I-29 POV
Its been three days since Okinawa was hit and I'm sure those three days were controlled chaos. Before I left the whole island garrison was mobilizing for an abyssal invasion and the Commander had started sending heavily armed detachments to patrol the island. I don't know what it's like now but that doesn't matter.
Within an hour of the attack, the Commander had ordered myself and my fellow submarines to recon the waters and islands around Taiwan. So far what I've found is fairly standard, destroyers patrolling the deeper waters along with the occasional cruiser while motor torpedo boats patrol the coastline. Air traffic is fairly heavy and I've had to dive more than once to avoid being spotted by a passing fighter or bomber.
Right now I'm at periscope depth heading to Magong harbor in Penghu which is located thirty-four nautical miles from mainland Taiwan. Satellite imagery managed to pick up a large amount of activity around the harbor before the strange nature of the abyssals made it impossible to gather more information. My mission is to gather information and identify the strength of enemy forces stationed at the harbor.
This would be difficult enough but to make matters worse it was midday and the water was crystal clear when I began my approach. Diving as deep as possible I slowed to a halt and waited. My hydrophones picked up multiple different screws all turning at different revolutions from the fast destroyers to the slower cruisers. Every so often I would pick up screws with much slower revolutions. They usually came from my stern and came in groups of five or six. They were cargo ships which was surprising as no one had ever seen an abyssal cargo ship and that lead to the assumption that the abyssals didn't need supplies as we do.
I squeezed my eyes shut as every instinct I had screamed at me to sink those slow, juicy targets. I knew if I fired a torpedo there was a high chance I would be sunk. I might be able to escape but the risk was too great and sinking merchants wasn't my mission. This knowledge did little to sate my ever-growing hunger.
After four long hours, my hydrophones picked up the sound of thunder. Thirty minutes later a tropical storm blew in the rain and noise it created would mask my approach. I increased speed to a painfully slow two knots and slowly rose from the seabed. I raised my periscope and could just barely make out the harbor through the pouring rain. Flashes of lightning illuminated the harbor for brief moments before the rain blocked my vision again. I inched closer while checking the waters around me not that it does me any good as I'm practically blind in the storm, then again, so are the abyssals
For five nerve-wracking minutes, I slowly entered the harbor. The storm had lessened but visibility is still horrible. I looked around the harbor counting the number of ships I saw and making notes of their types. Multiple strikes of lighting flashed in quick session and in those few seconds I saw how MASSIVE the base is. The entire area around the harbor had been turned into a base that dwarfed Yokosuka. Dozens of abyssals could be based here for all I know. Taking one last look I lowered my periscope and began to crawl my way out of the base. I just exited the mouth of the harbor when I spotted a target that had my instincts screaming. A lone carrier had just come from inside the base and had hit the water at the perfect angle for an attack. Its escorts were moving into position but I had sixty seconds before they were there.
My hunting instinct, which I had been able to control, came roaring back. My whole body burned and my head pounded. I snarled... and let go. My crew started to prepare for a torpedo attack but I ordered them to stop, I could do this on my own. Relaying on my hydrophones to locate my target I prepared for an attack. With my target moving so slow and being so close there was no need to run through the time-consuming process of properly setting up a shot.
Forty seconds later I fired a spread of four torpedoes and dove deep, well as deep as I could but I didn't increase speed. The storm above would probably make it impossible for anyone to hear me if I did run at flank speed but I'm not going to risk it.
Twenty seconds later I felt and heard four massive explosions. My math was right on the money. With my mission complete and twenty-six thousand tons added to my total, I silently made my way into deeper waters but I wasn't in the clear yet. I seem to have pissed the abyssals off apparently they don't like having their carriers sunk in their own harbor. I could hear the pinging of their sonar's as they tried to get a lock on me.
I tensed when a destroyer passed over me. The constant pinging of sonar made it all the more nerve-racking. It could have acquired me and was preparing to launch depth charges. Thankfully it continued on toward the harbor.
BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM!
I jumped from the sound of underwater explosions and prepared for the worst. After fifteen seconds I realized they hadn't acquired me. I'm not sure what they just depth charged but it wasn't me and that's all that matters.
BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM!
They are really pissed off. Some of those are close enough that I can feel the shockwaves from them. My radar had a dozen contacts all at varying ranges and slowly the sound of explosions grew dimmer as the range increased. A few minutes later my radar was clear. I set my speed for three knots and continued on. Ninety hours passed before I could safely contact the Commander.
Commander Shuko POV
Reports from the submarines are slowly filtering in. According to their reports, the island chains of Yaeyama and Miyako-jima have a substantial surface fleet guarding them. The fleet is stationed out of the city Ishigaki which has been turned into a reasonably sized naval base. Although reasonably sized it's still smaller than I thought it would be, considering the size of Ishigaki, but I'll take what breaks I can get. Information on the fleet size its self is sparse but estimates by I-23 and I-2 put it between twenty-four and forty ships. The base was too well guarded to get any rock-solid information on it.
Their reports also mentioned the heavy air traffic over the islands. According to satiate images the islands of Irabu, Miyako-jima, Tarama, Ishigaki, Yonaguni, and Hateruma all had civilian airports on them. It wouldn't surprise me if the abyssals turned some of those airports in bases for fighters and bombers. Hopefully, they haven't turned all of them into airbases, if they have the fleet won't stand a chance.
Their reports also detailed the defensive works on the islands which I sent to General Yoson. The islands of Miyako-jima, Ishigaki, and Yonaguni are built like fortresses. There are numerous bunkers, and pillboxes all around the islands ready to force any amphibious landing back into the sea. Those defensives will have to be softened up before any amphibious assault can be launched.
