Commander Shuko POV
The date is 5/21/15. In one hour the fleet will depart for Taiwan and secure the waters around it. On the twenty-third the invasion fleet will arrive and the liberation of Taiwan will begin. The best estimates we have state the battle will last for two to three months; I don't have much faith in those estimates and don't think anyone knows how long the battle will truly last, I know I don't.
Admiral Goto delivered on the reinforcements he said we would get. The eighth fleet, consisting of the Sixth Carrier Division, and taskforce Kyoto, arrived two days ago. The Sixth Carrier Division consists of the carriers Hosho, Ryujo, and the destroyers Asakaze, Hayate, Nagatsuki, and Sawarabi. Taskforce Kyoto consists of the battleship Kongo, the heavy cruisers Mikuma and Suzyua, and fifteen destroyers. Taskforce Kyoto actually has two battleships, not one. She only spoke once and that was to tell me her name, Tosa.
BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM!
With a sound that rivaled thunder Tosa-san's 41 cm (16.1 in) guns fired. Ten shells flew towards the target and six found their mark, "That is still not enough." She turned her guns on another target and fired. BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM!
Off to her port side Fuso-san fired another salvo scoring eight hits; her secondary guns began to fire at their target sending pieces of debris flying as they hit their mark. Once the target was destroyed her secondary guns switched to another target.
Far above them, a squadron of D3A1 dive bombers made their way through the skies. As they drop out of the clouds the markings on each plane become clear, these dive bombers belong to Hosho-san. Below them is their target and it starts to take evasive action. The bombers begin their dive and release their bombs; four hits are scored and the target is destroyed. As the target sinks a squadron of B5N2 torpedo bombers fly past it. They drop their torpedoes a kilometer from their target and break off, all of the torpedoes find their mark.
Further down the range Ise-san and Hyuga-san are engaging in a competition to see who can sink their targets the fastest. Above them, Hosho-san's Zeros engage in a mock dog fight with Shokaku-san's Zeros; to their front and off their port side destroyer squadron twelve engaged their targets with gunfire and torpedo strikes.
"You're really... good... big sister," Hyuga-san said.
"Don't worry. You'll be as good as me eventually, if you keep training like this you'll probably surpass me."
"Heh, imagine that, the little sister giving pointers to her big sister."
"Ready for the next part?"
"Ready."
"Alright, let's see how good you're AA guns are." Ise-san looked to the sky and pointed out their targets. Their 12.7 cm guns fired sending shells hurling through the air. The shells exploded in puffs of black smoke throwing shrapnel in every direction. They destroyed the long-range targets with Ise-san downing four and Hyuga-san downing two. They switched their focus to closer targets and their 25 mm AA guns opened up. Nearby Karukaya-san, Sanae-san, and Yuzuki-san are practicing torpedo attacks when they spotted the fireworks show Ise-san and Hyuga-san are putting up. Deciding to get some practice in they added their limited AA fire to the mix. All of the targets are destroyed within forty seconds and they fall into the ocean as burning fireballs.
"Nice job, I told you it would come easily."
Hyuga-san sighed playfully, "I know. I should have never doubted you big sister," she said with a smile.
Ise-san smiled and then sent a knowing look to Karukaya-san who blushed and shyly waved at her.
"Ise-san, do you copy?"
"Loud and clear sir."
"Have the fleets halt their training and come to the briefing room."
"Understood sir. Fuso-san have our fleet halt their training exercises and head for the briefing room."
"Understood."
"Shokaku-san, do you read me?"
"What do you need, Ise-san?"
"Have your fleet halt their training exercises and head for the briefing room."
"Copy."
"Hosho-san, do you read me?"
"I already know Ise-san, we are moving now."
"Understood."
The fleets set their heading for the docks. The carriers recalled their aircraft and they began to land on their flight decks. As they headed back Karukaya-san slowly sailed up to Ise-san.
"Ise-san..."
"Hmm."
"I'm sorry if I messed up your competition with your sister."
She looked surprised for a second before she chuckled, "I guess we weren't being very inconspicuous about that."
"...I don't think you know what inconspicuous means."
Ise-san looked at her, "EEP!"
She sighed and rubbed her head; Karukaya-san immediately relaxed, "Mmm, head pats."
"You can be a cheeky little shit sometimes, you know that."
"...Mmm, head pats."
Ise-san smiled at her.
A few minutes later the three fleets interred the briefing room. The room had plenty of seats so most of the destroyers and cruisers sat down but the battleships and carriers stood towards the back of the room. Commander Shuko-sama entered a bit later and made his way to the podium.
