Chapter 3

December 8th, 2042

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January 1st, 2043Pacific Ocean, San Fransisco Gate

War is declared.

The attack on the United States of America and speech given by President Matthew Woods rallied up the people with a cry for blood in revenge for the lives that were taken from the attack.

In response, the entire Manhattan area of New York was temporarily closed off from public access until it could be guaranteed safe. Meanwhile the San Fransisco Bay continued usual operations but with increased naval presence.

Both , as the commanders the Americans had captured called them, were under heavy surveillance and guard with the one in Times Square having an entire concrete and steel bunker built around it, and the one at sea having an entire MOB assembled around it with multiple weapon systems all pointed at the entryway incase anything decided to poke it's head out.

Meanwhile the news had reached both the United States' allies and enemies with mixed reactions.

In response to the attacks, the United States had issued two forces to proceed through both gates. Taking the one in Manhattan would be a joint operation between the Army, Marine Corps, and later the Air Force. Meanwhile a joint operation between the Navy and Marine Corps would take the gate at sea.

For the Manhattan gate, lines of armored vehicles had been assembled from the M5A2 Schwarzkopf, M1A5 Abrams, LAV-35, M1299 SPHs, JLTV, MRAP, M4A3 Bliss, M280 MLRS, and M150 HIMARS.

For the San Francisco Gate, the United States issued several Constellation class guided-missile frigates, Laffey class guided-missile destroyers, Sumter class guided-missile cruisers, two America class amphibious assault ships, three San Antonio class amphibious transport docks, Gerald R. Ford class nuclear powered aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN-80), Michael M. Gilday class nuclear powered aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN-102), and Montana class railgun battleship USS Florida (BBR-72).

The US and Germany were the only two nations currently using operational modern battleships. The only difference being the Germans had only one using ETC guns, and the Americans had three using railguns with another underway in the shipyard construction site. The United States however had it's fleet of four Iowa battleships inactive but ready to be brought back and reactivated if needed. They all had undergone a new upgrade between the years 2029 and 2036 with the installation of improved CIC and sensors for increased systems performance and Mark 8 16in ETC guns for increased firepower.

It was then that zero hour had arrived for Operation Leviathan.

"Vice Admiral Graves, the SFGC has given us the green light to proceed with the operation."

"Understood. Radio message to destroyers one and two. They're clear to push through." The commanding officer in charge of all naval assets partaking in Operation Leviathan was Vice Admiral Joseph Graves aboard the USS George Washington as his flagship. Meanwhile leading the marines was Lieutenant General Marcus Briggs.

The first two destroyers engaged engines to ahead slow as they ventured into the gate where their new found foes emerged from. After the battle had taken place the CIA and other intelligence groups belonging to the United States of America had conducted several with the captured commanders and men who arrived from the gate. Most weren't compliant, but some had proven useful and even allowed the US to identify and translate what language both sides were speaking. For the it was Latin and for the it was Mandarin.

"Admiral, report coming from destroyer USS Carpenter. Enemy fleet spotted at three-zero-zero, two nautical miles out. Ship profiles resemble those that attacked San Fransisco."

"Understood. Send reply. Hold fire and await for the remainder of the fleet of arrive. If hostiles approach and break past one they're free to engage."

The next ships to depart through were the USS Florida and several Sumter class guided-missile cruisers as they took positions behind and in front of the mighty battleship. Then came the USS Enterprise along with the two America class amphibious assault ships and Laffey class guided-missile destroyers. Then came the San Antonio class amphibious transport dock with the fleet of Constellation class guided-missile frigates, followed lastly by the USS George Washington as she sailed into the gate with the rest of the fleet.

Upon passing through the inside, the entire atmosphere became pitch black with the only light coming from the sailing ships as it was absorbed and reflected like a mirror. It was almost as if they traveling through a black hole, but without the negative effects and issues on gravity, time, and space.

After traveling for over a minute at seven knots, the massive carrier finally was starting to reach the end of the trip as it began coming in contact with foreign light. The path ahead shined so bright that the bridge crew and admiral were forced to shield their eyes from the sudden intensity.

Then they emerged. The massive two thousand foot long aircraft carrier emerged and entered into an entirely new realm. The surrounding environment was similar in nature to earth like conditions. Breathable atmosphere, salt water ocean, white clouds, blue sky, and what looked like mountains peeking over the horizon to the northeast, based on what the compass was saying. Emerging through they came out of a similar structure to the one that appeared of the coast of California and identified several chains of small islands spread out a good distance. A little to the north west was the enemy fleet.