Information:
"Hot diggity damn..." = speech
"This is way above my paycheck" = thought
'Always here at the ready' = Fairy / Sam speech
"A BOW" = something important / emphasis
[Right on the money] = radio
Liberator can only grinned as massive explosions sighted on the horizon from where she is standing.
"Nothing beats the explosions of JASSMs to starts your day" She thought as Argus had delivered their payload. "Feels like the Battle of L.A. all over again…"
'Agreed on that one… Anyway, Argus back and requesting to land'
Sam suddenly chimed in, reading her thought once again. One that Liberator can only respond with an exasperated sigh. She can deal with that later, now she need to focus on bringing her boys home.
"Request granted Argus squadron, proceed to rear flight deck" Liberator stated calmly on the radio, while she readying herself for the squadron retrieval.
So she extend her rear end platform –which is her right side- to bear as the arresting gear waiting patiently to be used, little deck crews –or fairies as Sam called them- busying themselves preparing their arrival. Just as the platform firmly secure and the deck had been cleared off by her fairies/crews, she spotted Argus 1 already lining his sight to the deck. All the while his squadron are waiting for their own turn. And the moment Argus 1 tailhook catch the wires, the aircraft grinds into a steady halt just a little over half the deck length. The fairies then rushing in to secure the deck and the plane before some bringing the latter to the side, while the other prepping the former for more landing.
A minute plus so later, all of Argus squadron had been stored safely inside her hangar. After personally oversaw the operation, Liberator then turned her attention back on the raging battle. The abyssal ships were trying to reorganize for yet another attack, but Raven had personally made it difficult for them to do so. Meanwhile with Fenrir, they're currently feasting on the abyssal planes, which unfortunately reporting that they're running low on ammo.
"Damnit..." She silently cursed.
[USS Liberator. This is JMSDF Battleship Nagato of Yokosuka naval fleet.] Oh yeah, she forgot there are some friendlies on the water today. [We appreciate the assist. The enemy got us outgunned and outnumbered. Think you can provide some Anti-Ship support?]
"Affirmative Nagato, rerouting the order now" Liberator respond as Raven 3 just launched a LRASM onto an unfortunate destroyer, who then proceed to ruptured in a fiery explosion. "You have any secure channel I can use? I'd rather not be spoiling all of my plan to the enemy, if you don't mind"
[Understood. Switch to frequency four-five-seven]
Liberator did so, switching her channel to the right frequency. "USS Liberator to Nagato, do you copy?"
[I-] There was a sound of a heavy thud on the other side. A thud that sounded like a muffled explosion. [I read you loud and clear, Liberator] She had to handle it to this Nagato, woman really know how to keep cool amidst the chaos of battle. But before she can continue her musing, Fenrir had to break it –just like last time- with an important message. Said message contained the dreaded W word.
"I'm sorry for being the bearer of bad news, Nagato. But my air superiority squadron, Fenrir, is Winchester on weapons" Liberator said while preparing for another recovery operation. "Can your planes protect my attack squadron?"
Nagato didn't replied, instead a new voice crackled in over the radio. [Can do just that, Liberator.] The voice sounded young and energetic, maybe a little bit arrogant as well.
"Just like her…" Liberator thought, before shaking it away.
[Thanks to those Fenrir guys, my planes were free at the moment. Oh the name's Zuikaku, by the way] the voice, Zuikaku, introduced herself. [Though, didn't expect much from a prop plane] She added.
"Just take care the air superiority problem, alright? I'd handle the rest" Liberator replied before cutting the Com. All the while her rear deck and fairies at the ready for another planes retrieval. Suddenly, a weird thought just randomly popped in inside her mind.
"Sam, you there?" She asked the former captain. Although she technically still does.
'Always here at the ready. What's the occasion?' Sam replied, busyness can be heard from her and around.
"Prep Caster for sortie, will ya? I think it's time for them to shine" Liberator said to her amidst Fenrir retrieval procedure, already thinking on how to use the unique squadron.
Now for you who don't know, Caster squadron was never intended to be an outright fighter nor attack squadron. Instead they're designated as support squadron. Why might you ask? That's because two planes from the squadron was an EA-18G Growler, which is an Electronic Warfare variant of the Super Hornet. Thus creating a little underpowered version of Fenrir squadron. But this is where the fun part comes…
You see, instead of relying on raw firepower of missiles and guns like Fenrir. Caster squadron utilized a combination of lightning strike, areal jamming and buffing friendlies to achieve victory. This was achieved by the squadron loadout of either AMRAAMs, LRASMs or JDAMs for the Hornets and the newly produced AJAS* Pod –Which is a hybrid of ECM and Jamming pod- with AMRAAMs for the Growlers. This combination then creates a unique support squadron that also capable of carrying offensive mission, hence the name "Caster" was chosen.
