Ise POV
Our force is off the coast of Miyako-jima. We are supported by taskforce Lightning and taskforce ten. The cruisers from taskforce ten, Tatsuta and Tama, are with the main formation along with the destroyer, Nire. Kaga and Hiryu are a mere ten nautical miles behind us which allows them to rapidly provide fighter and bomber support but puts them at much greater risk so Take, Kaki, Numakaze, and Namikaze are their escorts.
The first part of the operation is simple, secure air and sea supremacy. Taskforce Lightning will bait the enemy fleet and lead them to us, then we will engage them. Kaga and Hiryu will assist but their main objective is air supremacy.
Step two of the operation calls for the bombardment of all abyssal fortifications on the beach and the bombing of abyssal positions inland. Once a beachhead is established the fleet will move to intercept any abyssal forces that could attack the beachhead. Kaga and Hiryu will stay near the beachhead and provide support to the troops on the ground.
The third and final stage of the operation calls for the bombardment and invasion of the Ikema, Irabu, and Kurima islands.
"I still don't agree with the invasion force being so lightly escorted."
"Command waned to attack before the abyssals could strike again."
I looked up and saw a squadron of zeros fly overhead. From their markings, they're from Kaga. She and Hiryu have been rotating CAPs all morning and sending pairs of dive bombers to scout for any abyssals that may have slipped passed the submarines. So far they have found nothing.
"It's a reckless move. If the invasion fleet is sunk before they reach the target..."
"I know Fuso. I don't like it either. The only thing we can do is make sure nothing opposes them when they arrive."
My radio crackled, "Ise, enemy fleet in pursuit."
"Understood. General quarters."
"Ise this is I-14. I've spotted twenty abyssal fighters moving to intercept Lightning. They're escorting six bombers, over."
"Roger I-14, Hiryu, Kaga."
"Vectoring now," she answered.
"Launching now," Kaga said as she loosed an arrow.
"I-9 reporting a cruiser squadron moving to link-up with the abyssal fleet, over."
"Number of ships, over."
"One heavy, two lights, and four destroyers, over."
"Understood, out. Kirishima can you give me a count of how many ships are in the abyssal fleet."
"Forty to fifty with five possible battleships or battlecruisers, over."
"Understood, demons?"
She paused, "Not that I can see, over."
"Good. I-14 spotted twenty fighters and six bombers heading your way. Be ready to great them, out."
"I-2 reporting an enemy force with three fleet carriers. Moving to engage, out."
Three fleet carriers, "Kaga, Hiyru we have confirmation of three enemy fleet carriers near I-2's position."
"Understood. We will be ready."
There was a small break in the radio chatter before the Commander contacted me.
"Ise, status?"
"Sir, Lightning has engaged the enemy fleet and is under air attack. Hiryu and Kaga have dispatched a squadron to provide air cover. We have confirmation that three fleet carriers are in the area, over."
"Understood, out."
Third-person POV
Eight Zeros bearing Hiryu's markings roar across the sky. They spot the AA fire from Lightning pointing out where the abyssals are. They gain altitude and pounce.
They down five and pull out of the dive. The abyssals scatter and dive to the deck tiring to escape. Two more are shot down before the Zeros break off. Under the cover of Hiryu's pilots taskforce Lightning could relax ever so slightly.
"Hiryu, thanks for the escort."
"No problem Kirishima."
"Kirishima status."
"Harusame took a bomb hit but can still fight."
"Copy that."
"I-2 reporting one enemy fleet carrier crippled. They're launching multiple squadrons. Going deep will be out of contact, out."
"Kusagaki reporting twelve medium bombers inbound... no fighter escort."
"Medium bombers, those have to be from the airport. I guess it wasn't as crippled as command thought."
"Wait, did Kusagaki say no fighter escort?"
"Confirmed no fighters."
"Ohhh Hiryu's zeros are going to tear them apart," Shigure yelled. "Get revenge for my sister!"
Four zeros broke off and climbed leaving four covering the taskforce. The light defenses of the bombers opened up but did little to impede the zeros. They entered a very shallow dive and fired tearing through the single eye of the bombers. Blood, fire, and smoke poured from five bombers as they crashed into the ocean while another was obliterated and fell to the ocean in many small, bloody pieces.
The remaining six bombers continued on running into the long-range guns of taskforce Lightning. The other four zeros moved to intercept and shot another four down. One zero banked hard and got a quick burst into another tearing its fuselage to pieces and setting it on fire yet it continued on only to have its wing torn off.
The last bomber set its sights on Kirishima and started to dive. 25 mm shells tore through its left-wing and set its number one engine one fire yet it kept coming. Suddenly a shell tore through its eye causing it to bank hard left and it crashed into the ocean a mere twenty meters (65 feet) from Kirishima.
