One hour later the convoy and its escort arrived at the base. They've been unloading supplies for an hour and it will take them a while longer for all supplies to be unloaded. They had prioritized the supplies that would allow the fleet to finish repairs and it showed. Glorious, Renown, and Houston had finished their repairs. With the unloading of supplies moving swiftly, Commander Hayes has requested Lexington, Tennessee, Glorious, Renown, Houston, North Carolina, Salt Lake City, and Wasp.

"So, the Abyssals are sending a fleet to subjugate New Zeeland with this fleet. To be honest, I'm surprised they haven't done it sooner."

Hayes nodded. "As am I. We're going to make them pay for that mistake."

Tennessee interjected. "Sir. When we got within one hundred nautical miles of New Zeeland our radio communications were blocked. We can comminute inside the bubble but not outside. I suggest you place a submarine at the border to act as a courier."

"Not a bad idea. Until we find that jammer, that will have to do."

"Sir, when are we sorting to engage the Abyssals?"

"I've ordered USS Tuna to patrol here. Once she spots the fleet you will sortie to intercept. Are there any questions?"

"Sir, have Thresher or I-27 contacted you?"

"Thresher sent a message forty minutes ago. She's damaged and returning for repairs. I-27 is still silent. Any more questions?"

"...Alright. Brief your taskforces. Dismissed."

Tuna sighed and checked her watch again. She groaned, "An hour. That's all the time that has passed. I'm going to die of boredom before the Abyssals have a chance."

She's not sure why but out of all of the submarines she had met she can be the most impatient. It's only selective as well. When she is given a specific order it hits and it hits hard. To her, it seems like time is slowed down by half.

She submerged and did a hydrophone check. Nothing.

She sighed, "Goddammit."

She perked up when she received a message from Hayes. 'USS Thresher reported in. She has damage and is returning to base.'

She exhaled in relief. Her sister was injured but she was alive.

"Thank god."

She paused. She looked to her starboard and narrowed her eyes. She rotated her hydrophones to 0-8-5 and listened. She closed her eyes, "I hear something," she whispered.

...

...

...

"Screws. They're far away. This might be the fleet though."

She listened to them grow closer and closer. She rose to periscope depth and scanned from 0-4-0 to 1-0-0. She slowly scanned and stopped at 0-8-5. She could just see something on the horizon. It was moving fairly quickly. She did another hydrophone check and heard screws from bearing 0-8-0 to 0-9-0.

"Abyssals. And they're destroyers."

She slowly started to reverse out of their path. As she did her hydrophones picked up screws behind the destroyers. She saw the new contacts through her scope. "Those are cruisers."

Ninety seconds later, she heard more screws. Their RPMs were slower than the destroyers and cruisers. She looked through her scope and sighted them.

"Battleships. Three of them. This is the fleet. Really wish I had some torpedoes right about now."

She sent a priority message to Commander Hayes. 'Enemy fleet sighed at the following coordinates. Speed: 22 knots. Heading: 1-8-0. Three battleships are among the fleet. I will continue to track the fleet.'

Back at the base all of the supplies were unloaded and the convoy was heading back with its dedicated destroyer escorts. Taskforce Fifteen will remain at Wellington naval base until given new orders.

Many of the Kanmusu and base personal are enjoying a proper meal after months of strict rationing. Tennessee watched the show as it unfolded.

"You're not going to eat?"

She didn't spare the destroyer a glance. "I came in with the convoy. I don't need to eat right now."

She didn't answer and Tennessee saw her and another destroyer run past. A minute later a cruiser walked up beside her.

"Have you talked to your sisters yet?"

She sighed. "No. I've been helping the crews unload their cargo."

Tennessee turned to Augusta. "Well, go find them and talk to them."

She looked down and started fiddling with her hands. It's something she does when she's nervous.

"Al-alright. Do you know where they are?"

"Last time I saw Northampton she was walking with Richmond. As for Houston," she shook her head, "No idea."

"Do you know where they were heading?"

"I'm not sure. You'll have to ask someone else."

She nodded and walked away. Tennessee watched her go. Augusta had only been summoned four days before she was assigned to her Battle Squadron and she is still rather shy. It's different. All of the Kanmusu she had met had never been shy or soft-spoken but that describes Augusta to a T. Maybe talking to her sisters will open her up a little.

"Hey! Sis!"

She smiled and walked over to her sister, California.

Augusta wandered through the base looking for Northampton. She fiddled with her hands a little and looked down a hall.

"Ahh, maybe this was a bad idea," she muttered.

"What was a bad idea?"

"AHH!"

She spun around and delivered a kick into the side of whoever was behind her.

THUD!

