Thirty minutes after the air attacks, Salt Lake spotted battle squadron 38 on the horizon. They fell into formation with the squadron and headed to meet the Abyssal fleet head-on.
"Salt Lake, it's good to see you."
She turned to Carolina. "It's good to see you too. I just wish it was under better circumstances."
Carolina nodded, "As do I."
Carolina's hair was reached down to her lower back and was golden in color. Both her ears have small earrings in them and her skin is a light tone. Her shirt has 'BB-55' written on the left side directly above her breasts. Her skirt hugs her body without being too restrictive. Her leggings are skin tight and Salt Lake swears they're partially see-through at times. She has a holster on her right thigh with an M1911 in it.
"Salt Lake, are you good to fight?"
She nodded, "Yes."
Carolina looked at her. "I know your damage is worse than you let on."
Salt Lake was about to deny that when a spike of pain caused her to wince. She sighed, "Yes, my damage is worse than what I let on but I can and will fight."
Carolina nodded and dropped it.
Nashville had overheard their conversation and shook her head. "Stubborn bastard."
There was a laugh behind her, "And you aren't the same?"
She turned around and smiled, "I guess I can be. It's good to see you sis."
Savannah smiled, "I wondered when you would notice me, little sis."
Nashville sighed and Savannah laughed. Savannah's hair was dark red and short stopping an inch above her shoulders. She wore a sleeveless shirt and on the lower left of it CL-42 was written. Her running shorts had slits up their sides allowing a little of her hips to peak through.
"What? Don't like it when I call you little sis? How about, baby sis?"
Nashville starred flatly at her, "No. I'll take little sis over baby sis thank you very much."
"Thought so." Her expression turned concerned, "You alright?"
She shrugged, "Could be better. My crew has managed to get two knots of my top speed back."
Savannah smiled and then her expression turned fierce. "The Abyssals are going to regret hurting you."
Nashville dropped back and rested her hand on Savannah's shoulder. "I can take care of myself big sis."
"I know. But, you're my little sis, even if it is only by a few months."
Nashville smiled, "I know you think it's your job to protect all of our little sisters but all of us, save for Helena, are big sisters. We can take care of ourselves."
"Heh, not going to let this go are you?"
"Nope."
Savannah shook her head but smiled. "You are a big sister even if you are my little sister. Alright, I'll try not worrying myself to death every time you get hurt."
"Thank you."
Fifty-five nautical miles from their position, Savannah's floatplane was searching for the Abyssals. It was about to move on to the next sector when the gunner spotted something. He ordered the pilot to level out. He steadied his binoculars and tried to spot what he saw a few seconds earlier. He ordered the pilot to bank right and change heading to 3-5-5.
The pilot did so and decreased altitude to make spotting easier for him and his gunner. The pilot grabbed his binoculars and scanned the ocean with his gunner.
"There!"
"Savannah, do you copy? Over."
"Loud and clear. Over."
"We spotted the enemy fleet heading North-East. Speed: 28 knots. Over."
"Understood. Keep me updated. Out."
"Wasp, urgent message. Enemy fleet sighed heading North-East at a speed of 28 knots. Over."
"Message received."
Wasp ordered her dive bombers launched. They roared into the air followed by her torpedo bombers and then her fighters. It took 35 minutes for her bombers to reach the fleet. Her SBDs circled until her TBDs arrived. Once they did they started their attack.
The dive bombers went in first drawing the ire of the Abyssals. Flack clouds exploded around the two groups of bombers as they closed in. Three bombers were claimed by the flack and the mid-ranged AA guns opened up. Hundreds of tracers filled the sky hitting two bombers. The first one's left wing caught fire and it fell out of formation while the second had its engine flameout.
They nosed over and entered a seventy-degree dive! Their targets were the two leading battleships. Their close-range AA guns opened up nailing one bomber! Three more bombers were shot down before they released their bombs! They pulled out of their dives and another bomber was shot down!
The lead battleship turned to starboard as the bombs fell! One bomb landed on its bow and did minimal damage. A second bomb detonated high in the superstructure while a third bomb destroyed one of its secondaries and started a fire. A fourth bomb landed next to the funnel causing moderate damage, starting an internal fire, and damaging the funnel. A fifth and final bomb smashed through the deck just behind the front tower. The second battleship was hit seven times starting internal and external fires.
