Chapter 3 - Breaking


Maru strongly believed that funerals were rituals for the living instead of for the dead…but no what he believed, he couldn't help but have strong emotions bubbling up as the morning of Cabbie's Breaking arrived. That was because tradition stated that a vehicle's Breaking was when their soul departed, and their mortal vessel transitioned from a body to a collection of materials.

A Breaking held a level of finality that Maru rarely had to deal with. Yes, Maru was used to dealing with death, but normally the deaths he attended were the ugly brutal short. He had never had to attend a Breaking in person because the vehicles he had to declare desisted were usually already a pile of twisted wreckage. In some ways, it would have been easier if Cabbie would have left the world the way that every other vehicle on the Piston Peaks Air Attack Team's wall had. Maru, and honestly the whole crew knew how to morn when a disaster happened. They knew how to rail against the unfairness and ask the what-ifs. With the way that Cabbie had left them…with the way he had slipped away like the sun over the horizon, Maru couldn't help but feel an emptiness that he had no clue how to fill.

Heading into the main hanger, it was clear that Maru wasn't the only vehicle that was struggling to fill a void in their soul. Blackout was there manning his kitchen and producing tray after tray of baked goods, with each batch of goodies looking more elaborate than the last. Honestly, Maru suspected that if Blackout was left to his devices for much longer the whole crew might wake up one morning to discover the smokejumper had whipped up a 7-tiered wedding cake or something similarly ridiculous.

The Maru managed to make eye contact with Blackout as the smokejumper placed a tray of apple turnovers into the oven. The baker wordlessly waved his blade towards a tall urn of coffee that he had managed to borrow from somewhere and before headed back to his dough. Maru quickly got the hint. The tug grabbed a mug of coffee, snagged a couple of still-warm cinnamon rolls, and headed out into the cold predawn air.

His base was quiet. In the blue predawn light, he could spot the outline of four C-130's sleeping side by side on the apron and see the ghost of trees reaching for the sky. Only three buildings had their lights on…the main hanger where Blackout backed, Cabbie's hanger where if Maru listened closely he could hear the low murmur of Windlifter's voice as the helicopter took his turn at the keeping the deathwatch, and Blade's hanger.

As one would expect, Maru made his way to Blade's hanger while balancing his coffee and the cinnamon buns. Arriving at the door he found it to be cracked slightly open. Maru took advantage of that and slipped out of the cold, shutting the door completely to keep the warm inside.

"It is happening today…" Blade spoke without looking up from his paperwork.

"Yes…" Maru didn't need to say more. The two vehicles had known each other long enough that the silence spoke more than the words ever could.

With that, the two vehicles sat drawing strength from their proximity. Blade continued his paperwork…compiling and summarizing a life well-lived. Maru nudged cinnamon rolls in his direction every time he reached a breaking point. Together, the two slowly prepared themselves to face the day as Piston Peaks Air Attack Base slowly awoke around them.


"I didn't see you at breakfast?" Pickle's words caught Maru completely off guard as everyone, but the deathwatch, waited on the tarmac for the breaking crew to roll up the road to the base.

"Didn't really feel like eating." Maru tried to wave the plane off with a quick movement of his tine, but then he noticed the way that the C-130 was holding his wings and recognized that Pickles wasn't really interested in Maru's dining habits. The mechanic wasn't sure what the plane wanted, so with a sigh, he asked. "What's up?"

"I…we wanted to ask you something…" The plane let his voice trail off into a long uncomfortable silence.

"Okay?" Maru finally asked with a sharpness he hadn't meant to show.

"Will…" Pickles took a deep breath and positioning himself to look the little tug straight in the eyes. "Will you be the one who makes the cut?"

Maru couldn't keep himself from taking sharp intake at the request. He knew full well that cut represented the formal moment that Cabbie ceased to be and was both humbled and overwhelmed that Cabbie's family trusted him enough to make that request. He swallowed down the lump that was rapidly forming in his throat. "Are you sure?"

"Yes." The C-130's wings sagged slightly as though a great weight had been lifted off of them. He then glanced back to his brood and smiled sadly. "Yes, Cabbie wouldn't have made it this far without your great work, it is right for you to be able to see him through in the end. Besides, the folks that he worked with here at Piston Peak are just as much a part of his family as we are. It is important that they also are part of what is going to happen today."

"Then, it would be my honor." Maru said with a slight bob on his tires, he had to blink a few times to keep the tears from forming. "Have you decided what is going to be cut?"

