5

"You didn't say our work would be admirable," Hawk couldn't resist pausing for a last remark. "But that's okay, you seem like a guy who doesn't tell what his true feelings are. Again, it's been, um, pleasant? Well, so long, doctor."

"Pierce," he turned back at Charles' address."Ah, look after yourself over there."

"Yeah, thanks, and the same to you, at here though," Hawkeye winked, and shook hands with Charles one last time (for now) and rushed to catch up with Trapper and Margaret.


"Major Winchester?"

"Yes?"

"I'm Sgt. Carson, an aide of Col. Baldwin, welcome to Tokyo," the sergeant said brightly. "I'm here to take you to your quarters, the colonel wishes to meet with you as soon as you get settled in. "That your gear?"

"Yes."

Carson picked up Charles' case, and led the major out of the airport.


Hawkeye and Trapper both rejoiced that this would be the final plane ride in what will hopefully be a really long time.

On this flight to Kimpo, Margaret was able to carefully choose her seat, a row back of and across the aisle from her traveling companions. Both had vied for her to sit with either one of them. But she won out, and sat by herself.

"What did that higher-ranking, lesser-skilled fussbudget say to you?" Trapper turned in his seat towards Margaret. "Let us guess, where to sit?"

"Among other things," she replied with a slight grin.


"Captains Pierce, and McIntyre? And Major Houlihan?"

Hawkeye and Trapper made a show of looking around, then down at the young corporal in front of them. They had just gotten off the plane, and entered the tiny Quonset hut of a terminal here on the Kimpo base.

"Hello, I'm Cpl. Walter O'Reilly, the 4077th's company clerk. But you can call me Radar. Welcome to Korea."

"Why R..?" Trapper began.

"It's just I sort of know things beforehand." Radar explained with a shrug. "Lt. Colonel Henry Blake, and Major Frank Burns, second in command, are expecting you and I'm to get you to camp ASAP."

"Corporal, there's to be about.. "

"Yes, ma'am, ten nurses are expected, and should arrive at camp in a day or two."

At the number ten and of course, the term nurses, Hawkeye glanced at Trapper with a smirky grin. Trapper returned it in kind.

"Major, if you need any help with those nurses, seeing to their job duties, and to any comfort they might need... remember, we'll be nearby, and only too glad to help out."

"Down captain. Too eager is more like it. Thanks, but no, I can handle this command just fine."

"Remember also, we're the ones with the great hands," Trapper had to add. "Handle. Get it?"

Margaret just shook her head at their wisecracking, while Radar snickered at it. He took Margaret's case and led the group to the waiting jeep.

Hawkeye sat down in the front passenger seat and indicated for Margaret to sit in his lap. With a firm no, she urged he and Trapper in the back seat with all their gear. Reluctantly, they did so.

"You're driving?" Trapper exclaimed when Radar climbed behind the wheel.

"Yeah, can you reach the pedals?" Hawkeye added.

"Sirs, please cut it out, once," he started the jeep and pulled it out of the base. They were on their way.

"How much of the camp... ?"

"The hospital is nearly complete," doing a remarkable job of dodging the bigger potholes, Radar was able to answer Hawkeye's question. "So, is the latrine."

"Now, that's the most important facility." Trapper proclaimed.

"It's what I've come to Korea to see." Hawkeye exchanged an 'I told you so' look with Trap.

"A few of the tents are up and usable. The Swamp, as one of the bigger tents is named, is where you will be bunking with Major Burns." Radar went on with his describing of the camp.

"Us, or Major Houlihan?" Hawkeye easily asked.

"You, sirs, of course! We can't put a male person and a female person together!"

"And I thought that was what made the world go around."

"So did I, Hawk."

"Well, I don't believe Major Houlihan would want anything to do with Major Burns." Radar shook his head at the thought.

"I should say not!" Margaret was indignant.


The beautiful, it's-difficult-to-believe-there's-a-war-going-on-here countryside sped by at a rapid pace. All passengers were eager to be getting to their final destination. Just one more rise to go.

"Here we are," Radar stopped the jeep at the outskirts of camp, allowing Hawkeye, Trapper, and Margaret to get their first look at the 4077th. "Welcome again, here it's the Best Care Anywhere."

And so it begins.

The End. :)

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