In her army dorm room, ex-Private Jackie Smithers prepares to leave the
barracks and return home. Jackie and her room-mate Corporal Bailey are joined by
another private, Maggie, and the three women discuss Jackie's pregnancy and her
dismissal from the army after just 13 weeks training.
Corporal Christine Harvey (Chrissie) enters the room and rebukes Maggie over
her sloppy uniform. Maggie leaves. Chrissie asks to be left alone with Jackie.
Reluctantly, Bailey leaves, and Harvey questions Jackie about her pregnancy, but
Jackie refuses to talk about it. The two discuss their first meeting, and recall
the time when they were romantically involved.
Chrissie continues to question Jackie about her pregnancy, and asks whether
it was because of Chrissie ending their affair. Jackie explains that she was
raped after a dance, falling pregnant as a result. She begins to cry. She begs
Chrissie to explain why she ended the relationship, insisting that she had been
in love with her. Chrissie moves to leave.
Composing herself, Jackie persuades Chrissie to stay. She admits that she
does not want to leave the army, and asks Chrissie how she came to join the
forces. Chrissie explains that the women's army, 'all girls together' was the
perfect place for her. She confesses sleeping with her Sergeant Major soon after
she joined, just for the thrill of it.
Chrissie puts on a Dusty Springfield record and the two dance. Chrissie asks
if Jackie has considered an abortion, but Jackie insists that she would never do
so. Chrissie softens, and the pair embrace violently and kiss, until Corporal
Bailey returns unexpectedly and catches them. Chrissie becomes angry and begins
to argue with Bailey. Bailey tells Jackie that she is just one in a long line of
Chrissie's sexual conquests among the more vulnerable new recruits. Jackie
becomes upset and asks Chrissie if this is true, and whether she ever truly
cared for her. Chrissie doesn't deny the charges, insisting that she had tried
to tell her.
Jackie leaves with Bailey, while Chrissie stays in Jackie's dorm and smokes a
cigarette.
