In Defense of Hawaii

[Sophie]

Hawaii:

As a part of the Hawaiian defense plan, the Yubari fleet was docked at and patrolling Hawaii.

1 Mzukarakana class light carrier

4 Shinsoku class battleships

15 Sento class battleships

5 Kiseichū class battleships

4 Uji class battlecruisers

4 Kamoi class battlecruisers

18 Tone class heavy cruisers

25 Oyodo class light cruisers

25 Chikuma class light cruisers

30 Kawakaze class hunter killers

40 Michizuki class hunter killers

40 Harusame class hunter killers

35 Momi class hunter killers

30 Kaki class hunter killers

20 Hei Gata class submarines

Being that Hawaii contained several of the world’s busiest ports, as well as Kumosenkan’s second largest naval base, ships were always transferring in and out of it. Those transferring ships included:

2 Kii class fast battleships

4 Sento class battleships

3 Wakayama class battlecruisers

5 Aka class heavy cruisers

3 Oyodo class light cruisers

34 Kaki class hunter killers

40 Michizuki class hunter killers

200 P-class patrol boats

A small fleet of 230 civilian ships

As was standard practice, all ships currently in the proximity of Hawaii not contained in their own fleet were temporarily absorbed into the Yubari fleet command structure. This meant that even if the transiting ships contained a Fleet Admiral, they would be under the command of Vice Admiral Yasuhiro Fujimoto. There was one exception to this rule: if the Empress was present, she retained command as Empress High Admiral of Kumosenkan.

---

Rear Admiral Urano Suzu's face twitched in annoyance as she stood waiting in the canteen of her command, Royal Battle Ship Mikasa, a Kii class battleship. Besides her and the culinary specialists, the canteen was empty. Aside from the noises associated with cooking, it was nearly dead silent, so everyone heard the hatch swing open as the executive officer walked in.

“Everything alright, Captain?” The XO asked as she saw the ire painting her superior’s face. “You know I can handle this for you. It's not often we get time in Hawaii, so why don’t you go and try some of the local cuisine? I hear the Pearl’s lomi lomi salmon is to die for.”

This suggestion seemed only to make Suzu angrier. She practically growled as she spoke. “I was given a direct order. I cannot pawn it off to you.” Her glare was redirected from the kitchen staff to the officer. “Shouldn’t you be on liberty?”

“Y- yes, Ma’am.” Captain Nori Amari answered with a catch in her throat. “I was asked to write an O-8721J.”

The Admiral’s eyebrow twisted, “By her?” She questioned. Amari nodded. “Why does she want your opinion of every officer on board? I already filled one of those out when she got on board.” Her eye twitched again as she searched her brain for a reason.

“I- I’m sure that she just wants multiple perspectives. Not that she doesn’t trust you.” Amari answered nervously.

Suzu shook her head. “Did you know this is like the fiftieth battleship she’s done this with? A close friend of mine in the Yayuri fleet recently had her do this, and her entire crew got restructured a month later.”

“I’m sure you’re reading into things. Isn’t there a massive naval review every time there’s a new Empress?” The Captain offered a fair explanation.

Again, Suzu rejected her. “I read about what happened when Empress Shiraori took over. It was nothing like this. She wasn’t this hands-on, and we had just finished a war.”

“We had just won a war.” Amari corrected, “There was direct evidence that everything was in working order.”

“Are you saying that there’s no evidence that our fleet is in working order now?” Suzu snapped. Before Amari could stutter out a response, Suzu continued. “Something about this just doesn’t smell right to me.”

“Surely you don’t mean to imply she has any ill intent.” Again, the Captain tried to wave off her concerns, especially now that they were tiptoeing the line of treason.

Suzu looked her second command in the eye. “I think she’s going to pur-”

The loud clang of a silver platter against the metal counter cut the Admiral off. “Her tea is ready, ma’am.”

The silver platter held a kettle of Da-Hong Pao tea from Elenria, two tea cups, and some finely made tea cakes. It stared up at Suzu; she felt it mocking her. The steam billowed out of the kettle into the Shusugiris character for laughter. Suzu’s eyes vibrated in anger as she lifted up the platter. “Thank you, Koyama-kas. That will be all.”

The chefs quickly left the canteen , retreating towards their quarters. Suzu sighed. “This is humiliating. I’m the commanding officer of a battleship. I shouldn’t be anyone’s tea maid. Let alone a child’s.”

“Would you like me to clear a path? I can try and make sure no one sees you.” Amari offered, trying to help her commander.

“What does it matter? Either I won’t be Captain anymore soon, or my whole crew will be gutted.” Suzu squeezed her eyelids, trying to push back her angry tears. “Just open the door for me.”

Suzu skittered down the halls, radiating anger. Sailors cleared the way and stood aside with a salute that was not returned or acknowledged, and so they were all frozen in place until she disappeared from their sight. She continued until she reached the hatch.

On every capital ship Kumosenkan builds, one room is fully off-limits to everyone. Not even the commanding officer has permission to enter this room for any reason aside from maintenance. The room was ornately decorated and filled with the finest furniture that Kumosenkan produced. It was the Empress’s stateroom. Inside contained a bed, couch, radio, desk, a meeting table, and a direct line phone to the bridge. Rear Admiral Suzu knocked on the door to this room.
Yuu Nishimura opened the door from the inside, allowing the Admiral in. Sitting at her desk, fully adorned in her navy dress whites, including her collar, shoulder, and sleeve insignias, was the Empress High Admiral of Kumosenkan, Reito Doku Kumo. Suzu set the tea set down in front of the Empress. Her desk was clear of most obstructions, except for her officer’s sword, which lay directly in front of her.

“Will that be all, Your Highness?” Suzu forced the words to pass her lips, hiding her ire.

Reito smiled and gestured a hand to the seat on the other side of her desk. “Sit.” It may have sounded like a cheerful invitation, but there was no mistaking it; that was an order.