What worries me the most are the airports. If the abyssals have expanded on them, and I guarantee they have, hundreds of planes could be sortied against the fleet. I've informed Fleet Admiral Jakuchu of this worry and he informed me that a plan was already in motion to deal with the airports but didn't give me any of the finer details.
'Ring, ring, ring, ring... ring, ring, ring, ring.'
"Commander Shuko."
"Sir, I've finished my recon of Magong harbor," I-29 said.
"Excellent. What did you find?"
"They have a naval base there sir, easily twice the size of Yokosuka. The amount of air traffic around the harbor also indicates they have a substantial airbase there as well. The base also received supplies from merchant ships regularly usually in groups of five or six."
"That has to be the base where their main fleet is stationed. Anything else?"
"I managed to sink a fleet carrier in the harbor but other than that, no."
I smirked, "Nice job. You still good on torpedoes and fuel?"
"Yes sir."
"I want you to take up a position where you can intercept abyssals coming from the harbor. Report anything you see but don't be afraid to sink a high-value target."
"Understood sir."
I placed the phone on the receiver and then brought it back to my ear and contacted Kusagaki.
"Sir."
"Find Ise, Fuso, and Kirishima I need to speak to them."
"Yes sir."
Asagiri POV
I chuckled at Satsuki's animated retelling of one of our earlier battles. She had Shirakumo, Isonami, Kunashiri, Hachijo, and Awaji hanging on her every word. Miyuki walked up beside me and asked, "Is all that true?"
"She's heavily exaggerating it but there are bits and pieces of truth mixed in."
"And then I closed in and launched all of my torpedoes nailing two of the bastards and single handily forced the fleet to retreat!"
"Satsuki there weren't two battleships in that fleet to begin with," I pointed out. She through me a glare and mouthed "Shut up." She then smirked and turned back to her audience and 'whispered' to them.
"She's just jealous."
"Hmm. As I recall it was you who were jealous when I sank a battleship and you wanted to one-up me."
"No, you were jealous when I one-upped you by sinking two battleships. You vowed to beat that, remember."
"First of all you didn't sink two battleships you sank two battlecruisers. I remember you gloating to me about it and how devastated you were when Fuso told you they were not battleships but battlecruisers. You sputtered for a few seconds and then walked off in embarrassment."
"Embarrassment? Why would I be embarrassed? Two battlecruisers beat a single battleship in tonnage."
"Which I pointed out but you didn't care. Your exact words were "A single battleship is still better than two battlecruisers."
"You're making that up! I didn't say that!"
"A single battleship is still better than two battlecruisers."
I smirked at the shocked look on her face.
"YOU TOOK A VIDEO OF ME!?"
"Yep. I know it would be useful."
"Get rid of it."
"No"
"Get. Rid. Of. It."
"No."
"Give me that!"
"AHHHHH!" I rolled away as she launched herself at me. I rolled under her when she jumped for me again.
"Calm down! I'll delete it if you just let me!"
"NO! You could have more videos of me! I'll look through it myself!" She jumped at me again so I rolled away.
"What is-" CRASH!
I winced and turned to see that she had wrapped herself around Fuso's citadel, she did not look amused. She glanced down at Satsuki who was frozen like a deer in headlights. Fuso grabbed her, pulled her away and set her down.
She rubbed her neck, "Uhhhh, Asagiri did it," she shouted pointing at me.
"I did it!? I didn't do anything! You're the one who went nuts when you saw the video!"
"GIVE ME THAT PHONE!"
"NEVER!"
"ENOUGH!"
Satsuki screamed and jumped to the ceiling while I froze in fear. I have never, never seen Fuso raise her voice. I just stared at her not caring about the sudden weight on my back.
"Need I remind you that the Commander doesn't like it when you play your games?"
I didn't answer, still stunned at the fact she actually yelled at us.
She rubbed her eyes, "Delete any videos you have of Satsuki." I whipped my phone out and quickly selected all of the videos I had on her and deleted them.
"Fuso-sama?"
"Yes."
"The Commander needs to speak with you. He's waiting for you in his office.
Fuso nodded to Kusagaki and left leaving the whole room starring in her wake.
"... Asagiri?"
"Yeah?"
"Remind me to never make Fuso angry."
"Only if you'll do the same for me."
"Deal."
Ise POV
"We're getting more reinforcements?"
"We are Kirishima. According to Jakuchu, the carriers Kaga and Hiryu along with their escort fleet will arrive within twenty-six hours. They have already been briefed on the overall strategy of retaking the islands around Taiwan now know as operation 'AO'."
Kirishima chuckled, "Not the most innovated name."
"I don't think an innovative name for this operation was high on the priority list," I said.
"Still, operation 'AO?' The destroyers could do better than that."
"Kirishima."
"Sorry sir."
"Here is the overall strategy. Kaga and Hiryu will have their planes on standby near the fleet. Taskforce Lightning will move in and lure the abyssal fleet out and lead them to the third fleet. Once they're engaged Kaga's and Hiryu's planes will attack and the submarines will be on standby in case any of them try to escape."
"Sir, will my force have fighter cover," Kirishima asked.
"As much as I dislike it, no. If the abyssals see fighters they may not fall for the trap."
"What about the airports on the islands," Fuso asked.
"Jakuchu said there's already a plan in motion to deal with them. The operation will begin on the 25th that gives you three days to prepare once Kaga and Hiryu arrive. You know your Kanmusu better than anyone so what you do in these four days is up to you. I would suggest you train with each other especially with Kaga and Hiryu. Any more questions?"
"No sir."
"Excellent. It's time we take the fight to the abyssals ladies, and you are going to be the tip of the spear."