The dive bombers were nearly skimming the ocean's surface. Tracers continued to fly past them and flack clouds exploded around them. Some of the shells hit too low and sent small gazers exploding upwards! AA fire noticeably slackened off after ten seconds; the torpedo bombers were making their run. They had managed to get within ten thousand yards without taking any fire. Now, flack clouds exploded around them and tracer rounds raced past them!
One of the bombers was hit! Its engine flamed out and it smashed into the ocean. A second bomber had its tail cut off. It climbed uncontrollably before entering a flat spin and crashing into the ocean. Just before they dropped their torpedoes, a third bomber was hit. It smashed into the ocean and cartwheeled a few times before coming to a rest and rapidly sinking. The seventeen bombers released their torpedoes and roared over the Abyssals. Heavy AA fire shot down two more bombers.
The Abyssals turned into the torpedoes to try and avoid them. The lead battleship was struck by four torpedoes two of which failed to detonate. The second battleship wasn't nearly as lucky being hit by five torpedoes four of which detonated.
With their airstrikes complete, the SBDs and TBDs turned and headed back towards Wasp. Eight minutes after the attack, a Kingfisher reported two battleships had broken away from the force along with four destroyers. The rest of the fleet was heading toward Battle Squadron 38.
Fifty minutes have passed since the airstrikes. Wasp had reframed from launching more air attacks against the Abyssals on account there was an Abyssal carrier or carriers operating in the AO. She wanted all of her aircraft ready to attack if they're spotted. Ten of her Wildcats were providing CAP for Battle Squadron 38.
"Enemy ships spotted. Range: 30,000 yards."
Carolina nodded, "Indiana. You want the battleship or the battlecruiser?"
"Doesn't matter. I'll crack either the battleship's or the battlecruiser's hull!"
Carolina smiled at her enthusiasm. "Sink that battlecruiser Indiana."
She grinned and cracked her knuckles. "With pleasure!"
Thunder roared across the ocean! Nine sixteen-inch shells screamed through the air! They landed short creating nine huge gazers of water! Carolina's guns roared a second later! Her shells landed long. The Abyssal's return salvo landed short creating fifteen gazers of water! Thirty seconds later, Indiana guns fired! Her shells landed closer but still short. Carolina fired and her shells landed short. While Indiana and Carolina were finding the range, the cruisers opened fire.
Salt Lake's guns boomed sending ten eight-inch shells downrange! Due to luck or skill, she scored two hits on her first salvo. Ahead of her, Chester fired a salvo, her shells landing short. Gazers of water exploded upwards as the Abyssal cruisers returned fire. Salt Lake fired just as her target started turning causing most of the shells to miss.
The Abyssal fleet turned and paralleled Battle Squadron 38's course. Their cruisers and destroyers started to pull ahead of their battleship and battlecruiser. The American destroyers and cruisers increased speed to keep pace with them.
Salt Lake felt her teeth raddle as Carolina's guns fired. She heard the shells scream over her and hoped they would find their target. Two shells Impacted her superstructure doing minor damage. She responded scoring three hits on the offending cruiser. Behind her, Nashville fired every eight seconds creating a withering hail of fire and it showed. Her target had two fires raging, its superstructure was destroyed, and it was listing. There was an explosion on its port side as one of its secondary guns exploded.
Savannah's guns continued to blaze away at a light cruiser while her secondaries fired upon destroyers. Four shells impacted her hull. One ricocheted off her number two turret. Two Impacted her armor belt but failed to penetrate while the fourth over penned her bow. Her return salvo scored five hits but she didn't see any immediate damage. Ahead of the cruisers, the destroyers engaged their Abyssal counterparts.
With a roar, Indiana's main battery fired! Three of her shells smashed into the battlecruiser! Two of her shells slammed into its number two turret completely destroying it! The third shell smashed through the deck on its port side! It exploded ripping a hole in the hull causing water to flood in putting out the fires the explosion had started.