“Thank you, Your Highness.” Suzu bowed and let her eye twitch once before she sat. As she did, Nishimura poured both of them a cup of tea. Reito gestured for her to drink, and she did. The luxuriousness of the tea did little to dispel Suzu’s feelings. If anything, it amplified them. “To what do I owe the pleasure of sharing such a fine tea with you?”

Reito simply smiled and enjoyed her tea. “Not a thing.” She spoke quietly, calmly, and yet each word pointed like a dagger at the Admiral’s throat. “Is it so odd I’d wish to share a tea with the Captain of one of my ships?” The Empress tilted her head with a slight smile.

Suzu felt the ice-cold metal of the blades currently pressing into her neck. Her life and livelihood hung on the whims of a hormonal sixteen-year-old. “Of course not.” Suzu laughed, shared the smile, and took another sip of tea. It tasted like poison. “It’s simply such an honor I can’t help but wonder, why me?” Why me indeed...

Reito shared the laugh, but there was no joy behind her eyes. “You command one of the most powerful warships ever designed. My mother had the pleasure of awarding you your flower and assigning you this command, I have yet to even speak with you. I simply wish to know my Admirals on a more... personal level.”

“That’s only natural.” Suzu laughed cautiously. “What would you like to know?”

Reito’s gaze fixated softly on Suzu’s eyes; the glaring red color of her pupils opened like eight portals to the realm of madness. “What made you want to join the battlefleet? You were the first girl in your family to do so. Your mother even disowned you for just considering it.”

Suzu’s face said it all. How the fuck did you know that? She hesitated. Never was Suzu a true believer that the Empress was omnipotent, but this shook her to her core. “I... I got a degree in electrical engineering at the Fuyonouso Institute for Technology. I got hired the day after graduating at the Wakaba Corporation and was miserable. I felt like all I was doing was making someone else rich. Then my friend told me she was joining the Naval Academy, and I felt something churn inside me. So I joined with her.”

“And?” Reito pushed with the same soft smile across her lips. “How do you feel now?”

What are you fishing for here..? Suzu searched the Empress’s eyes but found only void. “I feel every day I have the opportunity to do something that matters.”

The Empress closed her eyes and nodded. She took another sip of her tea before further probing into the Admiral’s life. “Who was the friend that inspired you to join?”

“Vice Admiral Akiko Isobe.” She answered plainly.

For the first time, an emotion flickered across Reito’s face, only for a brief moment, not even long enough to recognize what emotion that was. “The Commanding officer of the Ronbun fleet? I’m surprised, considering how far behind in promotions you’ve always been from her.”

“Excuse me?” Suzu questioned, just what was this? Was she just trying to humiliate her? Subjugate her? “I’m not sure what you mean by that.”

“Well, according to the records from the academy, you always scored higher than her, and your yearly reviews put you leagues above her, and being friends, I assume you have similar connections. So I find it odd that she was promoted to Rear Admiral eight years before you, and she’s been a Vice Admiral in command of an entire fleet longer than you’ve been in Command of Mikasa. Why do you think that is?” Reito’s cold and calculating expression fully returned as her eyes bore a hole into Suzu’s very soul.

Again, Suzu was completely bewildered. She couldn’t deny that these were questions she herself had but had never dared air them in any form. “Admiral Isobe is an extraordinary commander. She is skilled, wise, intelligent, strong, charismatic, and above all kind. I can’t think of anyone more qualified to command a fleet.”

“Are you certain of that?” Reito pressed and squinted her eyes just barely; her smile remained unmoving.

“Without question,” Suzu answered firmly despite not feeling so in her soul.

Reito searched through the briefcase that was sitting beside her and pulled out a piece of paper. “Because I have an anonymous complaint about Isobe-kas here from back in her academy days. It says, ’Officer Recruit Akiko Isobe offered me the answers to the final written exam for Rear Admiral Ishiwara’s class. I have reason to believe she has been cheating off of myself and others to attain success in the academy.’” Reito handed the paper over to Suzu and watched as a bead of sweat formed on her forehead and spilled down her face. “I, of course, would never accuse you of anything, but it seems like this is something only a close friend would know. If I had all the answers to a really hard exam, I certainly wouldn’t tell anyone but my closest friends, whom I trust unconditionally.”

“I...” Suzu began to stutter something out but was immediately cut off by the Empress.

“Did you know in Admiral Ishiwara’s tenure as a professor at the naval academy, only two people have gotten over ninety percent on her final exam? One of whom is now a Fleet Admiral. Care to guess who the other was?” Reito asked again with a poisonous calm.

Suzu didn’t answer the question. Instead, she asked one, “Why are you bringing this up?”

“You said no one is more qualified to command a fleet than Admiral Isobe.” Reito reminded her. “I want to make sure that is true.”

Suzu’s gut twisted inside of her. Was this a test of loyalty? Was she trying to see what it would take to get me to flip on a friend? Is she grooming Isobe for a higher position? Or has Isobe’s shortcutting ways finally caught up with her?

“When the position for the commander of the Ronbun fleet was open, both you and Isobe applied. Your resume was clearly more impressive, so why do you think you were looked over and Isobe was chosen?”

“Isobe-kama had more experience in the Admiralty than I did.” Suzu regurgitated the reason she was rejected for command.

Reito twisted her head slightly to the right. “Are you sure? Did you know that when Vice Admiral Yasuhiro Fujimoto took command of the Yubari fleet, she had less experience than you did?”

Suzu looked at the cold tea before her and shook her head. “No, I didn’t know that.”

“Tell me again. What is your opinion of Vice Admiral Akiko Isobe?” Reito pushed. “I’d like your honest opinion, so speak freely.”

Suzu again searched the Empress’s eyes for any indicator of a correct answer. “Isobe-kama has always been a good friend to me. I can’t speak ill of her.”

