Note: A Southerly Buster is a cold front that occurs occasionally in the Sydney area, although they have been known to happen in Melbourne, Wellington and Argentina. Winds in excess of 50 km/hr are not unknown, as are thunderstorms and, infrequently, hail. Temperature drops of 10 to 15 degrees Celsius in less than an hour after the front passes are not unknown, either.
“You did WHAT?” Machspeed, Amelia and Flashpoint exclaimed simultaneously to the two pilots of a Gulfstream G650 that had appeared in the skies over Newcastle, New South Wales ten minutes before.
The command pilot, now a leaf green pegasus with dark green mane, wearing a white shirt with four-striped epaulets and a name tag that said ‘Parker’, looked back at the three unicorns that had appeared on his aircraft. “Like I said, we didn’t fill the tanks before leaving Brisbane. We were going to refuel here in Newcastle and charge the customer for it. Standard practice for Executive Air Charter.”
“There is no airport in Newcastle any more. In this area, the only good airports are Sydney and Brisbane.” Machspeed informed the flight crew.
“We could reach Sydney on our remaining fuel, if we don’t have too much else go wrong.” Parker said.
“I don’t like the look of the weather.” the copilot, a pink pegasus with a golden mane, a white shirt with three-striped epaulets and a name tag that said ‘Davis’ chipped in with. “Looks like Buster weather to me.”
“We better check to be sure. Landing this with bingo fuel in stormy weather would not be fun at all.” Machspeed said as he tuned the radio to the frequencies he knew Sydney Tower used.
“Machspeed to Sydney Tower. You awake in there, Crystal?”
“Always am, except when I’m not, Mach. Got another one coming in, eh?”
“With a bit of a problem. What’s the weather like there? We have a G650 with nearly empty fuel tanks.”
“Not good, Mach. There is a buster rolling in now. Should hit the airport full force in about fifteen minutes and last an hour, maybe more. I’m looking at the radar now and I don’t like what I see.”
“I was hoping you wouldn’t say that, Crystal. I’d hate to abandon this plane. G650’s was close to top of the line. Can we at least have a vector in?”
“Sure thing, Mach.” A pause while they heard the controller muttering to herself, then she told them, “From your location, steer 195. How’s the visibility?”
“Tolerable now. How is it there?”
“Not too bad, but if I’m reading this radar right, we’re going to have some serious stuff here within ten minutes.”
“Damn. We’ll be in touch after we figure out what we’re going to do.”
“Right. Sydney Tower standing by.”
Machspeed looked at Amelia and Flashpoint, while Parker and Davis looked on with a lot of worry evident on their faces, their shirts shifting as their wings fluttered. “Okay, ponies. Any ideas?”
“Well, with a bad storm coming, we could use a storm breaker.” Amelia said.
“Too bad we don’t have one”. Machspeed said before his face broke into a bright smile. “But, we know one. Flash, can you get a fix on Major Sleet?” he asked his wife.
Ever since the incident where Amelia had gone to rescue a plane that had a panicked stag as a pilot, and the plane crashing because of his panic, leaving Amelia broken, battered and lost for over a day, Flashpoint had put mana beacons in every member’s official team jacket, including the one they had given Major Sleet the week before after his help in rescuing a Returned airship outside of Rome. She concentrated, little sparkles of magic running along her horn, fascinating the two Returnees. “Found him! He’s at the airport in Sydney. Don’t know exactly where he is, but he is there!”
“If he’s at the airport, more than likely he’s with the Swackies, giving a talk.” Mach said, referring to the Sydney Area Weather Control team. Give my regards to Colonel Soucross, and see if they will be able to help us get down.”
“Will do, Mach!” Flashpoint said before disappearing.
“Swackies?” Captain Parker asked, obviously confused. Mach and Amelia started to explain about just what pegasi could do with the weather as they helped the two new Returnees out of their seats and into the main cabin before settling in to the cockpit themselves, Amelia taking the left-hand seat. (it was her turn to fly, after all.)
#
At the Sydney airport, two pegasi stood under an awning, looking at the approaching clouds. One, the slate-gray pegasus with white wings and a rainbow mane and tail, wearing his ARRRS jacket, said to his companion, a bright orange pegasus with a scarlet mane and tail and sky-blue wings, “Whenever I see skies like that, I either am up there cracking it or somewhere behind very solid walls.”
