Fortunately, this was the first blemish on Mary’s record. Still, Nora would have to address it, and right away. She rose and rotated her neck to alleviate the tension building there. Shift change would be coming soon, and she needed to get to Mary’s station before that happened.

She gathered up the floor supervisor’s report and the operator log, stuffed them in a manila folder, and marched over to Beta-2. As she made her way down the line, with the floor supervisor trailing behind her, she saw Mary, eyes straight ahead, back ramrod straight, staring at the control panel as though her life depended on it. Mary was aware of her presence; she could tell by the quiver in her jaw.

When she was almost directly behind her, she also saw that her hands were trembling. The sight nearly broke her resolve. But she had to do this; she had to go through with it. If she didn’t, if there was any hint of personal familiarity or favoritism, someone would surely figure out the truth and all would be lost.

“Mary Trask?” She used her most authoritative voice.

“Yes?”

“Please relinquish the controls to Mr. Beck. I require your full attention.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Mary stood up and stepped aside as the floor supervisor took her place in front of the panel. She looked up at Nora through long lashes, trepidation written all over her face.

“I received this report just now.” Nora removed the operator log and shift supervisor report from the folder and waved it in front of Mary. “Do you know what it says?”

“No, ma’am.”

“It says that we lost valuable, crucial time on your machine, during your shift today. Can you please explain to me why that was?”

“No, ma’am.”

“Well, I can. Mr. Beck tells me you were daydreaming, that you failed to adequately monitor your station, and that, as a result, your unit had to be taken out of operation for a period of time.”

Mary cringed as Nora spelled out her infraction loud enough for the other girls to hear. Her lower lip trembled.

“Let me be crystal clear, Miss Trask. What we are doing here is vital to the war effort. That is why you’re here. If you don’t feel as though you can devote your working hours one-hundred-percent to that goal, then you should leave now.”

Mary gasped, but did not move. “I-I can do my j-job. I can. I just took my eye off the meter for one second.”

“That was one second we couldn’t afford, now wasn’t it?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Right. Please make sure that never, ever happens again. If it does, I’ll be forced to relieve you of your station. Do you understand me?”