Commander Hayes sighed as he read the report on their supply situation. The short version is they are running out of everything.

"What's new on that front?"

He dropped the report and rubbed his eyes. He reached for his cigarettes and lit one up. The taste of tobacco helped destress him. He blew out some smoke and ran though a few things

Currently, his force is returning and should arrive in fourteen hours. He'd ordered Taskforce thirty to form a screen two hundred and twenty nautical miles from Wellington. He'd left the positioning of the screens and heavier units up to North Carolina and Wasp.

Knock, knock.

"Come in."

A Kanmusu he didn't recognize entered. She saluted, "Sir, USS Helm reporting. Wasp sent me to learn more about New Zeeland's situation."

He leaned back and tapped his cigarette on the ashtray. "The country is on the brink of collapse. Martial law is in effect but it has done little to quell the rioting and protests that continue to grow larger and more violent. There are food shortages from the smallest town to the largest city. If this continues for much longer an armed revolt is in the cards."

"As for the base's situation, we are critically low on supplies. Martial has ensured we have supply priority but it hasn't helped much. Not counting your force we have a force of thirty Kanmusu half of which are repairing. With the lack of supplies, it's unlikely any of them will see action any time soon. From a supply perspective, I should have refused your offer but my forces need reinforcements now more than ever."

"Have Wasp or North Carolina been in contact with their commander?"

"Three destroyers were ordered to make contact when we met I-22. Command should know that New Zeeland is still standing and desperately needs supplies."

He nodded, "Well, let's hope they send a convoy soon. Anything else Wasp wanted to know?"

"No sir. I have a few questions though."

He nodded, "Ask away."

"Of the Kanmusu who are repairing who are the closest to being repaired?"

Hayes placed his cigarette on the ashtray and looked at one of the many papers on his desk.

"HMS Glorious is ninety percent repaired and can be deployed. Unfortunately, her air wing is still in tatters. She only has nine planes. Next is USS Houston. She's around seventy percent repaired. They're the closest to being redeployed."

Helm nodded and filed that info away. "One more question sir. What happened when the Abyssals counter-attacked?"

Hayes sighed, "Take a seat Helm; this might take a while."

"With Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan, and the Philippines falling to the Abyssals the defensives around Australia and New Zeeland were deemed inadequate. In response to this both the UK and the US sent reinforcements."

"Our orders were to hold Australia and New Zeeland. Since the Abyssals weren't showing an interest in attacking it was a fairly quiet post despite being right on Abyssal territory. Because of this, the Commanders allowed raiding operations against the Abyssals. It didn't take long for them to start assigning heavier escorts escalating small raiding forces into full taskforces. Soon, we were clashing regularly with the Abyssals."

"A few days before the Battle of Midway the Abyssals launched an offensive against us and landed forces on Australia's Northern coastline. Two days later they launched a surprise invasion of New Zeeland's North Island. We stopped their advance fifty kilometers North of Auckland and held them there. This split our naval forces allowing the Abyssals to land more troops and press further into Australia. A day later the Abyssals attacked the island community of Seisia and rapidly advanced down the peninsula. We stopped them along the Mitchell River."

"When we heard about the Battle of Midway we launched our counter-attack. We drove them from New Zeeland's Northern Island and from the peninsula in Queensland. Further attacks drove the Abyssals back in the Northern Territory. We thought we had them beat. We were wrong."

"They launched a massive fleet operation. We stopped them at most of the battles but they drove us back in some. They had a huge advantage in numbers and they used it to their advantage. They invaded the Northern Territory in force. Two days later, they invaded the Northern coast of Western Australia. It was here that all contact with the outside world was cut leaving Australia and New Zeeland alone."

"Half of the Northern Territory fell to the Abyssals before we stopped them. Most of Western Australia was lost so we abandoned it and established a defensive line along the border of Western and Southern Australia. The situation stabilized for a few days and then disaster struck."

"One of our squadrons engaged an Abyssal squadron in the Great Australian Bight. They drove them back but suffered minor casualties and heavy damage. When a second Abyssal force attacked they fell back. Three hours later we received reports of Abyssals landing on the Southern coast of South Australia. Not long after that reports come in of Abyssals attacking Melbourne. They cut a path straight to Canberra destroying everything in their path. The fighting for the city was brutal but we halted their advance. That was the only 'good news.' Victoria had fallen to the Abyssals and they were pressing hard in the Northern Territory, Southern Australia, and New South Whales."

