It's been two days since the Yorktown sisters hit Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands and the Abyssal response has been strong, but not unexpected. Their radars repeatedly picked up small flights of Abyssals, but they have avoided them, for now. Their own scouts have avoided contact but have yet to find the Abyssal carriers

The weather has slowly worsened for the past two days. Storm clouds have gathered over the operational area. High winds have turned the ocean into a raging maelstrom that batters the Fourth fleet. There is only light rain but it's bound to pick up soon. Despite the worsening weather, Yorktown, Enterprise, and Hornet are still carrying out air operations.

"Okay, who forgot to read the weather report!?"

"Since when the hell does anyone read a weather report in this day and age!?"

"Fine! Who didn't watch the news before we sortied!?"

"None of us did! Not like it'd help us anyway! They don't forecast out here!"

A large wave smashed into the destroyer drenching her in water. "GAH! I wish they fucken did!"

Denver laughed at Hammann's plight, much to her annoyance. "I'm glad you find this funny!"

"Hey! Don't act like you wouldn't be laughing if I was having the same problem!"

Just as she said that a wave surprised her. "AH! Damn that's cold!"

Hammann laughed not caring that she just proved what Denver said true. "I told you!"

"I don't care! It's funny!"

A deafening clap of thunder shut Hammann up real quick. "AH!" Denver started laughing at her and Hammann glared, "It's not funny!"

"Oh I don't like that."

"I don't either. Yorktown, Enterprise, Hornet, this weather is only getting worse."

Yorktown looked to the sky. The wind started picking up and more thunder rumbled in the distance. "Sisters, recall your scouts. Let's leave before we're caught in this storm."

"I think it's too late for that sis," Hornet said as a wall of water headed their way. It's on them in seconds quickly soaking them. "Well this is fantastic!"

"Your sarcasm is noted. Now suck it up."

"I'm recalling my scouts now. It will be a few hours before they get back though."

"I'm doing the same. Mine have reported a storm as well so this one must be massive."

Lighting flashed and thunder rolled louder than before. "Are you sure we're not in a typhoon!?"

"I sure as hell hope not! Last time I was in a typhoon it didn't end well!"

The waves quickly swelled in size tossing around the destroyers and even the cruisers. "How long do we have to stay in this," Jenkins yelled.

"Until our planes return," Enterprise calmly replied.

"That might take hours."

"Then we weather the storm for hours."

Two hours and fifteen minutes later the planes returned to their carriers, and they set a course due East. The reports from their scouts are lackluster. They failed to find the Abyssal carriers. In fact, they didn't see any Abyssals on their patrols. With no hint as to where the Abyssals are and a violent storm battering them, they left the area.

Three hours later, the weather cleared up enough for the carriers to launch their scouts. They changed their course and headed back to the islands coming in from the South-East. Soon, their three scouts disappeared from view and radar.

"Now, we wait."


Two of Hornet's Dauntless scout bombers are approaching Guam. The weather still isn't clear. The sky is filled with dark clouds and rain pelts the bombers' airframes. It makes it difficult to spot targets. They're keeping their distance from the islands to avoid anti-aircraft fire. As they banked right the second Dauntless spotted something on the ocean. It's not a carrier. It could be a destroyer or a large submarine. They don't attack and continue scouting for the carriers.

On the West side of the island, Yorktown's scouts haven't had any luck finding the carriers either. They have repeatedly seen possible air contacts, but they've never been able to confirm those contacts. Both gunner and pilot are on high alert and scanning the skies as well as the ocean. As they pass Guam, one of the gunners spots a dot above them. He squints, trying to see more details. It's probably a lone Abyssal scout from their carriers and if it keeps its current heading it will find their carriers. They can't do anything about it, so he watches the scout until it disappears from his view.

They change their heading to 3-2-5 to scout North-West of the islands. It isn't long until they spot another scout. However, this scout is a floatplane. Confident that they'll find the Abyssals soon, they continue on their current heading.

The cloud level started to lower forcing the SBDs to fly lower if they wanted to see anything. The lead SBD spotted two dots heading their way. They quickly climbed into the clouds and hoped they hadn't been spotted. A minute later the second Dauntless dipped below the clouds. It reappeared five seconds later, singled to the other Dauntless and they descended out of the clouds. They must be getting close to the Abyssal fleet. Only a few minutes later, they spotted the Abyssal fleet. The four carriers are the main targets.

The scouts turn and head back to their carriers. Once they're a safe distance from the Abyssals, they radio Yorktown with the location of the Abyssal fleet.


Back with the fleet, Yorktown smiled. "My scouts have found the Abyssal fleet. Prepare your strike waves sisters."

"Yes! About time we found these bastards!"

