Wingmen (Part 1 of 2)

Posted on 27 Dec 2021 @ 8:54pm by Petty Officer 2nd Class Donald Andrews & Petty Officer 3rd Class Constantin Vansen
Edited on on 29 Dec 2021 @ 6:00pm

1,731 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Episode 18 - Cold Station 31
Location: Regula I - Level 16, Recreational Hub
Timeline: MD 02, 2100 hrs

[ON]

Constantin Vansen sat at the bar, wearing the civilian clothes he had gotten himself. A bit of a treat, buying something new. Jeans this time, those old vintage Earth styles that were soft like butter but also looked good. With it, he had gotten what had once been called a henley, a soft shirt with a few buttons on top, rather than buttons all the way down. He had been considering the more wrap-style Betazoid shirts for a while before the clerk had recommended this one, saying that the dark red complimented his skin tone. Vansen hadn't been convinced but once he had it on he had liked how it felt on his skin.

He had asked Donald for a drink. He knew the Engineers were in their busy period, but he had offered. Operations would be busy when the systems were warmed up again, busy making sure there were no bugs, that everything was running smoothly between departments. And looking over whatever the Engineers had told them wasn't running properly from that point of view. Constantin liked those moments, where there was a natural overlap that both departments had a look at. They were rare, but when it happens...well, it was nice.

It had taken a few days but eventually all the maintenance on the warp core and engines had been completed and finally Donald and the other engineers could get a little leave in and his roommate's invitation to join him there wasn't something he'd miss.

Walking through the main doors to the bar he looked around, he could see quite a large number of people in there, several from the Galileo and lots of others from the other ships both in and out of uniform. Through the crowd he managed to see Constantin already at the bar. "Hey Constantin." He said as he approached.

"Donald," Constantin smiled the moment he saw him, giving a nod to the other man. "How is the ship looking? Not heard any explosions so I think you must be doing good work..." he waved the bartender over, having earlier admitted he was waiting for someone. It was always awkward whenever he did that, waiting without a drink. But he knew he couldn't handle that much so moderation was the key.

Donald laughed slightly, joining Constantin at the bar. "She's doing alright, the warp core is having a nice rest now it has been pampered with some in depth maintenance."

"What can I get you gents?" The barman asked.

"Antaran cider for me, the real stuff please." Donald replied, it had been some time since he'd had a real alcoholic drink.

"Beer please...real stuff as well. Lager if possible," Constantin said with a quick smile, meant more to be polite and disarming to the stranger. "Just a half pint." He looked over at Donald, studying him. "You know me...lightweight..." he added in a whisper to him.

Donald nodded, he'd seen the state Constantin could get in when his meds reacted badly to alcohol. "I'll keep an eye on you."

"Thanks," Constantin chuckled at that, giving a small nod. "Appreciate it...also, means you don't have to pick up the pieces in the long run, right?" And he really did appreciate what Donald did. Man hadn't had an easy run in life as long as Constantin had known him, but he really did like him.

The bartender disappeared for a minute, returning with their two drinks.

Taking his glass Donald held it up. "To a successful cruise and a few well deserved days off."

"To the work we do that never gets recognised..." Constantin raised his glass as well, his eyes warm as the smile widened to a grin. "And the beauty of our ship."

"Hear hear." Donald took a swig of her cider, swirling it around his mouth before swallowing. "Not bad."

Constantin took a sip as well, nodding as he closed his eyes. "Cold, crisp...does the job well," he said and looked around for a moment. "You know, for me...it's always strange on shore leave. When you see people you always see in uniform, out of them. It's like...you've entered a parallel universe."

"I know what you mean but it's nice to see people not wearing fleet uniform for a change, people have the let off steam and getting out of a work uniform is a good way to start." His eyes wandered a moment as a female Andorian walked past in a considerably less than regulation attire.

Constantin's eyes followed his gaze and he smiled to himself, looking down. "Speaking of, you look good out of uniform. Am I going to have to defend your honour when it gets later and the ladies come out to play?"

Donald laughed heartily, his outfit wasn't anything fancy; just black cargo pants and a light grey t-shirt but it was clean and well fitting. "I doubt it, a lowly engineer like me probably doesn't stand a chance."