Reito’s ears perked up, “Has she?” Fishing a new document out and handing it over to Suzu. “A few weeks before I was sworn into the office of the Empress, you were up for consideration as commander of the Yayuri fleet. As is regulation, all other fleet commanders were asked for their opinion on the matter. This was Admiral Isobe’s opinion.”

Before her was an eight-page essay of vehement opposition to Suzu’s appointment to the Vice-Admiralty. It ranged from vitriolic personal attacks to genuine criticisms of Suzu’s command ability, all the way down to outright lies.

“Having read what your friend truly thinks of you, would you like to review your statement on her command ability?”

Before Suzu could answer, the phone rang. Nishimura picked it up off the receiver and handed it to Reito. She put it to her ear for a moment before handing it over to Rear Admiral Suzu. “It’s for you.”

Before Suzu could even finish saying hello, the bridge watch officer shouted into the phone. “Captain, you need to get to the bridge now!”

“Is everything alright?” Reito questioned with a smile.

“I don’t know.” Suzu shook her head and stood. “I apologize, Your Highness.” She quickly bowed. “I must attend to my duties on the bridge.” Without being dismissed, she quickly left.

Reito, both irritated and curious, followed after her. Unfortunately, sprinting would be unbecoming of the Empress, instead, she strolled up to the bridge. The atmosphere was dire. “Oh my,” Reito spoke cautiously. “Is something wrong?”

“Y- your Highness!” The watch officer shouted in shock. “You should hear this as well.” The young officer waved over the Empress and pressed a button on the ship’s radio receiver.

“SOS! SOS! THIS IS THE ROYAL MERCHANT SHIP KINU. WE ARE UNDER ATTACK BY AN UNKNOWN FORCE OF INCREDIBLE SIZE.” A loud explosion garbled part of the transmission. “WE ARE CURRENTLY EIGHTY MILES NORTHWEST OF PEARL HARBOR.” Another explosion. Alarms blared in the background, and the captain began barking into a different receiver, one to order his crew. He still came through on the radio transmitter. “ALL HANDS ABANDON SHIP. ABANDON SHIP.” A different alarm began sounding. “DO NOT REPORT TO YOUR MUSTER STATIONS. ABANDON SHIP IMM-.” The transmission was cut off.

Reito’s face went pale as her heart pounded out of control. Adrenaline filled her veins as the fight or flight response initiated. She wanted to run, hide, jump into her mother’s arms, and feel the safety of knowing she would handle whatever was happening and make everything okay. She could feel tears well in her eyes, but everyone’s eyes were on her. If she showed weakness now, that image would spread like wildfire throughout the admiralty.

Reito swallowed the tears that rose in her through sheer force of will. Her brain began to swim; thoughts flew by at a million miles per hour. “Officer, connect me to the fleet’s frequency now.”

The officer nodded and did so immediately. “Just hold down that button, and everyone should hear you.”

Reito had to stay that shaking in her hand as she reached out and pressed it. “Attention all ships. This is your Empress. One of our civilian vessels was just attacked by an unknown overwhelming force. It seems someone out there has forgotten who owns these waves, and we are going to send them and the rest of the world a reminder in blood and steel.”

Some of the Kumo began to cheer and applaud on the bridge, but Reito’s ears began to ring so loudly she couldn’t hear them. “Get me a direct connection to RBS Mizuho.”

“Right away, Ma’am!” The officer switched channels.

“RBS Mizuho this is Empress Reito Doku Kumo. You have immediate orders to deploy scouting aircraft to the last known location of the RBM Kinu. Do not engage any force you detect without reporting it to me first. It is imperative that you discover who and what attacked the Kinu so that we may respond in kind.”

“Aye-aye, Ma’am!” The radio operator of the Mzukarakana class carrier responded.

Reito then connected to the flagship of the Yubari fleet. She ordered the radio operator to get the Vice Admiral on. “Vice Admiral Fujimoto, this is Empress Reito. Get all your ships combat-ready immediately. We can’t let our ships be caught in the harbor. Once we have a report on what’s attacking us we need to formulate a plan of attack to retaliate. The destruction of one of my ships can not be left unanswered.”

“Of course, Your Highness. Some people are still on shore leave, but we can be combat-ready in a matter of hours. I’ll order all ready ships out of the harbor and into the ocean.”

“Stay on this side of the minefields. If we’re outnumbered, we’re going to want them to come to us.”

The harbor lit up with activity. Ships began moving out of docks, civilian ships began to evacuate east en masse, and warships began gathering into defensive formations. All ships were called to battle stations. A small parliament of 5 fighters deployed from the light carrier took off to the last known location of the Kinu to begin searching for the force that attacked Kumosenkan.

[Greywall]

Pillars of smoke would arise from the Silk Sea as dozens of Kumo commercial and civilian ships burned and sank into the sea, Galran warships would simply steam on by leaving the surviving Kumo to struggle in the open seas. Whatever Kumo warships were caught out in the open simply didn't stand a chance with the massive Galran fleet seeking out and destroying anything flying the Kumo colors. 

Task force Victor had positioned itself Northwest of Hawaii and began its aerial strikes on the island harbors and ships within dock. The attack came hard and swift, a brutal lesson taught onto the Kumo below as dive bombers devastated harbors and ships. Any aircraft attempting to take off would immediately be intercepted by carrier Lancer fighters. Break off fighters would ghost and follow any Kumo ships attempting to leave to report where the gap would be in the minefield. 

As bombers dropped their payload they would fly back to the carrier group to refuel and rearm for the next mission, the bulk of Victor group would guard the carriers for now remaining poised Northwest of the Hawaiian islands while a group of 45 torpedo destroyers, 20 escort destroyers, 5 battleships and 30 heavy cruisers sailed to the eastern side of the islands testing the Kumo response for weaknesses in the minefield and likely to cut off more civilian ships from fleeing or entering Hawaii. 

