Thresher stretched and watched the lone Abyssal vessel slip beneath the waves. She doesn't know why a lone merchant was roving the Coral Sea but it's been dealt with. She already sent a report to Commander Hayes. She looked over the information she had on the other submarines operating in the area. Her sister, USS Tuna, is patrolling around New Caledonia while I-27 was patrolling 350 nautical miles North-West of her position.

She checked her torpedo stock. She has four torpedoes in her bow tubes and four in her stern tubes. 'I'll have to make'em count.'

"We have received a message."

"From Commander Hayes?"

"Negative. It's from HMS Trident. Message reads: 'Enemy cruiser force passed over my position at 05:21 hours. Unable to get a proper number on contacts. Speed: 28 knots. Bearing: 2-8-1. Coordinates: 11*25'08"S 154*38'11"E.'

"Twenty-eight knots? They're moving."

"Ma'am, message from Commander Hayes. It reads: 'I-22 spotted and engaged a large enemy fleet at 01:17 A.M. Speed was 24 knots. Bearing: 1-8-2. Coordinates: 10*11'00"S 141*05'11"E. All submarines in the area are to move and intercept.'

"Sounds like we have our hunting grounds. Send a message to Commander Hayes. It reads: 'USS Thresher moving to intercept.'

She checked her map and plotted out her course. At eleven knots, plus the fleet's closing speed, it will be nineteen and a half hours before she establishes contact. She silently wished I-27 luck as she would engage before she did.

Two hours had passed and Thresher had grown increasingly suspicious. Her air search radar repeatedly picked up contacts at its very max range. They weren't searching for her and all of them were heading due North.

"New radar contact. Bearing: 3-3-0. Heading: 0-2-5."

"Where are they going," she muttered.

"Surface contact. Bearing: 0-0-0. Closing."

"Crash dive."

It took a mere twenty seconds for her to slip under. She reduced her speed to 2 knots and made for periscope depth. She could just see a ship on the horizon. She marked its location on map and plotted its course. She waited three minutes and marked its position again.

"Twelve knots. Rig for silent running. Let's make sure they don't find us."

She reduced her speed to one knot and watched the ship close in. She lowered the scope and dove to 100 feet. She tracked the target with her hydrophones and picked up a second contact following the first. They basically passed directly over her. She turned to starboard and reacquired them. She continued to track them with her hydrophones until she lost them. She stayed under for another fifteen minutes before she rose to periscope depth. She scanned the surface and didn't spot anything. She lowered the scope and surfaced.

In the early morning hours of September 23rd, she reached her search area. Her arrival was about an hour later as she had to dive multiple times to avoid detection. She was at periscope depth and was searching for the fleet both visually and with her hydrophones. She had been searching for the past thirty minutes but had yet to sight them.

She looked at her map, 'They could be anywhere in this area and I can't cover it all on my own. I hoped I-27 would provide an update but she hasn't and that's worrying.'

She bit her lip. It was night so she could surface and move to a different position faster but if they're already past her it won't do her any good. It also poses a hell of a risk. If they detect her before she detects them she's dead.

"Contact. Bearing: 3-1-9."

She brought her periscope around and strained her eyes trying to see the contact. She started to reverse and turned hard to port. She couldn't see the contact but she could hear it and from its screws it sounded like a destroyer. She searched with her hydrophones and found more contacts all of which were destroyers. She counted at least eight separate sets of screws.

Minutes tick by as she slowly moves into position. That many destroyers wouldn't just be on anti-submarine patrol. They're either a destroyer squadron or an escort of a much larger fleet.

'Time to three minute them.'

She marked their position on map, waited three minutes, and checked their position again. She marked their position again and drew a line from both points. 'Twenty-two knots.'

She looked through her scope and sighted the destroyers. Two minutes later, her hydrophones picked up more screws. She heard destroyers, cruisers, and battleships. 'Perfect.'

It took some time but she sighted the battleships in the formation. She marked her target on map, let three minutes pass, and marked it again. Her target's speed was twenty-two knots. She slowly went through the procedure of setting up a torpedo attack. It was unlikely that four torpedoes would be able to sink the battleship but maybe she could cause enough damage and force it to return to wherever the hell it came from.

"Fire tube seven."

Whoosh

"Torpedo in the water."

"Fire tube eight."

Whoosh

"Torpedo in the water."

"Fire tube nine."

Whoosh

"Torpedo in the water."

"Fire tube ten."

Whoosh

"Torpedo in the water."

She watched her target through her scope. The seconds ticked by. Soon, a minute had passed. Then a minute and a half. Then two minutes.

'Son of a bitch. They must have missed.'

She was about to lower her scope when a gazer of water exploded off the battleship's port side! A second explosion followed soon after! A third explosion and then a fourth rocked the battleship!

"Hell yes!"

She lowered her scope, rigged for silent running, and dived for two hundred feet. The pinging of active sonar filled her ears. She turned to starboard so her hydrophones could pick up the Abyssals. The high RPMs of destroyers filled her ears and they're closing, fast.

She smiled, "This is where the fun begins."

"Thank you Houston. I can take it from here."

She frowned and stood up. "Are you sure sir? You only slept four hours."

He fought back a yawn, "It will have to do. Anything come in?"

"I've ordered USS Tuna to plot an intercept course against the Abyssal fleet and I-27 has yet to report on her attack. Thresher hasn't either."

