The waves pped gently against the hulls of the ships as Hammann, Northampton, Helena, and Pennsylvania maintained a tight defensive formation around Hornet. The air was tense but purposeful, each ship scanning the horizon for potential threats as they sailed under the open sky.

  Hornet herself was an impressive sight. Her fully deployed flight deck was bustling with activity, a swarm of crew members preparing the B-25 Mitchell bombers that lined up neatly along her deck.

  “Remember, girls, we need to get just outside Pearl, where we’ll meet with a detachment from Hawaii before some of you break off to base,” Hornet called out, her voice cutting through the ambient noise of the sea and engines. “Enterprise and I will continue on toward mainnd Japan with a few new escorts!”

  “All clear, Hornet!” came a reply from Long Isnd, her voice carrying a slight hint of breathlessness as she worked to maintain her position behind the formation. Despite being the slowest ship among them, she pyed an indispensable role, providing consistent air cover and performing anti-submarine patrols.

  Hornet gnced back at Long Isnd, offering her a reassuring nod. “Good work. Keep those eyes peeled—we can’t afford any surprises out here.”

  “Don’t worry about me, Hornet!” Long Isnd replied with a small wave, her pnes circling overhead like watchful hawks. “I’ve got the skies and the depths covered.”

  Helena’s radar gave a soft ping, and she gnced at the dispy before speaking. “Radar’s clear so far. No surface or subsurface contacts in range.”

  “That’s how we like it,” Pennsylvania added, her stern voice ced with authority. “But don’t let your guard down. The Sirens don’t py fair, and we all know it.”

  Hammann, as feisty as ever, scowled from her position. “Let them try something! I’ll send them packing so fast they won’t know what hit them!” Her ears flicked in sync with her enthusiasm, but her grip on her rigging showed her readiness for anything.

  “I heard your sister and a new battleship pulled off a rather amazing counter attack at pearl.” Pennsylvania asks

  “Yeah, Enterprise is a bit intense but she is a champion after all. Big E afterall stands for efficiency.” Hornet replies lightly joking.“Contact!” Helen shouts suddenly pulling out of the girls out of idle talk. “bearing at 67.5 Degrees East North East, 86 miles out.”

  “From the East? Long Isnd can you divert a spotter, its probably a rain squall but its best to check it out. We are trying to be sneaky afterall.” Hornet directs.

  Long Isnd offered a sharp nod, her expression turning serious. “Got it, Hornet. Diverting a spotter now.” She raised a hand, signaling one of her pnes to break formation and head toward the reported direction. The nimble F4F banked gracefully out of its holding pattern a wingman following it, disappearing into the clouds as it made its way east-northeast.

  Helena, fixed her gaze into the distance, and narrowed her eyes. “Still just one contact, but it’s holding steady. No additional pings bumps but its rather big. Could be a lone ship a swarm of pnes, but Hornet is right, It’s from the east a rain squall makes the most sense… Something feels off” She trailed off, her unease palpable.

  Pennsylvania stepped closer, her towering presence exuding authority. “Rain squall or not, we’re not taking chances. Helmets on, weapons hot. If it’s something, we’ll be ready.”

  Hornet stayed calm, her gaze focused on the direction of the contact. “Good thinking, Pennsylvania. Everyone stays on alert, but no sudden moves until we know what we’re dealing with. Long Isnd, keep me updated the moment your spotter has eyes on the target.”

  “On it!” Long Isnd replied, her voice tinged with determination. She adjusted her weight on her rigging, significantly more awake and alert than she had been a moment ago. “Shouldn’t take long for the scout to report back.”

  The tension grew as the minutes ticked by, each second stretching into what felt like an eternity. The fleet maintained its course, though the idle chatter from earlier had been repced by the low hum of engines and the faint sound of waves breaking against their hulls.

  Finally, Long Isnd’s voice broke the silence. “Hornet, my spotter’s picked up something. It’s... not a rain squall. Looks like and I quote “Two Giant Meatballs and a Iron blood?”

  “Well Fuck!” Hornet's shout cut through the tense air like a whip, her voice firm and unyielding. "General quarters! Helmets on, weapons hot! Helena, break radio silence and get a message out—any avaible reinforcements in range. We need backup, now!"

  Helena didn’t waste a second. Her fingers moved deftly over her rigging’s controls, her eyes narrowing as she tuned to the secure Eagle Union frequency. “This is Helena. Hostile contacts confirmed: two Sakura Empire heavy carriers and one Iron Blood battleship—Bismarck. Requesting immediate reinforcements. Coordinates are as follows…” Her voice was steady, but the underlying tension was clear.

  The bring arms sent the fleet into action. Each ship girl moved with precision, their training and instincts kicking in. Pennsylvania took her position at the front of the formation, her cannons adjusting to face the direction of the approaching threat.

  "Long Isnd," Hornet barked, "keep those spotters in the air. I need updates every minute. Helena, any new contacts?"

  "Negative," Helena replied, her radar glowing faintly. "Still just the three. They’re maintaining their heading toward us, closing fast. Estimated time to engagement at current heading.: two maybe three hours.”

  “Alright Girls adjust heading 255 degrees West South West, Long Isnd go Fnk and get ahead of the formation, Pennsylvania I need you to slow down and bring up the rear with North Hampton.” Hornet announces.

  “Aye!” call out all girls present.

  ========Georgia sat cross-legged on the bow of her massive hull, her expression calm but focused as the rhythmic cnging of repairs echoed around her. Sparks flew as welders worked diligently to mend the scars from her battle with that eldrich entity. She had been sidelined, for now, but the radio chatter a call for help caught her attention.

  The call was clear: Hornet’s fleet had encountered hostiles. Georgia’s lips tightened into a frown, hornet was probably carrying the dolittle raiding party so she was sidelined. “Trouble, huh?” she muttered to herself.

  With unnatural precision, she reached her arm out as took of control her ship, a sleek, modern interface that bristled with advanced sensors and controls. A few deft movements, and the catapult at the rear of her hull adjusted.

  “Alright, girl,” she said softly, her fingers tapping the air she looked at the MQ-4C Triton sitting on the catapult. It was one of her prized assets—state-of-the-art, long-range, and incredibly versatile. “You’ve got eyes on the situation now. Make it count, and don’t you dare come back with a scratch.”

  With a sharp clunk, the catapult engaged, unching the drone into the sky. Georgia watched as its silhouette grew smaller, climbing higher into the clouds before vanishing from sight.

  The real-time feed flickered to life on her console, the drone’s advanced optics and sensors already scanning the area ahead. Georgia leaned forward, her gaze locked on the screen.

  She tapped into the secure Eagle Union frequency, her voice steady as she keyed in. “This is Georgia. I’ve deployed asset to assist in recon. I’ll rey data to Helena’s fleet. An Enterprie’s fleet, sit tight girls. Help’s on the way.”

  ======As Enterprise and Clevend picked up speed, their wake churning white foam across the ocean, a burst of static crackled over the Eagle Union frequency.

  “Enterprise! Clevend! Wait up!” a familiar, energetic voice called out.

  Enterprise gnced over her shoulder just as two smaller figures came racing into view, their rigging cutting through the waves with surprising agility.

  “Laffey? Javelin?” Enterprise called out, a hint of surprise in her usually calm tone.

  Laffey gave a zy wave, her expression perpetually drowsy but her determination unmistakable. “Laffey heard Hornet’s in trouble... Can’t let you two face the enemies alone.”

  “That’s right I say we got quite the team.” Javelin responds when suddenly the 4 girls receive, radio communications giving them their own location and heading respective to one another.

  “Well this could be useful once we close in.” Enterprise mutters with a smile