Oahu, Hawaii
December 1980
California couldn't hide her relief at seeing Nimitz. It had been nearly a full day since a rather nasty storm had separated them. Well, more like Nimitz being overprotective and ordering her to see to the destroyers. For their part, Foster and Hewitt were goofing off like the little knuckleheads they were. They straightened up at seeing their carrier however. Nimitz for her part looked exhausted, like she'd pulled several all nighters. But there was a fire in her eyes that California had never seen before. "How's Pearl?" Nimitz asked. "Pearl's fine. Well, the storm knocked some shingle loose but other than that-" California replied. "Are you sure?" Nimitz pressed and what was with that look. It was almost as if she was afraid. "I'm positive. Nimitz, what's the matter?" Before the carrier could answer, the cruiser's radar alerted her to the presence of a massive air force. Nimitz sighed in relief as her entire air wing began to return to her deck.
As they returned, Foster gained some courage. "You know that was a pretty shitty thing to do. Leaving us behind!" She huffed. "You would not have liked the ride." Nimitz replied. "Be that as it may. You are our carrier. We protect you!" Hewitt added. "Not from that you couldn't. No one could do anything. Not even me." Nimitz' tone was flat but it was clear she was troubled. "Nimitz, what happened out there?" California asked. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you." Nimitz rasped. Her fighters returned and California noted they were armed to the gills. All her aircraft were. With live ordinance! "Goodness gracious Nimitz, were you about to fight someone?!" "About to? I was fighting! I took out two of their planes and would've gotten their entire fleet if that fucking storm hadn't pulled me back here again. I could have stopped it all from happening!" Nimitz was fuming, striking the water hard in clear frustration. For a carrier normally very composed, it was a curious maneuver. Now California was concerned. "Nimitz-" She tried again. "Is Enterprise here?" Nimitz cut in sharply. "She arrived this morning. Do you want me to let her know you're coming?" California asked. "Yes please. And Cali- I'm sorry for my temper." Nimitz took a breath. "I can see your stressed. I can only guess as to what it's about." California said. "I promise to tell you, provided you don't think I belong in a mental institution. But Enterprise is the only one I can think of who might be able to help me make sense of what just happened."
Nimitz' request came as a surprise to the older carrier. Not in the least because since her commissioning, Nimitz had been something of an arrogant ass. She had little patience for her elders and while not outright disrespectful, certainly had made it clear that she had better things to do than hang with them. So whatever had changed her attitude must have been severe. "She's pretty shaken up." California reported. The cruiser was breathless from her high speed run ahead of her charge. "What was the last time you spoke to her?" Enterprise asked. "Just before the storm. It built up quick, out of nowhere and she ordered me to look after the destroyers." California replied. "What was it like out there? I missed it altogether." Enterprise asked. "It was nasty. The winds weren't too high and neither were the seas but the electricity was something else. I was on the outskirts and my radar shorted out for two hours. Nimitz went right through the heart of it far as I could tell. She disappeared off our scopes altogether for about two days. Whatever happened to her in there, it wasn't pretty." "I see." Enterprise considered. "One other thing. She had her entire air wing up when we rejoined. It was an impressive sight but they were all armed to the gills. Live ordinance. She claimed she sent them up to fight an enemy fleet." "Thank you California. Now find a berth and get some rest yourself before you overheat." The cruiser made to protest but Enterprise quelled that. "Ah- I can smell your uranium. You need to lower your blood pressure, that's really not good for you." "Fine." California huffed.
Nimitz made her way slowly into the harbor and Enterprise noted how she lingered near the entrance. Her gaze was fixed on something but the elder carrier's dock was blocked by other ships and she couldn't see what it was. Finally, Nimitz reached her and Enterprise was very surprised to see how subdued she was. California wasn't kidding, she was shaken up. "Come here sweetie." Enterprise's motherly instincts kicked in and her offered side was quickly accepted. "Forgive me! I'm so sorry! Forgive me!" Nimitz sobbed again and again. Enterprise soothed her as best she could. "Nimitz, Nimitz honey I can't forgive you. I can't unless you tell me what it is I am supposed to forgive you for." She said. Nimitz raised her head and again looked towards the harbor entrance where she had rendered honors. "I was so close." She rasped. "I had all my aircraft over them- but that damn storm!" "Why don't you start from the beginning." Enterprise said. "And tell me exactly what happened after you split from your escorts." And so Nimitz did.
Oahu Hawaii
December 1941
To Nimitz it looked to be about as nasty a storm as one could get. But not the kind you might expect. The clouds were so full of lightning they looked blue. But the strikes hit all around her, never on her. The noise was agonizing and she closed her eyes. Inwardly, she was screaming for her escorts regretting sending them away, especially California. Her wonderful, stalwart, stubborn cruiser would be a perfect presence right about now. And then like the eye of a hurricane it disappeared and Nimitz found herself in clear waters under a bright blue sky. Hardly a cloud in it. It took her several minutes to recover from the experience and in that time she went through waves of turmolt. Could that storm have been an EMP? Had Pearl suffered a nuclear attack? Were all her escorts dead?! Nimitz couldn't bear the idea but she also couldn't bear not knowing either. The recon plane was sent over Hawaii to check and what it revealed was beyong shocking.