Indiana grinned and laughed as two shells slammed into her! Her secondaries had crippled an Abyssal destroyer and it was finished off by Dewey. Her main battery fired again scoring another two hits on the battlecruiser! There was an explosion toward the rear of the battlecruiser as one of its AA mounts exploded! The Abyssal scored a single return hit that did some damage. Carolina's rifles had also found the range and were scoring hits at a fairly substantial rate. Her secondaries had just finished off a destroyer and switched their fire to the battleship.
There was a large explosion from the Abyssal fleet! Nashville's target was crippled. It had a list to port and was down by the bow. It had multiple external and internal fires, its forward guns were out of action, and its port side secondaries were destroyed. It had fallen out of formation and was only making six knots. Despite this, its rear guns were still firing and scored four hits against Nashville. Determined to finish it off Nashville's guns unleashed a hellish barrage scoring multiple hits within a few seconds. Two more explosions rocked the Abyssal and its guns fell silent.
At the head of the formation, the destroyers had pulled further ahead of the battleships and cruisers. Dewey's five guns blazed away at her target an Abyssal destroyer at fourteen thousand yards and closing. She scored four hits in rapid secession while being hit twice herself. She rapidly changed her course and speed to throw off the Abyssal's aim. Despite this, she was hit fairly regularly due to the Abyssal's rate of fire. The Abyssal wasn't taking any evasive action so she scored more hits in the same amount of time.
Her target turned hard to starboard. It was still engaging with its two rear guns as it fell back. Dewey preceded to knock out both of its rear guns and light most of its stern on fire. There was an explosion on its stern and it slowed to a stop. With the Abyssal crippled, Dewey switched fire to another destroyer.
Four fifteen-inch shells slammed into Indiana's armor belt! She simply ignored them and sent her response in the form of nine sixteen-inch AP shells. Four shells slammed into the Abyssal causing a huge explosion on its port side! When the smoke and fire cleared a raging inferno was burning on its port side. It developed an increasing list to port and started to slow. Its port side secondary battery had been destroyed but its remaining three twin turrets were still firing. Indiana decided to change that. She aimed more toward the rear of the Abyssal and fired!
A massive explosion followed a few seconds later! Its number three turret was completely destroyed and its number four turret was disabled. A huge fire engulfed what was left of its number three turret and was rapidly spreading. Its list to port continued and it slowed to three knots. Its number two turret was still firing but Indiana's next salvo disabled it. Two more explosions rocked the Abyssal and it slowed to a stop. With her target basically sunk, she switched fire to the battleship.
Said battleship already had numerous holes in its hull courteous of Carolina's sixteen-inch rifles. It had a slight list to port and a few small fires had broken out on its deck. Indiana fired one turret at a time and when the shells landed she adjusted her aim and fired her second turret. The shells landed long. She adjusted her aim and fired. The last three shells landed thirty yards short.
Reasonably confident she had the range, she fired a full broadside! Sadly, she didn't quite have the range and most of her shells fell short by a few yards. She scolded herself, adjusted her aim slightly, and fired. This time, she was on target scoring four hits.
Savannah's guns had completely destroyed her target. It was basically burning from bow to stern, had an increasing list to port, and all of its guns were silent. Explosions rocked the Abyssal periodically and it was dead in the water. She had switched targets to another light cruiser which was trying to disengage.
Leading the cruiser line, Chester had sunk her target. Five eight-inch shells slammed into her followed by multiple five-inch shells. Two of her main guns fired as one had been temporarily disabled. She had lost two of her starboard side secondaries and the other two were struggling to land hits. More shells came in and there was an explosion on Chester's port side destroying her last two five-inch guns on her port side.
Chester's main battery lashed out scoring two hits. Salt Lake desperately wanted to help but she was engaging her own target. Salt Lake wasn't the only one to notice. Indiana had noticed Chester's situation and trained her guns on the Abyssal engaging her. She fired her number one turret and the shells landed long, the next rounds landed short. Five seconds later, her rear turret fired.
Three sixteen-inch AP shells screamed toward the Abyssal. One shell fell short but the other two found their marks. One smashed through its rear tower doing little damage but the second penetrated the front of its number three turret. The turret detonated and an inferno quickly engulfed what was left of the turret. The Abyssal continued to engage Chester temporarily disabling her number one turret and starting a fire that started to burn uncontrollably. With two-third of her main and half of her secondary battery destroyed or disabled she deployed smoke and turned hard to port. Salt Lake was now the lead cruiser in the line.
