Alright! We're back with another installment! Going back to the 407th for a turn this time. I expect the calm to end soon but in the meantime, enjoy!

Dear Ma

Sergeant O'Reilly smiled softly as Parna rested in her cot, clutching Tiger in her arms. Sitting down at his desk, he turned on the small gooseneck lamp, making sure that the light was directed away from the sleeping Bunny Girl. With the day's reports filed, Radar began to write a letter home.

Dear Ma:

I hope this letter finds everyone well. I got your care package this morning. The jar of blackberry preserves is really nice! Parna liked it a lot too. She says it reminded her a lot of her home. I guess we're more alike than folks might guess.

Before I go any further, I really want to thank you for sending me Grandma's ring. I'd like to think she'd approve of Parna, even if she isn't exactly the typical sort of girl from Ottumwa. I really do think she's that kind of special.

Unfortunately, not all folk out here are that nice. A couple days ago…

"Alright! What do we got?" Hawkeye demanded as the first casualties started arriving.

"Village about seventy klicks out," one of the medics answered. "They got hit by a band of Centaurs. The fighting was all over by the time we got there but the raping and pillaging was just getting started."

"Jeez."

"Not much left standing," The Welshman noted. "These are the worst off of the survivors. The rest will be here by lorrie in a few hours. Can't just leave them out there."

"Yeah," Hawkeye agreed, looking over an old man, wondering what he could have done to warrant someone nearly clubbing him to death.

"I should tell you, Captain, that we took a few of the bastards alive, including some wounded ones. Don't take your eyes off of them," The SAS Major in command warned, indicating a nearby stretcher where Major Winchester was examining one of his medics. "Damn bastard knifed one of my lads who was trying to administer first aid. Don't expect any thanks from any of that lot."

"Right," Colonel Potter agreed as he took stock of what was happening. "Radar!"

"I'll get the MPs right away sir!"

"Good man."

Hunnicutt looked up from the young boy he was treating, a rare touch of anger in his voice. "Why the hell isn't somebody protecting these people?!"

Chablis, the unit's new liaison from Pina's Order, answered with just a bit of anger in her own voice at the sight of so many helpless people hurt. People she, herself, was sworn to protect. "The Imperial Army used to patrol the area," she began.

"And we drove 'em off," Potter finished. The unintended consequences of the allied campaign. Just another thing nobody had thought of.

"Yes," The young knight answered but shook her head. "But even if you weren't here, this still would have happened. Centaurs have been raiding out here for generations. They stay away from cities or fortified towns and as long as no one important is… inconvenienced…" She said sourly as if the word itself left a bad taste. "Then nothing happens."

"Just keep focus on what we can do, Hunnicutt. That's more use to these folks than steaming over who ought to be doing something." Potter told BJ. To Chablis, he added, "There's gonna be a lot of folks coming in who're gonna be scared and most probably don't speak our lingo. You could be a big help making those folks a bit less scared,."

"I'll do my best, Colonel," Chablis replied respectfully.

"I expect your best will do pretty okay," Potter assured her. As far as he had experienced, these ladies seemed to be a smart and dedicated lot and the young Chablis seemed to be a good kid. In the meantime, it was going to be a long session.

The doctors and nurses here are first-rate but EVERYBODY has to do their part in a place like this. Especially in a situation like that. It's not just the people the doctors operate on. It's a whole community that needs help. Everything from food and blankets to just needing to feel like things are gonna be okay again. You know? It's like the flooding we had just before I left. Everybody's gotta help! Good thing there are a lot of folks willing to do their part.

"What can I do to help?" Father Mulcahy asked.

"A lot, padre," Potter answered. "We've got hundreds of folks coming in. We'll get to checking them out later but a hot meal and a place to sleep will be a start. Go get Grelkar and get him to start fixing some food for our guests and then ask Mother Mary what her people can do. Also, find Radar and tell him to ring up the engineers. See if we can get some tents up!"

"Right!" Mulcahy took off.

In the meantime, with permission from Major Houlihan, Parna went to see Delilah and Tyuule.

"What's happening?" Delilah asked.

"Centaurs!" Parna replied and both of the other Warrior Bunnies shuddered. Before the fall of the Tribes, Centaurs would raid and pillage Bunny villages just as soon as human ones, with similar results.

"Are they coming here?" Tyuule asked, sparing a glance at Noriko who merely put a reassuring hand on her arm.

"No, but they attacked a small village," Parna explained. "They were driven off by the Green Men and the surviving villagers will be coming here." She looked at them all intently.

"What can we do?" Delilah asked.

"I need help at supply, I can use any extra hands I can get."

Some folks just need a hand and sometimes, some folks just need the chance to give a hand.

