with Earth and you get some spice in there."

He smiled as he held his eyes, searching them for a moment before he nodded. "And what is your favourite thing to eat, Gabriel?"

"Me? That's a difficult question, there's so many good options," Gabriel admitted with a chuckle, getting comfortable with a sigh. "Handmade pasta in the Italian sun, with a cool Sauvignon Blanc....warm, smooth tomato soup when I'm feeling under the weather or cold....chocolate in pretty much any form when I'm feeling blue."

Constantin watched him with surprise, but there was warmth there as he listened. And then he looked down. "What's Sauvigno...n...Blank?" he asked, meeting his eyes with curiosity.

"Oh! Sorry, it's a white wine," Gabriel grinned, sending their order through on the padd. "You get different types depending on the grape you use to make it. Sauvignon Blanc is sort of...crisp and refreshing. And maybe not my favourite if I were just picking a bottle to enjoy on a summer evening....which would be a Pinot Grigio, if you're asking, which you're not...but it's great with a really punchy pesto pasta."

Constantin smiled at the passion at the explanation. He shook his head, with awe, taking a deeper breath. He had nothing like that he could offer him. But that was okay. "I've not had wine," he finally admitted and gave a small shrug. "And not had a punchy pesto pasta. Had pasta though."

"It's not for everyone, it's drier and tarter than a lot of other alcoholic drinks...but when we get back to Earth for a shoreleave, I'm taking you to Italy and we can drink white wine in the sun, looking out over the ocean," Gabriel promised, sincere.

Constantin's smile widened to a grin and he raised an eyebrow. "Whisking me away to Italy to get me drunk with a romantic view?" he teased, eyes shining with it.

"I can think of worse ways to spend an evening," he flashed him a grin, unable to help himself, even if he knew he should.

"So can I," Constantin said with shining eyes, colour in his cheeks, but the smile stayed. "Also never been to Italy."

"Oh you have to go," Gabriel leant to him with warmth, settling clasped hands on the table. "It's beautiful....and sun soaked...and full of history. I mean, it does have gravity though, so..."

"I'll have my meds," Constantin said with a smile, looking at him before nodding. "I won't let you down or slow you down...don't worry."

"I was only teasing..." Gabriel assured with a fond smile, shaking his head lightly. "That you might prefer to go somewhere....lighter for your holiday."

"Afraid they don't let you take a shuttle for a week," Constantin said with a wistful sigh, then winked. "Must be worried I'd turn pirate or smuggler...clearly..."

"Must be those wicked eyes and brooding features, you just have trouble written all over you," Gabriel teased, quirking an eyebrow with it. He kept it gentle though, not wanting to make him uncomfortable.

Constantin laughed before he forced the smile off his face, to try and look...serious and brooding. "Like this?" he asked, voice deepening for framatic effect.

"Oh yeah, perfect, just like that..." Gabriel lifted his hands and stuck out his index fingers and thumbs to form a frame to watch him through. "Yep, you look like you should be a flyboy pilot rogue when you pose like that..."

Constantin suppressed a giggle, narrowing his eyes dramatically. "Perhaps even Command material..." he said and pouted.

"Now let's not get crazy," Gabriel teased in return but with a soft laugh, shaking his head. "Besides, would you really want to command a ship?"

Constantin smiled as he looked at him, relaxing as he let out a breath. "I doubt it. I'd want to do everything myself, you know...repairs...flying...the whole lot..."

"I can see that," Gabriel admitted honestly, chuckling gently at the prospect. "I'd be the other extreme. I'd just delegate to everyone and then kick back and relax."

"An emperor then," Constantin said and sat back, rubbing his hands together for a moment. "Not a pirate Captain, but an Emperor...so you can delegate and then relax."

"Why else be in charge?" Gabriel teased, his dark eyes shining with humour. It fitted the persona most expected of him.

Constantin smiled as he watched the dark eyes with interest, then looked down. "Ah, but if you were an Emperor, you'd have no time for me."

"Even more reason to delegate then," he pointed out playfully, unable to help himself.

"Ah..." Constantin blushed, tilting his head as he looked at him, considering his next words. "Maybe we could...do something you enjoy then, Emperor Gabriel? Next time we meet up?"

Gabriel laughed softly, licking his lips as he held his breath tight and looked down. "That's a lot of trust to put on me."

"Well, I did...semi-force you into a spacewalk..." Constantin said with a smile, holding his hands out in a shrug. "So do your worst."

Gabriel watched him for a long moment...the sincerity in his eyes, the warm features even if sometimes confused or distant. "Can...I be honest with you about something, Constantin?"

"Sure," Constantin said as he looked at him, the smile staying but softening a little as he watched him. "I promise you I won't judge. Mostly because I don't think I got a right to, or the experience, to judge..." he winked, stilling a little bit where he sat.

"I'm....not very good at...this..." Gabriel moved his finger between them, unsure how to say it without sounding like an arsehole. "I mean, I really like you, Constantin...but...usually that's when I run a mile, cos...the people I take home are usually strangers, or at least, people I don't have to see again."

