Chapter 30:
The trio fell out of the portal into a hole in the ground. They stood up and brushed themselves off, hitting the deck when they heard an explosion.
"What was that?" Rebecca asked.
"Sounded like mortar fire..." Michael replied.
"Let's see if anyone can tell us what's going on." Sam said, as they climbed out of the hole and walked down the trail.
"So, is this a national park or something?" Rebecca asked. "I don't remember there being this much forest in San Francisco."
"Neither do I, although I guess perhaps the geo-stabilizer might be off." Michael said.
"What?" Rebecca asked.
"Our stabilizer keeps us in San Francisco, but if it was out of sync we could end up anywhere." Michael replied.
"That can happen?" Rebecca shouted.
"Yes, but it's unlikely to." Michael said.
"Guys, do you hear that?" Sam asked.
"Yeah, it's a helicopter." Michael replied. "So what?"
"So what, if we follow it, we'll find a military base." Sam said.
"Good idea, Sam!" Rebecca said, as the trio started following the helicopter that flew above them.
The trio walked onto the base and a short man in glasses and a jeep cap ran past them waving a clipboard.
"Major Houlihan! Major Houlihan!" he shouted. Michael froze in place.
"What's wrong?" Rebecca asked.
"He was shouting for Major Houlihan... I recognize that name for some reason. And being on this base, it feels like deja vu, like I've been here before." Michael replied.
"Spooky." Sam said.
They walked up and saw a sign near a tent and Michael leaned in to read it.
"Check this out. Supply Tent, 4077th M*A*S*H." Michael said. "That's it!"
"What's it?" Sam asked
"Why this place is familiar. We're in Korea!" Michael shouted.
"And I'm aiming for a Section 8, tell me something I don't know." a man in a frilly dress said, walking past the group.
"Oh my god." Michael said.
"What are you talking about?" Rebecca asked.
"You guys haven't seen it? M*A*S*H was a television show from the 70's about a Mobile Army Surgical Hospital during the Korean War." Michael said.
"Then how are we at that hospital in 2013?" Sam asked.
"This world is either set decades farther back than our world, or this world is in a time loop, where the Korean War never ends, since the war was three years long and the show was eleven." Michael said.
"So what do we do?" Rebecca asked.
"Steal some uniforms and bide our time for the next week while we're stuck here." Michael said, glancing at the timer.
The trio walked into the mess tent and Rebecca shifted uncomfortably in her uniform.
"This is so bulky." she whined.
"Come on, it's not that bad. We have to be inconspicuous." Sam said.
They walked onto the line for food and after getting food, sat down at a table with two officers at it.
"Do you mind if we sit here?" Michael asked.
"Not at all," one of the officers said.
"Captain Hunnicutt." Michael said, sitting down. "And you must be Captain Pierce."
"Please, call me Hawkeye." Hawkeye said.
"And you can call me B.J." B.J. said.
"I've heard so much about you." Michael said, "When they warned us after we got assigned here."
"Are you three medics?" B.J. asked.
"Oh no, we're just enlisted men." Michael said. "I'm Michael and this is Sam, and Rebecca."
"Nice to meet you. I swear they get younger every day." Hawkeye said.
"So the guy in the dress, is he messed up in the head?" Rebecca asked.
"Klinger? He wishes." Hawkeye said. "He's trying to get discharged for being insane. But he's too sane for that."
"Have you reported to Col. Potter yet?" B.J. asked.
"Yeah, we handled that when we got here." Michael replied.
"That's good. We have to go." Hawkeye said, standing up and walking out of the tent, as B.J. followed him.
"Do you think there's something off about those three?" B.J. asked.
"I didn't want to be the one to say it." Hawkeye replied.
Hawkeye and B.J. walked to Col. Potter's office and found him sitting at his desk, reading over some papers.
"Good morning, Colonel." Hawkeye said.
"Good morning to you too, what do you two want?" Col. Potter asked.
"Why do we have to want something when we come in here?" Hawkeye replied.
"You always do." Col. Potter said.
"Point taken." B.J. said.
"Anyway, we want to know if you were expecting three new enlisted personnel." Hawkeye said.
"Actually, yes. Two men and a woman." Col. Potter said. "Got a call from Seoul about it yesterday."
"Have they checked in yet?" B.J. asked.
"Not yet, have they arrived?" Col. Potter asked.
"We ran into them in the mess tent." Hawkeye said. "Thought something seemed off about them."
"Find them and send them to me." Col. Potter said.
"We'll go get them." B.J. said, as they turned to leave the office.
"Attention. Incoming casualties. All personnel report to pre-op immediately." the P.A. announcer said.
"It'll have to wait, boys." Col. Potter said. "Let's get to the O.R."
Michael led Sam and Rebecca into a tent and they walked to the back of the supply room.
"Okay, what's going on here?" Rebecca asked. "How are we in a television show?"
