Attack on the Federation fleet

During the war between the United Federation of Planets and the Der'kal Empire, the Der'kal Empire launched an attack on the Federation fleet.

Prelude
"They can't get away, Supreme Leader. We have them tied on the end of a string."

- General Armitage Hux, to Supreme Leader Vur'naa

Quickly after the Battle of Starkiller Base and its destruction the Der'kal Empire mounted an attack on the Federation base on D'Qar. The Der'kal Empire had learned of the location and had planned on destroying it with the weapon, however Starkiller Base was destroyed. The Federation managed to flee D'Qar before their base was bombed by the Mandator IV-class Siege Dreadnought Fulminatrix. Before this, however, Commander Poe Dameron destroyed the defense turrets on the top of the ship, leading to him ordering a bombing run that successfully destroyed the dreadnought, but at the cost of the Federation's entire bombing fleet. This caused Vice Admiral Amilyn Holdo to give Poe a formal reprimand in his service record after the Federation jumped to warp.

Immediately after the loss of the dreadnought, Supreme Leader Vur'naa contacted General Armitage Hux in anger about the loss. However, Hux assured Vur'naa that they had still cornered the Federation, and went to the Supreme Leader's Star Dreadnought Supremacy to reveal their ability to track the Federation fleet through warp. As the Supremacy-led fleet pursued the Federation through warp, Vur'naa met with his apprentice Kylo Ren, enraged at Ren's internal conflict and his loss to the scavenger Rey. After their meeting, Ren destroyed his battle helmet in rage and commanded his subordinates to prepare his fighter.

The chase begins
"They tracked us through warp.''" "How?." "''I don't know and they've done it."

- Poe Dameron and Typhuss

When the Federation jumped out of warp in the Oetchi system, they were immediately confronted by the Der'kal fleet. Caught completely off-guard, the USS Vigil was fired on and destroyed by the massive ship before it could either get out of range or raise its shields. Knowing that the Der'kal Empire would just pursue them if they went to warp again, the Federation strengthened their rear shields and piloted their fleet out of the Der'kal Empire's range as their fighter pilots prepared to go out and attack.

However, Ren and three other pilots took TIE fighters to take out the Federation's command ship Raddus. One of the fighters was quickly taken out, but Ren blew up the shuttlebay, destroying the Federation's fighters and two of the Special Forces TIEs, via Lieutenant Poldin LeHuse, blew up the bridge, killing all the Starfleet officers on it except for Holdo. However, LeHuse and the other two TIE/sf fighters were in turn shot down by the Satoand Hux commanded Ren to return to the Supremacy, since the Federation fleet was too far away for the Der'kal fleet to back up its fighters.

Vice Admiral Amilyn Holdo was placed in command of the Federation fleet. Dameron suggested that they come up with a strategy to attack the Der'kal fleet, but she was intent on maintaining their current course of action. However, after revealing her knowledge of the Supremacy's workings, Natalie and Pike got the idea to disable the Der'kal Empire's warp tracking capability. They told Dameron about this, and they contacted Kanata, a pirate, who was too busy to help them but knew a codebreaker who could get them into the Supremacy who resided on Canto Bight on the planet Cantonica. Natalie and Pike took a Federation shuttlecraft to find the codebreaker.

Rey decided to come to the Supremacy to see Ren, believing she could convert him to the good side.

The remaining Federation ships continued to outrun the larger Der'kal vessels, their speed and strong shields able to keep them just out of range enough for the Supremacy's disruptors to be ineffective. However, their power reserves were dangerously low and one by one the other ships ran out of power and were immediately destroyed once they had drifted into range of the enemy. The USS Archer (NCC-42769), which was also their medical frigate, was the first to run dry and was shortly followed by the light cruiser starship USS Ninka (NCC-41768), though both their crews successfully managed to evacuate their doomed ships before their destruction. Vice Admiral Holdo revealed her plan to evacuate the Federation on small Puddle Jumpers. Believing the action to be too risky and foolish, Dameron and Typhuss incited a mutiny and had the leadership held at gunpoint by at least three Starfleet officers as he went to contact Natalie and Pike. The two had found a codebreaker named DJ who successfully got them onto the Supremacy.

