First Battle of Berengaria

First Battle of Berengaria
Conflict:	Earth-Romulan War
Date:	November 8, 2155
Location:	Berengaria VII
Result:	Romulan victory
Belligerents
United Earth
Romulan Star Empire
Notable commanders
Captain Hutchinson † Captain Curtis †
Commander T'Voras
Strength
1 NX-class cruiser Discovery
1 T'Liss-class bird-of-prey ChR Dhivael 20 Nei'hrr-class attack fighters Ehrie Squadron Khoey Squadron
Casualties and losses
1 NX-class cruiser Discovery Entire crews of Starbase 1 and Vulcan research outpost
None

The First Battle of Berengaria was an engagement between the Romulan Star Empire and United Earth during the Earth-Romulan War.

History

Background

Berengaria VII was the home of a Vulcan science outpost and Earth Starfleet's newly established Starbase 1 still under construction. The Romulan bird-of-prey Dhivael and its compliment of attack fighters were dispatched to conquer the system and establish a beachhead in Coalition of Planets space.

The Battle

Two squadrons of Romulan sub-warp fighters avoided the system's warp detection grid and immediately wiped out both Starbase 1 and the Vulcan science outpost located on Berengaria VII. Following that destruction, the Earth starship Discovery entered the system to investigate the outposts automated distress call, but was ambushed by the Romulan fighters in an attempt to seize the Starfleet vessel. The Romulan ships then opened fire on the Discovery with nuclear weapons, blinding its sensors, and the followup attacks severely damaged the Starfleet vessel. The crew was forced to abandon ship to survive the subsequent warp core breach. Captain Curtis sacrificed his life to launch the log buoy and get out a distress call.

Aftermath

The defeat of Starfleet gave the Romulans a beachhead even closer to Earth than any planets held before. It also resulted in the destruction of one of Earth's few NX-class vessels, but the surviving crew members were evacuated. (ENT - The Romulan War novel: Beneath the Raptor's Wing)