The Healing Factor (Backpost)
Posted on Fri Jun 19th, 2026 @ 6:26pm by Lieutenant Rala & Lieutenant Kally Kellerman & Lieutenant JG Raven Windancer & Ensign Henry Taylor & Tessa di'Orion
Edited on on Fri Jun 19th, 2026 @ 6:45pm
Mission:
Lower Decks
Location: Sickbay
Timeline: Immediately After "Training is Dangerous"
Kally felt Henry pat her forehead dry and wanted to thank him, but was too focused on the patient in front of her. They'd gotten Rala into the surgical bay, stripped off the last tatters of her coveralls and begun restoring her blood supply. Kally was checking every bone, every tendon and every organ while Henry and Tessa went over her with a derma-stitcher, fusing the wounds they couldn't treat in the corridor.
When they had arrived in sickbay, Kally had sent Cally away, apologizing but knowing that having her there would be a distraction. She promised to bring an update as soon as things settled, and while she put on a surgical gown, she'd had Erika send a message to Katie about inspecting the holodeck's programming.
After that, it was nothing but blood and bones, watching Rala slowly recover. Now, her vitals were strong, her body was healed, and she was sleeping soundly.
"All right. Henry, get Tessa on a biobed and give her a full exam," Kally said.
"I'm fine, Kally." Tessa said flippantly, making another onceover of the Draakri with her eyes and medical tricorder.
"Was something I said unclear, crewman?" Kally said, her voice suddenly ringing with ironclad authority.
Tessa's eyes went straight to Kally's, about ready to reiterate, but one look made her keep her mouth shut. The eyes stayed somewhat defiant, but she wasn't dumb enough to speak again.
"Biobed. Lie down, be quiet," Kally said. "Henry? Report to me when finished. If she's one hundred percent, she can go back on duty."
Henry nodded and looked to Tessa, gesturing for her to go with him back to Sickbay.
Kally tapped the comm panel and called the orderly to bring a gurney. By the time she'd wriggled out of the surgical gown and gotten Rala covered in a hospital gown to protect her modesty, the doors opened and crewman Dennis came in with an antigrav gurney. They counted to three and lifted Rala carefully, adjusting the gown behind her and got her onto the gurney.
They pushed her back into Sickbay and to the recovery room, putting her on the biobed next to Raven. They transferred her to the biobed and Kally checked her vitals one more time before dismissing the orderly. She stepped back, letting them sleep and replicated a padd. She sat down in a nearby chair, taking a moment, and making notes.
Henry would've held Tessa's hand, but she was too busy folding her arms across her chest. He stepped next to a biobed and patted it. "Okay, up you go."
She spun on her heel, oblivious to the orangish blood that had dried on her since the fighting had stopped and she was healed. “I don’t see the point in this… I’ve been hurt worse than this before in training when I missed some blocks. I’ll heal up just fine!”
Henry sighed. "Angel, I'm sure you're fine. You are also under orders. But, if you're a good girl, I'll make it worth your while." He gave her a coy smile.
Tessa gave him a skeptical look, but the potential for a reward had perked her inner ears up, “How?” She demanded/asked in a low voice.
"I'll replicate a slice of that apple cheesecake you love, while I work," he said. "And tonight, I'll massage every muscle in you till you glow through the walls." He said the last part quietly in her ear, kissing her cheek.
If she were being honest with herself, the promise of the cheesecake would have likely won her over, the fact that she could order it herself notwithstanding. However, the massage bribe was for something of a known quantity and she ever so loved it when he gave her one and she nearly jumped on him to accept the offer, but knew another way he’d enjoy just as well. She lifted her arms up and placed them on his shoulders, in an unmistakable invitation, while she let herself sag theatrically off to one side, “In that case, I may need some help getting up onto the biobed, if you wouldn’t mind?” She grinned up at him.
"Of course, Your Grace," Henry said, scooping her up in his arms, grinning. He set her down on the biobed, sneaking a kiss as he did so, and then walked to the replicator. He came back with the promised dessert and set the plate and fork on her lap before picking up his tricorder and beginning his scan.
