Another MASH Crossover

A/N: I don't own the rights to "MASH", "China Beach," or "Doctor Quinn Medicine Woman." Just having some fun with guest stars to the MASH universe. This is not official canon by a long shot but that's what fan fiction is about.

Yokota Air Base Japan

December 1951

The female transit officer's quarters were not full when Captain Colleen McMurphy, U.S. Army Nursing Corps arrived from the 75th Army Base Hospital in Yokohama. Capt. McMurphy had been in Japan six months stationed at the 75th and hated every minute of it. The hospital was too spit and polish for her taste. There was no serious work for a nurse there also. McMurphy had not joined the Army to supervise the changing of bedpans. She had come to be a nurse at the front. She had put in numerous requests to get transferred and now she had got her wish. She was headed to Korea to a MASH unit and not just any MASH but the best one in Korea the 4077th. So now she was here at Yokota Air Base waiting for her flight to leave tomorrow morning.

Everyone said the 4077th was the best. Highest survival rate of any MASH unit in Korea. However there was a problem. "The 4077th has no discipline" her commanding officer Col Rogers had said. "Doctors walking around unshaven, no saluting, hell the Commander Henry Blake wears a fishing outfit all the time. Be careful McMurphy". Colleen McMurphy actually liked the thought of lack of discipline. A lifetime of being raised in an Irish- Catholic world of nuns and priests telling you to live your life the church's way or go to hell, McMurphy was looking to let loose.

A nurse who had been at the 4077th Lieutenant Marge Cutler, warned McMurphy of the doctors there. "Watch out for Hawkeye Pierce. He's good looking but he'll never settle down. He's slept with just about every nurse at the unit and Trapper john's worse. He's married". "Don't worry Margie; I have brothers at home, brothers with a lot of friends who wanted to date me. I can handle those two".

The female transit quarters were really just a big room with several bunk beds. It reminded McMurphy of basic training. McMurphy's flight to Kimpo Airbase in Korea was scheduled to leave at 0800 tomorrow morning. A jeep was coming to pick her up at 0600 tomorrow morning. It was now 1400 (2PM for civilians) in the afternoon. There was supposed to be another female officer going with her to Korea, but McMurphy hadn't seen her yet. McMurphy started unpacking what items she needed for the night when where there was a knock at the door.

A blonde girl poked her head through the doorway. "Captain McMurphy it's Sgt Simmons from billeting. May I come in?" "Yes Sergeant, come on in" McMurphy answered. Sgt Simmons entered with another female Army Captain. Both were wearing overcoats to fight the winter cold. "Capt. McMurphy this is Capt. Quinn she'll be staying with you tonight. She is the other officer going with you to your unit in Korea."

"Doctor Michaela Quinn" the captain said holding out her hand with a smile. "I guess we'll be working together". "Colleen McMurphy, not a doctor, just a nurse, pleased to meet you". The two women shook hands. "Two Irish Captains what a lucky pair we are" McMurphy said. The two women laughed.

"Ma'am is it all right for the driver to bring in your bags? Sgt Simmons asked Capt. Quinn. "Yes Sergeant bring them in. Capt. McMurphy which bunk is mine?"

"Take your pick" McMurphy answered. A male Army private entered the room then carrying Dr. Quinn's duffel bag and suitcase the same luggage McMurphy had.

"I'll take the bunk next to yours if you don't mind so we can talk" Dr. Quinn said. "You can put my bags down here Private, I got it from here. Sgt, are there any others coming with us "

"No Ma'am just you and Capt. McMurphy." Sgt. Simmons answered. "If you need rides to dinner just come by my office and I'll take you to the Officer's Club. It's a little too cold to walk. The jeep to take you to the air terminal will be out front at 0600. Will you ladies need anything else?"

"No Sergeant that will all thank you" McMurphy answered for both of them. Sgt Simmons and the private left leaving the two Captains to themselves. McMurphy studied her soon to be traveling companion. Dr. Michaela Quinn was a thin women with long hair, very long brown hair done up in a bun. She looks more like a movie star playing a doctor than the real thing. She also has an interesting accent McMurphy thought. "You can call me Colleen" McMurphy said breaking the silence. "You don't need to be so formal". Dr. Quinn smiled. "Okay Colleen Everybody calls me Dr. Mike or just plain Michaela. So where you from?"

"I'm from Lawrence Kansas. " Colleen replied. "The city, not some farm as most people think when they hear the name Kansas. And you?"

"Boston Mass. And definitely not a farm girl also." Michaela answered with a grin. Now it was Michaela's turn to study her fellow Captain. Colleen McMurphy had dark hair that reached to her collar. She had curves under her dress uniform Michaela noted. Probably will have all the male doctors in love with her she thought to herself.

The two women continued to chat while arranging the uniforms they would wear for the flight to Korea and later on over dinner at the officer's club. Michaela Quinn at 33 was older than Colleen McMurphy. She was a graduate of Radcliffe and had attended Medical School in Pennsylvania. Her father was a wealthy doctor who was friends with the Kennedys. Michaela didn't care for the privileged life and was determined to make a name for herself in the medical world. She had left her father's practice and was in residency at St. Eligieus Hospital in the south end when the war began. Michaela immediately volunteered and convinced her father to use his political connections to get to Korea.

Colleen McMurphy was born and raised in Lawrence Kansas had when to nursing school in Kansas City. She had never left the state of Kansas until she joined the Army in June 1950 when the war began. Colleen's older brothers had fought in WWII and Colleen wanted to do her part in this one. Both came from Irish Catholic backgrounds and were determined not to become housewives immediately. The two liked each other.

"Colleen we are going be a team. Two Irish girls can't be beat" Michaela said as they went to bed that night. "Yup we'll beat them" Colleen replied. 'We'll beat them.

A/N: The next chapter will take our duo to the 4077th. MASH fans will recognize Marge Cutler from the first season of MASH. More cameos by early MASH characters are coming. Yes in this story's universe Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman was born in the 20th Century and was a resident at St. Eligeus AKA "St Elsewhere".