"Enemy bombers eliminated. When are those carrier planes arriving," Kirishima asked.
"Based on I-2's last reports, roughly seven minutes."
"Understood, getting lonely out here Ise."
"What, the abyssals not good company?"
"No! They've bombed us!"
"Don't worry, they will learn their lesson."
Another squadron of eight Zeros, this time bearing Kaga's markings, formed a screen a few kilometers away from the taskforce. Now any squadrons sent by the carriers or coming from land-based airfields would have to deal with two elite fighter screens.
"Ise, Hiryu and I have torpedo bombers on standby."
"Understood."
A few kilometers from the fleet six Zeros circled looking for targets. Just on the horizon, they spot multiple black dots heading their way. They radio their home carrier, Kaga, and climbed.
"Report from the CAP. Enemy planes inbound," Kaga reported.
"Enough of this, let's rule the skies." Hiryu loosed three arrows from her bow launching the rest of her fighters.
"My fighters report thirty dive bombers escorted by twenty fighters. Another squadron reports twenty-four dive bombers, and twelve torpedo bombers escorted by twenty-two fighters," Kaga continued.
"Which one is coming for us?"
"The first group. The second group is heading for taskforce Lightning."
"Understood. Kirishima you have a large air attack heading your way. Twenty-four dive bombers, and twelve torpedo bombers along with twenty-two fighters. I have ten Zeros heading your way and Kaga is dispatching another six."
"Understood. We'll be ready."
Back with the Zeros, they had positioned themselves above the enemy formation. As the bombers and their escorts moved past they rolled over and dived putting them at the rear of the formation. They cut through the rear-most planes downing five in a single run. The squadron splits and dives with ten abyssals on their tails.
With the attackers disengaging the abyssal formation continued on. This time their escorts are on high alert so when they spot four Zeros below them four fighters dive for them. Unknown to them sixteen Zeros sit above them waiting for the moment to strike. Happy with their position the Zeros dive four at a time. The remaining six escorts pull up and face them head-on.
Tracer rounds leap from both sides as they rapidly close in. A Zero's engine flames out and it dives out of the fight while another has its wing cut off. The remaining Zeros tear the six fighters apart sending them crashing into the ocean below. With no escorts, the dive bombers are sitting ducks and the Zeros go to work.
The squadrons covering taskforce Lightning don't have it so easy. The fighters covering their attack wave are far more aggressive and competent. The Zeros had downed four to the loss of one of their own but they are unable to break away from the dogfight. With their escorts stalling the thirty-six attackers are left unchecked and start taking long-range flack fire.
"This is not good," Kirishima muttered looking at the abyssal attackers. She focused her AA guns on the torpedo bombers as those are the greatest threat. Her escorts had split their fire between the dive and torpedo bombers limiting their effectiveness. "Shigure, Harusame, focus on the torpedo bombers!"
"Have you seen the swarm of bombers coming at us!? It doesn't matter what we do they're going to get through," Shigure yelled.
"We can limit how may get through! The torpedo bombers are the greatest threat! TAKE! THEM! DOWN!"
"Time for some payback," Harusame growled, her guns exploding in response.
The abyssals closed and a torpedo bomber's wing is ripped off while another one just detonates. A third explodes in a fireball and crashes into the ocean. A dive bomber has its tail cut off and flat spins into the path another; they collide and collect another two in the fireball. They begin their dive but their tight formation, coupled with them all diving at once, caused two collide and forces six to break off. The remaining twelve drop their bombs. Coincidentally the torpedo bombers dropped their torpedoes.
Kirishima manages to dodge ten bombs with some fancy maneuvers. She turns her focus to the eight torpedoes heading towards her and jumps away from four of them, dances around two, dodges a seventh but the eighth finds its mark. She hisses but doesn't let the pain show.
The Zeros from Kaga and Hiryu through themselves into the mix. One spots two bombers heading for Nomi and makes a pass shooting one down. The second drops its bomb and Nomi jumps out of the way. She blows the plane out of the sky in retaliation.
Another bomber manages to sink up on Awaji and drops its bomb which slams into the side of her bridge. She stagers and another bomber follows up with a hit to her citadel. She cries out and doubles over in pain. A third bomber aims to sink her but is intercepted by one of Kaga's fighters and blown apart. Kusagaki sails over to her sister to help while the lone Zero circles overhead.
With the Zeros joining the fight the remaining dive and torpedo bombers turn and head back for their carriers. On their way back they're jumped by four Zeros. They shoot down another three before their ammunition runs dry and they break off.
"Ise, Fuso enemy attack waves are destroyed or returning to their carriers. We are launching a retaliatory strike."
"Understood Kaga."