Task force Charlie would slowly encircle the two small Kumo islands in the Silk Sea, sending sea tender aircraft to scout the islands and mark if any ships were leaving to identify openings in the minefield. 

Phillip continued reaving and raiding the Northern Silk Sea and sinking any Kumo ships that could come to challenge the Galran fleet. 

Submarines continued to do bloody work sinking Kumo civilian shipping.

Admiral Hillingbee poured himself some tea as he enjoyed the view from the IGS Omerta, watching Galran aircraft re enter the fleet control zone after a successful strike. It was a bloody first day and Kumo had suffered heavy losses.

[Greywall]

Casualties


Galra: 2 carrier fighters, 10 carrier bombers, 1 escort destroyer, 10 torpedo destroyers, 1 submarine (engine failure)
Kumo: 20 light cruiser, 2 kamoi battlecruisers, 15 hunter killer ships, 3 heavy battlecruisers, 6 Sento battleships, 1 Kii Battleship, 3 Aka heavy cruisers, 30 PT boats, 100 civilian ships.

[Sophie]

Reito's eyes burned as tears streamed down her face. Her mouth snarled, and her eyebrows twitched. Every Kumo on board the bridge of the RBS Mikasa avoided the flaming gaze of the enraged Empress. The radio officer was slinked down in her chair as the teenager screamed into the microphone. "IF I HAD THE TIME TO UPEND THIS FLEET STRUCTURE, I WOULD RIP YOUR COMMAND FROM YOU AND STUFF IT DOWN YOUR THROAT." A response began to crackle, but the young girl continued. "YOUR COMPLACENCY HAS MADE US WEAK. ORGANIZE A COUNTERATTACK AND KICK THESE INFERIOR SAILORS INTO THE WAVES." The facade, the tone, the words, they were all angry. In her heart, Reito felt fear.

Despite the shunned glances and fear the officers showed the young Empress. Reito saw them for what they really were. Hungry, fierce sharks waiting for a single drop of blood to spill into the water. A cage was clasping around her heart, her throat constricted, and her hands shook. Her vision gazed into the harbor. Several smoldering hulks burned in the harbor. The sister ship Reito traveled with served its purpose and took the hits that would have otherwise been directed at her. The entire deck was aflame; Kumo dove into the sea, some of whom were on fire. In her mind's eye, Reito saw another turn of today's events; she saw her own skin and carapace aflame, a violently Kure loyal Captain leaving her to burn in her iron sarcophagus. Her eyes vibrated back and forth in her head as she slowly came back to reality.

Slowly, the sister Kii class battleship sunk until her keel hit the bottom, her superstructure still aflame as the water wasn't deep enough to fully submerge her. "Your Highness." A voice finally broke through to the teenage girl. Her head snapped around and locked onto the Captain. Quickly, she wiped away the river of tears, unknowingly giving her raccoon eyes as her makeup smudged.

Everyone saw her wipe her tears away, she had to reclaim the upper hand immediately. "Get our ships into formation. We will act as flag."

"Your Highness." The Admiral's voice was stern, yet clearly shaken from the day's events. "Protocol dictates we get you ashore. To safety."

Reito looked up to the woman with an irritated sneer. "And sit in some sterile bunker while an incompetent, complacent bitch loses my fleet to an inferior force?" She questioned and walked back to the fleet command seat. "Fall in, Admiral."

---

All battle-ready Kumo ships immediately began to form up on the Kii class battleship in formation fox-five-one. A strong offensive formation that allowed for an incredible level of maneuverability but restricted alpha-strike capabilities.


(Kumosenkan Standard Fox-Five-One fleet organization with two scouts -not reflective of ship's spacing, just their organization- Including two light fast scout divisions.)

The counter-attack force consisted of a textbook Fox-Five-One organization:

1 Mzukarakana aircraft carrier

1 Kii class battleship (flag)

13 Sento class battleships

1 Shinsoku class battleship

2 Kamoi class battlecruisers (scout)

2 Wakayama class battlecruisers

3 Aka class heavy cruisers (center leading)

16 Tone class heavy cruisers

18 Oyodo class light cruisers

6 Momi class hunter killers (scout)

24 Momi class hunter killers

30 Kaki class hunter killers

40 Michizuki class hunter killers

28 Kawakaze class hunter killers

While this force contained the mass majority of the able warships stationed in Hawaii, it did not hold all of them. Small organized defense forces lagged behind the main force and stayed within the coastal field of Hawaii. This strategy was called, "Plugging the slot." They stayed behind at the holes in the defensive minefields, line abreast, with orders to flood each slot with walls of torpedoes should the enemy find their way in.

The ships in the Fox-Five-One formation, hereto identified as the Yubari fleet, had a very specific plan. Sail to the reported position of the enemy, upon first detection break into port and starboard formations in standard battle lines and rain down hellfire and oxygen-fueled torpedoes. Find breaks in their escort lines and create smaller, fox-two-two formations to break into knife fights and slaughter their capital ships. These would be only the opening blow of the battle, the rest would depend on what happened next.

[Greywall]

Lancers ghosting fleet movements in Hawaii would notice the Kumo ships forming up and entering formation toward what was assumed to be the exit of the minefield. The fighters radioed the location of the enemy fleet and began withdrawal toward the Carrier group. 


Hillingbee ordered his ships to give a wide assault line and to use range rather than close the gap, Hillingbee had the carrier fleet with him and a large bulk of the heavy fleet brought with him during the Silk Sea Campaign. He placed his heavy battleships and cruisers behind a large wall of destroyers and light cruisers. Carrier bombers were ordered to be rearmed as the carriers remained in the rear near the safety of the fast battleships and the IGS Omerta. Galran submarines would spread out to look for ways to flank the enemy fleet. 