Duel on the Supremacy
"You underestimate Kira&hellip;and Ren&hellip;and me. It will be your downfall."

- Rey, to Supreme Leader Vur'naa

Meanwhile, Rey arrived at the Supremacy, but Ren had her arrested. She was taken to Vur'naa, who tortured her to discover Kira's location before ordering Ren to kill her. However, Ren instead attacked Vur'naa and tried to kill him. Vur'naa's Elite Praetorian Guard sprang into action to protect the Supreme Leader, but were all killed by the two. Ren then offered Rey the chance to rule the galaxy with him. Rey refused, and the two battled and knocked Ren out. Rey escaped on Vur'naa's escape ship.

Aboard the Raddus, Holdo fought back against Dameron's mutiny as she and her allies stunned his allies. Meanwhile, Natalie, Pike, DJ, and BB-8 infiltrated the Supremacy and got into the room where they could disable the tracker. However, BB-9E had found the group out earlier, calling in reinforcements, causing them to be confronted by Captain Phasma and her troops. As Dameron heard about the capture, Vice Admiral Cain broke into the room he locked himself in and stunned him and Typhuss, returning them to Holdo as the Federation forces prepared to evacuate the Raddus. However, Chavdri stayed aboard to confront the Der'kal Empire in an act of self-sacrifice, and when Dameron and Typhuss came to, Holdo revealed that they were nearing an old Der'kal base on the planet Crait and that Chavdri knew the Der'kal Empire would be less likely to spot their smaller escape ships. However, after being caught by Phasma's troops, DJ told the Der'kal Empire this plan, which he had overheard Natalie and Pike mention, in exchange for money. The Supremacy shot at the unprotected escape vessels with disruptor cannons, destroying all but six of them. They saw that the Raddus was preparing to jump to warp, but believed the ship was deserting the Federation. Once he realized the ship was turning towards the Supremacy, a frantic Hux ordered to fire all cannons on the Raddus, but too late. Chavdri then jumped into warp, shearing the massive ship in half and completely destroying twenty other Star Destroyers on escort duty or being repaired on one of the lower hangars.

Final actions
On the Supremacy, Natalie and Pike were about to be executed when the sudden destruction of the ship sent everyone into chaos. The duo freed themselves and attempted to make for a nearby shuttle, only for Phasma and her stormtroopers to emerge from the flames and begin firing on them. Suddenly, an Der'kal AT-ST started firing on the latter, revealed to be piloted by BB-8. In the chaos, Natalie engaged Phasma with a Z6 riot control baton, and was initially overpowered, but managed to hit Phasma with a surprise attack before she fell into a fiery pit, killing her. They then hijacked a shuttle and escaped, heading toward the Federation on Crait.

Aftermath
"Get all our forces down to that Federation base. Let's finish this."

- Supreme Leader Vur'naa, to General Armitage Hux

Hux eventually made his way to Vur'naa's throne room, and discovered Ren unconscious and Vur'naa unconscious as well. Hux initially considered taking the opportunity to shoot Ren, although Ren regaining consciousness forced him to put away his concealed blaster and abandon that plan. Ren then lied by claiming Rey tried to kill Vur'naa and at that very moment Vur'naa regained consciousness as Ren ordered him to move the men to Crait, to crush the Federation once and for all. Hux protested, stating than Ren had no rights to command him or his men but Kylo proceeded to implement a choke on Hux in return, causing the latter to ultimately acknowledge Ren's command of his troops. Supreme Leader Vur'naa then commanded the Der'kal Empire's remaining forces onto Crait, where the assault would resume on land.