This is part 1 of a side story for The Janus Campaign. The side story centers on the personnel of the 407th Combat Support Hospital whom you will recognize as the characters from M*A*S*H. (The 407th will likely be redesignated reflecting its expanded role in the Janus Theater) Please note that in this crossover we will find Colonel Potter with Henry Blake serving as his second-in-command. All the 'Swampmen' from the series are here so enjoy as these doctors and reluctant army men do the Gate their way.

They Fought and We Operated

O.R. 407th Combat Support Hospital

Colonel Sherman Potter grimly stepped into the OR as Nurse Able helped finish securing his mask. Most of the casualties coming in now were Saderan Imperials and there were plenty of them. He had just finished meeting with General Hazama about getting the full hospital up and running soonest. As of yet, only the barest essentials were finished although he was told that the Post-Op module should be ready shortly. He made a quick survey around the room. Outside, Captains Spalding and Ho were handling preop, Captain Pak was in charge of triage. In the OR, the rest of his doctors were hard at work. His attention lingered a moment on Major Charles Emerson Winchester III, The man was an excellent surgeon, but here that wasn't enough. A surgeon had to be fast as well as good here.

"Winchester! Move on! The bodies are literally piling up out there! Neatness doesn't count!" Colonel Potter hollered as Corporal O'Reilly reported another batch of wounded arriving.

"Colonel, I refuse to rush a bowel resection." The aristocratic Bostonian huffed in reply. "Why am I even here?"

"You're here, Winchester, because we're supposed to have an even dozen surgeons and you're number twelve. Now put it into overdrive! We don't have time to waste. Hunnicutt! Help Winchester!" Potter ordered.

"On it colonel. Kellye, close for me." Captain Hunnicutt instructed his nurse and then rushed over to Winchester's table.

"Now see here! Colonel!" An irate Winchester protested.

"Zip it, Winchester! Shut your yap and pay attention." Potter ordered.

At the next table, Major Burns groaned as the next casualty was brought in. "Oh my god! It's bad enough we have to work on the enemy but this one isn't even human! I don't even know why they brought this thing in here! I'm no veterinarian!"

"You're no doctor either Frank." Trapper John countered.

At the table behind Burns, Henry Blake turned around and looked. On the table was a slightly built girl of an apparent human age of 17 and with bluish green feathers and bird-like feet. Henry sighed. "Colonel, for once I agree with Frank. If this kid is going to have a chance at all, Pierce had better handle it."

"What about it Pierce?" Potter asked, not looking up from his own work.

"I think we're out of danger here. Newsome? Finish up for me will you?"

"Do I get to sew my initials in the stitches?"

"Only on the inside," Pierce replied as he changed gloves and shouldered Burns out of the way. "What a mess. Frank! Go find another table to work on your malpractice!'

"Colonel Potter!" Burns protested indignantly. He might not have wanted to operate on a non-human but he could not stand to be shunted aside either.

"BURNS! Get a patient and start doctoring!"

Pierce put the flustered Major out of his mind as he looked over this young girl's injuries. "What a mess. "Who says the human race isn't advancing. Every war we find improved ways to kill our fellow man. Or in this case our fellow avian. Even the operation could be fatal. She's already lost a lot of blood and we can't use any of ours. Margaret, get all the PolyHeme we have." PolyHeme was an oxygen-carrying blood substitute. At present, PolyHeme was considered less than satisfactory for general use but did have the advantages in that it would not cause incompatibility reactions. In Pierce's thinking, it was the only choice that would not be 100% fatal to this girl.

"You know that's still experimental." Major Houlihan noted.

"What else can we do? If we don't use it she'll bleed to death during the operation." He could only hope that her internal structure was similar enough to human that he could piece it all back together again.

"I'll get it right away." The Major hurried to retrieve the PolyHeme.

"Good. Now let's see if we can patch things up between the races as it were."

"Now if they'll take a break from making more casualties," Hunnicutt observed sourly.

"No such luck," Trapper noted. "What? Quit on all the fun?" He quipped. "Retractor." He said to Lieutenant Dish, who promptly provided the requested instrument.

"Remember that these fellows are the lucky ones." Potter reminded them.

"Be that as it may, Colonel," Captain Newsome replied. "This fellow might not be too happy when he gets his bill. I'm sure I'm not on his HMO plan."

"Don't let Frank hear you say that." Piece quipped. "He just might refuse to operate altogether. On the other hand, go ahead and say it. It might save some lives."

Several hours later, a tired Colonel Potter asked Radar for a count on the wounded waiting.

"That's the last of them, sir." The young corporal checked his clipboard.

"And a good thing too!" Corporal Klinger put in. "If this keeps up, I'm gonna start bucking for a psycho discharge!"

"Not a chance Klinger," Pierce told him. "We're all already crazy. Why do you think we're here?"

"That was good work in there people," Potter told them all. "Pierce, that was one helluva bang up job you did on that avian girl."

"Well someone had to Colonel. Someone did a bang up job on her already."

"Figures you'd sympathize with the enemy." Burns scorned.

"I always sympathize with kids that have had their insides spilled all over their outsides. It's a doctor thing. You wouldn't understand."

"What I wouldn't do for a long shower." Hunnicutt mused.

"I'm going to wash my face and go find a nice corner to pass out in." Captain Pak commented. "If anyone needs me, have a nurse wake me, slowly."

"Father Mulcahy said something about sandwiches." Henry Blake noted. "I'll wait for that."

"Well, the good news is that General Hazama says we have top priority from the construction and logistics folks."

"I suppose that's something." Trapper said tiredly.

"Actually Colonel?" Radar hesitated. "There is ONE more patient. She walked in under her own power but I think you should take a look at her personally Colonel."

"Well, show her in Radar."

"Yes, sir." O'Reilly stepped out and returned a moment later accompanied by the clopping of hooves. A beautiful Chestnut mare followed behind him.

"It's a horse sir…."