Hillingbee would announced over an open channel; "This is Admiral Hillingbee of the Galran Imperial Navy, by the grace of god's chosen prophet I have been authorized to spare your sinful lives. Surrender and you will not be harmed. Resist, and I shall send you to the very depths of hell." 



10 fast battleships

40 battleships

40 heavy cruisers

50 super cruisers

30 battle cruisers

90 light cruisers

20 torpedo cruisers

20 submarines

200 torpedo destroyers

300 escort destroyers

[Sophie]

Reito's upper lip twitched. She stared out the window of the RBS Mikasa, though she could not see the Galran fleet she knew it was there, looming over the horizon waiting for a chance to slit her throat. She looked over to the young radio officer who stared up at the Empress with a mix of fear and hope. A smile further reassured that hope, "Put me on that channel, officer."

"Right away ma'am!" The officer answered and quickly handed the Empress the microphone. "You're broadcasting on an open channel. If you say it, they'll hear it."

"Thank you." Reito nodded. She clicked in the microphone's broadcast button and spoke. "Admiral Hillbilly, this is the Empress High Admiral of Kumosenkan, Reito Doku Kumo." Her voice strode confident into cocky into arrogance, in a way only a teenager could. "While we appreciate your offer to surrender your pitiful ships over to us I'm afraid the only value they have to us is target practice; and my crews prefer live prey. Enjoy these fleeting moments upon your throne of timber, I'll be there soon to set it alight." click

With a confident smile, Reito gave another order. "Block all further communications from those monkeys. If they wish to sling shit they may do so among themselves. Then get me a fleet wide channel."

---

Several tense hours passed as the ships maneuvered to engage the Galrans. Once the ships reached an estimated 35 kilometers from the Galran's fleet the fox five formation began to split open. Hunter Killers filtered out port and starboard of the formation, creating several cascading rows of Huks. The lines cascaded backwards into heavier and heavier ships. Only two warships made up the last row. The only aircraft carrier attached to the fleet, and the RBS Mikasa.

An order went out. "Tangle them in webs." Row after row after row of Huks fired their oxygen fueled torpedoes. With the largest fleet of Huks ever assembled, 1,572 torpedoes were fired in a single salvo. All of which were set to travel at 40 knots (nearly 50 miles per hour) to give them just over forty kilometers of range. Long coils of webs attached to the decks of each Huk unspooled with great speed, letting out a loud "WHRRRRR" as the lines were dragged behind the torpedoes. Their rudimentary wire guidance typically worked exclusively on visual confirmation, however with such a wide net of torpedoes cast, once you heard other torpedoes detonate you could swing the others wildly left and right to increase their chances of a strike. This, of course, sacrificed range.

While the Huks reloaded their torpedoes, all other ships prepared their guns for contact. Massive shells, some weighing up to 2 tons, were loaded into their guns with powder following right behind. Cruisers prepared a healthy mix of HE and AP shells, while the battleships all loaded heavy Armor Piercing rounds. Every ship's anti aircraft weapons were pointed towards the sky, with a Kumo glaring into the big blue nothing waiting for a single black spec to light up with machine gun and flak fire.

Elsewhere, the only 20 submarines stationed in Hawaii began to sail around the Galran fleet, ensuring to keep well out of their visual contact range, as ordered. They were hoping to find and kill any support ships hanging back from the massive battle that was to ensue.

The calm before the storm was almost over, death would soon come to toll her bounty.

[Greywall]

Casualties

Galra: 45 torpedo destroyers, 40 escort destroyers, 4 cruisers, 10 super cruisers, 25 heavy cruisers.
Kumo: 14 Momi hunters, 7 Odoyo cruisers, 12 Kaki cruiser

[Greywall]

"CONTACT!" The Galran destroyer was engulfed in fire and sea water thrown from the impact of the torpedo hitting, the Galran fleet sustained heavy losses as Kumo torpedoes shredded the forward line of destroyers and cruisers. Hillingbee was alarmed at the efficiency of the torpedoes, something was wrong, not even the Galran Ministry of Technology had come up with torpedoes this accurate.

One Galran captain ordered his vessel to avert, "Torpedoes aren't that accurate!" he exclaimed, his first mate shattered his mental state by saying. "The torpedo is turning around." Hitting the destroyer and flooding it with sea water.

"They have guided torpedoes...these savages actually have guided torpedoes." Hillingbee muttered, his anger overflowing but he had to let it subside. He had a bigger prize than sinking this fleet, killing Empress Reito. "The bitch is on that Kii ship, Order a full barrage and counter torpedoes and where the in lord's name are my aircraft?" The Galran fleet's massive guns began firing dozens if not hundreds of murderous rounds at the Kumo fleet. "Carrier group says they're almost done my lord."

'Good' he thought, the bitches had no air power. 'I can sink that worthless ugly animal to the bottom of the Silk and win this war for god and the Autarch today. Only regret not being able to torture her first.'

Hillingbee like most Galrans viewed Kumo as nothing more than animals, abominations, he grinned wickedly imagining Reito screaming for mercy and treating it like an animal reacting to stimuli not a person. "I'll rip her dirty legs off and mount her on the Omerta."

Galran torpedo destroyers sailed around the sinking mass of their comrades and began firing their own torpedoes as the main guns of the destroyers joined the symphony of death lobbed at the Kumo. Galran cruisers in the mid row attempted to rescue Galran sailors attempting to survive the devastation. "It's like they were possessed by the devil itself, it just came right for our ship" the Galrans were a superstitious people, many believed the devils that plagued Voshoz on their final pilgramage and had come to aid the Kumo in the battle. "Our god is a might god! They have chosen us and we shall win today!" shouted a church deacon, literally a member of the state on the ship to spread propaganda and drive the message home that the war was a just war.