"They don't know what we do..." Constantin said playfully, shaking his head. "For all they know, you are Intelligence, or a Captain...or a space pirate..." he winked, taking another sip of his beer. "We can be anything we want to be tonight."

"A space pirate, now that would be something." Donald laughed again, before having a swig. "Don't think I could pull that one off, not suave enough by a long shot."

"Your accent is to die for though," Constantin said easily, sighing softly to himself. "I think you could get away with it, perhaps with a flowy coat...like a holonovel. Maybe next shoreleave we plan something, get a backstory for you and all that..." he winked, but only to show he was joking about actually going through with such a con.

"I may have the accent but I'm certainly no James Bond." Donald said then decided to clarify a little in case Constantin hadn't heard of him. "He was a fictional British secret agent in the 20/21st centuries."

"Ah..." Constantin laughed at that, nodding as he looked down. "I...am behind a lot on the...Earth...history and popular culture..." he said softly. "Besides. Aren't we all a lot of different things? Influences from what we have witnessed, experienced...dreamt?"

"I'm just an engineer Constantin, don't get all started on that philosophy stuff, at least not until I've had a few more of these." Donald raised his glass for a moment before draining almost all of it.

Constantin did the same and shook his head before moving his arms in his standard shrug. "You know, you're smart and cute and the accent is awesome. I'm just saying...you could act like whoever you want to be."

"I can try and act like someone who is actually good at talking with other people about stuff that isn't work related." Donald said, he caught the bartender's attention so he could order another drink.

Constantin chuckled softly, nodding as he watched him. "Yes...work talk is safe, isn't it? You know exactly what to say, how things work. It's..." he considered what to say and settled on a word. "...comforting."

"We have to try and get out of that comfort zone every now and again though." Donald said as the bartender returned. "That's where this comes in handy." he drained the remnants of his glass.

"Mm..." Constantin considered it for a moment before he smiled. "It is either that or we start playing truth or dare, but I am pretty sure our dares would get us kicked out of the 'Fleet." He finished the beer and motioned for another one. "Another round please."

"Now that's an idea, get a few of the engineers together, maybe some of your folks." Donald said laughing. "We'd probably need somewhere out of the way and lots of booze."

"Between the two of us, we could dismantle a base on a dare," Constantin said teasingly, shaking his head. "Or take over a ship. Software and hardware, you know? To coin the two terms I remember from the class at the Academy."

"I'm not hearing any objections there Constantin, sounds like you're up for it." Donald took his freshly filled glass.

"Let's be honest, if I had what it took to take a ship and fly out there with a small crew, causing trouble out in the black...I would," he took his own drink, sipping it as he watched Donald. "No uniform, no rules...live for the latinum and keeping the ship running."

"That'd be fun, maybe one day when we retire from Starfleet." Donald said though he doubted that'd ever happen, with his injury record he'd be dead long before retirement.

Constantin watched him for a moment before he made a face, looking towards the bar. "I don't think that is likely to happen," he said softly. "Retirement. Old age."

Donald sipped his drink. "For me, probably not. you might, you're luckier than me. Don't think grey hair would suit you though."

Constantin laughed and looked at him, his eyes warm as he leant closer. "I would be a silver fox, Donald...but I think you're wrong, I won't either. I know how I am going to go out. It's out there, in the black...those last seconds stretching for an eternity until the universe swallows you up."

"That might be how you want to go out but I'd want to go out by being smothered to death by a Klingon female's tits." Donald laughed heartily.

Constantin nearly spat his beer out, laughing as he looked at him with disbelief and then just warmth and humour. "Oh buddy, that is the way to go! You got ambitions, I like that."

"Doesn't look like there are any Klingons here," Donald said, he caught sight of the Andorian woman that caught his eye earlier, sat beside another Andorian "but I see a pair of Andorian ladies that look like they could use some company, what do you think?"

Constantin looked over at them before he smiled, nodding as he knocked back what was left of his drink. "And they look thirsty. We should see if they would like another drink and some...stimulating company?"

To Be Continued...

[OFF]

--

PO2 Donald Andrews
Engineering Officer
USS Galileo-A
[PNPC Mimi]

PO3 Constantin Vansen
Operations Officer
USS Galileo-A
[PNPC Rice]

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