"His spar." Pickles stating with a growing feeling of confidence. "Having a single spar was one of those things that made Cabbie so unique and, well, I think that having that be the piece that is cut will let him know that he doesn't have to carry the weight of the world anymore. That he can fly free…"

"It is a very fitting choice." Maru reached up a tine to pat Pickles on the side of his nose. He could feel the plane vibrating with emotion as he made contact and could sense just how difficult it was for Pickles to hold everything together. In a way, it helped Maru let go of the cornel of pain that had been building in his engine since Cabbie's death. He knew that Cabbie was beyond his help, but Maru could help his family give the old plane a proper send-off. "I think Cabbie would be pleased with your decision."

"Thank you…" Pickles let his voice trail off as he let his eyes turn back to his children.

"Go…we will talk more when the Breakers arrive."

Pickles gave Maru a quick bob, before heading off. As he did, the little tug could feel even more stress bleed from his frame. There would be a time when he could morn Cabbie's passing like a friend, but right now he could face the moment like a mechanic. He had trained his entire life to approach difficult situations with a clear head and a steady set of tines.

"It seems like you are feeling a bit better." Blade looked him up and down, as the tug rolled up.

"Pickles and I had a good chat." Maru gave a little shrug. "It provided me with some perspective."

It was clear that Maru's comment left the Chief with a number of questions he wanted answered, but the helicopter never got a chance to ask them, because that was the moment the first of the Breakers crested the hill, starting the clock to the Breaking ceremony ticking.

It didn't take an expert to be able to recognize that the Breakers that the VA had sent were at the top of their profession. Every under the grime of the winter roads, it was easy to see that every vehicle on the team had started out spit-polished. They also were able to assess the situation with effortless precision, and even though there were no vehicles of the same make as the deceased the team's chaplain quickly made a beeline to Pickles and his kids, while the lead mechanic headed in Maru's direction.

"It is unfortunate that we must meet under such sorrowful circumstances." A tug in painted in Air Force livery greeted Maru with a kind smile. "My name is Katie."

"Maru." The mechanic replied offering his tine.

"I know that the next few days are going to be rough on everyone but know that we are here to support you and your team through this process. If at any time during the Breaking we need to pause or slow something down. I trust that you will communicate that to us."

"Understood…" Maru said not knowing what else to say. That caused the VA tug to produce an even sadder smile.

"Good." She looked Maru dead in the eyes. "Well, while the chaplain takes care of the religious aspects of things. Let's take a moment to take care of the temporal aspects. Would you mind showing me all the paperwork that has been filed so far?"

Maru nodded, and lead Katie up to Blade's hangar to page through the file that held the sum of Cabbie's life.


The process of saying a last goodbye proved to be a formal one. Anyone who wanted a moment to say a few final words to Cabbie before the breaking was given a few minutes alone with him in the hangar. Even though pretty much everyone currently on base had had the opportunity to keep a deathwatch during the last week, every vehicle on base took advantage of the opportunity for those last few moments. It was a process that took just over two hours with Maru and Blade, then Cabbie's grandchildren, and finally Pickles ending the precession.

Once everyone had their chance to say their parting words, the whole group gathered in the space in front of Cabbie's hangar. A ramp was pushed up beside Cabbie which allowed Katie to roll on top of the plane's back. The VA mechanic removed a couple of panels and then retreated to give Maru space to climb the ramp. Once he was in position the chaplain said a few words, which honestly, Maru didn't pay any attention to. He was too busy staring down at the gap in Cabbie's skin and the exposed wing spare. Maru must have stared for too long because he was startled back into the moment by a calm tine resting on his.

"It is time." Kate said gently as she guided Maru's torch to a place on the spar before once again backing away.

Maru had to swallow hard. But he wasn't going to back down from his duty. He had seen Cabbie through so many illnesses and injuries over the year, the least he could do was perform this final service for his friends. Whispering quiet apology, Maru turned on his torch and cut.

No one spoke until the deed was done and Maru was once again on the ground. In many ways, the mechanic wished that he could sink into the hangar's cement floor. But then he heard the C-130's starting to talk among themselves.

"Grandpa is with Grandma now right?" Compass Rose, Pickles' youngest asked, clearly on the verge of tears.

"Yes…" Pickles didn't attempt to hold back his tears. He just looked up at the blue sky arching above them and let them fall. "Yes, he is with Grandma Louise, and Uncle Bus, and all the good planes he served with that went before him. And I am sure that they are just as excited to see him, as we are going missing him down here."

