Pasalk

Vice Admiral Pasalk was a male Vulcan Starfleet flag officer who lived during the mid-23rd century. He was once a colleague of Sarek's and was strongly despised by Spock.

In 2259, Judge Advocate Pasalk served as a prosecutor alongside Captain Marie Batel in Starfleet's court martial of Illyrian Lieutenant Commander Una Chin-Riley. After Chin-Riley rejected the plea bargain presented to her by Batel, Pasalk unexpectedly joined her while she met at the arraignment with the Judge Advocate General, Admiral Javas. Pasalk amended the charges against Chin-Riley, in order to make an example out of her.

When Chin-Riley's lawyer, fellow Illyrian Neera Ketoul, told her that the first witness in the case was Admiral Robert April, who mentored and promoted Chin-Riley, Ketoul explained that "Pasalk wouldn't bring a friendly witness without a strategy."

Prior to the trial, Pasalk visited the USS Enterprise where he sat with Spock in the ship's rec room.

During the trial, Pasalk did not directly involve himself in the trial, though he became more involved when, during Chin-Riley's testimony, when he tapped Batel, signalling her to object to Ketoul's line of questioning regarding Chin-Riley's childhood. It was not until following Chin-Riley's impassioned story of growing up in fear on a Federation colony that he became directly involved.

Pasalk disregarded Chin-Riley's "very emotional story" and its impact on the tribunal, arguing that emotions were irrelevant, but facts were not. He then cross-examined Chin-Riley, asking how long her captain, Christopher Pike, knew she was an Illyrian. When Chin-Riley revealed that Pike had known for approximately four months, Pasalk pointed stated that this indicated that Pike, in fact, involved himself in a conspiracy.

In Pasalk's closing arguments, he laid out in his own judgment of the case that, "the defense wants [the tribunal] to ignore the facts in favor of emotion. But the only matter of import today is the law. Una Chin-Riley broke the law and lied about it, as her own testimony has proven. Further, her actions will likely lead to a court martial of one of Starfleet's most decorated officers. She is clearly toxic to Starfleet in both action and inaction. Therefore, the only logical response is to find the defendant guilty of all charges."

In her closing argument, Ketoul presented to Batel and the court Starfleet Code 8514 in Chin-Riley's defense, which effectively granted her asylum, adding, "Mr. Pasalk has made this case about the law, and I agree, it is. By his own argument, we cannot ignore that Code 8514 is also law."

The tribunal ruled in Chin-Riley's favor on a technicality, and Pasalk ultimately lost the case. (SNW: "Ad Astra per Aspera")

Pasalk punished Batel by denying her promotion to commodore in favor of William Geary, an act that irritated both her and Pike. (SNW: "Among the Lotus Eaters")