A few minutes later taskforce Lightning appeared over the horizon and joined up with the main fleet. Despite the damage they received Harusame and Awaji chose to stay with the fleet. With the fleet no longer split Kaga and Hiryu's fighters are not spread so thin to provide air cover. Twenty-four Zeros are tasked with providing air cover for the fleet while twenty-eight are tasked with covering the torpedo bombers heading for the abyssal carriers.
For the next few minutes the fleet sails in silence save for the rolling of the waves and the roar of engines overhead. They sail out from behind the island and at a range of twenty kilometers and closing is the abyssal fleet.
"Let them come to us." Ise's, Fuso's, and Kirishima's guns rotated, elevated, and fired.
BOOM!
The shells found their targets and the abyssal battleships responded in kind. Kako and Kinugasa began to fire quickly followed by Natori, Tenryu, Yura, Kinu, Tatsuta, and Tama. Soon the destroyers got involved followed by the destroyer escorts.
The abyssals continued to close in and the secondary guns soon added their fire into the mix. With both sides closing the Zeros overhead moved away from the battle so they wouldn't have to deal with AA fire. They spread themselves out behind the abyssal fleet and formed a screen to intercept any abyssal aircraft.
The abyssal destroyers moved to their formation's flanks and increased speed. This was countered by the Kanmusu destroyers who moved to guard their flanks. With destroyers largely out of the picture, the abyssals closed to ten kilometers.
BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM!
At this range, it's difficult, but not impossible, to bounce or avoid shells. Kirishima manages to dodge a salvo proving that she is still a battlecruiser at heart. Ise and Fuso had no such luck but angled enough so most of the shells bounced the few that didn't were over-penetrations. With the battleships engaged in a brawl, the cruisers moved to reinforce the flanks and engaged. Destroyers played cat and mouse moving forward and firing a few salvos only to retreat. To assist the battleships Kako launched an attack.
"Kinugasa, I'm attacking the abyssal flank."
"Understood. If the abyssals move to reinforce I'll attack as well."
"Destroyers! Form wolfpacks and advance! launch torpedoes at your discretion! Nomi, Kusagaki, Hachijo stay with us, you're our escorts."
The destroyers formed two packs of five and a pack of three. The lead destroyers launched torpedoes at the abyssals as they started taking fire. They weaved around shells and shell splashes while returning fire. The torpedoes broke the abyssal formation as they took evasive action. One destroyer was hit and sank a few seconds later.
"Kaga, Hiryu what do you have for strike craft?"
"We have dive bombers where do you need them?"
"There are two battleships at the rear of their formation. That is your target."
"Understood, launching now."
Kaga and Hiryu turned into the wind and loosed a flaming arrow. It flew for a second before exploding into a group of D3A1 dive bombers. They joined up with each other and headed toward their targets.
Kako's attack was in full swing. Her wolfpacks are engaged in close range knife-fighting. Their tactics are simple but effective. They focused on one target at a time inflicting heavy damage at a rapid pace. The abyssals pulled their destroyers back and the cruisers fired a barrage of high explosive. They were supported by two battleships. A single hit from one of those shells could sink them.
The destroyers used their agility to fall back and avoid fire. The amount of fire coming in made sure some of the shells connected. Isonami, Yuzuki, Shinonome, and Murakumo took moderate damage while Shigure and Hatsuyuki took heavy damage with Shigure's torpedo launcher detonating do to a direct hit from a 20 cm (8 in) high explosive shell. The explosion started a fire that cooked off ammo stores for her AA guns.
The abyssals pressed forward. Karukaya and Aoi launched a spread of torpedoes and forced them to go evasive. Kako, Natori, Tama, and Tenryu covered the destroyers retreat with an unending barrage of high explosive. Tenryu and Natori moved up and fired a widespread of torpedoes. The abyssals are spread out and maneuvering but put enough fish in the water and one is bound to hit.
BOOM!
A torpedo strikes a cruiser disabling it. Tama finishes it off with multiple hits to its citadel. The abyssals keep pressing and Ayanami spots the wake created by torpedoes, "TORPEDOES!"
They maneuver wildly to avoid them. Tama splits the gap between two while Kako jumps over three. Natori slightly alters her course while the destroyers dance around them. Tenryu manages to avoid three but that puts her in the path of another two. She barely dodges a forth and a bolt of lightning shoots through her.
BOOM!
"AHHHHHH! Son of a-!" The torpedo damaged her screws and rudder limiting her ability to maneuver and cutting her top speed in half. Her crew works at a frantic pace to stop the flooding and repair what damage they can. They sealed off the flooded compartments and started counterflooding so she could keep her balance. Destroyers closed in to finish her off and her guns spoke in defiance. She scored multiple hits on the closest destroyer forcing it to disengage.