"These blackened devils align themselves with the greedy Koians, they sell themselves like whores for trinkets and feast on the flesh of their enemies. They are nothing!" the deacon pointed to the forward battery of the destroyer as it fired and shouted "To God's Wrath!"

Galra fires back at the Kumo fleet.

[Sophie]

Plumes upon plumes of black smoke rose over the horizon. Reito plastered a devilish grin on her face. "Look at that." She nodded to herself. "Its hell on Ouhiri over there." Reito grabbed the radio mic, "All units! The enemy's been crippled by our incredible hunter killers! We must advance and capitalize on this victory! Begin advancing in formation Lynx Seven!"

Confidently the teen strode back to the fleet commander's chair. "What the fuck are you doing?" Admiral Suzu stared straight through the bridge window and muttered just loud enough for the Empress to hear causing the young Empress to glare in fury at the chair next to hers. "You are not a qualified fleet commander. You have no idea what you are doing." The Admiral gripped her chair as her upper lip twitched. "The entire lynx set of formations was replaced six years ago by the panther series. Hand over command to Admiral Fujimoto before you get us all killed."

"Are you questioning me, Admiral?" Reito spoke loud enough for the entire bridge to hear. "That is treason, miss Suzu." The lack of title or honorifics declared the admiral's dismissal from command. "Captain," she spoke addressing the executive officer of the ship. "Take this traitor to the brig."

The former Admiral launched to her pedipalps. "Are you fucking serious?!" She screamed to the bridge. "Are we really going to allow a teenager to take command of this fleet? In perhaps the most important battle in our great empire's history?!" The bridge answered in awkward, avoidant glances. "I am as loyal to the Empress as any of you, but you can't expect me to be fine with someone who's been alive shorter than I've been in service!"

The air of the bridge turned a little and caused the hairs on the back of Reito's neck to stand on edge. She could not allow this to continue, her command could not be questioned. It would not end here. It would spread. It would be the end of Kumosenkan. She slowly stood from her chair and with an icy glare toward Suzu. With a swift motion, she drew her ceremonial sword and thrust it into Suzu's abdomen. As the woman spit up blood the entire bridge reacted in shock and horror. Reito's face twitched in anger and stared into the dying eyes of Suzu. "I am no teenager, I have the blood of a thousand Empress's coursing through my veins. They all watch over me from the living stars. They advise me constantly as I am the bridge between us and them."

Suzu's head began to droop; so Reito grabbed it so she could continue to berate her face to face. "" She sunk her fangs into the woman's neck and let her extremely toxic venom flow freely into her blood stream. Suzu did not die instantly, though she did collapse to the floor. Reito removed her sabre from the soon to be corpse and began to exit the bridge. "Clean up this trash, Captain." As she opened the hatch she spoke quietly. "I will return momentarily." The young girl made haste back to her private quarters. As she did she returned her bloodied sword to her scabbard.

Once again in the safety of her private quarters the girl began to bawl. Nishimura reacted in shock, "Empress-kama?! What's wrong?!"

Without answering she burst into her bathroom and vomited her guts up into her toilet. Nishimura quickly came to comfort her. "Reito? Is that... blood? What happened?"

Sniveling and crying she raised her head from the toilet, for the first time in a while truly feeling like the child she was, she answered through further dry heaves. "I... I killed her." She choked up letting her tears flow. "Admiral Suzu." She answered the question on the maid's lips. "She was questioning my command. I had to." She looked up to the woman with snot and tears flowing. "You said I had to if anyone questioned my ability to command."

Nishimura's heart twisted, though her words rung true, she prayed that Reito would never have to follow through. She desperately tried to find the words to comfort her, but it was a tall order. "You did the right thing. You did exactly what I told you. If you let that kind of talk fester it could have led to Kure successfully undermining you. You asserted your command and no one on that bridge will question you again." She hugged the poor girl, and with her most comforting tone she could manage she spoke, "I will get to work branding Suzu a traitor. Make it look like she's been undermining the fleet. You will be branded a hero and you will win over even more admirals and those that question you will live in fear of you. As they should."

The maid grabbed the young girl's face and looked her in the eye. "You are a fearsome warrior with the blood of your mother flowing through you. You will be the hero this empire needs."

"I don't hear her!" Reito screamed through her crying. "My mom is gone and I do not hear her! She is not guiding me. I am not ready." Her sobbing grew as Reito gasped for air. "Suzu was right. I'm not qualified. I can't handle this. I need to hand over command before everyone dies."

"I hear her." Nishimura lied. "She speaks to me and is helping me guide you. She has not and never will abandon you. You can handle this. You must. You are the only one who can show those monkeys on the other side of the waves that they are messing with someone beyond measure. Empress High Admiral Reito. Doku. Kumo."

Reito nodded quickly and wiped her tears. "Thank you. I love you Nishimura-kama." She shakily got to her feet. "I have to get back. I need to wash this blood off."

"No." Nishimura advised. "Keep it on. Send a clear message that you are not to be fucked with."

Reito nodded and quickly returned to a silent bridge with a pool of blood still on the deck. "Captain, is the enemy within range?"

"Yes, Reito-kama." The acting commanding officer answered with the fear Nishimura told Reito to expect.

Reito forced a smile to cross her bloodied face. "Begin staggering fire. Overwhelm them with fire."

The Kumo fleet, with their icebreaker armor facing head on, began firing their forward guns while each ship randomly altered their course according to the lynx formation guidelines. Big ships started the cacophony of fire first, as their guns had the longest range. Though without visual contact accuracy was low. As they got closer, heavy cruisers began to fire, then light. Then from the crows nest, visual confirmation of the enemy was made.

The submersible force continued their flanking journey behind the enemy and the light aircraft carrier launched their aircraft with orders to spot from above the fleet and guard against air attacks.

The Kumo Fleet keeps up the pressure.

