Battle of Scarif

"They've no idea we're coming. They've no reason to expect us. If we can make it to the ground, we'll take the next chance, and the next, on and on until we win, or the chances are spent."

- Major Jyn Erso

The Battle of Scarif was the first major battle fought in 2384 in the Federation-Der'kal War between the United Federation of Planets and the Der'kal Empire.

Prelude
"I'm sorry, Jyn. Without the full support of the fleet, the odds are too great."

- Vice Admiral Kathryn Janeway to Major Jyn Erso that Starfleet Command will not support any direct confrontation with the Der'kal Empire

Jyn Erso, Captain Kira and Captain Cassian Andor participated in a meeting with Starfleet Command, where they told the gathered officers what they had learned about the the Der'kal threat, however, most were skeptical that such a threat existed and thought that it would be better to hide or surrender. Disheartened, Erso walked away from the meeting, only to find that Andor, Kira and many others were still willing to go with her and fight. Together, they undertook an unsanctioned mission to Scarif using the Der'kal cargo shuttle that had been stolen earlier, and headed to the planet.

Once there, Rook transmitted the shuttle's clearance codes, which got them through the planetary shield and onto the surface.

Sneak attack
"Make ten men feel like a hundred."

- Captain Cassian Jeron Andor, to the soldiers of Inferno Squad

Aided by the element of surprise, Jyn Erso and Cassian Andor sent teams to set up a distraction to allow them to infiltrate the Citadel Tower and find Der'kal fleet deployments, troop deployments and important information on their base locations for Starfleet. Erso and Andor, posing as Technician Kent Deezling and Lieutenant Colin Hakelia after knocking the two out and stealing their uniforms, proceeded to enter the security complex. The MACOs found a direct path to the data via the base's map. A MACO soldier found the path and warned them that three squads of stormtroopers stood in their way.

Andor then gave the marines and MACOs the order to detonate the explosives. The battle began with marines and MACOs setting off multiple explosives on the landing pads around the Scarif complex (shortly delayed by command center staff watching the explosions before Director Krennic ordered them to deploy the base garrison). This attracted many of the troopers at the base, providing Erso, Andor, and three MACO soldiers the distraction they needed to get further inside the Citadel and search for the data while the rest of squad and Captain Kira dealt with the complex garrison.

Sending reinforcements
"Intercepted Der'kal transmission, Captain. Starfleet forces on Scarif."

- Harry Kim to Chakotay on Federation forces starting the Battle of Scarif

After discovering the incursion, Supreme Leader Vur'naa ordered Captain Phasma to prepare the Der'kal fleet for battle and inform Admiral Krennic of the situation.

Lieutenant Harry Kim, soon intercepted a Der'kal signal indicating the Federation had engaged Der'kal forces on Scarif. Despite not receiving authorization to attack Scarif, Captain John Martin decided to divert his ship, with his fleet in tow, to the tropical planet. After being informed of the situation, Admiral Janeway requested she speak with Martin but was told he had returned to his ship in preparation for battle. Deciding to go through with the attack, the Federation fleet was scrambled and departed for the planet.

Attacking the shield gate
"This is Gold Leader, we're starting our attack run on the shield gate. Keep it tight and watch out for those towers!."

- Commander Kara Thrace, to the Federation fleet

Soon after, the rest of the Federation fleet arrived to support the initial assault squadron. Following the arrival of the Federation's fleet, Janeway ordered all squadron leaders to report in then assigned them duties; Red and Gold Squadrons were to defend the fleet, while Blue Squadron was ordered to get to the surface to reinforce those battling on the beaches. 12 F-302s, including Kara Thrace, and a single F-302 fighter-bomber made it through the opening before shield gate control ordered the gate closed. 6 other F-302s attempted to get through with the rest of their squadron but none of them made it; one was shot down, two were destroyed when they impacted the shield and the other four attempted to pull out but one was destroyed when it collided with the gate station. The remaining members of Blue Squadron in space, now consisting of 1 F-302 fighter-bomber and 3 F-302s, brought down the bridge shield generators of a Star Destroyer along with one TIE fighter as they helped the rest of the Federation fleet. After Blue Squadron had made it through, Red Squadron attempted a diversionary attack on the shield gate by using 10 F-302s to attack the defense turrets, losing a number of their ships in the process to enemy fire but inflicting severe damage to many of the disruptors. This tactic drew the attention of several defense turrets, creating an opening for Gold Squadron to begin their attack run on the shield gate. Using 10 of their F-302 fighter-bombers, Kara instructed her pilots to begin their initial bombardment, warning her pilots to use caution around the defense towers. Gold Squadron conducted several bombing runs on the shield gate, utilizing bombs in the process but losing 3 F-302 fighter-bombers as well. The battle intensified as the Der'kal forces launched TIE fighters in response from its Star Destroyers and the shield gate, which began to batter the Federation cruisers with disruptor fire and shooting down many fighters, including Red Five. After seeing that there was no progress on that front, Admiral Janeway ordered the fleet to engage the Star Destroyers.

Infiltrating the tower
"The important information are down there. Cassian, MACO soldiers and I will find them. We'll find a way to find them."

- Jyn Erso to the members of Inferno Squad

Once inside the base, Andor, MACO soldiers, and Jyn made their way to the data vault. After disabling the technician, one of the MACO soldiers began searching for the files as Andor and Erso entered the vault. After noticing the dead technician, a multitude of stormtroopers besieged the main archive room, while the MACO soldier managed to hold many of them off with a single phaser pistol. After withstanding heavy blaster fire, the MACO soldier located the data and marked the canister. He then locked Erso and Andor in the vault to allow them enough time to retrieve the data, and was subsequently killed fending off stormtroopers, taking down the archive room console in the process.