Constantin watched him with confusion before he smiled, giving a small shrug. "I think you're...great at this. Better than I am," he said before he bit his lip for a moment. "We...don't have to label this. I like you. I...like spending time with you, and it's...early...and you're beautiful, goes without saying...but I should say it anyway. What I mean is...what if this was no pressure? We just...don't run?"

Gabriel watched him with surprise, not having expected him to say...any of it. The weight he'd felt pressing on his shoulders lifted, along with the urge to run. "Just...have fun? No danger of...ruining it?"

"Yeah," Constantin said with a smile, watching him. "Not expecting anything from you. I want to spend time with you. I think you're beautiful. I think you're smart and funny. That's...not expectations. It's just what I think of you. So...yeah. We just have fun. And if it isn't fun for one of us, we tell the other and then that person accepts it, we try something else. Nothing more, nothing less?"

"Nothing more, nothing less," Gabriel nodded with a small smile of awe at how easily it seemed to come to Constantin. "Sailing then? It's what I'd do if I were on Earth..."

"You'd have to teach me," Constantin said, but there was a smile on his face as he watched him. Excitement, even. He had heard of water sailing.

"I'd enjoy that," Gabriel replied honestly, shrugging as if it were nothing. "What's the point if you're not learning, huh?"

Constantin studied him, sitting back as the food arrived. "Or experiencing?" he asked, with a playfil smile. "I can swim. I learnt it...a few years ago."

"Does it help?" Gabriel asked with curiosity, setting the sharing bits out so they could both reach it, taking chopsticks for his own noodles. "I hear it's good for taking pressure off of joints and muscles..."

Constantin looked at the chopsticks, picking them up but looking a little bit confused at them. "It does help. Best is going under. Just...so much easier."

"We can take the boat out and go for a swim," Gabriel grinned, showing him how he held the sticks before using them to scoop noodles up. He moaned, taking his time to chew them as he closed his eyes. "Savoury...spicy...so satisfying."

Constantin copied him, clumsily...but he managed to get noodles into his mouth and he nodded with agreement. "Mm..." he closed his eyes, enjoying the food.

Gabriel smiled softly, glad he'd made a good choice for him. "Comfort food, right? They do different styles here, it's worth trying more out. There's so many kinds on Earth alone. We should go to Japan too...I'll take you to a noodlehouse where they make them fresh."

Constantin nodded, looking at him for a moment before he smiled. "I've only been...to a few places on Earth," he admitted and shook his head.

"We can plan a tour for next time we're back," Gabriel smiled as he leant to him, clearly excited about the idea. "I love travelling. There's some amazing pockets of culture we can visit."

Constantin laughed at that before he considered something. "And if we ever get the chance...there's a view just by the Romulan border that...I think you'd like. It's a scattering of what was once an asteroid field, but I think the Romulans used it for target practice...the debris is caught in orbit of a moon, so small that the rocks catch the light in the atmosphere...makes it look like a constant wave of light."

Gabriel smiled at the vivid description, shaking his head softly. "You must have seen some sights, growing up out here."

"I have," he said and smiled as he started to eat again, getting more confident with the chopsticks...even if he was sure he wasn't holding them right. "Well...some impressive ones. That one I remember the most...vivid."

"I'm just sorry you're paying for it now," Gabriel admitted with a weak smile. Because he'd been thinking about it a lot. How unfair it was.

He met his eyes, searching them before he smiled. "Don't be," he finally said, his voice soft. "It's just my body. And there's stuff that helps it. So...don't worry about it. Okay? It's...my condition to manage, and I do. Mostly."

Gabriel nodded gently, offering a small, apologetic smile. "Besides, we can always sabotage the hull to get you back out there more often..." he teased.

"Now that sounds like a plan," Constantin laughed and nudged him with his hand, eyes shining. "You know...break in case of emergency."

"And...it keeps you in a job," Gabriel teased, winking to him with a soft laugh. "You can return the favour. You can start some bar brawls to keep me needed too..."

"Sure, I can start a riot..." he teased as he watched Gabriel, with shining eyes. "I can make you really in demand if you want me to..."

"And then we can play cards in the brig," Gabriel laughed warmly, his dark eyes shining. He didn't often feel so at ease talking with someone. Without the need to put up a front.

"Ah! Cards I can play," Constantin said with a smile, holding his eyes before he reached for some more noodles, laughing as they slipped off the chopsticks.

Gabriel laughed softly with him, reaching for more of his own, moaning at how satisfying they were. "We'll find something to gamble..."

Constantin laughed, eyes shining with it as he looked at him, giving a nod. "I suspect so..." he said, and just enjoyed the moment of watching Gabriel enjoy himself.

OFF:

PO1 Gabriel Stark
Security
USS Fenrir
(PNPC - Blake)

&

PO3 Constantin Vansen
Operations
USS Fenrir
(PNPC Hanlon)

 

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