We work closely with the locals and try to recruit some of them. I know the idea of Marines working with real Faeries sounds funny but it's not. Believe me! Last week, Corporal Klinger came back for a few days R and R…

"Now remember, Satha," Dora told the new Thraken hostess carefully. "Customers can look at you all they want but they aren't allowed to touch you." With Delilah in the hospital, Dora was now the senior hostess at the Way INN and Tavern and had partly of necessity and partly as a favor to the Green Men, hired the former Akusho district prostitute as a server since the girl was simply too traumatized by the recent quake to go back to Akusho or return to work at The Venus.

"Also, if any of the customers make you feel uncomfortable, tell me." Dora was not a confrontational person by nature and in the past, let the more assertive Delilah handle troublemakers but now she would have to step up and take care of it herself. She was a little bit concerned about Satha. She was a good girl but was used to a different set of rules which didn't apply here. She was afraid Satha might unintentionally encourage the wrong sort of behavior out of some of the patrons.

Dora smiled as Satha dutifully nodded. She really hoped it all worked out. Satha was a cheerful, friendly face and Dora admitted she was proving very good at serving tables

The smile on her face grew as she saw Sergeant O'Reilly come in with Miss Parna and a swarthy complected human who wore the same uniform. Dora brought Satha with her as she greeted them.

"Radar! Parna!" She guided them to an open table. "Your usual?"

Radar nodded. "Please. Oh! This is Corporal Klinger!"

Dora beamed. "You're Klinger?" She hugged him and happily showed off her tail comfortably and stylishly sporting the fox stole that Klinger had donated to make a cover for it. "Oh! I can't tell you how thankful I am. Do you think I could keep this for after when my tail has grown back out? I really like the look. I mean, I love my own tail but I thought I could wear it, like for special occasions?"

Klinger laughed. "Of course you can! I think Uncle Abdul would be proud that his stole ended up adorning such a pretty lady."

Dora blushed. "Thank you! So? What can we get you? On the house! I insist."

"Well, I could use a good beer."

"Right away!" Dora replied, turning to Satha. "One beer and two Grape Nehi and I need to show you where we keep the Grape Nehi." She looked at her guests

"Oh! This is Satha! She's going to be working here now!"

"Well, congratulations!" Klinger smiled. "That's great!"

"Satha will be back with your drinks in a minute. If there's anything else we can get for you?"

"I'll be sure to let you know," Klinger assured her. Shortly, Satha returned with their drinks and Klinger and Radar engaged in idle chat. As they talked, a group of Marines took a table nearby, one of them recognizing Radar and Parna and waving.

"Hey! Radar! How's it going?"

"Oh! Wesson! How's the hand?"

The big Marine flexed it and smiled. "Like new! The Docs sure did a great job! Oh! And thanks for taking care of my squadmates while they were fixing it." He gestured to the four faeries seated next to him, a special bench bolted to the table, each of them nursing a shot glass of beer. They looked up and waved at Radar.

"Yer a real friend of the Èireannach, an' Parna both of ye!" One of them, call sign was 'Dragonfly', Radar recalled, told them.

"And a friend to the Corps!" Wesson added. "You ever need help, we got your back!"

Radar smiled mildly. "Thanks…Oh! This is Corporal Klinger! He works over in Italica."

"How ya doing?" Klinger asked, offering his hand.

"You a friend of Radar's?"

"Oh! Yeah! He's good people!" Radar answered.

"Well! A friend of Radar's is a friend of ours!" Wesson gripped his hand in an enthusiastic handshake and slapped him on the back. "Well! We'll let you get back to your drinks!" The Marine said. "Good to see you, Radar!"

Radar nodded as the Marine went back to his beer. His face was a little less pleased a couple minutes later as he recognized some of their own walk in. Klinger glanced over.

"What's wrong, Radar?"

"Look at who just walked in," Radar practically growled.

"Crosetti." Klinger recognized the bruiser and shook his head, a sour expression on his face. "That guy's a creep."

"And McShane. Something about that guy rubs me wrong. The way he keeps looking at Parna and Koirre. I don't like it." Radar finished his Grape Nehi. "Well, Parna and I better get back."

"Sure thing, Radar. I'll see ya later then."

Radar nodded and left money for his and Parna's drinks. As they left, Crosetti waited for a moment and then pitched his voice low to the others at his table.

"How'd ya like a piece of that ass? The lucky little shit."

"Lucky, maybe," McShane commented. "But not smart. I know guys… I mean, in the states… A guy could make some nice money if he knew what he had."

"Come on, McShane. You are so full of shit!" Crosetti laughed but after a moment, looked a little more thoughtful. "On the other hand…" Crosetti said, pointing a meaty finger at Satha as she walked past, carrying two trays and a pitcher for another table.

"That's what I want. Think she's good with her hands?"

"Why don't you find out, Crosetti?" Corporal Hitalski nudged him with a grin.

