Hello!
Yes, this fanfic used to have more chapters, but I'm currently rewriting it, so I also re-uploaded the first chapter. Please read that one again, else the new chapters won't make sense.
I again apologize in advance, this chapter is a weird mix of old passages, rewritten passages and added passages. I hope, it still makes sense.
Chapter Two
Qualification Test
That flying a big, heavy warplane was something completely different than flying a crop duster, Allie had to learn the next day the hard way.
Major Doolittle had introduced her to the plane and all the devices in the cockpit, of which she had to learn and remember names and functions. And that was the easy part, because subsequently she had to proof her skills as pilot. Which were, now that she had been thinking about it, not that good as she'd thought a few weeks before.
Doolittle couldn't leave her to handling such an expensive plane all by herself, so one of his other protégés needed to accompany the girl.
Self-evident, Rafe decided it was his duty to take this important task of showing his sister to fly such a plane, but unfortunately the Major decided that flying lessons à la Rafe would only lead to more sibling rivalry.
Doolittle was a well-versed person, always having a plan, and always knowing what to do, but this girl caused him quite a headache. How she'd gotten on the secured area nearly unnoticed and how she'd explained, gesticulating wildly, why she had entered without permission, was beyond the Major.
But she seemed very accomplished to achieve what she made her goal, and why shouldn't she get a shot?
Allie McCawley didn't resemble her brother very much, they indeed had the same brown eyes and the same dirty blonde hair color, but her facial characteristics and physique were quite delicate. Besides, her hip-length hair gave her a girlish look.
Probably she took more after her mother.
And now he needed to find a suitable chaperon for this girl, who could monitor her mid-air and help her, if needed. He excluded McCawley immediately. The way the siblings had snarled at each other two days ago would achieve nothing but a disassembled plane.
He had decided to give her an older, stolid plane, which they also used to train the new cadets without flying experience. It was a little big, sure, but gave more time for reactions. That way, he'd be able to get an idea of her skills.
But he still needed to find her a chaperon. If possible, it should be somebody she knew, and he could trust, besides Rafe McCawley. But what about Danny Walker, McCawley's best friend? Hadn't she mentioned, that they knew each other quite well?
"Rally the pilots", Doolittle approached a corporal. "And get Miss McCawley."
Allie had been allowed to shower in the meantime, and had been given clean clothes, but against her expectations, she'd been given a uniform and not her own clothes. Somewhat uncomfortable, but that was probably, because it was not her size.
She was waiting at the Majors office for the pilots, when he told her about the circulating rumors, for example her being a dangerous criminal trying to steal a plane. When she wanted to ask for details, they were interrupted by the arriving pilots.
"A little faster next time, gentlemen", Doolittle barked impatiently, when the young men saluted. "This is Miss Alice McCawley, the intruder you've already heard about.". He pointed surly behind him.
"Miss McCawley, these are some of our best pilots at the moment. Billy Thompson, Danny Walker, Anthony Fusco, Red Winkle and your brother, Rafe McCawley. Miss McCawley might become a part of your flight", he had turned back to the pilots, "revolutionary, I know, but some ladies are useless as nurses." Allie was scandalized at this statement, but since the Major couldn't see her face he simply continued. "Everybody dismissed, except Walker."
When the others had left, the Major turned to Danny. "Like I said before, Miss McCawley might join the flight if she passes this test of flying one of the planes used for training. And because we're short-staffed on officers for training, you'll accompany her."
Outside, the airfield was bustling with activity. Danny quickly explained what Allie had to watch out for.
"Only take off if you're sure you'll make it. You don't want to make the same mistakes as Rafe, do you?" Upon her questioning glance, he explained what had happened. "Rafe tried to take off too early, flew ten feet, and came down with a bang. Plane got scratched just a bit, but he still got exhorted to be more careful with US Amry Air Foce property."
Allie had to smirk, this was typically Rafe, he'd always been a little – to put it mildly – impatient and overly zealous.
But story time was up, Major Doolittle signaled them to get into the plane and make herself familiar with the cockpit.
Danny climbed with apparent ease into the plane, and turned around to help Allie, but she had stepped back about 15 feet, took a run-up and jumped into the plane nimbly, ignoring Danny's attempt to help her.
"Honestly, do you really think I'm that clumsy, that I can't be bothered with a little physical exercise?" she asked sneering.