"I don't know, but we are! And I think I know how we're in Korea." Michael started. "The timer is connected to a certain spot in space-time, not San Francisco. So if this world rotates differently than our Earth, theoretically Korea could inhabit the same zone."
"Can't we get in trouble for being on a base when we aren't in the army?" Sam asked.
"On the show, it was a comedy, so we should be fine, maybe some shenanigans and hijinks." Michael said.
"I hope so." Rebecca said.
The trio walked around the camp, when Sam bumped into a tall man who was holding a bouquet of flowers.
"I am so sorry." Sam started, when the man cut him off.
"You listen to me you twerp! Do you know who I am?" the man shouted.
"You're Major Frank Burns, wow I've heard so much about you!" Michael said. "You're an inspiration to me."
"Oh... really?" Frank asked.
"Oh of course, your medical skills are the talk of the town at the last base I was stationed at." Sam said.
"Well then, as you were." Frank said, walking away with a spring in his step.
"Was he like that on the show?" Rebecca asked.
"Exactly like that, that's how I knew that'd work." Michael replied. "We have to be careful though. He's pretty easy to anger so he could expose our cover if he finds us out."
"Hawkeye and B.J. seem to be the most agreeable here." Sam said.
"We are known to be that." Hawkeye said, popping up behind them.
"Oh! Hey Hawkeye." Michael said.
"Col. Potter wants to see you." B.J. said.
"Oh, yeah... About that..." Sam started.
"No buts, go to Potter's office." Hawkeye said.
The trio walked into Col. Potter's office with their heads down. They expected the worst result. Col. Potter looked up from his desk.
"Ah, you are the three new enlisted, right? You know, it's proper to go see your commanding officer when you arrive at your new assignment." Col. Potter said.
"Yes sir, but we couldn't come to you just yet." Sam said.
"And why is that, Private?" Col. Potter asked.
"It's my fault, actually." Rebecca interjected.
"Is it, now?" Col. Potter said.
"I lost our travel orders." Rebecca said.
"Lost them?" Col. Potter asked.
"On the way here, they needed to... uh... relieve themselves. And so they gave me their travel orders to hold while they did their thing." Rebecca said.
"And then there was a lot of mortar fire and we had to duck for cover." Sam said.
"And I lost the papers, so we didn't want to face you without them." Rebecca said.
"Well, even though that was the wrong thing to do, I understand your reasoning. Don't let it happen again." Col. Potter said.
"Thank you sir, I assure you it won't." Michael said.
"Anyway, we need to get you situated into a tent." Col. Potter said. "Let me just call Radar. Radar!"
As soon as Col. Potter said that, the short man in the jeep cap from before popped his head into the room.
"Yes, sir?" Radar asked.
"Take these three to one of the tents. Usually we wouldn't have a woman rooming with men, but we're low on room. So for the time being, you'll have to room with them." Col. Potter said. "Got that Radar?"
"Got it." Radar said.
Radar led the three of them to an empty tent. They sat down on the cots and there was a knock on the tent flap.
"Come in!" Michael said.
"Thank you, I hope you don't mind me intruding." a man with a chipper voice and a white panama hat said. "I'm Father Mulcahy, the unit chaplain."
"Not at all." Sam said. "Nice to meet you, father."
"I like to introduce myself to the new members of the 4077, so that they know that I can be approached for anything, especially confession." Father Mulcahy said.
"We'll be sure to come to you if we have any spiritual problems." Rebecca said.
"Very good. I'll leave you to get settled in now. Have a good day." Father Mulcahy said.
"Same to you, Father." Michael said.
Father Mulcahy walked out of the tent and the trio were left to themselves. Michael sat holding the timer, idly tapping his fingers on the back of it. Sam was the first to break the silence.
"So..." Sam started.
"Huh, this actually is one of the calmer slides. We're in an active warzone, and there's nothing to talk about." Rebecca said. "Why is that?"
"Well, nothing of note is happening I guess." Michael said.
"Attention. All enlisted personnel are to report to pre-op for routine physicals." the P.A. announcer said.
"Crud." Sam said.
The three of them walked into pre-op and they saw Col. Potter, Hawkeye and a blonde woman standing in front of them.
"Good to see you followed orders this time." Col. Potter said. "The men go with Hawkeye and the lady can go with Major Houlihan."
"Aye aye, sir." Michael said, as Rebecca walked off with Major Houlihan.
Rebecca sat down on a cot as Major Houlihan pulled a curtain to conceal the two of them from the rest of the exam room.
"So, you're new here?" Major Houlihan asked.
"I am." Rebecca replied.
"Where do they have you quartered?"
"In one of the spare tents with the two guys I arrived with."
"Oh, that will not do! You can't be quartered with them! It's not proper military procedure!"
"But Col. Potter said that there wasn't room anywhere else."
"Listen, I don't usually do this, but how long are you assigned here?"
"A week or so."
"Okay, I'll see if I can pull some strings and get Col. Potter to put you into my tent for the time being."
