Angry didn't even begin to describe how Enterprise was feeling. Rage came a little closer but even then it was still about as close as San Francisco was to Japan. As she readied another flight of Hellcats, she was vaguely aware of Yorktown doing the same beside her, readying her own Wildcats and Devestators. But Enterprise's focus was solely on the Abyssal fleet spread out throughout the harbor. She counted at least 30 ships, a good sized force. The sizes ranged from destroyer escorts to one gianormous battlecruiser. Enterprise would have aimed for her if she wasn't sitting in a defended position that guaranteed her aircraft would be shot down before they got close.
Nonetheless, Enterprise let loose. Two more flights of Dauntless divebombers joined their brethren. She didn't bother with fighter escorts as there were no enemy carriers or aircraft anywhere. Princess Tosa had only her surface fleet to protect her. "Big mistake, my friend." Enterprise's grin exposed a mouthful of razer sharp incisors.
Tosa was shocked at this sudden turn of events. She'd expected an easy victory when her fleet invaded Boston Harbor. New York had been a cakewalk. The kanmusu contingent stationed in nearby New Jersey put up only slight resistance. Tosa made sure they paid for that by killing one of them and ensuring their Admiral could never see the light of day again! Now, things could not have been more different. Somehow, the Americans had new kanmusu who were now sortieing their aircraft against her fleet. She had no carriers on standby to counter and was resigned to the bombers assault. While her screen performed their duty, Tosa began gathering her top command vessels. Victory over America would have to wait until she had a carrier of her own. She knew at least 12 were in the final stages of readiness at the secret base in Iceland. Being one of her Queen's longest serving Princesses' made Tosa privy to information few other Abyssals knew. Not even the kanmusu knew the full might of the Abyssal fleet. Yes, victory would be hers in the end.
Decision made, Tosa made a turn to the east, maneuvering into the Inner Harbor with her Re-destroyers providing cover. As she did so, she got a glimpse of her attackers. Two of them now making maneuvers in the Charles River as they dispatched Tosa's lieutenants there. Tosa could not believe what she was seeing. Her Queen had sworn that ship would never be awakened. "N-no. No no!" She cried, increasing speed in an effort to escape. Fear had taken over any discipline.
Her escorts made every effort to keep up but they couldn't hope to match their Princesses horsepower. Re-4 risked a look behind her and she was immediately filled with dread. Enterprise had made the turn into the Inner Harbor and was now giving chase with Yorktown close behind. The Grey Ghost met Re-4's panicked gaze and smiled, drawing a finger across her throat. Re-4 looked up in time to see two 500 lbs bombs falling down right to her. And in that moment she realized the truth. Her long serving loyalty to her queen did not matter. Not to Olympic and certainly not to Tosa. With hundreds more of her type getting ready to sortie from the Iceland base, she had been deemed expendable. Re-4 closed her eyes.
Enterprise watched the explosion with an impassive gaze. "That was for Constitution, you bitch!" She hissed.
Yorktown came alongside, halting to watch the fireworks. Both carrier's aircraft chased Tosa out of the harbor and up the close before low fuel forced them to return to their carriers. Yorktown rested a hand on Enterprise's shoulder. "We'll catch her again." She promised.
"Yeah..." Enterprise shook her head, turning back towards the city. With Tosa no longer a threat at least for the moment, her concerns shifted to Constitution.
By the time she and Yorktown returned to the rest of the fleet, Olympia had set Constitution down on her back and was working on bandaging the frigate. Liberte was standing upright but Enterprise could see her mid-section was wrapped. "Bent hull plates and broken rivets. Hurts like hell but I'm still seaworthy." She explained and the carriers nodded.
Yorktown went to Titanic who had a few MRE's for her. Enterprise ignored her own gnawing hunger to join Olympia. The cruiser had a concerned look on her face. "She woke not long after you left." She said. "Then slipped unconscious again. Unless we can get to a hospital ship and soon-" She didn't need to finish her sentence.
Enterprise knelt beside her, a hand reaching out and brushing back a few strands of the frigate's black hair. When she pulled back, both hands were shaking as she bawled them into fists. Without another word, she rose to her feet, turned and stalked off to join her sister.
New Jersey, Missouri, and Wisconsin steamed ahead at the front of a 20 ship formation. The younger Iowa's kept their fury silently while New Jersey was much more vocal. The word "fuck" found its way into every other word along with a few other vulgar that cannot be repeated. Musashi led the rest of the fleet. She was worried for Jersey but given that not even the Taffies would risk getting close to her, the Japanese superbattleship decided discretion was the better part of valor.
"Radar contact!" Missouri shouted.
"Where?" New Jersey all but demanded.
"Bearing 070, range 40 miles." Came the reply. "It's Tosa and she's moving fast. Almost 27 knots, flank speed." Missouri locked down her guns. "Should we engage?"