She'd gotten quite cheeky; Danny couldn't remember her being that cheeky back in the days. But she had changed in general, Alice had grown up. Well, at least her body, her mind was probably still somewhat younger.
"Probably between five and fifteen", he mumbled in a low voice. But before he came under pressure for failing to offer an explanation for what he meant with that cryptic message, they got clearance for takeoff and he had to take care that Allie actually took of safely.
Meanwhile they had accomplished some of the tasks and Allie did quite well. But Danny noticed her becoming exhausted from the exertion and her movements became a little erratic.
"You gotta keep your hands steady", he cautioned the young woman controlling the joystick.
"My hands are steady." Alice ground her teeth and clutched the joystick tightly. Her hands were still trembling.
"No, they're not…", he tried to explain what he meant.
"Yes, they are", she cut him short and clenched her teeth so hard, he was afraid they'd break. So he left it at that, they had been flying quite a while and he was sure they'd land soon.
Not three minutes later he got the instruction to do so.
"So, Miss Supersteady", he couldn't bite back that thrust, "it looks like Doolittle has seen enough. You can start the final descent."
"Descend", she repeated mechanically and started to descend really fast, nearly nosediving. By accident of course. With a speed not to be underestimated the ground came near.
"Let go", Danny yelled and grabbed his joystick to assume control.
"I'm so sorry" Ally murmured sheepishly when he had brought them down safely. Danny just grunted something incomprehensible. But she knew better than to ask.
When they had left the taxiway and reached the hangars a worried Major came running and asked after everybody.
"She's been a little uneasy and flustered in the end, but I assume that was a one-off" Danny answered instead of Alice. He had calmed down already. Near-death experiences seemed to happen on a regular basis.
"If you say so, Walker." Doolittle seemed somewhat convinced and Allie dared to hope again. During touchdown she'd been sure her failure at this crucial point had signed her dream's death warrant.
The silence in Doolittle's office was deafening, at least Allie felt it this way. Finally, the Major spoke up.
"So, Miss McCawley, all things considered, your technique of flying is… delectable, but this blooper in the end, well, I don't know. But I know that Lieutenant Walker insight into human nature is very good, so I believe, you'll be an enrichment for this flight."
Allie could hardly believe her ears. Like besotted she took the forms the Major handed her. They covered various clauses and special cases, and somebody had added handwritten remarks regarding her gender and cross-referenced some other forms for nurses and other personae that allowed for female recruits.
And despite her being generally quick-witted and not a slow reader, it took some time to read all the papers carefully and sign them.
After she'd put her name on the last page in her precise, neat, but peppy handwriting, the Major indicated her to stand up and shook her hand vigorously.
"You're now officially a member of the U.S. Army Corps. Welcome, Miss McCawley, or rather Private Second Class McCawley from now on." He stood to attention and apparently expected her to do the same. It took her some time to realize and when she tried to salute like him, she nearly knocked over the chair she'd been sitting on a few moments ago.
Doolittle just shook his head in amusement. "Stand at ease, Private. We'll work on that first thing tomorrow morning. You may now make yourself at home and are free tonight."
To not embarrass herself again Allie dropped a curtsey this time. That she knew how to do, although her Sunday school teacher had always criticized her. Of course, the other girls did it better, more elegant and mannered, but these girls couldn't fly a small plane at age 13.
Generally, she always had been interested in other things than the other girls in her school. These girls cared about boring things like dolls and later fashion. While Allie wore always the same old shirts and jeans inherited from her brother roaming the fields, these girls read the newest magazines and talked about boys they had never bandied words with.
Allie knew all these boys and hat been scrambling one or two when she was younger, but she knew better than to tell the bitchy girls. They only would have made fun of her long braids again and laughed at her for not wearing makeup.
Maybe that had been a reason why she felt addressed by these posters, that first had been posted only occasionally and then more and more often. They encouraged women to take over as whatever men were doing that were needed to be available as soldiers in the fields. Now war was only in Europe, but it seemed it was just a matter of time until the USA would join the war.
'Be a marine, free a marine to fight' it said on her favorite poster. It depicted a young woman in front of a plane holding a clipboard. But Allie had known immediately, if she'd become a marine, then she'd be ready to go the whole nine yards. And now she was so close.
Still deeply absorbed in her thoughts, she nearly didn't catch being led to a room. Vaguely she remembered hearing the words "lady" and "separate room" and was a little less confused when she entered a room very similar to her former "cell".
After she had stowed away the few things she brought from home, she began to looking for her new comrades.