There are plenty of companions to fight alongside in , but none bring as much depth to the table as the big four from Constellation. Among them, Barrett is the first you'll meet, though like two ships passing in the night, he'll soon be off... leaving you his ship. Wait, that's not how that works.
In any case, you will meet Barrett again, and if you'd like, you can even romance the guy. The ship's still yours, so clearly he's a giving soul. Here's how to tie the knot - but know you'll be tying some sad loose ends for Barrett before you do.
Everybody Hates Ervin
Before you can even begin to romance Barrett, he'll need to return to your life after that short time he's with you at the beginning of the game. For that, you will need to complete the first handful of Starfield's main quests, specifically up to 'The Empty Nest'. At this point, you have three destinations, and it's completely up to you which order you choose. And don't worry, waiting til last for Barrett won't mess anything up.
Once Barrett's been formally brought back into Constellation, make him your active companion. You really can't get anything done toward romancing characters in Starfield unless they're out on the field with you, or in your ship, or whatever the case may be.
Barrett's affinity will rise as you do things he likes. As affinity rises, he'll eventually feel compelled to request conversations, which will soon concern his dead ex-husband, Ervin. Before we get into all this, here's what to bear in mind as far as Barrett's affinity boosts are concerned. He's a funny dude, and he appreciates a fellow sense of humor. He's a good guy at heart, though, and will respond happily to any showings of decency and charity on your part.
Now back to Ervin. At first, don't press the subject; Barrett will appreciate it more if you let him talk more about his dearly departed later on. Eventually, he's going to be saying quite a lot about him, and from the sounds of it, poor Ervin died with a serious stain on his honor. Barrett thinks he didn't deserve that.
Breach Of Contract
Fairly soon, your conversations with Barrett will begin to tap into his need for funding to conduct an investigation into the circumstances of Ervin's alleged wrongdoing. The cost comes to a few thousand credits in full. While we can respect frugality, you won't be able to advance an eventual romance without pitching in, so do it.
Things will come to a head, and Barrett will want to travel to Gagarin with you. When gameplay resumes, and objectives become clear, you're searching for evidence. We've heard you can go ahead and testify without gathering it all, but frankly, that's a terrible idea; the outcome is less than stellar.
For an optimum outcome, pick Doctor Kaela during the next decision. We're sure you won't lock yourself out of a Barrett romance entirely if you don't do things as good as possible, but at the same time, why not strive for total success?
When all is done and over with, and Ervin's reputation is restored, the final step in your pursuit of your colleague's affections is the most obvious of all: choose to romance him rather than befriend him. Congrats, a𝓡nd... are꧒ those eventual wedding bells we hear?