Kier entered sickbay feeling like he had a block of stone situated right in the center of his stomach. Change was hard for him. Arriving at new places could be a challenge. Meeting new people was certainly not his favorite thing. It had caused a fair bit of struggle at the academy. There was, of course, a baseline of social interaction that was expected of a cadet and then later of a Starfleet Officer. For many, it came so naturally that it was never given a second thought. For Kier, it was his studies that he never had to give a second thought to. It was the non-academic aspects of Starfleet that caused him the most anxiety.

Upon arrival he looked around for a doctor or nurse to do his boarding physical. He hated approaching strangers and starting conversations. Yet, here again, this was what he needed to do and so he was determined to do it. His palms were sweaty, his heart rate was slightly elevated and yet he gestured for a passing enlisted medic to stop.

“Excuse me, Petty Officer. I’m Ensign Steward. I’m here for my boarding physical. Can you point me in the right direction?”

The words, surprisingly, came out in the tone and tempo expected of an officer. Kier’s will, once again, had overcome the physiological responses that came with these interactions. Five years ago, those sweaty palms would have been accompanied by red blotches on his face and neck. He was getting better. He was getting stronger. Though he was also aware that some of these physical manifestations may skew his physical slightly.

Ensign Kier Steward, Scientist