Legends

Chapter 31~ Operation Pegasus

Admiral Carroway was pleased with the turnout his call had offered. Constitution had been thorough in her efforts to round up the residence and the briefing room was packed to the gills. Besides the usual liner compliment, there were also the cruisers Atlanta and Portland. The two destroyer divisions composing of Neunzer, Samuel F. Davis, and Chatelin along with the Canadians, Champlaign and St. John. Bluenose and Theabaud, the latter fresh out of the docks, were side by side. Akron and Makon were alternating between doodling on each other's notebooks and messing with Hindenburg's hair respectively. The larger airship did not seem to care much. The submarines were, of course, not seen but Carroway knew they were in the room judging by the items being stolen off various desks and Olympia glaring seemingly into nothing. Only she could tell where Becuna was at all times, somehow. And rounding out the group were the battleships South Dakota and Indiana, freshly summoned by Admiral Briggs down in Norfolk and on loan for this operation.

Everyone quieted when Carroway walked to the front of the room and began his briefing. "Our worst fears have been realized. The Abyssals are making their move against Europe. Two fleets, one under the command of the Northern Atlantic Princess is heading for the North Sea. While the Lone Princess. (Titanic clenched her fists at that) is heading for the Channel. Estimates put them off the coast of France in less than a day." There were whispers as everyone realized how bad the situation was about to be. One Abyssal fleet was hard enough to combat but two? "Your job is to provide support to the French wherever they need it. The Abyssals won't be expecting our arrival so we can attack their rear while they're preoccupied."

"What about the British?" Hindenburg asked. "Can't they help?"

"Their Home Island Defense Fleet is composed mainly of older generation cruisers and destroyers. They have a few battleships but no effective means as to screen them. The rest of their forces are spread between the Mediterranean and the Pacific." Carroway replied.

"Great, this is going to be a bloodbath." Hindenburg muttered as she scribbled.

"Assignments are as follows: KanDesRon 1 along with KanCruisDiv 2 will be assigned to Indiana. KanDesRon 2 with the Airship Corps will be assigned to South Dakota. Lafayette will be attached to you for air support until you reach the midway point where Ark Royal will take over. South Dakota has command of the crossing. Upon reaching France you will hand over command to the Franco-British commander."

"Understood sir." The battleship growled, her steely gray eyes already narrowed as she mentally prepared herself for the coming fight.

"Code name for this is Operation Pegasus." Carroway continued. "I won't mince words about this girls, Hindenburg is right this will be a bloodbath. But our allies will fall without our help. You have 2 hours to get your gear in order. Dismissed!"

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Titanic stood with her lover at the edge of the dock. Normandie had her gear on and ready. Titanic was due to make her own crossing to Greenock Scotland but the task force would be setting a speed too fast for her and so she'd depart New York a day after them. "Be careful." She asked.

"I'll see you on the way back." Normandie promised, giving her a kiss on both cheeks.

Titanic watched them disappear over the horizon. She had been a kanmusu for so long, she had learned never to ignore her instincts. And they were telling her that something about this felt wrong. She knew, Normandie aside as thankfully she wasn't going all the way across, that some of the girls now departing were not coming back. But there was something else Titanic felt was missing and whatever it was filled her with dread.

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Dunquerke uttered a not so choice curse at the sight now appearing on the horizon. Over two dozen Abyssal battleships and battlecruisers along with countless other smaller vessels. The carriers and command vessels wisely stayed out of sight but carrier aircraft buzzed over their vanguard and headed towards shore and the base. The French battleship now knew what the Japanese must have felt at Okinawa and Tarawa when they saw the massive force anchored just offshore. The words of one Japanese commander came to her. "The Gods of Death have come." She whispered.

Elizabeth was standing next to her, a similar expression on her face. She didn't even wince when Dunquerke's fingers dug into her shoulder harder than most people could tolerate. The British ensign swallowed hard, pushing a red lock out of her face as her green eyes swam with tears. "May the stars have mercy on us." She whispered. For they both knew for a fact that the Abyssals would have none.