"Alright, I know we have already gone over this so I will just briefly cover the plan again. Phase one of the operation calls for the waters around Taiwan to be secured. Once this is complete the bombardment of abyssal defensive positions can begin. Phase two of the operation is the continuation of the bombardment of abyssal positions in support of the invasion. After a secure beachhead is established our troops will push inland which leads to phase three of the operation. You will provide supporting fire and airstrikes for the troops as they advance. You will also protect the beachhead form abyssal counter-attacks to make sure our forces on the island are not cut off. If you have any questions ask them now."
...
...
...
"Alright, I have one last piece of intel for you," he brought up a detailed aerial picture of Magong harbor. "As you can see the abyssal fleet that was at Magong harbor is gone. They have likely moved further into abyssal territory. There will be eight submarines in line from here to here. They will report the position of any abyssal fleet they spot before they engage. Are there any questions? This is the last chance you have to ask them."
"...Alright, let's go kick the abyssal's front door open."
"YEAH!"
"We'll show those bastards why they picked the wrong fight!"
"YEAH!"
"Now that, is what I want to hear! Operation T begins now. Fair winds and following seas."
"Fair winds and following seas!"
In eleven hours and fourteen minutes, At a cruising speed of twenty knots, the fleets are now between the Miyakojima and Ishigaki islands. The abyssals abandoned Ishigaki island and the islands around it once Miyakojima fell so the military placed a garrison force on the island and they have never been attacked. Of course, if the abyssals find out about the large naval force sailing past the islands that is bound to change.
"Shoho, have you spotted anything?"
"No. I thought we would have spotted something by now."
The fleets have formed two defensive rings ten kilometers apart. The Fifth Carrier division had the Fifth fleet defending them along with taskforce Kyoto while the Sixth Carrier division had the Third fleet defending them. If the abyssals wanted to hit the carriers they would have to break through their combat air patrols and then survive the hail of AA fire that would be sent their way.
"I was not designed for shooting down aircraft," Tosa-san muttered. Despite having a far stronger AA defensive than she was originally designed with it's still fairly light and mainly for self-defense. The only long-range AA guns she has are four single 7.62 cm (3 in) guns. Her close-range AA defense consists of 8 x twin 25 mm guns and despite intense training exercises her gunners' accuracy is still somewhat lacking.
...
"You're nervous."
"N-No I'm not... Okay, I am," Karukaya-san admitted. "I know my AA firepower is... lacking."
"Hey, don't worry about that. You don't have a lot of AA guns true, but the ones you do have are accurate. Besides, you're not the only one defending the carriers."
"I know Ise-sama but, when I look at Kagero-san and Asashio-san it just makes that fact more evident."
"Karukaya-san, you have trained harder than any destroyer to keep up with the newer destroyer girls and that training has paid off. But, If you doubt you're abilities that training will mean nothing."
"...They won't get close enough to see Hosho-san or Ryujo-san."
"That's what I want to hear," Ise-san said with a smile.
...
"I don't like this nya."
"Are you bored? Because I'm bored."
"No, I don't like this waiting nya."
"So, you are bored."
"She is not bored Kirishima-san she is alert, as you should be."
"I'm alert I'm just not as tense as you or Tama-san. You need to relax a little the CAPs will alert us if they spot abyssal attackers. Adding to that we have radar so unless the abyssals can teleport... hmm... they might actually be able to teleport now that I think about it."
"See nya! That's why we have to be ready nya!"
"...Nice job."
Kirishima-san rubbed her neck, "Sorry, I didn't mean to make you more nervous Tama-san."
"You can relax a little Tama-san; the abyssals can only 'teleport' when those strange storms are active."
"Yeah, and I don't know about you but I don't see a cloud for kilometers."
"Okay nya. Thanks," she smiled shyly.
Kirishima-san smiled and rubbed her head, she hummed in content.
...
"Hold on... I have something."
"An abyssal fleet?"
"No, a single destroyer heading due South at eighteen knots."
"A single destroyer, you think it's heading back to its fleet?"
"Maybe. I've ordered the pilot to follow it."
"I've vectored my plains to head there as well."
"Good idea," Shokaku-san smiled, "There you are."
"Big sister?"
"That destroyer just lead us to an abyssal fleet, and there are four fleet carriers in it," her voice held a tinge of excitement.
"I will inform the fleet. Enemy fleet spotted prepare for combat."