Hay Moon
August wasn't called the rooftop of the summer for nothing. The temperatures at Piston Peak National Parks soared as the vegetation dried out. It was an explosive combination that kept every member of Park's Air Attack Team on the edge of their tires. Add the fact that every single aircraft, even the overpowered Windlifter, was struggling to overcome the effects of density altitude and it was a miracle that usually the only fires that Blade had to focus on putting out were the literal ones.
If Cabbie was spending more time napping on the tarmac or if Dipper started getting a bit hangry from keeping within flight weight, no one was going to say a word. Everyone on base would choose not to mention when either of the base's helicopters skipped at least one of the communal meals a day. Everyone knew that making weight was one of the ugly parts of the job, a part that they had no ability to change...which of course made the smokejumpers feel like that needed to be helpful…
"We could have a s'mores competition?" Drip suggested between mouthfuls of the white fluffy confection.
"And that would help the aircraft how?" Pinecone eyed the smaller vehicle with a look of annoyance.
"Sugar always makes everything better." Drip said with a look of bliss on his face that clearly indicated that he was dreaming about the joys of caramelized marshmallows and half melted chocolate sandwiched between just enough cookie to keep things from getting too messy.
"I THINK THAT THEY WOULD PROBABLY JUST MAKE THEM FEEL BAD, BECAUSE EATING THEM COULD MAKE IT HARDER TO DO THEIR JOB." Avalanche pointed out, which caused all of the smokejumpers but Drip (who was still dreaming about s'mores) to look guilty. While everyone on base was careful when the temperatures rose and thus the air's ability to carry weight dropped, but the nature of their work made it nearly impossible for the smokejumpers not to snack.
"Acerca de Movie Night?" Blackout suggested after a long pause.
"...CHo…" Drip tried to suggest.
"No." Dynamite put her tire down. "We are not going to be watching CHoPs. Anyone else have a good movie suggestion?"
There was a long pause, then Avalanche timidly made a suggestion. "IF WE DON'T WATCH ONE WITH THE CHIEF IN IT, CAN WE WATCH ONE WITH CABBIE IN IT INSTEAD?"
"Flight of the Phoenix?" Pinecone asked with a touch of timidness. She was instantly greeted with the grins of her fellow smokejumpers.
"Alright, I think we are all in agreement about this plan." Dynamite looked all of her people in the eye. "Now let's work together to make it happen. Pinecone, Drip, and Blackout, I need you to get everything clean. If we are going to properly have an outdoor movie night the outside of the main hangar where we project the screen is going to have to be as clean and white as the driven snow. Avalanche, I need to take on interference on this. Cabbie is going to protest once he finds out which movie is getting shown and it is your job to make sure that his protests are listened to but don't stop everything in their tracks. While everyone works on their assigned roles, I will secure the DVD and projection equipment. Barring any fire, we have the goal of completing this mission within 48 hours, understood?"
There was a chorus of approvals as the smokejumpers got to work. As predicted the only hiccup to the event was Cabbie. The old plane hemmed and hawed about the movie choice, but still attended and didn't make a fuss when the smokejumpers insisted on making it an annual event the following year...though Cabbie may have switched out the DVD the second year for one of Blade's early films, but to the smokejumpers' delight and the Chief's chagrin.
Author's Note: Fun fact...when you watch the 2004 Flight of the Phoenix remake, you see footage of every C-119 that was air worth at that time. Which wasn't too difficult to do because there were only three Flying Boxcars still capable of flight.