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section7mfu2019-05-09 11:45 am
A New Do - Once Upon A Time Challenge for April
April Dancer was the first woman to attain the position of a Section II agent with U.N.C.L.E. For most people this was an event to be celebrated. However, for Barbara Breckinridge, it was an aberration which needed to be corrected before it could be fully established.
Mrs. Breckinridge was famously referred to as Auntie B, a flipside to the ‘uncle’ of UNCLE. She had been with the organization for twenty-five years, brought in by the man himself, Alexander Waverly. He lured her into the Command with promises of maintaining world order, peaceful coexistence with those who might otherwise start yet another war.
Above all, Barbara Breckinridge was devoted to the ideals of traditional standards of behavior, and she had spent hours coaching and training agents on the niceties of social graces; it was a necessary element to blending into all cultures, of being a successful spy.
What Auntie B didn’t like, at present, was an upheaval in her world of proper behavior and expected roles within a world gone mostly mad. The decade of the sixties had worn the woman down, and she was seething with anger at the changes she was observing.
Alexander Waverly had noticed it, listening to her remarks about disliking the music, the clothes and the sudden interest in promoting women out of their traditional positions at work and, unbelievably, in the family. Although she herself had been a working woman for several decades, she did so with the belief that her contributions were consistent with a standard perhaps only she held in reverence: woman, like children, should be seen and almost never heard.
It was a dichotomy of sorts, this woman who helped structure an international organization could not endorse the emerging status of women as equals in the workplace. It was, to her thinking, an absurdity that she must not fail to correct here, in her world at UNCLE.
April Dancer had arrived in New York as a standout graduate of Survival School. Her scores were high, her intellect accepted as above average. She was attractive, fluent in multiple languages and well educated, a graduate of Pembroke College (before it was officially joined to Brown University, ending the single sex education platform there).
All of this would have been highly regarded and acceptable to Auntie B under any other circumstance than Miss Dancer arriving at UNCLE Headquarters as the first female Section II agent. It wasn’t right or proper for a woman to be in the field, emulating the likes of THRUSH women, known for their abhorrent behavior and … well, she was a lady and not given to speaking of such vile things.
Barbara Breckinridge decided it was, perhaps, not too late to save Miss Dancer from such a grave mistake in her choice to participate in this outlandish new venture. She has clucked her tongue too many times to count as she mentally berated Mr. Waverly for this new policy, but now she was willing to do so in front of the man himself. This day, and with virtue on her side, Auntie B would put things back on track.
The outer office was kept by a Section III agent, also newly returned from Survival School. Those who had potential but were not yet ready for the field held various important positions in headquarters around the globe. Meeting the demands of the Chief was the job at present of Gina Rivalta, newly arrived from Italy, via Survival School.
“Mr. Waverly, Mrs. Breckinridge and Miss Dancer are both here for your meeting.” The two women had exchanged niceties as they waited to enter the office of UNCLE’s top man. As the pneumatic doors swished open for them, they entered side by side, as though in step with each other. It would soon become evident that such was not the case.
Alexander knew his people, and he understood that his longtime employee, and friend, was opposed to women in the field. There had been conversations, subtle ones to this point. He had no desire to offend or chastise this woman who had stood with him these many years. Her life revolved around UNCLE, having lost her husband long ago, during the war. She had observed how women helped in espionage and ‘war efforts’, knew how valuable they had been. This stubborn refusal to now endorse the placement of women into the Section II portal of service was impossible to understand. Perhaps today, with the help of Miss Dancer, the objections would end and the reality of life and the mission, would win Barbara over to the inevitable.
“Sit down, please…’ Alexander rose as the two women took their seats. He sat down again and addressed them further.
“Mrs. Breckinridge, Miss Dancer… I, ahh… we are here to clarify some things on the subject of, well.. you, Miss Dancer.’’ April thought she might have misheard her boss.