"If he is with all of them, then it is a good ending to his story." Arrow said as he moved his wing to shelter his little sister.

"And we know that when it is time for us to go, he will be waiting for us." Grid managed between his own tears. "Though I suspect that he will properly chew us out if we don't live a long full life before then."

The planes spoke other words of comfort quietly to each other, as they gather close to shelter each other, but Maru didn't hear what they were saying because Blade had drawn him away.

"The pretty much everyone has headed to the main hanger for the wake. You probably should go and join them."

"But…" Maru let his eyes stray across Cabbie frame and the tools that had been laid out for his dismantling.

"I will stay and keep an eye on things here." Blade voice was kind, but he also didn't leave much room for argument. "After all, our people need time and space to breath without their boss looking over their shoulder, but I also know that someone needs to keep an eye on the smokejumpers so that they pound down too much high grade and get into trouble."

"I see you trying to use the logic card on me." Maru gave a low, sad chuckle. "But honestly, I can't argue with you. If need me, you will know where to find me."

"Yes, I will...now go."

With that Maru turned and started to move across the tarmac. But something in him made him pause when he was partway across the runway and look back. From this angle, he could view the strong line of Cabbie's wings and the silhouette of his tails stretching out behind him. It was a familiar scene; one Maru had experienced many times in the past during the height of summer when Cabbie would leave his hangar doors open to catch a breeze as he napped between missions. It was such a peaceful setup, that Maru couldn't help but feel comforted even with the tools of Cabbie's dismantlement already laid before him.

"Cabbie…" Maru started, then he paused, straitening himself into a salute that just felt right in that moment. "Cabbie, it was an honor serving with you."

Then he allowed himself to look across Cabbie's frame for one more long moment to soak in the memory of what his friend looked like one last time, knowing full well, the old plane's frame would be far smaller when he saw it next. He looked, but at this time he chose not to shed a tear of grief instead choosing to focus on all the precious memories the two vehicles had shared.

Maru closed his eyes and slowly turned away. Once he was facing the main hangar once again, he opened his eyes once again. As much as Maru wished he could dwell on the past, it was time to move forward towards the growing ruckus.


"MARU?" The mechanic had been trying to finally doze off, but that was something that was rather difficult to do when Avalanche was trying to talk to you.

"What?'

"IF THIS IS A BAD TIME, WE CAN WAIT FOR A LITTLE BIT…"

"Lanche, I am now fully awake so you should really just spit it out."

"COULD YOU…I MEAN, WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO GIVE US ALL TATTOOS?" Avalanche asked while lifting his blade to show the mechanic the collection of metal scraps he had been holding. "IF IT IS A NO, THAT IS OKAY, WE CAN FIND SOMEONE ELSE TO DO IT. BUT ALL OF US KNOW THE OLD C-119 TRADITION THAT A PLANE NEVER REALLY GONE AS LONG AS A PIECE OF HIM IS STILL FLYING, AND ALL OF US SMOKEJUMPERS AGREED THAT WE REALLY WANTED A PIECE OF HIM TO KEEP FLYING WITH US."

"Did you get Pickles' okay for this?"

"OH, YES…" Avalanche actually looked sheepish for a moment. "AND IF YOU SAID YES, HE SAID THAT HE WANTED ONE TOO."

Maru sighed heavily, but for the first time since Cabbie's death, he couldn't help but have a genuine smile start to tug at the edge of his lips. "Well, I guess I better get my soldering kit ready then. While I go do that, I am putting you in charge of working with all the jumpers to figure out what type of artwork I am making for them."

"YES SIR!" Avalanche nearly saluted with his blade, but luckily remembered the precious cargo he was holding before he jostled it too badly. He instead gave Maru a massive grin before heading out into the night to round up his fellow smokejumpers.

There would be no more sleep for Maru that night as each and every one of the smokejumpers waited their turn to have a little bit of Cabbie added to their frame. What did surprise Maru, though it probably shouldn't have, was the fact that every single smokejumper requested the exact same tattoo. They requested that the smokejumper's winged tire emblem be more than paint deep. Even those who had retired from the service and now worked in other fields felt like having their old emblem tattooed into their frame was the best tribute they could give the jump plane that had served them so well in the past…because even when that tattoo was covered by another career's paint job, they would always be able to trace the faint outline of the raised metal and remember.