Kastarak had not planned to visit Pawl. There were protocols in place for situations like this –– medical privacy, command structure, and the professional courtesy of waiting to be asked. These protocols had even made it unethical for Kastarak to continue his previous relationship with Pawl.

But then, there been the mention of Lieutenant Pawl Batario in a routine Sickbay report that he read. He still paid extra attention to Sickbay reports, having long worked there. This mention had disrupted his focus during an otherwise uneventful normal report reading session. There had been no detail. No supplementary note. No indication of severity. Only a name.

Such gaps did not usually warrant personal intervention. But this particular name carried weight. Kastarak noticed the feeling in his gut, decided – perhaps somewhat illogically – not to purge it until committing to a then seemingly “logical” cause of action.

Three quarters of an hour later, Kastarak stood outside Pawl’s quarters, his hand paused just short of the door chime. There was a measurable increase in sympathetic arousal. He noticed them all: increased heart rate, skin conductance, and warmth across his shoulders. The pattern was familiar. Not distress. Anticipation, perhaps undercut by something less defined.

He pressed the chime and waited.

Kastarak, Lt Cdr
First Officer and Navigations Officer