"Elbe, I want to see what we're dealing with. Get me a patrol pattern over Marsala. Wichita, contact I-25. She has wounded aboard." Nimitz spoke as the door to the bridge opened. In walked Natalie, Pavel and Gneisenau who had been wondering what was going on.
"What's with the column of smoke, Admiral? I haven't seen that much fire since the bombing raids over Berlin." Gneisenau said as Pavel supported a slightly healthier looking Natalie. She had managed to get some rest on the voyage over and was confident that she had successfully shrugged off the effects of blood loss from the raid on Wilhelmshaven.
"You know Max, right? The little boy Washington is with?" Nimitz asked as Elbe's patrol fighters thundered past the bridge of the New Jersey.
"Yeah? Hard to miss the kid when Washington looked so out of place with him. What's that have to do with Marsala burning?" Gneisenau asked as she looked at Natalie, who was remaining curiously quiet. Gesturing to Pavel, Gneisenau took Natalie's arm over her shoulder and walked her to a chair to sit down, allowing her to breathe a sigh of relief.
"Well, according to Minneapolis, Max was gunned down by an Oceana class Siren. He's in critical condition and his right leg is gone." Nimitz spoke.
"I got a hold of I-25, Admiral." Wichita's voice came over the radio.
"What are we looking at here?" Nimitz asked as Gneisenau and her party looked amongst themselves, realizing that the destruction they were about to embark into was caused by an irrational battleship that was hell bent on destroying anything that moved.
"It's not good. I-25 said that the bleeding is minimal, and she has administered what she can in terms of first aid. But she's no surgeon. From her description, the stump is burned up like charcoal the morning after a campfire. There's a lot of dead skin and it could become an issue if he doesn't receive proper medical attention." Wichita reported.
"Has he woken up?" Nimitz asked.
"No sir. I-25 has administered morphine before tying a tourniquet to completely stop the bleeding. She is solely focused on maintaining her stealth until she makes it beyond the blockade, then she can surface and reach Gibraltar much faster." Wichita spoke.
"This changes how we approach this landing. Has anyone made contact with the Italian forces?" Nimitz asked.
"Yes. I have picked up a radio hail from one Commander Pietro Badoglio, head of the resistance forces under Flagship Vittorio." San Diego spoke softly.
"Good work, Sandy. Patch him through please." Nimitz spoke in a kind tone. He knew how San Diego felt during the Wilhelmshaven raid, so now he had a slight focus in improving her outlook on life.
"Right away, sir." San Diego said with a small tone of gratitude and happiness.
"Admiral Chester Nimitz. Fleet Admiral of the Union's Pacific forces. What brings you to my corner of the world?" Pietro spoke in a jovial tone.
"The end of the world certainly has a way of rearranging the chess board, Commander." Nimitz replied.
"Aye, so it does. We are preparing to follow your spearhead through the blockade. We will be right behind you." Pietro spoke proudly.
"Thank you, Commander. Say, you wouldn't happen to have a field medic among your forces, would you?" Nimitz asked.
"I have several. A bit too many for my liking, but they know how to handle a gun all the same." Pietro said.
"Would you be willing to spare one for a special assignment?" Nimitz asked.
"What kind of assignment, Admiral. I will not throw my men to the wolves alone." Pietro spoke sternly.
"No. No. Nothing like that. A high value asset was injured gravely while my forces on the shore were trying to get him out. He needs medical attention to be kept stable until Gibraltar. He is currently being transported by Submarine, but I want to ensure his survival." Nimitz spoke.
"Ah. That I will not hesitate to do for you. Where is the submarine, I will toss my man overboard myself if it would help get him there faster." Pietro said.
"She is currently running the blockade and is heading our way." Nimitz said as San Diego cut into the radio call.
"Admiral. Submarine approaching at high speed. It's I-25, she's made it through." San Diego spoke.
"Thank you, Sandy, excellent work on your sonar." Nimitz spoke, earning a satisfied hum from San Diego before she cut the line.
"She is under our fleet now. I am ordering her to surface." Nimitz spoke as he switched channels.
"I-25. You are to surface immediately to take on a medic who can tend to Max. Rapid ascent is authorized." Nimitz spoke as the small gray shape in the water grew bigger and bigger until the bow of the submarine pierced the surface of the waves before landing back in the water behind the New Jersey.
"Where is the medic, Admiral? Max is holding, but I don't know for how long." I-25 spoke frantically.
"Calm down. Pietro is sending one of his men now. Head for the Italian forces to the rear and you'll have a medic." Nimitz spoke sternly.
"Right away!" I-25 said as her vessel sped towards the Italian landing craft and their manned destroyer escorts.
"Elbe, what do you have?" Nimitz asked.
"The destruction is horrific. I have heard of the damage your atomic bombs inflicted on Japan. But this is worse. Marsala is nought but rubble, blood and twisted steel. The city is cleared for our entry… but there's nothing left. My fighters are still having to evade incoming 16-inch shell volleys. I can see Washington… oh mein gott." Elbe spoke before Nimitz heard gagging and coughing on the other end.
"Elbe? What's going on?" Nimitz demanded.
"She has her arm through a Siren's torso while in the process of beating the life out of another. She is coated in Siren blood from head to toe… I can hear her screams from up here…" Elbe spoke.
"Jesus Christ…" Nimitz muttered as he quickly said a silent prayer to the powers that be.
"And Ranger?" Nimitz asked cautiously.
"Commanding her squadrons atop a mountain of bodies. Anything that moves is her target." Elbe confirmed.
"And Minneapolis?" Nimitz asked.
"Ducking between rubble piles to avoid being killed by the other two." Elbe spoke.
Nimitz turned to New Jersey.
"We are going to have to calm them down before we can make landfall. Those two are loose cannons, so we need to find a way to rope them in." Nimitz summarized.
"Agreed… I didn't know Washington was capable of such violence… I underestimated just how much Max meant to her." New Jersey spoke solemnly.
"The good news is that they haven't been the reason for the mass civilian casualties. Most of the remaining corpses I am seeing are either Siren, or have burn marks from being hit by Siren weaponry. So this… tantrum… hasn't caused any loss of life that wasn't present…" Elbe spoke in an attempt to shove some light into the situation.
"Doesn't reduce our liability and the danger to our own forces. We need to calm them down… Elbe, take down Ranger's fighters. Draw their attention." Nimitz ordered as New Jersey looked at him.
"Are you sure?" She asked.
"You have to break a few eggs to make an omelet. I'm sure she won't hate me for shooting down a few fighters." Nimitz spoke as Elbe began her attack run.