Yorktown and Enterprise smiled at their youngest sister as they prepared their SBDs for takeoff. The rain has picked up again but it's nothing their pilots can't handle. Their SBDs finish launching and from up with their squadrons before flying off to the target. Next, their Avengers take flight and finally their Wildcats. Twelve Wildcats, four from each sister, create the CAP for the fleet while the rest escort the bombers. A few minutes after they launched, the SBDs reported a single Abyssal contact heading towards the fleet. Two Wildcats from the CAP are vectored in to engage.

The enemy scout is quickly shot down, but the Abyssals likely know their position, so they change course. Now, all they can do is wait.

The first hour passes slowly and nothing happens. No one tried to break the heavy silence which has fallen over their formation. It is likely the Abyssals have sent strike waves toward them. This hangs above the fleet as they search for any Abyssal aircraft.

Another thirty minutes pass when Chevalier's radar picks up a large formation of aircraft. Good news is they're not heading directly for them. It looks like they're heading to their last reported location. Problem is the weather is starting to clear so they could still be spotted. The other members in the fleet quickly spotted the attack wave on their radars as well.

"Well, they know we're here."

"Indeed. But they don't know where we are."

"Let's try and keep it that way."

"That's going to be difficult. Looks like they're breaking into smaller attack squadrons to search for us."

"Let us know as soon as one starts heading this way."

"You got it Yorktown."

It wasn't long until one of the smaller formations started heading toward the fleet. Closer and closer it came, and the CAP is sent to intercept. The leading squadron spots the Abyssal bombers twelve in total with four escorts. The leading squadron communicates the plan of attack. They will engage the escorts allowing the other squadrons to attack the bombers.

The Wildcats start their dive on the fighters. They're spotted and the Abyssal fighters break hard. The Wildcats break off their attack and zoom climb away. Their speed prevents the fighters and the gunners from getting a bead on them. They turn back and dive again. This time the Abyssals meet them head-on. The Wildcats fire a one-second burst and break. The Abyssals roll and attempt to chase them but don't have the speed. The fighters enter a climb while the Wildcats set up for their third attack. The four Wildcats dive on two Abyssals. Two bandits are shot down but one Wildcat is damaged as it zoom climbs away. The last two fighters form up and when the Wildcats attack, they meet them head-on again. One Abyssal is shot down while the second is set on fire. A Wildcat is hit badly with its engine flaming out.

With the escorts dealt with and one Wildcat down they start climbing while the other two flights attack the dive bombers. In their first pass, they send four bombers screaming toward the ocean. By now, the other Abyssal formations are closing in. "We're about to have a lot of company! Wrap up that formation now!"

The two flights of Wildcats destroyed the formation before they entered the range of the fleets' guns. They started climbing to regroup with the first flight. Below them, Abyssal dive bombers are heading for the fleet. Further back they can see a flight of torpedo bombers. Some of their escorts are climbing to meet them while the rest stay with the bombers. Six Wildcats dive on the bombers. They zoom past the Abyssals climbing and they turn around to chase them. The five Wildcats above them dive after them. The Abyssal escorts with the bombers enter a climb and fire at the Wildcats. This causes the Wildcats to break and the Abyssals try to follow. The five Wildcats chasseing the Abyssals open fire. Fifty caliber rounds tear into them. Two are shot down with another critically damaged. They break and the Wildcats attack the other flight of escorts shooting down three in their pass before they roar past them. The Wildcats climb away with the Abyssals trying to catch them. With the Wildcats tied up by the Abyssal fighters, the bombers close in.

"Targets are in range."

"FIRE!"

The dual-purpose guns of the fleet opened up. Clouds of black exploded around the Abyssals sending deadly shrapnel flying through the air. They closed in and the mid-range AA guns opened up. A mixture of 40 mm and 1.1-inch cannons filled the sky with tracers. The heavy fire started taking its toll. Abyssals fell out of formation either on fire or missing pieces of their plane. They nosed over and dove on the carriers.

San Fran watched as the bombers plunged down on the carriers. Her five-inch guns fired, and she watched two dive bombers explode into fireballs. Yorktown, Enterprise, and Hornet are taking evasive action. The first bombers release their bombs and they land damn close to Yorktown but don't do any damage. The fleet promptly forgets they exist and focus on the bombers still diving. San Fran's 1.1 in cannons score a kill by sheering off an Abyssal's wing. More bombs are dropped landing twenty-five feet off Hornet's port side. One of the bombers is hit and slams into the ocean. The remaining bombers drop their bombs but don't score any hits. As they fly away the intense AA fire claims two more.

"Second group of dive bombers incoming!"

"Torpedo bombers coming in low!"

