Orson Krennic could not believe it. How could he have been so blind? Right under his eyes, the rebels had stolen the plans for the Death Star.
The director was impatient. Why was the turbolift taking so long? He had to reach the platform with the transmitter as quickly as possible, before the rebels could transmit the plans to the rebel fleet in Scarif’s orbit. He was not sure how long the planetary shield would prevent the transmissions.

Krennic remembered how he had once lured Galen Erso into the weapons research program. And now everything was at stake, his reputation, his career and perhaps even his life. The Emperor and his henchman Darth Vader were not exactly known for their patience with subordinates who failed them.
At last he reached the transmitter platform. The turbolift door opened and he stepped out into the hot, humid air, blaster in hand.
“Who are you?!” He asked when he saw a young woman on the platform.
“You know, who I am. I’m Jyn Erso. Daughter of Galen and Lyra. You’ve lost.” The young woman answered him with a hateful look.

Krennic had faint memories of a child. A child whose name he could not even remember when he was still a friend of the Erso family. He had always referred to her as “the child”. Now this child was a woman and his enemy.
While the battle raged around them, she told him about a weakness in the Death Star that her father had created to take revenge on him and the Empire. She claimed that she had just sent the plans so that the rebels could destroy the weapon.
Krennic told her that the shield was still active and that there was no way to send the transmission.
“You, on the other hand, will die with the Rebellion!” He finally shouted at her.
But before he could pull the trigger, a blaster bolt hit him in the back and he fell to the ground.

When he regained consciousness, he saw the Death Star rising on the horizon. The weapon he had helped to develop and refine. Krennic knew very well why the Death Star was here. In his mind’s eye, he saw Tarkin giving the order to fire when ready. Governor Tarkin, his main rival for the Emperor’s favor. He imagined the faint smile as Tarkin gave the order. The governor knew only too well that he was here. It was a fortunate opportunity for Tarkin to end their competition once and for all.

Krennic pushed these thoughts aside. He wanted to believe that he would die for the greater good. He would be a hero of the Empire. Orson Krennic closed his eyes.
Then the Death Star beam hit the transmitter platform.