Disclaimer: The usual.

Sang-mi Kim sat with the officers in the mess tent, the baby tucked securely in her graceful arms. There she quietly explained her relationship to the child. "Her mother, Soon-yi, was my youngest sister," she said, stroking Kitty's cheek with one long finger. "Soon-yi lived in the village you discovered with her husband, Jai-hwa. It grieves me to learn they have perished, but I am blessed to find that my niece still lives."

"Can you adopt her?" asked BJ. "She should grow up with her family."

"I cannot," answered the Korean woman. "My husband and I already have three young children. A baby would be too much for us on our farm." She looked into their dejected faces and continued, "But there is another place for her."

"Where?" everyone asked breathlessly.

"I have a second sister," Sang-mi answered. "She married an American soldier named John Miller and moved to America when he was wounded. She is now an American citizen and is also childless."

"We can send Kit to the States if she has family there," said Colonel Potter. "That's what all the bureaucratic ninnies say."

"Where exactly does your sister live in the US?" Father Mulcahy asked Sang-mi.

"She lives in Chicago. There are planes that fly from Seoul to there."

"Do you think we could arrange a flight?" asked Hawkeye.

"I don't know, Pierce," said the colonel, leaning back from the table. "We'll have to go through a lot of red tape to get her adopted."

"She could stay in Korea in the orphanage," suggested Charles.

"Any opportunity for a child to get out of Korea should be looked into," said Margaret. "Do you really want her to grow up in a war zone when she could be in America?"

"Good point," said BJ. "Who should we ask to get all these forms and such?"

"I'll pull some of my strings in the government," said Colonel Potter. "I've got an old buddy in Immigration that could help us out. I'll go get Radar to ring him up and see what he can do. In the meantime, keep an eye on Kit and set up Mrs. Kim in the VIP tent."

"I am afraid I must go, Colonel," Sang-mi interjected. "The farm needs our whole family now."

"Thank you very much for coming," said the colonel, rising from his seat. "Now Kitty has a chance at a better life."

The woman bowed low and looked down at the baby she held, speaking softly to her in Korean before handing her to Hawkeye. Then Sang-mi bid them all farewell and left the tent.

"Let's step on it, people," said Colonel Potter. "This here kid is going to Chicago even if we have to sprout wings and fly her there ourselves."

"Here, here!" cried all those present.

Partly because of Radar's efficiency and partly because of Potter's stubbornness, the colonel was soon on the phone with his friend in Immigration, learning what forms had to be filled out by people on both sides of the Pacific. Telegrams were sent back and forth from the MASH-4077 to the Miller family in Chicago. John and Sun-hi Miller were delighted at the prospect of adopting their niece. However, the government had so many regulations to consider and papers tofile that it was nearly a month and a half before true arrangements were made to transport Kitty from Seoul to Chicago. A helicopter bearing an American social worker would take the baby to the airport in Seoul where the worker would take the child all the way to Chicago and her new parents. Knowledge that Kitty would be going to a better home did not do anything to ease the pain of her departure for the MASH-4077. A huge going-away party was planned to lighten everyone's spirits.

The day of the send-off arrived to bright sunshine and clear blue skies. The mess tent was thoroughly decorated with streamers, confetti, and large banners written over with farewells and well-wishes. A patient who happened to be a professional chef baked a huge cake with white icing for the occasion. In loopy pink letters it read 'Good luck in the Windy City, Kitty!' The sweet mass of pastry crowned a huge repast made mostly from gourmet food generously donated by Charles at the not-so-gentle urging of his bunkmates.

Everyone wore their most festive threads (the extent of which was hair ribbons and cheap jewelry) and glasses of punch were poured out all around. Kitty was dressed in a Klinger original white and pink party dress to match the cake. In the midst of the revelry, Hawkeye and BJ both stood up together. "We would like to propose a toast," they proclaimed, lifting the baby between them. Everyone quieted down as Hawkeye continued. "To Katharine Soon-yi Miller," he said. "May her years be long and happy and may she eat as many Chicago-stylestuffed pizzas as she can stomach."

The room exploded in cheering, but the noise was soon broken by Radar shouting, "Chopper coming in! Kitty, you're about to be on your way home!"

The entire crowd streamed out of the tent to meet the helicopter as it set down on the landing pad. A smartly uniformed lady jumped down out of the seat. She walked purposefully up to Colonel Potter and said, "Felicity McGuire at your service. I'm here to take Katharine Miller to the States."

There was silence in the ranks as the colonel addressed the social worker. "If you'll let us say our good-byes, ma'am?"

"Of course," she said courteously as BJ stepped forward, Kitty curled in his arms.

"So long, Kit," he said. "Don't forget us."

The baby was passed from person to person, each man or woman having an individual farewell for her. At last she came to Hawkeye, who looked down at her and paused. "Sayonara, sweetheart," he said at last. "Make us proud in the big world." Then he handed her up to Felicity McGuire in the chopper.

The people of the MASH-4077 stood solemnly as the helicopter lifted off, each with their own personal feelings. Hawkeye let Margaret dry her tears on the shoulder of his olive jacket so that her subordinates wouldn't see her.

"Vado per pax, liber ad bellum," said Father Mulcahy. "Go in peace, child of war."

The End