"Son of a bitch!"

She opened her eyes, "Oh! Oh, I'm so sorry! I- I didn't mean to! Let me help you!"

The cruiser groaned and accepted her hand. "No. No that's my fault. I should've known better than sneaking up on a Kanmusu who was clearly lost."

Augusta blushed and looked away. She startled fiddling with her hands again. "Again I am so so so sorry."

"Hey." The cruiser lightly rested her hand on her shoulder. "I'm fine. It surprised me more than it actually hurt me."

Augusta slowly raised her head. Her face was red from embarrassment. "A-al-alright."

The cruiser smiled, stepped back, and stuck her hand out. "My name is Leander. Lead ship of the Leander-class light cruisers."

Augusta slowly took her hand and shook it. "A-Augusta. Youngest of the N-Northampton-class heavy cruisers."

She smiled, "Nice to meet you Augusta. So, what are you doing?"

She looked down at her feet and fiddled with her hands. "My sister," she mumbled. "Her name is Northampton. T-Tennessee said she was walking w-with Richmond."

Leander thought for a couple of seconds. "I think I saw them a couple of minutes ago. If you'll follow me."

Augusta shyly nodded and followed her. She leads her through the various hallways and tried to strike up a conversation but Augusta was so nervous she either didn't hear her or just didn't respond. Leander looked behind her a few times to make sure Augusta was still following her.

Leander stopped and turned to Augusta. "If I'm right, they should be in the rec room."

Leander pushed the doors open and Augusta followed in behind her. The rec room was deserted.

"Hmm. Maybe I was wrong."

Leander walked further into the room leaving Augusta at the door.

Augusta looked to a small kitchen area and walked over. She laid her hand on the counter and walked behind it. She pulled her hand and felt something on it. She looked at her palm, "Dust," she whispered. "Hey, Leander. Why is there so much dust?"

"We haven't been in the rec room for a while so nobody has cleaned it."

She looked at the dust on her hands. "We really should clean the room though."

She brushed the dust off her hands. "Hello? Anyone in here?"

No one answered. Leander rested her hands on her hips. "Looks like I was wrong. Sorry Augusta, I don't know where Northampton would be."

"It's... it's okay. Do you know where Houston is?"

"Last I saw her, she was heading for the war room. I don't know where she is now."

Augusta lowered her head. "Oh."

Leander watched with a frown and walked over. She placed her hand on her shoulder. "Hey, don't be like that. You'll get the chance to talk with them. Come on, let's look around the base a little bit more."

She slowly nodded her head and followed. Before they could begin their search Commander Haye's voice came over the intercom.

"Enemy Abyssal fleet reported in the Coral Sea at the following coordinates: 19*52'08"S 156*09'38"E. Heading: 1-8-0. Speed: Twenty-two knots. The Eighth and Tenth fleets are to sortie immediately and intercept."

"The Tenth fleet?"

"That's us; the Kanmusu who were already here. Come on!"

Leander sprinted down the hall. Augusta stood for a split second before sprinting after her. They turned a corner and from what Augusta remembered they were heading for the docks. She could hear Kanmusu behind her and looked over her shoulder. Exeter, Renown, and Glorious were behind her.

"Leander!"

She looked over her shoulder and smiled. "Exeter, Renown, Glorious! Always a pleasure!"

She and Augusta dropped back to them.

"Who's your friend?"

"Augusta. Meet Exeter, Renown, Glorious."

Her cheeks started to flush and she waved. "Hi."

Leander laughed. "She's a bit shy."

Augusta blushed harder and pouted at her. "Leander," she wined.

She laughed which only made her blush harder. Behind them, Renown and Glorious smiled at their banter while Exeter struggled to contain her laughter.

As they approached the docks they met with more Kanmusu some that Augusta recognized and many that she didn't.

"Carolina, I suppose you have a plan."

The battleship, she now knows as Carolina answered. "I do. I just didn't have a chance to inform you. I'll do so once we'll underway."

They burst through the doors and jumped off the docks into the ocean with their rigging summoned.

"All Kanmusu move out and form up with your taskforces. Once formed up set speed for eighteen knots."

Slowly, the taskforces formed up as they entered the open ocean. They formed three distinct formations once all in position.

"Alright flagships, what's the plan?"

"The carriers and their dedicated escort will trail fifty nautical miles behind the fleet; they will from three separate formations. The main battlefleet will have three formations thirty nautical miles apart to engage the Abyssals and block their path to the carriers. The carriers will scout for the Abyssal fleet. Their primary targets are the Abyssal carriers. Any questions?"

"We all understand the plan." Indiana rolled her shoulders, "Let's go sink these bastards."