“I beg your pardon, sir. Me, sir?” Should she be nervous, was she already being fired? April had a thousand questions now wrestling for space inside of her brain.
Waverly smiled, shaking his head at a seeming inability to broach this subject.
“I apologize, I do not mean to imply that you are in any way being reprimanded. No, the issue here is Mrs. Breckinridge’s objection to women in the field, as Section II agents. Is that correct Barbara?”
The use of one’s first name always signaled serious business in this office. Barbara Breckinridge swallowed a measure of regret now at her continual badgering on this subject, but she would by no means back down. This had to end.
“Sir, I have made no effort to hide my disagreement with this new policy.’ She noticed a small smile on Waverly’s face, that little acknowledgement that he was fully aware of everything she had been saying on the topic. She continued on…
“So, sir, I shall reiterate my objections here for you and Miss Dancer. That is, if that’s why I’m here. Sir.” Even after all of the years in this place, she dared not underestimate the consequences of defying Waverly.
“Mrs. Breckinridge, I am fully aware of all of your objections. What you are not privy to is the absolute need for the inclusion of women, women like Miss Dancer, in the Section II position which she now holds.
This decade has seen many changes, not the least of which is the prominence of women in the ranks of THRUSH. In truth, those women have done considerable damage in their pursuit of the goals of the Hierarchy. We must meet that challenge, take advantage of what our enemies have utilized for many years. Women have the means to both infiltrate and manipulate in ways that a man cannot. Miss Dancer competed on the same playing field at Survival School, and beat many of the men whose own scores were competitive with our top agents.”
Waverly paused, allowing all of that to sink in. Barbara was considering it, not yet fully convinced but, looking at April she realized the gist of what Alexander was telling her.
“I have been with UNCLE for over twenty years. I have witnessed triumphs and tragedies, the loss of life and the ends of careers. Brave men have carried out the mission and I watched it all. My part in all of it has been to help them interact with a level of society that was unknown to most of them. It is perhaps not the greatest contribution by any member here, but…’’. Waverly stopped her.
“Barbara, your work here has helped our agents stay alive, to look like they belonged in the various venues into which they were sent. And now you have a new breed of agent in need of your help and direction.’ Waverly nodded towards April. As if on cue she spoke up.
“Mrs. Breckinridge, your name is spoken with great respect. It is one of the things I have looked forward to in anticipation of beginning my career with UNCLE; learning from you is something I expect to be a highlight of my life here, and part of what will help me to succeed.’ April reached across the table and put her hand on Barbara’s in a familiar, empathetic gesture.
“I understand what you imagine can go wrong here. I’ve lived it out in my thoughts and trepidation about entering this life. But I believe in it, and I want to be a part of ridding the world of the evils that are present. And I’ll need your help to do it, just like all of the agents who have come before me. Please, help me succeed.”
A great sigh escaped her lips as Barbara considered the words, the heartfelt emotion. She couldn’t jeopardize this young woman’s life by not helping her to go out into the field unprepared. Just like that, something about all of this made perfect sense.
“Well then, tradition be damned! Oh, sorry sir. But, I suppose I have been somewhat derailed in my acceptance of this new world, this new way of doing things.’ All of a sudden Barbara thought of her hair. She’d been wearing it the same way for … how many years had she just submitted herself to the past?
“Miss Dancer, who does your hair? I think I need a major overhaul and I’m starting at the top of my head.” A big smile crossed her face as she visualized herself being part of something new, starting with a haircut and facial.
“Ladies, do we have an agreement then?” Alexander was pleased, his own expectation fully realized with this new alliance between Auntie B and Miss Dancer.
“Sir, I believe we are going to see great results from your new agent. Welcome to the U.N.C.L.E. Miss Dancer.” April was tempted to hug the older woman, instead she offered her hand. Barbara took it and then pulled April into the hug herself.
“So, how about that new hairstyle? I know just the right guy.”
The two walked out of Waverly’s office side by side, this time truly in step with each other.
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