"Two days later our forces engaged the Abyssals at the Torres Strait. We destroyed most of the fleet and the convoy they were escorting. We had no casualties but all of the Kanmusu had moderate to critical damage. After this engagement, General Moore, overall commander of the Australian army, General Doyle, commander of the British forces, General Hawkins, commander of the American forces, Vice Admiral Howe, and Rear Admiral Hunt discussed the next course of action."

"Rear Admiral Hunt relayed the conclusion of that meeting to the various Commanders. With contact with the outside world cut, no reinforcements would be sent. Refugees from the occupied territories were to be evacuated off Australia entirely. Our orders were to cover the convoys while they headed for New Zeeland, India, Madagascar, or the United States."

"We split our limited forces between escorting convoys and engaging Abyssal taskforces. It was now that the Abyssals launched the largest naval operation against us. The convoys that were to evacuate refugees were hit first. The Abyssals brought overwhelming air and sea power destroying these convoys outright. The only ships that could, and sometimes did, escape were their escorts. Our forces put up a hell of a fight but we were always outnumbered. Often our taskforces had to scatter to avoid being destroyed. With so many of our naval forces repairing or sunk along with the deaths of both Vice Admiral Howe and Rear Admiral Hunt our ability to contest the seas ended. Soon, all contact with Australia was lost."

"I took over command of what was left of our naval forces and made it my mission to defend New Zeeland. Why the Abyssals haven't launched a full offensive against us I don't know. Maybe they thought it would be easier to starve us to death."

Helm didn't say anything.

"Any more Questions?"

She blinked and lightly shook her head. Hayes was looking at her waiting for an answer.

"No sir. I'll take my leave if that's alright with you."

"Dismissed Helm."

She nodded and left. Hayes took a drag on his cigarette and stood up. He walked over to a window and looked out across the base. He could see the skyscrapers of Wellington and sighed tiredly.

Cruising at just over one thousand feet a flight of twelve SBDs was following the bearing given to them by Wasp. Escorting them are a flight of six Wildcats. They have been in flight for about four hours so they should spot the Abyssals soon.

"Alright. Based on our time to intercept we should see them now."

"Uh, flight lead. I don't see anything but open ocean."

"Let's not call it off so soon. They might have changed course or speed or both. Keep your eyes peeled people. If you spot a wake call it out."

The flight entered a slow weave pattern. They searched for the Abyssals but had come up empty after an hour of searching.

"Flight lead, we're getting low on fuel. We need to head back soon."

"Roger. We'll search more towards Australia's coast."

"You sure that's a good idea sir? If the Abyssals have land-based radar installations they'll see us."

"It's a risk I'm willing to take."

They banked left and continued their weave pattern. They searched for another hour but still didn't find the Abyssals. They received radio calls from other flight leaders reporting they were low on fuel and were RTB.

"Anybody see anything?"

"Negative flight lead."

"I don't have anything."

"I got nothing."

"Damn. Alright, we're RTB."

Wasp huffed as her final flight reported they were low on fuel and were RTB.

"Didn't find anything?"

"No."

Her remaining TBDs roared off her flight deck. Followed by the SBDs and then the Wildcats.

"I'm not giving up yet though."

"I can see and hear that. You think they'll find them?"

"I hope they do."

The final Wildcat roared down her deck. A few minutes later, the drone of engines faded away replaced with the sound of the ocean.

"Wasp?"

"Yes?"

"Why did you send Helm to the naval base?"

"I wanted to know what New Zeeland's situation was. Short version? Terrible And that's a huge understatement."

"Anything else you learn?"

"Yeah. Currently, there are thirty Kanmusu stationed at Wellington Naval Base fifteen of which are repairing. HMS Glorious could be deployed but her airwing is in shambles. USS Houston could be deployed in a pinch. The others are in no condition to be deployed."

"Damn."

"Yeah. Even with Commander Haye's forces, we don't have much of a force to defend New Zeeland."

Atlanta sighed, "Let's hope command is sending reinforcements."