"Affirmative. You and dessboat chase her down. Musashi and I will secure Boston. Something isn't right here, Tosa should have more of a fleet than this." New Jersey said.
"You suspect a trap?" Wisconsin asked, speaking up for the first time. Like her sisters she was locked and loaded.
"With this bitch?! I always suspect something!" New Jersey growled. "I don't care how you do it. Sink her!"
"Our pleasure!"
The fleet split up with Missouri, Wisconsin and the Kongos with the Duckies continuing on after Tosa while Musashi and New Jersey turned west for Boston. Akagi, Kaga and Shinano remained behind with the Taffies as escort. New Jersey knew her favorite little muderballs were reluctant to let her go without them but New Jersey was a battleship and she didn't take no for an answer. "And if I hear one word about you being little shits and disobeying my orders in some way, I will force feed you your own asses!" She growled. "Am I clear?!"
To appease them somewhat, she did take Naka with her. But even so, entering the harbor produced an entirely new type of creepy. Abyssals usually produced a distinctive chill down the keel. But this-this was something else. The sea itself radiated anger that lingered throughout the city. Even stepping out of the water and onto land did not dispel the sensation. Neither New Jersey or Musashi dismissed their rigging as they stepped onto the shore. "Stay sharp." The American growled.
Musashi nodded, knowing now was not the time to offer a smart remark. The two battleships made their way inland, ready for an Abyssal trap but unaware they were moving straight into a kanmusu one.
Enterprise did not trust the Abyssals and expected they might reverse course and come back into the harbor for a second attack. She'd placed some of her fairies in strategic points around the area she and the other ships were in. If they saw anything move, they'd report in and sure enough she was warned of two ships turning onto Salem from Shreaffe. She readied her bow, summoning her rigging effortlessly. She was still as hungry as she'd ever been but the MRE's she'd eaten gave her enough fuel for one more fight.
"Sis?" Yorktown questioned from her position with Liberte. She'd taken to the liners instantly but then again, Yorktown had always been a bit of a momboat. Enterprise could only imagine how much she'd dote on Hannaman if or when the destroyer was ever summoned. Enterprise wouldn't hold it against her. She'd do the same to Chicago if she ever saw her again and no matter how much the cruiser protested she'd hug her tight until she turned blue-
Enterprise shook herself out of the past. Now was not the time for memories. "Stay here!" She growled. She would not see Yorktown fall to enemy attack, not again! She did not stick around to hear Yorktown's protest and set off.
Enterprise kept close to the buildings, using them for cover but visually and from radar if these Abyssals had any. As she neared the crossroads, Enterprise readied her bow, reaching back for an arrow. She had her choice of aircraft but eventually, she settled on a group of Wildcats. In this terrain, a torpedo bomber wouldn't work and she'd already expected enough Dauntless' on Tosa for the day. Confident the ships she was about to encounter were not carriers packing Zeroes, Enterprise loaded her choice arrow into her bow and stepped out of the building's cover around the corner. A set of 16 inch guns met her maneuver.
For several seconds Enterprise and the other ship stared at one another and then slowly recognition came to the both of them. "Little E?" New Jersey could hardly believe it.
"Big J!" Enterprise dropped her bow and both ships moved simultaneously, taking each other in a crushing embrace. Enterprise gripped New Jersey's shoulders with all her strength while New Jersey wrapped an arm around her back while her free hand came up to push a lock of the carrier's white hair back out of her face.
Enterprise's soft smile went away in an instant when she spotted something behind the battleship. She pulled back and had her bow at the ready once more. New Jersey turned to look and immediately tried soothing the carrier. "Enterprise it's alright. Musashi, she-she's on our side." Musashi, having recognized that distinctive silhouette, immediately threw up her hands and dismissed her rigging in the hopes that would help calm the most infamous of American carriers.
For a few seconds it seemed like Musashi would get it anyways and the battleship was debating if re-summoning her rigging would help her or not when Enterprise slowly lowered her bow, dismissing her rigging as she did so. "I'm aware." She ground out in answer to New Jersey's statement. To Musashi she added "That was uncalled for, I apologize."
"No offense taken and it wasn't." Musashi replied.
"Is there a fleet on the way?" Enterprise asked.
"Yes, we have a combined force, half of which is chasing after Tosa right now." New Jersey replied.
"Good. What about a repair ship?" Enterprise asked.
New Jersey frowned. "You have casualties?" She asked.
The carrier nodded. "Yes, follow me." She replied.
As Musashi fell in beside New Jersey, the two battleships letting the carrier lead them, the Japanese ship whispered "She scares me."
New Jersey didn't bother to hide her grin. "Of course she does." She whispered back. "She's the fucking Grey Ghost!"