Nimitz spent the next several hours, losing precious daylight as she looked over the photographs. She counted cruisers, and battleships, and submarines. But it was more than that because she knew these ships. She knew them all and their names resonated deep within her. Phoenix, Cassin, Downes, Nevada, Oklahoma, Vestal, Arizona. Nimitz' eyes fixed on the battleship that was, at this time, America's supreme flagship of over a quarter century. The full resolution color image her recon aircraft gave provided Nimitz with a unique opportunity and she absorbed every detail of the now infamous flagship. The wonders of modern technology even made it possible for the carrier to see the glint in Arizona's gray eyes as she looked up presumably at the camera. But wait, did that mean she saw Nimitz' plane?
The carrier's radio pinged on a lowband frequency. The signal was weak, but its presence was enough to convince Nimitz that someone of this time was calling her. Cautiously, she opened her end. "Hello?" "Vessel with the reconnaissance plane over Pearl, identify yourself!" The authority in that voice confirmed Nimitz' suspicions and it was with a mix of fear and awe that she responded. "My name is Nimitz- no please don't hang up! I came through some kind of electrical storm and ended up here. I know where I am but I don't know when. Please, can you tell me the exact date." "Is this some kind of joke?! Because if it is-" "It's not, I assure you!" Nimitz exclaimed. "Please Arizona." "How do you know my name?" The battleship asked. "Because you were the one looking up in the photographs. I figured it was you." "You-you can see that?" She asked, surprised. "Oh, very well. Today is the 6th of December, 1941." "The 6th of- you have to get out!" Nimitz exclaimed. "Excuse me?" "All of you have to leave the harbor now. You're going to be attacked." "Say even if I believe you. Where and when is this attack coming from. I assume it's Japan." "You assume correct. They'll launch the first wave from 200 miles out tomorrow morning. It'll reach you by morning colors." A sigh was heard over the link. "That confirms everything I already know." "Wait, you knew this already?" "Nimitz, I have known Japan was a threat for years but I'm not about to abandon this harbor. How far out are you?" Arizona asked. "I should be within a hundred miles of the Jap fleet, but I don't see any- hang on. They just came up on my radar screen." "You have radar?! Oh of course you do- how far out are they?" Arizona sighed. "50 miles. And it has to be them, no way am I getting that many targets and having it be anything else." "What's their course?" "Southeast. They'll position north of Kaui and launch their strikes from there. It'll come in two waves and in the first- Arizona please heed my warning." Nimitz begged. "I believe you Nimitz." Arizona replied gently. "However, I cannot simply order my fleet to set sail. We don't have enough time. Nor will I leave Hawaii undefended!" "The Japs don't want Hawaii they want you! They'll cripple the Pacific Fleet to buy themselves some time." "I can guess at their strategy well enough Nimitz. I've been dealing with them longer than you have!" Arizona snapped. "Can you stall them?" "Is that an order, flagship?" Nimitz asked. "It is. Whatever you have at your disposal, let 'em have it!"
With vengeance eating at her heart, Nimitz launched her entire air wing. They were minutes from the Japanese fleet when a familiar loud formation appeared on the horizon. "Oh no. Not now!" She groaned. She altered course while simultaneously getting onto the radio to Arizona. The battleship answered immediately. "Report!" She growled and for a moment Nimitz was stunned speechless at how she sounded. Had she not known better, she could have sworn that was Missouri talking. Were all flagships like this? "Nimitz!" Arizona snapped. "Sorry flagship, you just sounded so like my own flagship Missouri. My planes are almost over the Japanese fleet but the same storm that brought me here is closing in again. I've changed course but I can't outrun it for long." "Missouri, a flagship? Yes, I can see that. I'll tell Pennsylvania to keep her in mind. Nimitz, what is your status now?" "The storm's engulfing me. It's going to take me back to 1980. I'm sorry!" "Nimitz, don't try and fight it. We will defend Hawaii as best we can. You don't have to tell me anything more. Just tell me this- in your time do we win?" "Yes. Yes we win." "Then I thank you for your assistance Nimitz. Best of luck."
Oahu Hawaii
December 1980
Enterprise said nothing through Nimitz' entire recount and for several minutes after. The silence, her silence, was more unnerving to Nimitz than anything thus far. At last, she responded by pulling the younger carrier into a tight hug. Nimitz burst into tears at that, clinging tight to her. Once she quieted down, the elder spoke. "I will forgive you under one condition." She said. "Name it." "I'm paying a visit to the memorials this afternoon. Not just Arizona but Oklahoma and Utah as well. I'd like it if you would join me." Enterprise said. Nimitz lifted her head and met her gaze, green into silver. "Enterprise, it would be my honor." She replied.