As Satha walked past, heading back toward the bar, Crosetti got up and snagged her by the lower right wrist and yanked her toward him. "How about a date?"

Satha looked up at the big man and froze. This was against the rules but wasn't she supposed to do what the Green Men wanted her to do? The man grinned like a mountain ogre. "I'll show you a real good time."

Klinger looked over and a lump formed in his throat. He'd gotten into more than one fight back in Toledo but all of his experience said the first thing about fighting was to avoid trouble if you could. But this time. Well, somebody had to stick up for this girl.

He stood up and spread his hands out non-aggressively. "Hey, Crosetti, lay off her, will ya? She's just a kid."

"She doesn't look like no kid to me." Crosetti pulled her closer.

Klinger took one of Satha's free arms and pulled her behind him. "Lay off her Crosetti."

Crosetti got a feral grin. "I ain't pounded anyone in weeks! I'm gonna enjoy this."

Hitalski smirked viciously. He thought it would be amusing to watch Crosetti pound the little Lebanese rat.

Crosetti swung at Klinger's head but Klinger's practical training back home had taught him how to duck. Crosetti's fist missed Klinger by inches and the bulky sergeant stumbled forward… Right into the table of Marines, pushing into Lance Corporal Wesson and spilling everyone's beer.

And that's when all hell broke loose.

Klinger and Satha are okay. So is Dora. She went to get the MPs and the constables as soon as the fight broke out. Lance Corporal Wesson's hand got busted up from hitting Crosetti. The tavern got pretty busted up too.

"What in the name of Sam Hill happened?!" Colonel Potter demanded as Myuute and the MPs brought everybody into the hospital. Crosetti and Hitalski looked much the worse for wear and McShane was out cold.

"Crosetti started it, sir," Klinger told him. "He was trying to coerce Miss Satha here to…" Klinger stopped as Satha looked down at herself in shame. She knew she was going to be in trouble. Potter nodded.

"I think I get the picture."

"Wesson and the others were just acting in self-defense," Klinger offered.

"Aye!" One of the Faeries chimed in. "T'was nay us startin' any trouble. Was them motherless sons of a thousand bastards!" The Faery in question, Klinger thought it was the one called 'Dragonfly', also hoped that no one inquired too much how Private McShane had come to not only have a beer glass smashed on his head but how the broken handle had ended up lodged… elsewhere. McShane would have done well to have simply stayed out of it but for pack mentality or whatever misguided reason, he had thought to hit Wesson from behind with his stein.

"Crosetti! Hitalski! That's an article 128 for starters! And I'll be looking into an article 120 to boot! I'd kick BOTH of your asses if I wouldn't have to put the pieces back together afterward!" He looked over at the Marines.

"Wesson?" He barked more neutrally.

Wesson sat up straighter. "Yes, sir?"

"It's not that I don't appreciate you standing up for Klinger and Satha and not that they," Potter gestured to Crosetti and Hitalski. "Didn't have it coming. But you realize your Major Powers is gonna want to take a stripe off your hide, son."

"Yes, sir," Wesson admitted.

"Well… I'll talk to your CO. I'm much obliged to the lot of you. You know Captain Pierce is going to be a bit put out after the work he did on fixing that hand of yours last time."

"Yes sir. And I kinda did promise to stay outta fights."

"I'll tell Hawkeye it was in good cause. Major Houlihan!"

"Yes, Colonel?"

Potter gestured to Crosetti and Hitalski. "These men should be treated before the MPs take them to the stockade. You and I will take care of that personally."

"Yes, Colonel. I'll go get the iodine."

Never get a doctor or a nurse mad at you. They really know how to make things hurt!

Of course, while the damage was actually not too bad, Satha blamed herself…

"Are you alright?" Dora asked the younger girl with concern.

Satha nodded. "Yes, but I am cursed by the gods! I'm sorry! I must bring trouble wherever I go! First the shaking in Akusho and now here!" She cried. "If I go back I'll just cause more trouble!"

Klinger stepped in. "You're not cursed."

Satha sniffed. "You're one of the 'Green Men'. You don't believe in the Gods. Curses must sound silly to you."

Klinger smiled. "Look…. I can't say nothin' about what gods you believe in. But I know about curses." He pointed at his nose. "See this?" The girl nodded.

"I come from a long line of small nosed people. One day, one of my ancestor's camels spat in the face of the village witch! Ever since then, we've been growing 'em like this!"

Satha chuckled just a little.

"See? You ain't cursed. I'm not just sayin' that. I believe that. I know it's a scary world and all but you didn't cause no trouble. Crosetti started it and he got what he had coming too." Max smiled. "You just need to stop hangin' around crumbs like that and things will get better!"

Satha considered for a moment. "Yes! You are right!" She turned to Dora. "I am afraid I cannot work for you. I must go with Corporal Klinger! I will be with him and I will take care of him and I will have a good man for all my days!"

