The Girl in the Tank: Galactic Consortium, Season 1

Episode Six: Are there Closets in Space? ch. 7

That night after supper Dan and his bunkmates gathered at the back of their room.

"So what should we do to pass the time this evening?" Madsen groused. He looked out the porthole window. The moon was in the corner, distant and glowing.

Dan licked his lips. As good of an opening as I am likely to get. "Well, I don't know about tonight, but...Remember what I told you guys, about myself." They nodded. "Somebody wants to stop by tomorrow night. Says he wants to cook for all of us."

Jensen, for all his protesting that he was cool with Dan, looked less comfortable now. "You have a partner?"

"Umm, not exactly," Dan said, blushing suddenly. "It's sort of a..."

"Date?" Madsen finished.

Dan nodded.

"Cool," Madsen finished. "Anyone we know?"

"Bakala," Dan said.

"That's not an American name," Madsen commented.

"That's the quartermaster!" Kleppie exclaimed. "It is, isn't it?"

"Yeah, we've been talking, hanging out. He says the curfew is just our crew, we can't go to their side, but he can come here. If that's okay with you."

"I'm not," Kleppie said. "But, man, Bakala? I bet every straight girl onboard is going to be so jealous of you two."

"Kleppie," Madsen said. "This might be one of those quit-while-you're-ahead situations."

"I am just saying, he's not my type but he is a hunk."

"Or just keep barreling on, until your foot is firmly planted in your mouth," Jensen joked.

"What? I can tell Jensen his wife is beautiful, but I can't compliment Dan on getting a catch?"

"Anyway," Madsen said, rolling his eyes. "I am okay with it, especially if there is food being offered." The others both nodded.

"Only, I'd like to keep this between just a few of us, if that's okay," Dan said.

"You being gay, sure, we understand," Kleppie said.

"Actually, no. I am fine about that. It's time I was out, anyway. But this date thing, I don't think the captain would approve. And I really don't want some of the others getting the idea they can invite their consortium lovers over to our side and, you know..."

"You and this guy aren't going too..." Jensen asked.

"No, hell no. It's just a date, I swear." He broke off and then felt that goofy grin creep back on his face. "In fact, you know what? It's my first date." He started giggle.

Kleppie was staring at him, eyes wide. "This is a side of you we haven't seen."

"I know," Dan said, trying to control the giggles. "It's just, when you guys were going out for pizza with girls, or making out in the backseat of some car, I was already learning to hide who I was, that whole part of myself."

"You're not a virgin?" Madsen ventured.

Dan laughed again. "No, not by a long stretch. It's just, that part of its one thing. Not to brag, but I have plenty of experience. The other stuff, the innocent stuff, like dating, flirting, I've never done it."

Jensen laughed then, the tension deflating out of him. "Now that is funny." He paused and turned more introspective. "You never think about that, do you? You talk about gay people and you think about marriage, hate crimes... you never think about the simple things, how hard it must be to flirt, hold hands, date, shit like that. Must suck."