Q is for Quest Kodiak
Winters at Piston Peak were at times long…especially when the gray days of February set in. The air attack base got even more claustrophobic when Cabbie was down with one injury or another severing their primary connection with the outside world. This was the world that Maru was currently facing. With the helicopter hibernating and the plane dosed to the gills, the mechanic was slowly going stir-crazy.
It was into this void that an unexpected guest with high set wings, a long sleek body, and a set of wings arrived. At first, Maru was convinced that the aircraft that was circling the base must be either a curious or lost tourist. The tug was about to jump on the radio find out what in the slag the plane wanted, only to have the aircraft beat him to the punch.
"Piston Peak Air Attack Base. Piston Peak Air Attack Base. This is Quest Pizza Delivery. Over."
"Quest Pizza. This is Piston Peak Air Attack Base." Maru responded after a brief pause.
"Oh, thank goodness." The relief in the plane's voice was palpable. "I was starting to think that this whole delivery was a joke or something."
"Delivery?" The mechanic was thoroughly confused. The only delivery they should be expecting was a part for Cabbie and that wasn't supposed to arrive four another week and a half.
"Of the pizzas." The circling aircraft replied helpfully. "Someone ordered 30 medium pizzas for this location, so I assume it is for some rocking party or something…right?"
"No." Maru sighed, knowing full well that the plane had been pranked and praying that he had at least been paid in advance for the food. "I think that.."
"Oh…Thank goodness the pizza is here. I am starving." Cabbie interrupted the conversation with none of his normal radio etiquette. And all of a sudden, the odd pizza order made a whole lot of sense. Cabbie was currently as high as a kite, must have developed a bad case of the munchies, and some managed to call one of the local pizza shops all without Maru noticing. Knowing full well how much this order was going to ding their food budget, the mechanic had to close his eyes and count to 10 to keep himself from screaming. Once he was only livid instead of incandescent, the tug keyed the mike once again.
"Well, you heard the plane. We should probably get you on the ground and unloaded before the food gets cold."
The high-winged Quest Kodiak didn't need to be told twice and a few rotor beats later both its skis were firmly on the ground and it had popped it's side hatch reviling a very full hold filled with pizzas. Maru was surprised enough at the size of the order that he didn't even try to make small talk as he helped Cabbie unload the stack of boxes into his hangar. The mechanic was at least relieved when Cabbie tipped the delivery plane and set it on its way.
Then it was time for everyone to figure out what to do with 30 pizzas. Even Blade bothered waking up from his hibernation for a moment to ogle. Cabbie didn't seem to be processing the magnitude of the binge that he had just undertaken and actually looked pleased with himself.
"Cabbie…" Maru sighed, looking at the massive pile of food now sitting in the old plane's hangar. "Next time you feel like ordering food while stoned, please let me know first."
Cabbie just stared at him with a slightly out-of-focus look before eventually losing interest and stuffing half of one of the oversized pizzas in his mouth. By the end of the afternoon, Maru realized just how badly he had underestimated how many pizzas a stoned C-119 could wolf down in one sitting.
Quest Kodiak (now Daher Kodiak): The Quest Kodiak is a bush/utility aircraft which is manufactured in Idaho. Sized between a DHC-2 Beaver and a DHC-3 Otter, it has an oversized engine for its dimensions. This large engine and its reinforced tricycle landing gear makes this plane exceptionally good at making short take-offs and landings on unimproved airfields. With just over 300 of this airframe built, this aircraft is primarily used either to transport cargo in the bush or as an executive transport.