THIRTY EIGHT

Oct. 25th: 0300 hours

Alone in the operating room, two woman sat in exhausted silence. Colonel Blankenship, sitting on a stool, was slumped across a table. Lieutenant MacAllister, sitting on a bench, was adjusting an ice pack on her ankle. They looked up as the company clerk entered the OR. He was carrying a tray from the mess tent.

"Here's a couple of bologna sandwiches, ladies. There's no other food left. I brought you some cold water. Sorry, there's no juice left, either."

"There's no juice left in me, either, Corporal," the surgical nurse answered with a tired grin and a yawn.

"The mess sergeant wanted to know if he could shut down the kitchen since the rush is over. I told him he could go back on regular schedule," Klinger reported.

MacAllister nodded.

Corporal Klinger turned to the older woman. "Colonel, would you care for something to eat?" She straightened and accepted the plate from him.

The man poured MacAllister some water. "Thanks." Sarabeth winced as she reached for her food.

"Do you need another ice pack for your ankle?"

"No. It's fine." She yawned again, "All right, Klinger. Let's finish camp business."

"Yes, ma'am," the clerk consulted his list. "I checked on the colonel. He was sound asleep in his tent. I removed his boots and covered him with a blanket. The guards have been posted. Pre-op is ready. Lieutenant Kellye made certain it was cleaned and restocked before she went off duty."

"I stopped by all the post-ops. They have enough supplies. The ward nurses report no problems. And everyone knows their duty schedules. I'll put in a requisition for more supplies and call grave registration---in three hours---when the lines are clear."

"Is there anything else we need to take care of?"

"No, ma'am."

"All right. Hand me my crutches. Once you escort the colonel to the VIP tent, you can stand down."

"What about you, Lieutenant?" worried, the corporal asked.

"After I check on the surgeons and get the OR taken care of, I'm going to collapse on the nearest flat surface. Colonel Blankenship, I really appreciate your help. You made the OR procedures run smoother. Thank you."

"It seems to me, that you had the OR running smoothly, even without my contributions."

"That's because of Major Houlihan's preparations. You made it easier, however. And I'm grateful for that."

In the alcove beside the operating room, the doctors were sleeping on the cots provided for them. Standing beside Hawkeye Pierce's bed, maneuvering her crutches to bend over him, Sarabeth tenderly moved the hair out of his eyes.

"Don't dream about the blood, Hawk. Think about Maine and the lobster festival, instead." She spoke very softly. He mumbled something but remained asleep.

After covering him with a blanket, she turned to B J's cot. He had managed to remove one of his boots before falling victim to exhaustion. She finished the job he had begun and looked at him fondly. "B J, Peg loves you and needs you. And she always will."

"Tucking the children in for the night?" Major Winchester's fatigued voice startled her.

"It is way past your bedtime." MacAllister responded. "That shows you how tired I am: I didn't evenknow you were awake. And why aren't you asleep?"

"I was debating whether or not it was worth the effort to get up and find some water to drink," he said.

"I'll bring you some."

He shook his head. "It is not worth the effort for you to get it, either. How's your ankle?"

"I was debating which is better: an above the knee or a below the knee amputation."

The doctor moved to the edge of his cot. "Sit down before you fall down," he ordered.

I can't, sir. I still have the operating room to clean up. And if I stop moving, I won't be able to move again."

"Let some of the other nurses take care of that."

The Texan gave a shake of her head. "Most of my nurses are now pulling post-op duty; the rest are getting some sleep so they can relieve them in a few hours. And, I've got the corpsmen working the wards or preparing the laundry and the instrument sterilization. I'll take care of the OR."

Hearing the stubbornness in her voice, he accepted her decision. "Very well. One more thing," the man paused, "Would you tell me something?"

"I can tell you lots of things." MacAllister smiled and then matched his seriousness. "What do you want to know, sir?"

"What would you have said to me, if I had been asleep along with Pierce and Hunnicutt?"

To his surprise, she flushed and looked away. "No one was supposed to hear any of that. I was...I was saying good-bye."

"I realize that. I would like to know. Please."

She met his gaze. "I would have said that you are going to enjoy symphonies at the Emerson Concert Hall in Boston for many years to come."

"Thank you, my dear. That is indeed a great comfort to me. After you have completed your task, take some analgesics. And get some sleep!"

"As soon as I can, sir." MacAllister said.

When the acting-head nurse returned to the operating room, she discovered Corporal Klinger and Colonel Blankenship hard at work.

"Corporal, I told you to stand down."

"There's an old Lebanese saying, Lieutenant: You don't get to sleep until you've cleaned your camel's stall."

Sarabeth's smile spread across her face. It even touched her eyes. "Then let's get this stall mucked out, shall we?" She looked at the other woman. "Colonel, you don't have to work this detail."

"It's been a long time since I've had OR duty. I haven't forgotten how to disinfect tables, however."

"Thank you, ma'am. Thank y'all, both," was her tired reply.

"I'll walk you to your tent, Sarabeth."

"No need, Klinger. I'm headed for that fourth cot in the hallway. Doctor Hunnicutt and I have second post-op duty. Make sure I'm awake by 0730 hours, will you? You may have to use a bucket of water."

"I'll bring two." The corporal grinned at her, "Stand down, Lieutenant."

"Yes, sir!"

Oct. 25th: 1200 hours

"Thanks again, Colonel, for all your help during the OR session." Lieutenant MacAllister said. She walked the visiting officer to her jeep. "You really came through when we needed the extra hands."

"You will be notified of the results of my inspection, Lieutenant."

"Looking forward to it, ma'am. Have a safe trip."