As Klinger's eyes grew into saucers, Dora embraced Satha happily. "I am so happy for you! May the Gods bless you both!"

So Klinger didn't have much choice. Since Satha had pretty well made up her mind. The ladyfolk around here are like that...

"What am I gonna do?" Klinger asked Captains Pierce, Hunnicutt, and McIntyre as he dejectedly sat down in the mess.

"About Satha?" Hunnicutt asked.

"No… about the Mud Hen's pitching slump! Yes! Captain! About Satha! In case no one else remembers, I got a wife back home! Laverne!"

Hawkeye shook his head. "Isn't this the same Laverne who admitted she's been cashing your allotment checks and left you for Morty the sausage maker? The same girl who just last month wrote and told you she was leaving Morty for your best friend, Gus Nagy?"

"Okay… So our relationship isn't perfect. Still, the point isn't about her. It's about what I'm going to do about having a four-armed shadow."

"Well, that's easy!" Major Burns butted in. "Have the MPs arrest her! I'll go call 'em and we'll run her in!"

"Shut your mouth, Frank! Don't you ever get tired of making an ass of yourself?"

"Hold up a second, Hawk," Trapper suggested. "Maybe Frank's right. Klinger? Is that what you want? That would certainly get rid of her."

Klinger looked horrified. "Do you think I want that on my conscience, Captain? She didn't ask for none of those bad things to happen to her." His tone was protective. "You think I want to throw more on top of that?"

Trapper smirked the look of someone who had just won a bet with himself. "You're not that kind of guy."

"Exactly," Hawkeye agreed. "But there's one thing you seem to be forgetting… "

"What's that, Captain?"

"Nobody but you even remembers you being married… Especially not the young lady who's gone out of her way to let you know she doesn't care. I mean… Morty the Sausage maker is one thing… but then writing you to tell you she dumped him to pick up with your best friend? I've seen icebergs that were less cold."

"Laverne! I must be the laughing stock of Toledo!"

"So…. You can keep letting Lady Dracula suck the life out of you…" Trapper noted.

"Or…" BJ suggested. "You could turn your attention to a girl who really seems to be interested in you."

"And do the arms really bother you? She'll be the only girl in Toledo who can hold her man while holding a fully loaded Tony Packo's Hungarian Hot Dog."

"I never thought of that… But My old neighborhood can be pretty rough for girls who just have the wrong last name… I don't know how they'll react to a girl like Satha. What if they treat her like they treat my Uncle's wife?"

"What happened?"

"Well, when he was in Korea, he fell in love with a Korean girl: Soon Lee. They got married and after the war, he took her home to Toledo."

"Wait… I thought your Uncle got out on a Section Eight? That's why he had all those dresses, right?"

"If you'll remember, sirs… I said he used them to get out of Korea. He never got his Section Eight and when he met Soon Lee, he stopped tryin'. Thing is, when they got married, he promised to stay in Korea and help Soon Lee find the rest of her family. He traded three chiffon dresses for a lead on Soon Lee's mother! So what I said was true, depending on how you look at it. But by the time he got home, it was late 1954!"

"So what happened?" BJ asked.

"Like I said, the old neighborhood ain't necessarily kind to outsiders. She did her best to fit in but everybody but his little sister, who was my mom, turned their backs on him! Finally, they moved to St. Louis. They and their kids still live there."

"So, you're worried everybody will turn their backs on you like they did your uncle," Trapper surmised.

"Well, yeah."

"Who cares what they think?" Hawkeye asked. "A bunch of idiots may have driven your uncle out of the neighborhood but it doesn't look like they stopped him from sticking with the choice he really wanted. So the question is: What do you think?"

Klinger shook his head with an ironic smile. "I think I gotta think about some stuff. Thanks, sirs." He walked out of the mess, finding a pensive Satha looking down at the ground.

"Master Klinger… Satha is sorry. I shouldn't…"

Klinger put a finger on her lips and lifted her chin gently. "We need to have a talk."

"Master Klinger?"

"First thing is I ain't nobody's 'master'. Call me Klinger. Or you can call me by my first name: 'Max'. Okay?"

"Yes, Maste… " She stopped and beamed, realizing that Klinger had allowed her his name. "Yes Max!"

"That's better. Now! Have you ever seen a Mud Hens game…?"

So Klinger talked to Colonel Potter and Colonel Potter enlisted Satha. She's going to fly out to Italica with Klinger. She'll be helping him in Colonel Blake's office. I think they're a good fit together.

So, just like any place, you get some good and some bad and sometimes, if you're lucky, you can still find a little good in the bad.

Well, it's getting late so I need to wrap up this letter. Hope to see you and Uncle Ed and everybody soon. Until then, stay safe!

Love, Walter.