Gleefully wielding the fork, Tessa dug into the cheesecake without squealing in delight, tasting the slight difference that the phosphorous enhancements made in it, but it only made the tartness of the apple pop that much more, watching him the whole time.
Over an hour passed with Rala remaining utterly motionless aside from her breathing. If not for the biobed’s neural activity readings showing signs to the contrary, she would have seemed comatose.
Then, a small twitch in her tail. Another, stronger. Her head moved ever so slightly, then the rest of her body, as though trying to find a more comfortable position. Her eyes began moving gently behind their closed lids as though she were dreaming.
Another minute passed, and then her mouth moved, jaw and tongue working weakly as her eyes cracked open by the barest amount and she let out a soft groan.
Kally was on her feet immediately, tricorder open and scanning. "Easy," Kally said. "Lie still." She checked Rala's vitals and breathed a sigh of relief. "You're in recovery. You're okay," she said, quietly.
Rala gave a soft moan of acknowledgement, and tried to say something, but all that came out was a dry croak. Her mouth felt like a desert. She worked her jaw and tongue again, trying to work up enough saliva to make some kind of intelligible sound, then tried again. “Mnh...” she mumbled, “...wh...water.”
Kally went to the replicator and got a small glass with a straw. She went back to Rala and held it up to her mouth. "Sip slowly," she said.
Rala took a small sip and swallowed, then a larger one. After a third, she released the straw and nodded to Kally with a smile. “Thanks,” she said, her voice steadier. She shifted on the biobed again, trying to get more comfortable, and glanced over to the other biobed in the room. “How is she?”
"Sleeping restfully, rather than recuperatively, which is good," Kally said, glancing at Raven's bioreadings. She sat back down next to Rala's bedside, putting her water back down. "You are due for a medal, I'd say," she said, giving Rala a very gentle nudge.
“Wh...” A confused expression passed over Rala’s face as she tried to process what Kally had said. “A medal? What do you mean?”
"Well, someone who saves the lives of not just one, but two crewmen is due a medal in my book," Kally said. "Raven's safe and Tessa's safe, thanks to you. Course, I healed all three of you, so, clearly I should get a medal as well," she said with false modesty, giving Rala a grin.
Rala gave a faint wry snort, but there wasn’t much enthusiasm behind it. “I did what anyone here would have done for Raven. And it was my mistake that put Tessa in danger in the first place, not locking out the holodecks immediately when I knew there was a problem.” The thought of the young girl made Rala look up at Kally sharply—well, as sharply as she could manage, while still recovering from unconsciousness. “Tessa. How is she?” Her gaze shifted, focusing on nothing. “Stars, I barely remember what happened in there. Just...red...and orange. And...fury. Rage, like I’ve never felt before.” She shivered, curling her tail around her shins and her arms across her torso. “By the Makers, I was so angry...”
"Tessa's fine," Kally assured her, putting a comforting hand on Rala's crossed arms. "Henry gave her a once over and she's all healed up. She's currently filling out reports on the incident while Henry fusses over her," Kally said, smiling. She patted Rala's hand. "As for the anger you were feeling, I'd say in the moment it was perfectly justified. The self-recrimination, however, is not. None of this was your fault," Kally said. "And we--"
"Uuu....keep it down, Rocatta! I'm trying to sleep!" Raven snarled, attempting to find and throw something to shut her Academy roommate...
Kally and Rala both looked over. Kally stood up again and squeezed Rala's hand. "We'll talk about this later, okay?" She stood up and went over to Raven's bedside, scanning her.
"Hhang on...I'm on a starship...not at the Academy anymore." Raven's eyes slowly cracked open, and saw Rala and Kally.
"Oh...hi guys. Um...explain what happened again?" Raven was sore as all get-out, and just as confused.
"Hey there, cutie pie," Kally said, smiling down at her. "You had an accident on the holodeck. We had to patch you up, but you're stable and recovering. You and Rala need some rest for a day, but you'll be back to feeling better in no time, I'm sure."
Raven blushed at the comment, reaching a hand up to scratch at her head bandage.
Rala rolled onto her side to face Raven, propping herself up on two elbows to see her better. “Raven,” she said, relief evident on her face and in her gradually strengthening voice. “You’re okay. Do you remember our race? In the debris field?”