'Are you sure about that? I mean sure, Caster have some attacking armaments, but those Growlers are practically flying naked out there.' Sam questioned the carrier. 'And we're not exactly fighting an enemy that have onboard electric system, mind you' Sam added to her confusion. And just like the time when she picks Argus, Sam presented a good point. While Growler has some powerful EW capabilities, they aren't exactly designed to handle a dogfight situation. But exactly just like last time, Liberator already had a counter for it.
"That's because I want to test something with the AJAS" Liberator answered curtly.
'And what is exactly you want to test, hmm..?' Sam questioned back.
"To see if this world magic bullshit also applied to the squadron armament" The carrier started. "Of course, those flying… things… whatever you want to call it doesn't seems to have some resemblance of electronic system. But then again, those shipgirls carrier just launch a flight of prop planes from a bow. A BOW for God sakes!" God, she really need some alcohols to swallow those facts later. "And because of that, I want to test some of Caster abilities on this new world. To see if the same bullshit also applied to us" Liberator explained to the former captain.
'Well, I can see the reasoning of that. Alright then, just a moment will you' Sam replied.
So whilst waiting for the squadron to be prepped, Liberator decided to has a relaxing smoke to clear her mind from this magic bullshit boogaloo. All against her mind that scream to not smoke the voodoo magic cigarette.
"This is definitely way above my paycheck"
[]-[]-[]-[]
"ALL GUNS FIRE!"
Nagato's main battery opened up on a Ri-Class Heavy cruiser that forgot her opponent was Battleship. A full broadside from her main batteries were enough to take care of the problem as the Heavy cruiser only left a broken and mangled body that slowly slipped away beneath the waves.
Nagato then turned her attention to the other shipgirls around her. Musashi still keeping up the fire despite only having her stern battery and secondaries, besides her was Kongou doing the same. The cruisers Suzuya and Mogami were hemming in the Dreadnought and two Battleships, as well as four destroyers, Fubuki, Hatsuyuki, Yuudachi and Yayoi had been hastily formed into a defensive perimeter around the formation, keeping an eye out for Submarines and planes.
Though, this is only one formation in the Yokosuka Fleet. Another two had been formed following the Super Hornets –and cruise missiles- intervention. One group consisted of Mutsu leading, with the battleships Kirishima and Hiei and cruisers Mogami, Mikuma and Suzuya who are rounding up the core of the fleet. Desdiv 6, Oboro, Miyuki and Shimakaze provided cover for the group. The final group was comprised of the Fleet two carriers, Akagi and Zuikaku, surrounded by the rest of the Fleet Cruisers and Destroyers.
While that's happening, Raven were still being an ass to the abyssal. Thanks to the immense tech gap, Raven can just swoop in for a hit-and-run attack while the abyssals can't do jack shit about it. Unfortunately, Raven can only do much against their number before running low on ammo. Yet, they still helping the Shipgirls by being a distraction with fly by maneuver.
[Nagato, this is Liberator] Nagato's radio crackled with the voice of the mystery carrier. [Raven is running low. I'm switching it with a squadron. ETA 2 minutes]
"Understood, Liberator. Thanks for the assist" Nagato replied before cutting the Com and turned to the fleet frequency, but not before turned her sight to the second Yamato-Class Battleship. "Think you will be alright out here alone?" she asked.
"I'll be fine, now go break their legs yeah?" Answered Musashi with a grin.
"Understood. I'll inform Desdiv 6 and their group about your situation" Nagato replied and relayed her plan to other shipgirls as well as Musashi's perilous situation.
Right now, Nagato had instructed Mutsu's group to tie up the battleships on the heavier side of the Abyssal fleet. Meanwhile Nagato and her group will try to break the Abyssal rank and hopefully deal enough damage to force them to disengage. Well, that's the plan anyway, and so far so good with the breathing room Liberator had bought for them. Nagato's own group had destroyed a number of their destroyers and cruisers, but there is more to serve.