“Yes, this is shaping up to be a stronger than average Buster. Usually, we just let it go by. It’s not like we have a huge radio tower we depend on. Strong, but generally does not last more than an hour.”
“I’m not used to seeing a frontal line rolling in. The Southwest Monsoon is more conditions for storms to form, rage and fade than to see a line coming in. I know I can kill a cell, but break a line? Never tried it.” Hal said, looking at the approaching weather.
From behind them, Flashpoint popped in. “You’re going to have to, Hal.”
The two pegasi spun at the sudden words. “Flashpoint? What brings you here?” Soucross asked.
“Mach and Amelia are aboard a G650 north of here that is short on fuel. They cannot divert anywhere within their fuel range, except here. Can you settle things down here long enough for them to at least land?” Flashpoint asked.
“How fast can you get the team pegasi here?” Hal asked in return.
“Two minutes.”
“Good. Bring them here. Colonel Soucross, how soon to scramble a flight?”
“Right now, there is just myself and my adjutant. Like I said, weather like this, we just usually let happen.”
“Damn. Flash, get Sunbeam, Featherdrop, Fairwind and Sunshower down here fast. Colonel, call your adjutant and the tower. I need to know bearings to the incoming plane and which way the storms are coming from.” Hal said quickly. Flashpoint vanished while Colonel Soucross trotted to a phone and started making calls.
Two minutes later, Flashpoint returned with the four pegasi and a team radio, which she gave to Hal, who slipped it on. Colonel Soucross and his adjutant, Captain Rainmaker, stood ready.
“Okay, here is what I am planning. Colonel, you, Rainmaker and Sunbeam work around the airport itself, keeping things as calm as possible. Featherdrop, Fairwind, Sunshower, I want Flashpoint to drop you off at eight kilometer intervals along the line of Mach’s approach. Flash, you monitor Mach’s position, and as soon as they pass one of the pickets, make pickup and bring them back here to reinforce local calm.”
“What are you planning on doing, Major?” Rainmaker asked.
Hal pointed with a wing at the approaching front. “I am going to go out there and see if I can blow a hole in that approaching frontal line big enough to give the airport calm enough conditions long enough for Mach and Amelia to land.”
“You think you can, Major?” Soucross asked.
“If I can bust a force Nine or Ten storm down to a shattered squall, the least I could do here is blow a hole in the Buster’s line of approach, leaving you ponies downwind with less to do. Now, let’s get to it! Time is NOT on our side!” Hal said as he spread his wings.
“No, it is not.” Sunbeam chimed in as he took off with the SAWC members. Flashpoint took the other three to their positions.
As he flew as fast as he could to the oncoming storm, Hal called Mach. “How you two doing out there?”
“Starting to feel some turbulence. Our low fuel indicators are on. We’re about twenty kilometers out, coming in on approach. Nice to hear your voice, Hal.”
“Just happened to be in the area, you know, doing one of my jobs. Have to earn my pay for this expedition. We’ll do our best to give you a good path, up to you two to land that plane safely.”
“I hope so. Ever see a G650 before?”
“Twice, when they were getting avionics updated in Scottsdale. But, toured or flown one, never.”
“You’ll like it. Now, help me get her down!”
“What do you think I’m doing, Mach? Knitting sweaters? I should be in position in a minute or so. Pardon my singing, I need to concentrate.”
“Do it to it, Hal.”
Hal thought about a song as he moved into position, getting a feel for the approaching storm, deciding how to best disrupt its structure. This line storm is much different from the monsoonal storms he normally faced back in Vegas. “Listen to me baby, you’ve got to understand…” he sang quietly as he felt along the advancing line of clouds, looking for a good point to disrupt it. “You’re old enough to know the makings of a man…”
“He’s got a good voice.” Machspeed said quietly to Amelia.
“You ought to hear his band, the Dippy Hippies. Raven played some recordings when they were in Brisbane. That band can tour, if they all didn’t have other jobs.” Amelia replied as she guided the jet around some rain showers.
Mach groaned. “The Dippy Hippies. I know where he got that from.”
“Where?” Amelia asked.
“George Carlin. The hippy dippy weatherman, Al Sleet. I KNEW there was something familiar about his name…”
“Just a touch before my time, Mach.”
Hal flew closer and closer to the advancing line, feeling the increasing agitation of the air, the mounting wind, the spatters of rain. He found the point he wanted, and at the right time, he triggered his storm breaking ability. “I can’t stop myself… LIGHT… NING… STRI… KING… A… GAIN!” he sang out, in tune and on key.