"Hey, Rala. A race...debris field...I was flying a Dragonewt wasn’t I?" Raven was a bit foggy on the details...but those things were fairly clear.
“Yeah,” Rala said. “You spotted it in the hangar and went straight for it. We were on the return leg and...I think you clipped something. There was something wrong with the holodeck; the safety protocols were offline. The crash...did a number on you.”
"Oh...yyeah. Woof, that was pretty intense!" Raven slowly sat up, trying not to move too quickly.
"Didn't do you any favors either," Kally said, glancing at Rala as she felt Raven's forehead, and then neck, feeling her heartbeat.
Raven's heartbeat kicked up a tick. People touching her was still a bit of a thing she was working on...despite going through the Academy.
Kally glanced at Raven as she felt the girl's pulse quicken, and wasn't sure if it was a compliment or not. She moved her hand to Raven's and patted it comfortingly, before folding her arms. "Fortunately, you are both out of danger. Now comes the hard part."
“Oh?” Rala queried, looking up at Kally.
Raven cocked her head.
"Following my orders to rest and not annoy me by trying to jump out of bed early," she said, fixing Rala with a look, but a caring smirk. "You too," she said, looking at Raven. "For the next twenty-four hours, you two are having a sleepover, right here. Clear?"
"Yes, Ma'am. Yawn...I'm not feeling much like going anywhere right now anyway." Raven yawned.
Rala closed her eyes, stifling a sigh. “I don’t suppose I could convince you to let us have this ‘sleepover’ in my quarters?” she asked, opening her eyes to give Kally a pleading look. “Under supervision, of course; you, or Tessa, or Henry, or whoever. These biobeds really aren’t very comfortable for that long.”
"Humor me?" Kally said. "I'd like you both where I can monitor you, and I really can't spare anyone right now. If you're well enough in twelve hours I'll consider moving you."
“Deal,” Rala said, nodding.
"Good. Big blue button on the right-hand panel to call for aid. If you need water, food, whatever, just ask. Do not try to get it yourself. If you need help getting to the head, don't be too proud, ask for help. Clear?" She looked between them.
"Yes, Ma'am...except, I gotta hit the head." Raven blushed sheepishly.
"All right, let's see if you can stand," Kally said, coming around to the other side to help her up. Kally held Raven's arm gently and put a hand near her waist to catch her if she stumbled.
Raven took a breath to take her mind off of where Kally's hands were, then tried to stand...and actually succeeded!
“I can h—” Rala said, starting to stand up, but stopped and lay back as Kally gave her a look that threatened un-fun things involving hyposprays if she did anything else, and watched them go.
Kally guided Raven to the head and when she was sure Raven could handle herself inside, gave her some privacy. She turned and leaned on the bulkhead, giving Rala a stern look.
"Sheesh...you look like you went through hell!" Raven chuckled, almost unable to recognize herself in the mirror. Raven did her business, wincing a few times, then hobbled back out, still a bit wobbly.
As the doors opened, Kally escorted Raven back to her bed and helped her up, getting her comfortable and tucking her back in.
“I could have helped,” Rala mused. “I’m already getting restless, Kally.” She raised a hand to forestall any threats. “Don’t worry, I’ll stay—although I may at least need a couple of better pillows, a blanket, and a book or something.” She lowered the hand and sighed, then gave Kally a lopsided smile. “Just, one other request.”
Raven tried not to giggle too loudly.
"One," Kally said, her mother's 'you're toeing the line' voice emerging.
Rala gave her a lopsided smile. “A hug from the friend who saved my life?”
Kally put her hands on her hips and tried not to smirk. "That I can do," she said, giving Rala a tight hug.
Rala returned the hug even tighter for a few seconds, then released her. “Oh, and send Tessa in when she’s ready, please?” Rala asked. “I...need to see her.”
Kally sighed and rolled her eyes. "I'll have her bring your pillows and book. Now," Kally said to both of them as she walked to the door. "I want you two asleep within the hour." Mother would find this so amusing she thought.
(Tag Rala)
"Yes, Ma'am...yawn I might be asleep within the next few minutes!" Raven chuckled through another yawn.