San Fran watched as two Wildcats made a pass on the formation shooting down two bombers. They pulled up and are jumped by three Abyssals. Her focus quickly shifts to the dive bombers. Heavy anti-aircraft fire brings down five and damaged eight more. Most of the bombers target Hornet but a few target Enterprise. Hornet dodges most of the bombs but two crash through her flight deck and explode starting fires. Three of the attacks try and slam themselves into her. Two miss while the third clips the edge of her deck and slams into the water. Enterprise avoids or shoots down her attackers.

The torpedo bombers fly in low and slow targeting Hornet and Hornet alone. They have closed in relatively unharmed as the Wildcats are tied up with the Abyssal fighters and the fleets' AA guns have been occupied with the dive bombers. Now every gun the fleet has is brought to bear on the incoming squadron. Dozens of flank clouds explode around the squadron followed by hundreds of tracers. The intense AA fire brings down five bombers but they're too close to Hornet. Eleven torpedos hit the water and the bombers break off. Hornet turned away from the incoming torpedoes. Two torpedoes slammed into her side in short succession. AA fire claimed some revenge; only four torpedo bombers escaped.

"Hornet!"

"That, fucking, HURTS!"

"Jenkins, Chevalier help her!"

"We're on it!"

"Change heading to 1-8-0! We need to reposition and quickly!"

"That... going to be difficult," Hornet hissed through the agony she felt. Yorktown looked at her sister worryingly. She then looked to Enterprise, and they locked eyes for a second. "We'll make it," Yorktown said, determined. "I want our fighters landed, refueled, and rearmed. Hornet's Wildcats will land on me to refuel and rearm."

The Wildcats came in for their landings on Yorktown and Enterprise while Hornet's Wildcats circled. Once Yorktown's Wildcats cleared the deck Hornet's came in for their landings. Five minutes later, all the Wildcats are back in the air and patrolling.


Just below the clouds are the strike craft sent by the Yorktown sisters. They're approaching the reported position of the Abyssal fleet. The leading SBDs spot the Abyssal carriers but there is no sign of a CAP. Flack clouds start exploding around the SBDs as they close on the carriers. The Wildcats climb away from them and scan for Abyssal fighters. It doesn't take long until they spot them coming in off their ten o'clock. Most of the Wildcats move to engage but six stay with the bombers.

The Wildcats make a head-on pass with the Abyssals. Tracers fly as both sides open fire. Two Wildcats are shot down for three Abyssals. They break and the Abyssals zoom past them. They come back around and chase them. The six Wildcats with the bombers fire upon the Abyssals while they fire upon the bombers. They roar past the bombers and start to climb with Wildcats hot on their tails.

The mid-range AA guns on the Abyssal fleet open fire. Tracers fly past the SBDs as they get closer and closer to their targets. A flack shell tears the tail off one of the SBDs sending it flipping forward as it falls out of the sky. Another SBD is hit with its engine bursting into flames. It falls out of formation forcing two SBDs to move lest they be hit. The Abyssal fighters come in for a second attack. Thirty caliber rounds meet the Abyssals as they open fire. The Abyssals don't sit behind the bombers. They fire bursts at the bombers and keep moving. They quickly move through the formation shooting down six bombers for the loss of two of their own. Once they clear the formation, the Wildcats jump them.

The SBDs start their dive. They deploy their air brakes as they plunge toward the carriers. AA fire intensifies as they dive claiming three more bombers. The squadron splits into two flights and drop their bombs on two separate carriers. The first carrier dodges the bombs but the second carrier is hit right in the center of its flight deck. Smoke billows from the flight deck as the bombers pull out of their dive and try to escape.

Shortly after the first strike, two more squadrons of dive bombers and a torpedo bomber squadron start their attacks. The fighters and AA guns focus on the dive bombers letting the torpedo bombers approach unchallenged. They watched the SBDs dive on the carriers. AA fire met them, and trails of fire marked the destruction of SBDs. They dropped their bombs and pulled up hard out of their dive. Two hits are scored on the damaged carrier while a single hit is scored on a second carrier. The Avengers come under heavy fire as they close on the two wounded carriers. They release their torpedoes and firewall their throttles to escape the AA fire as quickly as possible. Two torpedoes hit the first carrier while three hit the second.

The last two Avenger squadrons enter the scene soon after the torpedo strikes. By now, the Wildcats have overwhelmed and destroyed the Abyssal fighters and are drawing AA fire from the Avengers. However, the Avengers take heavy fire as they close on the carriers sending four crashing into the water. A fifth Avenger has its wing blown off before they release their torpedoes. They've targeted the two damaged carriers to make sure they sink. Their targets are slow due to their hard maneuvers and the damage they've sustained. Five torpedoes slam into the first carrier while seven slam into the second dooming both carriers. With their jobs done, they head back to the fleet.