She sighted another group of abyssal just outside her gun range. A Ru-Class battleships and two Ri-Class Heavy cruiser with some I and Ro Class destroyers here and there, and steaming towards the group from Nagato's starboard. This group was large, probably wanting some payback for the shipgirls counter attack. Their blood lust can be felt even from here. "Enemy ships thirty five degrees to starboard" she called out to the other ships.
Nodding themselves to the warning, the group began to form into attacking formation. Their guns and torpedoes launcher ready in anticipation, Kongou's 14" and Nagato's 16" swinging into broadside position. The enemy might outnumbered them, but they're definitely not outgunning the shipgirls. And as soon as the Abyssals reached her range, Nagato turned her rudder hard left for a broadside, which her guns followed through. Kongou followed suit with her guns tracking other targets of opportunity.
"OPEN FIRE!" She barked before unleashing a full broadside torrent of 16" AP rounds towards her target.
"HAI!" Kongou shouted before following the flagship action. Nagato's volley missed their targets, bracketing the Abyssal with shell splashes. Kongou's own on the other hand managed to score a kill on a Ro-Class. Seeing their comrades were under fire, the Abyssals destroyers doubled their effort and tried to get into torpedo range before the battleships can adjusted their aim. Unfortunately for them, Nagato crew were veterans of various naval engagements, meaning that they are excelled at what they are doing. Her next volley score a hit on one of the Ri-Class, a single round managed to find its way to the Abyssal superstructure and resulting in blowing one of its turrets. The abyssal turn hard, trying to throw off the Japanese Dreadnought aim.
May God have mercy on you, because Nagato isn't.
The next volley absolutely torn the poor Abyssal apart. AP rounds smashed her exposed side blowing off chunks of the ships, igniting fuel stores and power magazines. The resulting explosion splitted the abyssal in half on the middle. Nagato heard Kongou's 14" guns roar, striking both an I and Ro Class destroyers. The former got its body torn apart while the latter got a nasty hit, not enough to sink but enough to kill. Meanwhile the other destroyers had crossed the two battleships escort screen. Abyssal destroyers were now in a brawl against the Japanese own destroyers and cruisers. Torpedoes criss crossing beneath the waves as small and medium sized caliber guns lobbing AP and HE to each other.
It was then the familiar sound of jet engines can be heard once again, and just like last time it brought gifts. In the form of LRASMs. Proved when an I-Class tried to take potshots at them and being rewarded by single anti-ship missile piercing through its body, killing it instantly. This sight brought a huge morale boost to the shipgirls as they fought even harder against their nightmare adversaries, yet Nagato feel something doesn't add up. And she was not the only one who feels it.
[Nagato, this is Zuikaku. You feel anything weird about that squadron?] Zuikaku voiced her concern to her in Japanese.
"None so far, but I suspect the same. What is the matter?" Nagato replied, the battle still raging around her.
[It just the moment our planes, mine and Akagi's, is in a certain radius from some of the jets, we felt some kind of boost. You know, the upgrade kind of boost. Our planes suddenly become faster and more agile, weaponry got deadlier too] the carrier explained to her.
"I didn't know the answer to it now, but I know who might. Just keep do what you're doing right now. Out" Nagato ended the call, before starting another one to a different carrier. "Liberator, this Nagato. Are you there?"
[Still here enjoying the firework, what's the problem?] Liberator voice crackled over the radio.
"Zuikaku informed me that her planes receive a boost, you know what is happening?" The dreadnought asked.
[Huh… didn't thought it will worked out…] The carrier muttered, simply forgetting there's a recipient on the other side. Nagato even swore she heard what looked like paper being written on for a while. [Ah... sorry if it's bothering you. You see, I'm currently doing some experiment, one that revolves around buffing friendlies. I guess my hypothesis was correct after all]
"It's fine, though informed me if you want to do something similar again. Nagato Out" Nagato assured her before cutting Com. She then turned her sight around, observing the environment around. The Abyssal ranks steadily collapsing under the pressure of the reorganized shipgirls fleet, and the Super Hornets make sure the Abyssals will be having a hard time counter attacking. Her sight then changed into a Ru-Class giving fire support to her underling not too far, black spots from non-penetrating rounds decorating her hull. Her gaze was laser focused on the other of Nagato's formation, completely clueless of the Japanese dreadnought.
Let's remind her about that, shall we…
Bringing her main guns to bear, Nagato's crew began calculating the math for accurate firing solution, which is not long. And the moment it was done, the guns roared as armor piercing rounds left the barrel and gliding into their target. The result was overkill to say at least, eight 16" rounds punch through the abyssal armor as if it was cardboard and wrecking anything behind that. It didn't take long before the battleship ruptured in a fiery explosion, thus the last of the abyssal heavies are out and leaving the destroyers to be picked out by the Japanese own.