Kally stepped out of the room and found Tessa at her station. "Please bring Rala an extra pillow, a blanket and download a book called "Great Expectations" to a padd for her. Maybe some dry Terran literature will knock her out. She's also asked to talk to you. Do not let her stall by dragging it out. I want them both resting."
"Of course." Tessa confirmed and accepted the PADD with a smile, not knowing what the story was that Kally was going to force Rala to read. Still, if her boss thought it was boring, then she'd avoid it herself. Dutifully, she downloaded it and made a quick stop to pick up the fluffiest pillow she could and a blanket before finally entering the room, "Hi Raven, hi Rala!" She beamed at the two of them.
Rala gave Tessa a relieved smile as the girl practically bounced into the room, resisting the urge to leap out of bed and envelop her in a four-armed hug.
"Hi, Tessa! You're looking perky!" Raven smiled, then yawned, her eyes barely staying open.
Tessa smiled brightly and spun as she walked, showing off the fresh outfit she wore and more importantly, the lack of blood on her, "See, I'm perfectly fine, just as I said I'd be. Now, Rala, lift your head for me." She commanded and waited and tucked the pillow in underneath before proffering the PADD, "Want me to help with the blanket?"
Rala obediently leaned forward so Tessa could place the pillow behind her, but instead of leaning back after she had, she pulled the girl into a hug with both arms on that side, then pressed her forehead against Tessa’s for a few seconds. “Tessa,” she said softly, more relief in her voice than even she herself had expected, “I’m so glad you’re okay, and I’m so sorry you were in that situation to begin with. I should have locked out the holodecks after...” she glanced over at Raven, who looked like she was beginning to fall asleep. “I...don’t remember much after Henry and I made it back to the holodeck; and what I do remember is...vague, like a half-remembered dream...or nightmare.” She started to recount what she could remember, but stopped herself and sighed. “Remind me to tell you later. Even in the corridor after, I...” she swallowed, finally releasing Tessa and leaning back against the pillow, “...some part of my mind wasn’t sure it was real until I saw you just now.” She paused again, blinking to clear her thoughts and definitely not because her eyes were starting to sting. “Um...no, I can manage with the blanket, thank you.”
Tessa had already started to unravel the blanket to drape of over Rala, but stopped with it in her hands and open, "Are you sure?" She shook her head slightly, "It was real and it was not your fault I got hurt." She saw that Rala was about to object and the girl reached forward and grabbed the Draakri's shoulders, using all her strength to try to hold her back, "I mean it, My Lady, it was not your fault. I could have been better, I could have not gone off on my own, I could have... Any number of things. Not. Your. Fault. Do you hear me, Lady Rala?" Tessa was very insistent.
Raven partially perked up at the intensity of the duo, but the meds were doing their job, so she was waffling toward sleep.
Rala huffed out a bemused snort, pulling Tessa’s hands away with two of her own and gently pushing her back with another, obediently making no effort to get up. “Shall we agree, dear one, that there is blame to share, and that some of it is mine?” she said. “I promise I won’t dwell on it to my own detriment, but it is something I should learn from. Pretending I did everything perfectly is not useful.” She released Tessa’s hands and gathered up the blanket. “And yes, I can handle this.” She waited for Tessa to step back, then flung the blanket out to cover her.
"Maybe." Tessa somewhat agreed to Rala's terms and handed the PADD over to her, "Now, I'm on shift, so I'll be out there if either of you need me, all right?" She backed away to get confirmation from both Rala and Raven.
Raven merely nodded, then her head lolled to the side, and she fell fast asleep.
Rala took the PADD and settled more comfortable against the pillow. “I was only half-serious about the book, but thanks,” she said, nodding. “I’ll page if I need anything.”
As the door closed behind Tessa, Rala closed her eyes, brow furrowing in discomfort. Her recurring headache was back, but it was a little different; before, it had been rather general, but now it was a bit more localized to the top of her head, from her eyes back to the roots of her horns. After a few seconds, it began to fade, and she shook her head slightly, willing it to fade faster. Within a minute, it was gone.