"With Thresher she probably forgot in the action. It's I-27 I'm worried about. What's your status Houston?"

She stood at attention. "Sir, I may not be fully repaired but I'm combat-ready."

He nodded, "Good. I have a feeling I'm going to need all the ships I can. Head down to the baths. Get a tally on who can sortie if necessary."

She nodded, "On it."

She briskly walked past him and left. Hayes took a seat behind his desk and looked at the map. "We need to intercept that fleet before it threats New Zeeland. Here would be the best area."

Wasp was wandering the base with Atlanta, Helm, and Jarvis. Since they arrived they've been helping any way they can but with the supply situation so desperate there is only so much they can do. She had spent the last three days with Glorious trying to get her air wing reinforced. Her damage had been fully repaired the only thing keeping her form sortieing was her air wing which was in tatters. She spared whatever she could without severely weakening her own air wing. It helped. Glorious told her she had sixteen operational Sea Hurricanes and six Fairy Swordfish. It wasn't much but it was better.

Atlanta leaned in, "Have you heard anything about reinforcements?"

She shook her head and whispered, "No. Commander Hayes would be the first to know and he'd share it immediately to help morale."

She nodded and turned her attention back to Helm and Jarvis who were arguing about something. As they walked down the hall they heard voices.

"You need to rest!"

"I'm fine. If the Abyssals attack again we need as many capital ships as possible."

"You won't help anyone if you collapse! You can hardly stand!"

"I'll take it easy until I'm needed. Tell Commander Hayes if he needs me, I'm ready."

"No you're not! You're missing a third of your main battery!"

"No. My crew repaired the turret three hours ago."

"Really?" The voice was filled with skepticism.

"Yes."

"...Fine. I see I can't change your mind."

They had stopped to listen and a British cruiser turned the corner and stormed past them without a glance. Wasp walked forward and turned the corner with Atlanta, Helm, and Jarvis behind her.

"Well, that could've gone better."

"It could have. Are you sure about this Renown?"

"Yes."

"Alright." She turned and saw their little group. "We have eavesdroppers."

"Sorry about that. You weren't exactly being quiet."

"You have us there. Well, I need to go. I'll talk to you later."

Houston turned and walked away.

Renown's gaze landed on Wasp. "Wasp right?" At her nod, she continued. "You have my thanks for helping Glorious."

Wasp smiled, "You're welcome."

She saw Renown's lips twitch before she walked away.

"Who was she arguing with?"

"I've seen her a few times but never got her name."

"Sooooo, are we going to wander the base all day?"

"I guess. Unless you have a better idea."

"We could try and help the wounded Kanmusu."

"We've helped out as much as we can. What's keeping them now is supply; supply we don't have."

Atlanta sighed, "I know. I hate it. Makes me feel useless."

"I'm right there with you Atlanta."

The base's intercom spoke. "All flagships report to the war room immediately."

"Hm. Sounds like we're about to have some action soon."

"It does. Go on Wasp. We'll meet up later."

She nodded and split off from them. It took her about a minute to reach the war room. To her surprise, a heavy cruiser was guarding the war room. She didn't stop her, only nodded as she walked inside. North Carolina was inside along with Salt Lake City. Renown was there along with Glorious and Houston. All of them were gathered around a map talking to each other.

"Wasp."

"Carolina. What's the situation?"

"Not sure. We're still waiting for Commander Hayes."

She nodded, "What have have you been doing Carolina? We haven't had a chance to talk these last few days."

She let out a small sigh. "Working. Helping however I can."

She looked tired which was a shock to Wasp. Something Carolina noticed as a small smile adorned her lips.

"Surprised that I'm tired?"

"Not so much that you're tired. I'm surprised its bad enough your showing it."

Carolina shrugged and Houston asked, "How has the war been going?"

Carolina answered. "After our victory at Midway, the Abyssals launched an offensive taking all of the Southern Pacific."

"Save for New Zeeland," Houston said.

Carolina nodded. "Save for New Zeeland. Indochina, India, and China have been invaded. The British are fighting a bloody battle in the Indiana ocean and Japan is fighting for Okinawa. The situation in the Atlantic and Europe has worsened. Convoys are under constant threat, Norway and Sweden have fallen while Finland and Demark have been invaded. The Italians and French have driven the Abyssals from the Mediterranean and have committed their fleets to the battle."

Houston sighed. "It's like our victory at Midway didn't matter."

Renown and Glorious looked at them but didn't say anything.

The door behind them opened. Wasp turned and saw Commander Hayes standing there looking relieved. It raised the question of why and she was going to get an answer.

"Alright, I was going to explain your mission but I just received excellent news. One of our submarines spotted a U.S convoy. They'll be here in an hour."

He couldn't contain his smile and the mood in the room brightened.

"Really? How many ships," Glorious eagerly asked.

"Thirty merchant ships with heavy escort including two battleships and two carriers."

"Two carriers?" Wasp looked to Carolina. "Do you think...?"

She smiled, "That must be Lexington's task force. The destroyers delivered the message."

"That's great news Commander," Renown said happily.

"Indeed." He walked over to the map and placed a mark on it. "This is their current position." He drew a line from their position to the base. "This is their course. I want destroyers patrolling this route ASAP. Understood."

"Sir," they all answered.

He nodded. "Once the convoy and task force are here I'll ask Lexington if she wants to join the mission I have planned. Dismissed."