[Greywall]

Casualties

Galra: 10 light cruisers, 20 escort destroyers, 8 battleships, 15 torpedo destroyers
Kumo: 10 Michizuki class Hunter Killers, 8 Kawakaze class ships, 8 Kaki class ships, 4 Sento class battleships, 8 Momi class ships

[Greywall]

The sky turned dark from the pillar of smoke from ships being destroyed by the two sides of devastating firepower. Kumo had greatly harmed Galra with the initial torpedo strike but the Galran counterstrike left little imagination for what the engagement would be like. A brutal back and forth. 

Hillingbee's flagship engaged evasive maneuvers to avoid Kumo long range batteries that rocked the Galran fleet and forced them to reorganize, " Fold into Oval battle formation!" Hillingbee ordered. The Galran ships clocked themselves to head Northwest and into their new formation leaving the sinking hulks of their fallen warships behind and leaving their submarines to screen and fire into any pursuing Kumo warships. "That little bitch wants to contest me here? I'll sink what's left of her fleet and-"

"Admiral!" interrupted one of the radio operators, "What could be so important!" Hillingbee shouted with annoyance, "The carrier squadrons are here" the radio man finished. Hillingbee grinned, looking due North where the carrier group was stationed and saw the large array of Galran carrier fighters and bombers making their way toward him and the Kumo fleet. He grabbed the receiver and relayed over open channel to reach the distant fighters "Target their heavy fleet ships! The Empress is on one of them, SINK HER! And we win this war!" 


The aircraft gently and slowly turned toward the Kumo fleet, many of them equipped with bombs and torpedoes. "Follow me in and fighters check the skies for enemy fighters, they'll have some idea of us coming."

"Roger that"
"Once the enemy battleships have been impacted, I want our remaining carry load to hit their carrier, that comes from up above the Admiral's orders." 
"Affirm" 

The 108 carrier bombers and 108 carrier fighters made up half of the airpower brought into the Silk Sea and a staunch effort to break Reito's stance once and for all had come. 

Galran Trinity Carrier fighter/bomber. Fulfills three roles, fighter, dive bomber and torpedo bomber. 

[Sophie]

"We're taking on water!" The radio officer repeated the report from the RBS Asashio, a Kaki class Huk. "Formation Lynx-Alpha-Six has been shattered, joining Alpha-Four." Another report came in. A heavy shell smashed into the waves mere meters to the fore of the RBS Mikasa, sending a plume of water up and onto the deck and washing the windows of the bridge. "Royal Battleship Asama, Flash fire!" A Sento class battleship, sent to the grave. "Royal Battleship Yakumo, 8 compartments flooded!" Another Sento, rated for 6 compartments of flooding. "Royal Battleship Shirataka, magazine detonated!" A Kaki class Huk. Report after report of destroyed ships came in. "Royal Battleship Aso, class 4 fire!." Now the damage reports.

Reito gripped her chair tightly as her vision began to blur. Four Sento class battleships were gone or unsalvageable. 1,243 lives on each. How many could be saved? Could any? How many women have I lost already? How many more would she lose by day's end. This is just the beginning. The Galrans don't stop here. How many women am I going to have to ask to die for me? How many women, men, and children will die? The teen spiraled further and further. A deafening metal THWANG brought Reito back to reality, though even more panicked. The acting commanding officer shouted. "Was that us? Damage report!"

Reito's heart pounded out of her chest awaiting an answer. "Shot ricocheted! No damage!" She released a breath she held for longer than she can recall.

"Thank the spirits." The CO shared Reito's sigh of relief. "You bless us with your presence ma'am." She offered a shaken smile, trying to both comfort and suck up to the Empress.

"This is RBS Aso! Fire under control! We're back in the fight." More relief. "RBS Tokiwa, flooding under control!" A new flood of reports came in, successful damage control. Thank you for the emphasis on damage control, Mom. Reito offered a quick prayer of gratitude.

Nothing good lasts forever, "Enemy aircraft! Bearing 3-5-0!" The Kaki class Huk, RBS Niji reported. "Looks like, 10? 20? Fuck! It's a whole swarm!"

Just as Reito began to again spiral, another report flooded in. "This is Owl 14, mark 2 enemy gnats swatted! We could use some help up here, thought you mariners were world class gunners!" 5 of the 15 fighters had taken the lead and attacked a group of Galran aircraft that had flown way forward of their formation.

"All units!" Reito shouted, counting on the radio officer to relay her message. "Engage enemy aircraft with prejudice! Flak! Dual purpose! Triple A! Kill those monkey fucks!"

A flood of "Aye aye!"s preluded a cacophany of anti-aircraft fire. As the enemy came into range of the fleet's AAA tracers flew into the sky. Black puffs of smoke flashed as flak and DP fired into the horde of planes. Only the Kaki and Momi class Huks were retrofitted with dual purpose main guns, but every ship had some form of anti-aircaft weapons bolted on, 40mm flak, 25mm flak, 13mm AAA, 7.7mm machine guns pointed up. As they drew closer, more AA flew into the sky.

The naval fire kept up as well, though the owls were too busy to give aiming data to the ships, those with visual contact were able to engage with decent accuracy. As battleships crested the horizon, the formation broke into a standard line formation to engage the enemy with the full weight of each ship's broadside. The huks with DP main guns were focused on aircraft, those without fired upon the remaining enemy screen as they watched for ideal torpedo opportunities. not wanting to waste the vastly expensive and valuable weapon, they waited for the chance to engage capital ships with their torpedoes. Those that fired diligently steered the weapons around smaller ships to aim for cruisers, and battleships.

[Greywall]

Casualties

Galra: 40 carrier fighters, 25 carrier bombers, 14 escort destroyers, 5 battle cruisers, 10 torpedo destroyers
Kumo: 1 Sento Class Battleship, 7 Tone class ships, 5 Momi class ships, 1 Momi ship heavily damaged, 2 Kawakaze class ships disabled, Kii battleship hit but no heavy damage.

