“That possibility was suggested, though it is only a hundred miles or so from that port to Rutaka or Otomari on Karafuto. It is more than twice that distance from Sapporo, but all in waters we have controlled for decades. The threat, however, may be real, and you have already told me of this Siberian ship you believe is from the same time you claim to come from. While I still find all of this too fantastic to contemplate, I have accepted the reality of your presence here, and already seen the damage that can be inflicted by these new rocket weapons you possess. Therefore, I want you to provide fleet area defense for the main reinforcement operation for Karafuto.”
“You believe this Russian ship will attempt to intervene?”
“That will have to remain a strong possibility. The enemy knows what he is about, and also knows the countermeasures we must take if we are to foil him. He knows we must move troops by sea, and it is therefore logical to expect he will take this into consideration. You have told me the man who now leads the Free Siberian State is not a man of our time, and that his ship is the most powerful vessel in the world. Our own sailors now speak of it in hushed whispers. They call it Mizuchi, a sea demon from the old lore. This ship must be opposed, and if your vessel is capable of the task, then that is now your assignment. You will sail tonight with three heavy cruisers led by our most able Admiral Kurita. I have briefed him on this mission, and appointed him overall commander of the Northern Fleet that will now be assembled for this operation. Any questions?”
Harada noted that Yamamoto never asked them whether they wished to take on this assignment, or even if Takami was indeed capable of performing the task he had in mind. Those were questions that were still playing in the Captain’s own mind, but Fukada spoke first.
“Then you will go south to face the Americans alone? Shouldn’t we make certain they are defeated in the south before we turn to the north?”
Yamamoto smiled, dismissing the effrontery of this young officer, for he already was well aware of his mind on this war. Few officers would have dared to question what was such an obvious order, and without so much as a ‘with all due respect, sir.’ This man is headstrong, he thought, but he is also a fighter.
“It will not be possible to throw a stone in two directions at once,” he said quietly. “So I take the Kido Butai in my hand now to face the Americans as I might have in the history books in your ship’s library. Only this time we will not fight over a meaningless speck in the center of the Pacific like Midway. This time we will fight to secure and preserve our landing on Fiji, and to continue with Operation FS as it was envisioned. As soon as we withdrew to replenish, the American fleet moved in and gave our troops down there a good pounding. The small air squadron we posted at Nandi was simply not capable of opposing their naval air power. Only the Kido Butai can do that. Now I will go and see if they still wish to do battle at sea. Zuikaku has completed minor repairs, and it will join Akagi and Soryu, along with the light carriers Zuiho and Shoho. I have asked the Army for additional troops, and they were forthcoming. They have, in turn, asked me for something.”
“Naval support in the north,” said Harada.
“Correct. You cautioned me earlier concerning the capabilities of this Siberian ship. Now you will see to the matter, though you will not sail alone. The carrier Tosa is on permanent station in the north, and it is moving to Yokohama tonight. Kaga has also completed its refit, and those two ships will be designated Carrier Division 2. Admiral Kurita will add a cruiser division to that force, which will also include two of our newest fast battleships, and additional destroyers in support. I want your ship to sail with the covering force, protect it, defend the troop convoy, and ensure a safe landing on Karafuto. After that, further offensive operations will likely be necessary.”
This time it was Harada who heard more in that than there seemed at first blush. “Additional offensive operations?”
“The enemy is operating from Magadan in the far north. The currents there leave an ice free channel leading to that port. It must be neutralized to stem the flow of supplied and troops to the forces they have landed on Kira Karafuto. Beyond that, there is the matter of lower Kanzantochi. An operation will eventually be planned to retake the port that was lost earlier this year. For the moment, the reinforcement of Karafuto will suffice—and the matter of this Siberian ship.”
Now the Admiral was quiet for a moment looking the men over, taking their measure. “Do you have any reservations concerning these orders?”
Harada shook his head. “No sir. The Russians were no friend to Japan, even in 2021. In fact, our Navy routinely drilled to oppose them in the Sea of Japan. We were at war with them when our ship was recalled north to home waters. Unfortunately, we did not make it home, but here we are, and here we also find a Russian ship from our time making war on Japan. So I can say, without reservation, that my ship and crew will do everything possible to neutralize this ship.”
“That is good to hear, but now I have one last question. Can you stop this ship?” That was the real point of this discussion, finally asked directly, and Harada noted there was just the hint of uncertainty in Yamamoto’s voice.
“Mister Fukada?” The Captain was going to let his XO speak to their chances.
“Sir, our missiles are fully capable of intercepting and shooting down the weapons this ship can employ. That said, our ship is configured more for fleet defense than it is for offense. We have only eight missiles that were designed for use as anti-ship weapons. The rest were largely designed to defeat enemy aircraft and incoming missiles. To answer you directly—yes, I believe we can successfully defend the fleet, though our chances of inflicting real harm on the enemy are not as good.”
“Explain,” said Yamamoto, arms folded, and very curious as to how two ships with these new weapons might fight one another.
“Sir, in our day the element of first contact is very important, even as it is now. In this, we may have a slight edge on the enemy radars. They are good, but I believe our equipment is superior. Once detected, missile salvoes are fired in a relatively large group to maximize the chances of obtaining a critical hit. Any hit, in fact, will do great harm to the enemy, or to our own ship should we fail to stop each and every incoming missile.”
“Interesting,” said Yamamoto. “Then you cannot sustain hits and still continue fighting, as this ship might easily do?”
“That will depend on what we were hit with, but these missiles are very deadly. I believe you already know that from the damage inflicted on Hiryu. Our ship would fare no better if struck by a missile.”
“I see… Thus in many ways, Takami might be thought of as an aircraft carrier, but one with a very small squadron of offensive strike planes, and a large number of fighters. Am I correct?”
“The analogy is good,” said Fukada.
“Yet you will have the element of surprise this time.”
“Possibly,” said Fukada, hedging his bet. “The enemy will not expect our presence here, but they still have the capability of detecting our electronics. Their ship has the ability to detect and analyze electronic emissions, and even relate them to existing ship types that might utilize such equipment.”
“So you are saying they might hear your ship, if that analogy is correct, and then determine who and what you are by simply listening?”
“Correct sir, but they will first have to believe what their ears are telling them. In that interval, between their interception of a signal, and their conclusion about it, lies our chance for surprise.”