"Are you sure you know what you're doing?"
Erin huffed, "Of course I do, Darlene. My dad taught me how to make one of these when I was seventeen. If memory serves me right, we should be drinking our own homemade gin in no time!"
Darlene watched as Erin looked over the still one last time to make sure everything was in order. "Seventeen, huh? I bet you were bummed when you didn't get a taste of the first harvest?"
Erin shook her head, "We didn't actually make any, he just showed me how to make one. He told me that he and one of his war buddies had one back in Korea."
"That's nice, and I sure wouldn't mind a glass every now and then, but don't you think Colonel Houlihan would be less than approving?"
Erin shrugged, "I'm sure she'll be fine with it, if the still in my dad's tent didn't bother her back in Korea, why should ours?"
"Sounds fair. But we ought to go look for some glasses if we want something to drink w-"
"Alright, we should be clear of wounded for the coming days, but after that mess we encountered yesterday, I want both of you..." Margaret stopped as she looked up from her clipboard and her gaze went immediately to the still.
The two had both jumped upon realizing Margaret had entered their tent uninvited and unexpected.
"Hey, Colonel. Extra shifts is it?" Erin asked, trying to grab Margaret's attention away from the still.
"Lieutenants, what... may I ask, is going on here?" She asked in a disapproving tone.
Darlene smiled nervously and leaned over to Erin's ear, "I thought you said she wouldn't mind!"
Erin gave her a nervous smile and shrug, and returned her attention to Margaret. "Well we thought we'd try building a still."
Margaret frowned, putting her hands on her hips. "I don't think Colonel Dayton will be glad to know two of his nurses built a still in their tent."
"Oh, Colonel, please don't tell him! We'll be good little girls," she glanced over to Darlene, "won't we?"
Darlene grinned at Margaret and nodded. "A drink now and then never hurt anyone."
"It won't as long as it doesn't become a problem," Margaret replied sternly.
"It won't get out hand, Colonel, we promise!" Erin pleaded.
She sighed, "All right, as long as you two stick to your word, Colonel Dayton will never hear it from me. But remember, I saw nothing."
"Yes, ma'am! Thank you, Colonel," Erin said excitedly.
"As I was going to say earlier, you two will be pulling an extra shift later tonight, okay?"
"Got it, Colonel," Darlene said, taking a seat on her cot.
Margaret opened the door to leave and smiled, "And would you two cut out the colonel thing, we're not in the presence of a whole platoon of army brass. It's Margaret."