Seeing the abyssal here were no more an issue, Nagato diverted her attention to her sister group. "Mutsu, what's your situation?"
[Not good!] Mutsu reported amidst the explosions and sounds of cannon fire. [The abyssal got us boxed in against six battleships! We're taking heavy fire from everywhere!]
"Roger! We're diverting to your position now!" Nagato quickly replied, rudder changing course towards northwest where Mutsu's group had been dispatched to head off towards the Abyssal heavy fleet. While Mutsu's own group was surely capable of handling some heavy tonnage ships, six battleships were nothing to scoff at. Especially if they have escorts. Now the duty falls to Nagato and her group, who isn't exactly fast ships discounting Kongou, to race over to them and relieve the pressure.
Thankfully, she has an answer for that. And it comes with some nasty payload.
"Nagato to Liberator, can you reroute your planes for another mission. Over?" She asked.
[Sure can do. What's the order, ma'am?] The mystery carrier spoke. It certainly bothered Nagato since she had no idea on where Liberator actually was, but she had bigger problem to deal with so she decided to put that thought away for now.
"Mutsu's group had been engaged with a heavy battleship group. Do whatever it takes to give them a breathing room!"
[Rog'] Liberator replied. [Give me their coordinates and I'll give the Abyssals there a friendly visit]
[]-[]-[]-[]
Liberator watched as Caster Super Hornets and Growlers streaked at full afterburner to the coordinates Nagato relayed to her.
Relayed vocally mind you. They are WW2 era ships after all.
Soon enough the enemy battleships and their escorts came into view. So did Mutsu and her own battle group, surrounded and outgunned two to one. Strangely enough, most of the enemy composition were made of destroyers and a few cruisers that guard the battleships. Up in the air were Yokosuka planes dueling against the flying balls of hell that the abyssal called as planes that can somehow flies despite defying every aspect of aerodynamic. Each trying to halt the other from attacking their respective fleet below.
Not that it would matter much to Liberator. When your planes can push through the sound barrier, armed with state of the art weaponry and being piloted by veterans of a decade long war pitted against a WW2 era prop planes, you didn't exactly need to worry about retaliatory fire. Let alone being shot down.
She almost feel sorry for the pilots. Almost.
Now, first priority will be the battleships. Caster Super Hornets were split into two, two that focus on Air-to-Air and the other focused on ground attack. One of the Growler had decided to carry AMRAAMs for self-defenses. While their weaponry is not as impressive as the other squadrons, Caster had learned that victory can be achieved in various way.
The Squadron then splitted themselves, a pair of Super Hornets and Growlers each will help the air battle while the rest will tried to give the shipgirls some breathing room. The enemy planes that didn't entangled themselves in a dogfight tried to intercept the ground attack group, but alas can't since the group are moving in afterburner.
One of the ground attack Super Hornet managed to get a Battleship on it sight, and the pilot let loose two of its JDAMs. The two bombs zeroed in on their target. Falling down the skies and striking its bow and amidships. Explosions rocked the battleship as the bomb that penetrated the bow was introduced into the battleship ammo storage, while the one that penetrated it amidships had detonate inside. The end result of the explosions was the battleship being splitted into two separate pieces.
Another three battleships and two cruisers share the same fate as the rest of ground attack group had either fired their LRASMs or dropping their JDAMs. And in one case, both.
One of the battleships took a bomb into her engine block with another damaging her propeller by sheer shockwave, instantly cutting down her speed significantly. Another one had her boiler ruptured in a fiery explosion after a LRASM punctured her hull as if it was a sheet of metal, the end result was nothing more than a massive metal wreck that slowly sunk down beneath the waves. The last Battleship found both of her bow turrets jammed in their position as one JDAM rocked the bow hard enough to offset the turret ring. But the pilot of the Super Hornet was crazy enough that she release another JDAM and fired two LRASMs into the battleship cruisers escorts in one consecutive dive. Resulting in the destruction of the battleship and her two escort.
While that's happening, the air battle had moved to Yokosuka favor as the Super hornets tearing the Abyssals a new one and the Growlers giving free boost to any allied planes in their vicinity. The Growlers themselves were also somewhat safe since any Abyssal planes that get caught in their vicinity suffers some drawback like reduced speed or their bullets goes wildly off target. It also helps that the Hornets were also dumping some of their munition to the battleships escorts, further reducing the abyssal combat capabilities.
