Note- the Steve in this chapter is not connected in any way to the Steve in my other story, Praise the Rising Sun. Oh, and Captain Smith is just a temporary name until I found out what the real Oklahoma's captain was named.
Navy Girl
Chapter Two
The train ride was long, considering the fact that they were traveling across an entire country. They made many stops along the way, and with every stop Rafe tapped his fingers more, Miranda threw down her magazine, Billy took another sip from his glass, Danny looked out the window, and Anthony cursed. And Red, who had showed up at the station a moment before it left, stuttered more with every city they past.
Finally the agitated, stiff group of six got off at San Francisco and hopped on a Navy-issued boat that had come to ferry them to Pearl Harbor. This trip only lasted an afternoon, but for Miranda, it was a very good afternoon.
"It's so pretty," Miranda said as Danny joined her at the rail of the boat. The water sparkled in the sun as a slight breeze swept over it. Danny agreed.
"There was no ocean in Tennessee." He said. "I didn't realize how much I was missing."
"That's where you're from?" asked Miranda. Danny nodded.
"I remember once," he said, a smile on his face, "Me 'n Rafe flew a crop duster for a minute." He chuckled, but then a dark look came over his handsome face. "My dad was so mad." Danny looked into his hands as Miranda placed a hand on his forearm.
"Was your dad mean to you?" she asked, her voice gentle. Danny nodded. "I'm sorry," Miranda said. But just then, Billy burst out onto the deck, Red and Anthony on his heels.
"Land 'ho!" he shouted, whooping and punching the air. "Pearl Harbor, here we come!"
"Billy's such an idiot," Miranda said as he ran back inside. Danny laughed.
"Yes, Billy represents the more stupid half of the Navy." He said as the strip of green on the horizon grew bigger and bigger. "We better gather our things," he continued. For a moment Danny looked wistful, as if he didn't want to leave their patch of sun on the deck, but Miranda thought she had imagined it and went back inside to get her duffel. On her way back out, a soft thing flew into her arms. Looking up, she saw Rafe laughing at her.
"From all of us," he said. Miranda looked into her arms.
It was a pair of pants.
The ship blew its horn as it left the dock. Miranda's knees wobbled for a moment, but she regained her balance quickly enough. The same, though, couldn't be said for Billy. He staggered around, taking swigs from his bottle; his laugh growing louder with every minute until Rafe finally snatched the bottle. A furious chase ensued, and the bottle ended up lying in pieces on the road by the dock and Billy 'mourning' it until it was time to check in.
A young soldier directed them to an office by a row of barracks. A bespectacled old lady sat in front of a typewriter, mountains of papers piled on either side of it.
"Yes?" She croaked.
"Umm, yeah we're the new recruits from Long Island, Ma'am?" Rafe said.
"Yes we've been expecting you," the old lady said. "You five men are assigned to Barrack Three at Hickam Air Field, and the girl is to be stationed on the battleship Oklahoma. Got it?"
"M-ma'am, wh-where's H-H-Hickam?" Red asked.
"Yeah, and I'm supposed to be on an aircraft carrier. What happened?" Miranda said.
The lady looked at them from over her spectacles and shook her head as if to suggest how stupid the new recruits were, but she answered them. "Hickam's right across the street, and there are no open positions on a 'carrier as of yet. You get evenings and Sunday's off," she added as a teenage boy appeared at the doorway to show Miranda to her ship.
"I'll go with you," Danny said to Miranda once they were out of the office. "Since it's the evening and we've got evenings off, and I can go to Hickam later. I've always wanted to see a battle ship."
The other men jumped back in the car and headed towards the airfield while Danny and Miranda strolled down the wharf. "At least I get to see you on evenings, still," Miranda said, breaking a comfortable silence. Danny nodded. The boy led them onto a ship and showed them into another office. A uniformed man stood behind a desk.
He looked up. "I don't approve of women in the army," he began. Miranda steeled herself for a fight. "But," he continued," with this war coming, we're going to need all the help we can get. I'm Captain Smith, and I'm in charge here."
"Yes, sir." Miranda said. The captain led them out of the room and down the hall.
"Here are the barracks," the man said, pointing to a door, "But you'll sleep here. We can't afford to lose a soldier due to…" the man coughed, Miranda nodded, and Danny's cheeks went a shade darker.
"I understand, sir," Miranda said, trying not to laugh. "That won't be happening."
Captain Smith nodded. "Breakfast is served at seven A.M., lunch at one o clock and dinner at seven. The cafeteria is down the hall, up the stairs and to the right. Be there at those times or you don't eat. On-deck exercise takes place at six thirty, before breakfast. Attendance is mandatory. Here's your uniform," he said, tossing Miranda a white shirt, skirt, pants, shorts, hat, and a blue tie. "You're our first female recruit," he continued. "Nonetheless, we treat all our soldiers equal. You will be expected to be at higher physical status than usual for a lady to keep up with the men, and that's not meant to offend you. You will be taught to fire a weapon and sail a ship, and from time to time we may need your help in the kitchen." The Captain smiled. "The men have a bit of trouble in that area."
"Thank you, Captain Smith," Miranda said.
"Dinner is being served now. You and your friend can catch it. Oh, and you have Sunday's and evenings off, since there's two shifts, except for emergencies of course. The night shift is sleeping now, so please pass the barracks with all due quietness." The Captain saluted, and Miranda returned the salute. Then she quickly changed into her uniform.
"How do I look?" She asked Danny, twirling around.
"You look great, he said. "What are the pants for?"
"Well, I can't do jumping jacks in a skirt," she said laughing. Then they walked down to the cafeteria. As they entered it, a brief hush fell over the room as the men realized that there was a woman in their battleship. Miranda waved and went to get a tray. The cook looked up.
"Hi, I'm Dorey Miller," he said, reaching over the mashed potatoes to shake her hand. "You must be the first lady on this ship in its entire history." Dorey laughed. "Don't worry, most of the guys on this ship have nothing against pretty ladies."
Miranda laughed and took a tray. Danny followed her, also shaking Dorey Miller's hand. A man was waving at them from a nearby table.
"Steve!" Danny said, walking over to the table and sitting down. Miranda sat next to him. "Miranda," Danny said, turning to her, "this is my friend Steve, from Tennessee. How'd you get yourself here, Steve?"
"I might ask you the same question," he said.
"I'm here as a pilot, at Hickam. This is Miranda."
"Hi, Miranda, I'm Steve. You must be"-
"-The first lady ever to set foot on this ship in it's entire history," Miranda said, laughing. "Heard it from the cook."
"Oh, Dorey!" Steve said. "You have to see this guy box. In fact, he's fighting a guy from the Oklahoma soon, I'll find out when it is. Should be hell of a show."
Danny laughed, and the three talked some more as Miranda felt a bit more at home on a battleship full of men.