With four more closing Nomi, Kusagaki, and Hachijo put themselves between Tenryu and the destroyers. With her support, they quickly sink another destroyer and cripple a third forcing the remaining two to retreat. Kako moves up to assist. She fires at the closest cruiser destroying one of its gun batteries and damages it further with another two salvos. It limps away and switches fire to the destroyers. With their counter-attack failing the abyssals pull back.
"Tenryu! You alright," Nomi shouts as she sails beside her.
"I can still fight."
"Shigure," Kako turns. She is shaking as she leans on Yunagi who runs her fingers through her hair. Her clothes are burned away where her torpedo launcher was showing the extent of the damage. Her skin has third-degree burns around where the launcher was and shrapnel is embedded into her back.
"Shigure?"
"I-It hurts," she whimpered.
"I know, I know. I need you to stay strong, can you do that?"
She nodded, "Y-yeah," she mumbled into her shoulder.
Kako watched with a sorrowful look. Sending Shigure, Tenryu, and Hatsuyuki back for repairs was a bad idea. With the fleet, they had protection from enemy fighters, ships, and submarines. If they were ambushed on their way back to Okinawa they wouldn't stand a chance. She could send them back to Kaga and Hiryu where they would be relatively safe from the battle.
"Tenryu, Hatsuyuki, Shigure do you want to retreat back to the carriers?"
"I'm not running," Tenryu answered.
Kako nodded and turned to Hatsuyuki. She hissed in pain but gave a shake of her head. "They will have to do better than this."
Now she turned her attention to Shigure who slowly pushed herself away from Yunagi. "I can still fight."
Kako nodded, "Alright."
"Kako come in."
"Go ahead Kinugasa."
"The abyssals have weakened their flank, I'm attacking now."
"Understood. If the abyssals try and reinforce we will attack. Good luck, out."
Eighteen dive bombers roar overhead their engines drowned out by gunfire. They spot their targets and form up into six groups of three. Ten Zeros dive on the fleet strafing any abyssal in their sights and draw the AA fire to them. The first group dives, three seconds later the second group dives and then the third group. The first group drops its bombs.
BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM!
The battleships started taking evasive action and their AA guns targeted the second group. They were already pulling out of their dive and their bombs slammed into their targets. The third and final group had the undivided attention of their AA guns and the guns of the entire abyssal fleet. It did little and they dropped their bombs... and a colossal explosion followed that resonance through the air.
A gazer of fire blasted up from one of the battleships. One of the bombs had punched through the deck and detonated the main magazine. By the time the smoke and fire cleared the battleship had already sunk. The abyssals kept fighting not caring about the explosive loss of one of their battleships. Compared to the first the second battleship got off fairly light. The bombs had destroyed one of its guns, started fires, and destroyed some of its AA guns but it's still combat-capable. The Zeros continued to weave through the fleet strafing destroyers and cruisers trying to detonate depth charges or torpedo tubes.
With Kinugasa pushing the abyssals tried to reinforce their weakened flank but when Kako spotted this she attacked. In the middle of it all Ise, Fuso, and Kirishima were pushing the enemy battleships back. Ise avoided a salvo and fired. All twelve of her shells punched through the citadel armor and detonated. The abyssal glared at her as it sank to its knees and fell backward.
She turned her attention to the battleship Kirishima was fighting and fired. Nine of her shells found their mark and blew huge chunks of skin from the abyssal. Kirishima followed this up with her salvo staggering the abyssal. Its head snapped up and locked eyes with Ise. With a deafening scream, it charged her. Ise unsheathed her katana and it let out a quiet 'ting.'
She blocked the abyssal's wild swing and forced its hand away from her. She launched a quick series of slashes leaving its citadel covered in deep lacerations. It screeched in rage and charged her. Ise stepped aside and decapitated it sending it tumbling into the ocean where it promptly sank. She could see Fuso engaging the retreating abyssals. She sheathed her katana turned her guns on a retreating cruiser and fired.
BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM!
Eight shells found their mark and tore through its citadel. Fire spewed from the holes created and it crashed into the ocean. The abyssal fleet is retreating and is a shadow of its former strength. Kaga's and Hiryu's planes would deliver the final blow.
The Zeros arrived at the last reported position of the carriers only to find open ocean. They spread out in a search pattern to find them. Fifteen minutes pass before a Zero reports a single carrier with light escort. The bombers change their heading.
They dive to the deck and fly at wave top level. As they close long-range flack fire begins but it is sporadic and inaccurate. Behind them, the second group of bombers splits into three groups of three and target the escorts. The main group drops their torpedoes and bank away. The carrier had been crippled by I-2 and the torpedo bombers finish what she started.
With one enemy carrier sunk and two destroyers about to join it, Kaga and Hiryu recall their planes while the fleet prepares for shore bombardment. At sixteen forty hours, the bombardment begins.
BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM!
A/N
I will be taking a break from this story so there will not be a chapter next week.