The battle shifted to the shipgirls side as more and more Abyssals planes dropping down the skies like raindrops while their heavy fleet suffered heavy losses from the joint attack. Super Hornets commencing fly-by attack by dropping their remaining munition and shipgirls lobbing high caliber shells to the damaged Abyssals fleet. Although only one that sunk from that fly-by, the remaining three battleships were suffering heavy damage that Mutsu's group can surely take them all by themselves.
Liberator let herself grin at the sight. Three battleships and two cruisers sunk, with no casualties on her side. Now though, Caster squadron had merge themselves back and relegated to cleaning the air from enemy aircraft. Once the air had been cleared, Mutsu's group should be in the clear from any airborne threat.
Just then she spotted radar contacts.
Not from her squadron. But her own.
And there's a lot of it too, around thirty or so slowly moving from the West. From their direction and the fact that allied planes were still hanging back on the shipgirls side, it didn't take a genius to guess whose planes those are. Apparently the enemy had either figure out where she was, or takes a guess in the dark and vectoring their planes in a search pattern.
"Damnit… I'm just finishing half of my smoke…" Grumbled Liberator as she put out her smoke by simply pressing it to her left hand. Said hand didn't even hurt, only sporting a black spots as a result. "Huh… The more you know" She thought before putting on a general alarm for her crew.
Thus defensive armaments on her rigging come to life, CIWS barrels spinning in anticipation and the Sea Sparrows targeting systems works in tandem with her radar to scan the skies. Elevators rising up bringing Super Hornets for her unconsciously hand to pick and placed into the flight deck. Fairies milling around the flight deck preparing take off procedures. "Nagato, I've got a situation back here. A strike group is closing on my position. I'll might be unreachable for a while. Over."
[Say again Liberator?] Came Nagato's voice in her radio. [Did you say you have incoming?] By the time Nagato finished, half of Fenrir is already in the air.
"Yup" Liberator paused as her Sea Sparrows have a locked on, which then followed by four missiles streaking away from their battery with a whoosh. "Around thirty planes converging from the West"
[Any chance you can avoid them?] She asked. Five blips were gone on her radar at the same time Nagato finished her question.
"Five down, twenty five more to go, if you're wondering" Liberator simply implied. Now the airspace around her were filled by missiles streak from both Fenrir squadron and her Sea Sparrow, as well as enemy aircrafts trying to shake their aim. Too bad that the targeting systems are radar guided, isn't it?
Even with superior number, the Abyssals were no match against Liberator defenses. Stuck between the Super Hornets and Sea Sparrows missiles, it was nothing more than a bloodbath. Some of the dive bomber tried to test their luck, but alas forgetting the three Phalanx CIWS that literally shredding their airframes. And just like that, a thirty strong air strike group were reduced to nothing than debris littering the ocean.
Note to self: Never fight a Modern tech ship with a WW2 tech planes
"Liberator here, enemy air strike had been repelled and myself were undamaged" She reported to her radio as Fenrir vectored around for their landing procedure. "How's the situation back there. Over" She said before bringing her attention to the unfinished cigarette she still hold with her right hand. Shrugging, she put it back to her lips before lighting it once again.
[Understood, Liberator] Nagato replied with a relieved sigh. [Mutsu's battle-group managed to get clear. A little roughed up but intact thanks for your aircraft. We're pulling out and heading back to Yokosuka, looks like the Abyssals decided pulling out too]
"Glad that Caster did their duty right" Liberator said, smoke in left hand as Fenrir 2 lands on the deck safely. "Hey Nagato, could you do me a favor by providing an escort detail, please? I'm not exactly excited to go there solo"
[Roger that Liberator. My battle-group is on station. Your planes here are also going back to you, I assume?]
"Right on the money, Nagato. Just follow them and you should have a sight on me"
AN: *AJAS (Aerial Jamming and Allied Support) pod, something that pops inside my crazy mind. Totally fictional.
Hello and welcome back to "Kantai Collection: Ghost". With me 4RG4D3G4 as i bringing you the third chapter for the series.
Sorry for the long wait, got a test last week that span for a whole week. That, and i had to wrestle with writers block and my own laziness in order to finish this. It also didn't help that I also have to do Ramadan fasting starting tomorrow and go to school at the same time. So yeah, expect a slow update on this one lads.