AT-ACT assault
As the rest of Inferno Squad held down the line, Major Money heard the sound of walkers headed their way. She yelled at Captain Kira, who then turned around and saw an AT-ACT headed their way. Now outmatched due to the presence of the walkers, the Federation forces were forced to fall back to the beach, with a number of them being cut down by fire from stormtroopers and the pursuing walkers. As the Federation forces reached a beach and dug in, Money fired a isomagnetic disintegrator at a pursuing AT-ACT, to no effect. However, right before it could obliterate their position the walker was fired on and destroyed by Blue Squadron's F-302s, which had arrived to provide support. Another walker was brought down by a F-302 fighter-bomber when its bombs disabled its legs and a third exploded when an F-302 fired on it with photon torpedoes.

Reinforcements
"For the Federation!."

- A marine's warcry

With Blue Squadron having made it through the shield gate, the Der'kal air defenses were scrambled in order to defend the Citadel Tower from the Starfleet incursion. F-302s engaged the numerous TIE strikers and TIE fighters stationed on Scarif, with both sides suffering substantial casualties. As the air battle raged on, Colonel Sarah Mackenzie ordered runabouts to reinforce the overwhelmed troops on the beach while the rest of the squadron defended of the squadron defended them from Der'kal fire. As the battle progressed, Director Krennic ordered the deployment of his death trooper guard squadron via Atmospheric Assault Landers. The transports were escorted by TIE fighters which proved too much for a F-302 pilot and resulted in his death. Inferno Squad continued to draw out the Der'kal garrison, allowing Jyn and Cassian the time they needed to recover the data.

Flipping the master switch
"There's a master switch at the base of the comm tower." "Master switch? Describe. What are we looking for?."

- Two MACO soldiers

Following this, Rook was tasked with opening the deflector shield so that the data could be transmitted to the Federation flagship above the planet. Bodhi directed two MACO soldiers to the master power switch for communications on Scarif. The two managed to turn off the signal disruptor, but perished doing so though not before killing the entire complement of Death troopers sent against them. Rook managed to contact the Federation flagship and told them they had to open the deflector shield to allow the data to be transmitted to them. Shortly after, a thermal imploder was thrown into his shuttle, killing him and destroying the shuttle. Having received Rook's transmission, Janeway formulated a plan to break open the shield.

Krennic closes in
Inside the Scarif Citadel Tower, Orson Krennic, along with two death troopers, opened a security door to the archive vault and began to shoot at Andor and Jyn. Andor managed to kill the two troopers, but was hit by Krennic, rendering him unconscious. Jyn continued her ascent to the escape hatch at the top of the vault and exited onto the roof of the Citadel Tower. On top of the base was the communications dish. After reorienting it, Jyn prepared to send the data to the Federation fleet when Krennic appeared. While Krennic confronted her, declaring the Empire's inevitable victory, Andor regained consciousness and made his way to the roof of the station. Right before Krennic was about to kill Jyn, Andor shot the director.

Taking down the shield
"Hit that opening!."

- Sharon Valerii

Far above, the Federation fleet was taking a significant beating. Although the Federation fleet scrambled its ships, endless waves of TIE fighters battered the Federation ships, destroying a cruiser and damaging one of the frigates, while the Jacob Carter's shielding was reduced to half strength. Kara gave an order for the squadron to form on her wing, informing them that a path had been cleared. Along with four of her squad mates, Kara launched multiple photon torpedoes at a Star Destroyer, disabling it. Noticing the disabled capital ship, Admiral Janeway contacted a starship and explained her plan to break open the shield.

Data received and 147th fleet arrives
The USS Intrepid (NCC-724656-A) and the 147th Tactical Fleet arrived at Scarif during the late battle. The ship she had chosen to carry out her plan was the USS McIlhatten (NCC-73582), temporarily under the command of Colonel John Sheppard. The ship had earlier sustained heavy damage and was covering the line of retreat. Having evacuated all non-essential personnel, leaving a skeleton crew behind including Sheppard himself, the ship used its tractor beam on the disabled Destroyer sending it on a collision course for the other one. An Admiral seeing the incoming hazard, ordered full reverse thrust to avoid the collision, but it was too late. As the two Star Destroyers collided, they broke apart and fell towards Scarif, crashing into the orbital docking station that controlled the deflector shield, disabling it. With the shield down, Jyn and Andor were able to successfully transmit the data to the Federation flagship above Scarif.

Once the Federation forces received the tactical data, they attempted to escape to warp. Three cruisers, two battle cruisers, one heavy cruiser and a number of fighters made the jump in time, but the others were intercepted by a Der'kal Star Destroyer as it suddenly emerged from hyperspace. Three F-302s, two F-302 fighter-bombers successfully took evasive action to avoid crashing into it, but a cruiser was obliterated as it crashed onto the Destroyer's hull when it couldn't pull away in time. The Star Destroyer immediately opened up its forward batteries, aiming for the Federation fleet, one unfortunate battle cruiser was caught in the barrage instead and split in half under the sheer brute firepower. One heavy battle cruiser was also destroyed by the Star Destroyer. A runabout from the Intrepid was sent to rescue Captain Kira, Cassian Jeron Andor, Jyn Erso and the rest of Inferno Squad.

The 147th fleet and the Home fleet attacked the Star Destroyer while the rest of the fleet scattered and jumped to warp. The rest of the Federation ships along with the 147th fleet, a runabout with Captain Kira and Inferno Squad aboard and Home fleet made the jump to warp, narrowly escaping, thus ending the Battle of Scarif.

Aftermath
The Battle of Scarif was the first major victory for the Federation and marked the official beginning of the Federation-Der'kal War.

The theft of the tactical data was a major embarrassment to the Empire, and though few believed that they would reveal any weakness in the Der'kal fleet.