A solid vertical bolt of lightning leaped from the ground to the cloud, connecting the two with a brilliant incandescent bar of light, the crack of the thunder rattling Hal as he glided down toward the airport, even though he was expecting it, the light blinking out after about five seconds or so.
“Ho-lee…” Sunbeam whistled from where he was flying around the airport, seeing the lightning flash, watching the line of clouds start to collapse, still feeling wind and pressure changes, but the rain curtains were parting, the part heading for the airport falling apart from solid rain to a fog, dissipating in the wind. Sunbeam, Colonel Soucross, Captain Rainmaker and Fairwind could feel that their efforts in keeping the approach clear were easing, the heart of the force coming at them disrupted.
“Sleet to Mach… bring her on in!” Hal panted, the effort having drained much of his strength.
“You sure do have a way of announcing your presence, Hal!” Machspeed said as Amelia put the G650 on final approach.
“Just glad I can help a friend. I want that tour later.” Hal puffed as he back winged for a landing at the SAWC building.
“You got it. Five minutes out. See you after we land.”
It turned out that the G650 was lower on fuel than everyone expected, the plane’s engines shutting down after the wheels touched down, but before it came to a full stop. Amelia and Mach together used the brakes to stop the jet from running off the end of the main runway. Airport authorities had to send a tractor out to pull the plane to a hangar as the Buster pulled itself back together, dumping wind and rain on the airport grounds before passing out of range to the west.
#
After turning over Parker and Davis to the Sydney authorities for Returnee indoctrination, and before doing all the paperwork required for getting their fair share of the sale of the G650, the ARRRS crew gathered in the SAWC building with Colonel Soucross and Captain Rainmaker. Hal was busy tucking into his third hayburger and fries, storm breaking always giving him an appetite.
“Hal, before you go back to Las Vegas, you have to teach us pegasi in the ARRRS how to do weather mitigation like you do.” Sunbeam said as he sat with Amelia, one wing wrapped around her.
“Not on that scale, but learning more than just simple basics can be useful on rescue flights if the weather sours.” Sunshower added.
Hal looked at Machspeed over a hoof-full of chips. “What you say, Captain Machspeed? Can you afford my teaching rates?” he said with a tired smile.
“Hey! You’re not going to put them ahead of us here in Sydney, are you?” Colonel Soucross added with a bit of a laugh.
“Looks like you are going to be popular as you tour Australia, Hal.” Flashpoint commented.
“Hey, if you are going to be teleporting my family and I around, it will sure save time traveling. Seven weeks on a freighter getting here was not fun. I was submarine force, not a skimmer puke. I’ll have time to teach those groups who ask me some of the Nassie’s team tactics.” Hal said, referring to the group he worked for, the Nevada Aeronautical Survey, or NAS.
“Canberra, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth to go still. Ask nice and I’ll add in Auckland and Wellington.” Flashpoint said.
“Be careful what you offer, Flash. I just might accept.”
“One thing I will be doing is calling ahead to my counterparts around Australia, letting them know about what you did today, Major. I know you will be in high demand by the weather authorities wherever you go.” Colonel Soucross told Hal.
“Only if I can get a good list of contacts before going to the other cities. Friends like you are good to have.” Hal said to the group at large.
“I’m sure that can be arranged, Hal. I’ll see to it later.” Mach said as he spotted Crystal walking their way, with a determined look in her eye. “Uh oh…”
Colonel Soucross also spotted the approaching earth pony. “You’re in for it now, Mach. She’s got blood in her eye.”
“Not to mention papers in her pack.” added Captain Rainmaker.
“Ponies may work from sun to sun, but the paperwork is never done, as my admin sergeant at Nassie says.” Hal added as Crystal closed in.
“Machspeed, you have a bunch of forms to get filled out! Let’s get it started, because my towing crew needs to get paid!” the white and tan earth pony snapped out.
Machspeed groaned a little. “Let’s get it done…” he sighed as the rest of the assembled ponies broke out laughing at Mach’s distress.
Before Mach and Crystal got out of earshot, Hal broke into song. “It’s time to pay the fiddler, and today’s the day the first installment’s due…” which caused the laughter to double and redouble.
Author's Note
Just something that came to mind last week. Hope you all like it.