"Oh, that's not necessary, Major."
"Nonsense!"
"What about Major Burns? I can't be in your tent if you want time alone with him!"
"How... How do you know about Frank? I mean Major Burns?"
"I just guessed. I saw Major Burns with flowers before and as you're the highest ranking female officer here I assumed that the only person that Major Burns would go for was you."
"Well, you were right."
"See? I shouldn't be in your tent, I'd cause too much trouble!"
"You're staying in my tent and that's final. Consider it an order."
"Fine..."
Hawkeye finished examining Sam and Michael and checked over his charts.
"So, tell me about yourselves." Hawkeye said. "Where you guys from?"
"I'm from San Francisco." Sam said.
"And I'm from New York." Michael said.
"And I'm from Maine and we're all in Korea." Hawkeye said. "Draft get you, or did you sign up?"
"Draft." Michael said. "Believe me, we wouldn't be here if it was within our control."
"Neither would I." Hawkeye said.
"Attention, all personnel!" the P.A. Announcer shouted. "Incoming wounded!"
"Damn. You two mind helping out?" Hawkeye asked.
"Not at all." Michael said, let's go.
In the Operating Room, Michael stood by the table Hawkeye was at, passing him tools.
"Pierce! Why are you letting that enlisted guy do the nurse's job?" Frank asked.
"Because, there's too many wounded and not enough nurses! Plus he knows what he's doing." Hawkeye said.
"Normally I'd object, but Pierce is right." Potter said.
"Collins! We need more gloves in here!" Major Houlihan shouted.
"Got it, Major!" Rebecca shouted.
"Evans! Can you re-glove me?" B.J. asked.
"Uh..." Sam replied, staring at the soldier on the table.
"Evans?" B.J asked.
"I'm sorry." Sam said, and ran out of the room.
"Sam!" Rebecca shouted. "Can I?"
"Yes." Major Houlihan said.
Rebecca followed Sam out of the room and saw him sitting in the corner. She walked up to him and put her arm around him.
"Sam, are you okay?" she asked.
"I... I can't do it." Sam said, staring forward.
"Sam!" Michael shouted, running out of the Operating Room. "What's wrong?"
"My... my brother." Sam said, his eyes tearing up.
"You have a brother?" Michael asked.
"I had one." Sam said.
"Oh... I'm so sorry." Michael said.
"What happened to him?" Rebecca asked.
"My brother..." Sam started. "Was a soldier, in the army. In Afghanistan."
"Oh no." Rebecca said.
"And he..." Sam started. "Was killed. He died in an army hospital."
"Sam, it's okay." Michael said. "No one in there is your brother."
"Evans! What's going on out here?" Col. Potter asked.
"Sam's brother died in an army hospital." Rebecca said.
"Back in WWII?"
"Yeah." Michael said.
"I never thought I'd be in army hospital. I thought I'd gotten over it." Sam said.
"Listen son, it's going to be alright." Col. Potter said. "Radar! Put in a call to Dr. Freedman!"
Dr. Freedman walked into their tent and up to the bed where Sam was sitting.
"Hello there, Private Evans. I'm Dr. Sidney Freedman, I'm a psychiatrist." Dr. Freedman said.
"He's relapsing into a memory of his dead brother, who died during the last war." Col. Potter said.
"Now, Sam. Can you tell me what happened to your brother?"
"It was... in the last war. He was caught in an explosion, landmines. His entire unit was. Jimmy Walters, his best friend from when they were kids, he was there. He saw the explosion. They both went to the army hospital, but only Jimmy made it out. He helped console me when he got back to the states." Sam said. "I'd imagined what it looked like, I never thought I'd see it."
"Sam, you have to get over this. Your brother isn't in there. None of those soldiers were in a landmine explosion." Freedman said.
"So much death." Sam said.
"Sam, I want you to go to a happy place. Someplace you're happy." Freedman said. "Can you do that?"
"Yeah." Sam said. "I'm at the Dominion Hotel. And the timer's about to go off."
"What's the timer?" Dr. Freedman asked.
"It's my favorite toy. From back home." Sam replied.
"Ah. Do you think you're gonna be okay, Sam?"
"Yeah. I think I am." Sam said.
The trio stood as Dr. Freedman got in his jeep. They waved goodbye as the jeep drove away and they walked back to their tent.
"How much time do we have left?" Rebecca asked.
"About two minutes." Michael replied.
"Good." Rebecca said. "Sam, you gonna be okay?"
"Yeah. I don't think I'm over it, but I finally faced it." Sam said.
"Well, get ready to face more unknown, because we're about to slide." Michael said.
Michael aimed the timer at the wall and the trio jumped through the portal. As they did that, a jeep pulled up at the camp and the doubles of the sliders hopped out of it, with their bags.
"Hey, Mike!" Hawkeye shouted.
"How does he know my name?" Michael asked.
To Be Continued...