She looked over at Raven, sleeping soundly. “Rest well, Raven,” she said softly. Then, “Computer, dim the lights.” As the computer obeyed, Rala opened up the book on the tablet and began reading; sure enough, in less than half an hour, she was dozing off.
She was awakened some time [about 3.5 hours] later by the sound of her PADD clattering to the floor and a combination of uncomfortable but remarkably mundane sensations. She sat up partway, leaning on her lower arms for a moment before throwing the blanket off her legs and swinging them over one side of the biobed and her tail over the other. She almost got up, but stopped herself before earning the full ire of not one but two friends, and pressed the call button.
Tessa bustled in a few seconds later, slight smile on her face as she practiced the face she should wear for patients, "Rala!" She admonished the Draakri as she hurried over, "You heard what Kally said! You're supposed to be resting until later this morning!"
“I know,” Rala said softly, “and I did sleep for a while. But I need to use the head.” Her stomach grumbled, and she looked a bit sheepish for a moment. “And I’m starving.”
"I suppose..." Tessa gave a look towards the door, then gestured to Rala, "I'll help you over to the bathroom, but after that, you're coming right back here and I'll bring you something to eat, you just have to tell me what you want."
Raven mumbled something about blue rubber chickens in her sleep, then rolled over, some drool evident on her pillow.
“I’m pretty sure I can make it on my own; and yes, I’d come straight back here; but Kally would either kill me or strap me to the biobed if I didn’t at least have someone supervising,” Rala said softly. She slid off the biobed and bent down to retrieve the wayward PADD, placing it back on the bed; then stepped over to the other biobed, looking down at Raven’s sleeping form and placing a hand gently on the sleeping girl’s head. “I’m glad you’re okay, Raven,” she murmured, barely loud enough for the translator to pick up. Her head throbbed with pain once, as it had every now and then over the last few days, although this time it was slightly more concentrated on the top of her head. She suppressed a wince as the pain faded, but it didn’t disappear entirely.
“Okay,” she said, turning back to Tessa. “First stop, the head.”
Tessa had moved up next to Rala and taken one of her lower arms, "Now, you can lean on me." She whispered, "Not gonna let you fall and have Lady Kellerman yell at me for it. So you will do as I say, to the bathroom to start with."
A few minutes later, the pair returned, Rala now having to actually exert effort not to put too much weight on Tessa. She’d felt fine when she’d gotten up, but apparently Starfleet’s medical science couldn’t keep her from getting fatigued quickly after a day like the one she’d had. She made no complaint about climbing back onto the biobed, although her stomach grumbled as she did so.
"My Lady, next time, don't treat me like an um... Something fragile. I am stronger than I look. Now, you are going to stay right here while I get you something to eat." Tessa's face turned from stern to bright and happy again, "Don't. Move."
“Not going anywhere, I promise, and I know you’re stronger than you look, in more ways than one.” Rala said softly as she settled back onto the biobed. “But I’m also heavier than I look.” She glanced away in thought for a second, then gave the girl a soft, apologetic smile. “I’m sorry. I seem to be having trouble letting the mostly-fictional mental picture of ‘Tessa the youngling who needs protection’ that drives my instincts be replaced by the actual ‘Tessa the trained fighter and healer’ that’s standing in front of me. I’ll work on that; you have my word.”
It wasn't anything exciting that came on the tray, some herb-flavored chicken and vegetables, typical hospital fare that was designed to get people to heal faster so that they could escape the medical ward. "And here you go." Tessa said with a smile.
Rala held the PADD in one hand, accepted the tray with two more, and touched one of Tessa’s hands gently with the fourth. “Thank you,” she murmured, smiling. “And again, I’m glad you’re okay. Expect plenty of hugs once I’m back on my feet.”
"Is that a threat, or a promise?" Tessa grinned back at the Draakri, "Because I'm gonna hold you to that! And thank you, I would have been in some real trouble if you and Henry hadn't come along. But, for now, get some rest and some food in you and recover. I'm just out there, remember that!"
Rala turned her attention to her meal and the PADD, but rather than going back to the book, she started a new text file, typing rather than dictating: ‘Personal log - I almost died today.’
[end]