[Greywall]

As the Galran aircraft descended they were greeted by a hellstorm of AA fire shredding the closed group of planes apart. Their great numbers worked in attacking an enemy that was not alert to their approach, but it was a death sentence for the waiting Kumo fleet.

"Pull up! Break break break!" 

Scores of burning aircraft plummeted into the waters of Hawaii, but some did carry out their drops hitting Kumo ships and damaging them. 

"Command we have to break up out formation and try again, that AA fire is too much for us" 
"Heads up we got freaks in the sky!" 

Galran carrier fighters would dispatch two squadrons to deal with the Kumo fighters. A flying mob still flew over the engaging fleets as Hillingbee ordered his heavy fleet to fire to cover approaching torpedo destroyers to get in range, the destroyers closed in range a good 50 of them using heavy batteries to bog down Kumo. The submarine fleet remained behind slight south of the Galran fleet, waiting if the Kumo tried to pursue the heavy fleet as it slowly drifted North to get away from the wreckage of the sinking fleets. 

Hillingbee was starting to edge the long fight but he was losing ships, thousands of sailors, his advising officers had requested to withdraw to task force Charlie and regroup. He had inflicted a heavy blow to Kumosenkan, Pearl Harbor was left unusable and would allow him to ravage the Kumo territories with the larger Silk Sea task force. 


But there was Reito, she was right there, he could end the war and win it for Galra right here. Damn all other nations taking Kumosenkan out of the war would practically win it all. 


"I want three squadrons of bombers dedicated to sinking her flagship"

"Admiral, they won't break the AA"

"THEN BREAK WHATEVER IS IN FRONT OF IT I WANT THAT BITCH DEAD!" 


45 carrier bombers and 20 carrier fighters regrouped for another attack on the Kumo fleet, targeting ships that were on the outer edge of their formation to break toward the flagship. Fighters would fly ahead firing their .50 cal machine guns across the deck before pulling up and allowing the dive bombers to strike. 


It was his last chance, he knew the losses he was taking wouldn't go over well, the Galran Admiralty were already annoyed with him taking the bulk of the carrier fleet and losing that many aircraft meant waiting on Decatur to rebuild entire squadrons before being able to use them at full strength again. 


"But she's right here..."  

[Sophie]

Reito smiled ear to ear as the aircraft splashed into the water. Her screen was working exactly like the shipwrights thought it would. Filling the sky with lead and exploding shrapnel created an impassable wall aircraft could not pass. This kept the pressure off the big girls, allowing them to keep their weapons on target.

"Heavies! Keep your guns trained on their fat fucks! They're not randomizing their courses!" Reito called out after she noticed the pattern. "If we can take out their heavy ships the rest will be a mop up!"

"Escorts, retask! Focus your efforts on their screen! We can't keep taking torpedo strikes. They have no counter to our silk bound torpedoes. Slay them." Reito continued barking out orders through the radio.

Both groups followed orders directly. Battleships and battle cruisers slung their heavy broadsides at the big ships pounding them. Super heavy armor piercing shells from 15 to 18 inches in diameter, weighing from 1,000 pounds to over 2 tons, were slung at the enemy.

"Captain Tsuji," Reito began to order the acting commanding officer of Mikasa. "Track down their largest ship in their fleet. If that hillbilly is on it I want to send him a clear message. He fucked with the wrong people."

"Aye aye, Reito-kama!" She answered back quickly. "Our combat information control is already on it! I'll train our guns as soon as we find him."

---

A red light flashed from the bridge, and petty officer Rumi Aoyama didn't hesitate. "Fire torpedoes!" Four massive 3-ton weapons flew off the starboard side of the Asagiri, a Momi class Hunter Killer.

Eight women stood by and on controls just next to the massive torpedo mounts. Each torpedo has a line of silk thread that traced all the way back to a spool mount on the huk. This was the fundamental of the thread guided torpedo. Each torpedo was directly controlled by one of the eight women. The other four acted as spotters and guides for each weapon.

"Ten degrees left!" "Aye aye!" The woman yanked the control lever to the left, and the bubbling wake of the left most torpedo swung to the left. The deck was already deafeningly loud with the firing of the 5 inch batteries, anti-aircraft weapons, and women shouting to each other. These eight women had to listen and communicate carefully.

"Huk altered course! Adjust 5 degrees right!" The lever swung right. As did the weapon. The thread that rapidly unspooled wasn't just any silk. It was the controller's personal silk. Be it superstion or truth, it was believed among Kumo that each individual had a special connection to their own threads. This either made them believe, or really did give them more fine control of the ever distancing weapon.

"They're speeding up! Adjust 15 degrees left!" "15 left aye!" The weapon again swung left as the woman manipulated the controls. "Fuck! I lost the wire! She's on her own."

"She's on target! 10 seconds to impact!" Both women held their breath. 10. 9. 8. 7. 6. 5. 4. 3. 2. 1. 0. Nothing. "Damn it!" BOOM a massive plume of water shot up as a 1,000 kilogram explosive detonated against the hull of the huk. The massive explosion split the warship in two as the weapon penetrated all the way to the ship's magazine. Both ends of the ship shot up skyward as water filled the midships. In mere seconds the entire boat was below the waves. All hands lost.

---

RBS Mizuho, the Mzukarakana class aircraft carrier was, to the frustration of her commander, drastically under tasked. With only her fighters deployed there was little else for them to do. No aircraft had even reached the range of her anti-aircraft batteries. She was under the guard of the massive battleships who were under the guard of the escorts. Still the Rear Admiral waited on pins and needles for further tasking.

"Mizuho. Deploy torpedo bombers and follow retreating enemy aircraft back to their carriers. I want to know where they are and how many there are. Follow at safe distance. Stay at high altitudes. Do not attack unless an irresistible opportunity presents itself."

"Yes ma'am!"