Indiana fired a full broadside! Nine sixteen-inch AP shells screamed in! Four shells found their mark and the Abyssal disappeared in a huge ball of smoke and fire! When the smoke cleared the Abyssal was already sinking. She looked back to the Abyssal battleship and saw that it was heavily damaged. Knowing Carolina could deal with it she targeted another heavy cruiser.
The destroyers were in a close-range gunfight. Their lines had broken apart in many different engagements. Dale's four guns fired one after the other creating a continuous barrage of fire. Her target had over a dozen holes in its hull, there was a small fire amidships, and its torpedo tubes were destroyed. Dale had sustained only light damage throughout the whole engagement. There was an explosion near the Abyssal's torpedo tubes and it laid smoke. She scored a few more hits before switching targets.
She found her target in the form of another destroyer attacking a Porter-class, USS Selfridge, with two more destroyers backing it up. Selfridge had crippled one of the destroyers and it looked to be slowly sinking. She had landed a few hits on the second destroyer but had taken heavy damage herself. Two of her main guns were destroyed, two fires were burning on deck, and she sat lower in the water than normal.
Dale opened fire and her target immediately switched its fire to her. At such close range, they scored hits rapidly. For thirty seconds they hammered away at each other. They constantly changed their course trying to throw off the other's aim. She launched torpedoes from one of her quad launches and spotted the wakes of incoming torpedoes.
"Torpedoes!"
She turned hard to starboard and split the gab between two torpedoes. Clark, who was following behind Dale, cut her speed and turned to starboard. A huge gazer of water exploded upwards as a torpedo slammed into her bow! Water rushed into the massive hole as her bow was damn near blown off! Her forward magazines were flooded and what was left of her bow went deeper and deeper into the water. She threw her engines into reverse, Deployed smoke, slowed to a stop, and started sailing in reverse.
Reid turned to port to avoid a collision with Clark. Once she was clear she launched eight torpedoes.
Dale turned back to her original course and her target suddenly turned hard to port. A gazer of water exploded upward a little aft of its number three turret! It immediately began to slow and started going down by the aft. Its forward guns continued to fire destroying one of Dale's guns. In response, Dale destroyed its number one turret and set its bridge on fire. Its guns fell silent and it slowed to a stop. Dale scored seven more hits before switching targets.
Selfridge had forced the second Abyssal attacking her to retreat but she was in no condition to continue fighting. She deployed smoke and started opening the distance. Two of Reid's torpedoes found their mark and the Abyssal rapidly listed to port. Reid didn't let up scoring ten hits in rapid succession. There were multiple small explosions as the ammunition stores for the AA guns exploded starting multiple small fires. Reid still didn't let up scoring more hits. There was an explosion just aft of its number two turret. A few seconds later there was a thunderous explosion! The number two turret was blown hundreds of feet into the air by a gout of blue-red fire! Its bow sank deeper into the water and its list continued to increase. After three minutes, the destroyer capsized.
"Torpedoes! Torpedoes in the water!"
"That is a lot of FUCKING TORPEDOES!"
BOOM!
"AH! FUCK ME!"
Reid turned hard to starboard and watched three torpedoes swim past her. There were two explosions in front of her as one of her fellow destroyers was struck. There was another explosion off her stern. She turned and saw her sister, Smith, be showered by water. "Sister!"
"I'm... I'm fine! Oh, damn that smarts!"
"Hey! They're falling back!"
"Orders!?"
"Finish off the stragglers!"
"Wasp. The Abyssal fleet is retreating. Have you found those carriers yet?"
"Negative. I'm launching my dive and torpedo bombers to carry out a strike on the Abyssal fleet."
"Understood."
The fleet continued to fire upon the retreating Abyssals until they left the range of their guns. As Wasp's bombers attacked the Abyssals the fleet reformed and Carolina ordered the fleet to report their status. The destroyers had the worst of it with multiple destroyers being heavily damaged. Despite this, only three destroyers were lost.
On the cruiser side, Chester had the most damage and was the only cruiser who would need to spend significant time in the baths.
'It was a good engagement', Carolina thought, 'but it could have gone better.'