Ilum was a snow-covered planet far beyond the centermost section of the galaxy in the Unknown Regions. It was once utilized by the Jedi Order. Young Jedi would harvest the abundance of kyber crystals the planet naturally produced in order to power their custom-built lightsabers as a sort of rite of passage. However, since the Jedi had been eradicated at the birth of the Empire, Ilum was eventually occupied by Imperial forces. They, too, harvested the crystals to power the first and second Death Stars. The First Order had retained its control over the planet after the fall of the Empire.

Then it became the home of an enormous facility; several blocks of metallic grey, with some marks of red and black, consolidated into a fortress. Laser cannons were planted at the base as well as a few gun towers positioned different at points of the perimeter.

It was the middle of the day. A swarm of TIE fighters and shuttles came to and from the station. Undoubtedly they were under missions to further increase the First Order's reach and harden their iron grip on the galaxy, restoring what they had lost after the fall of their predecessor.

Somewhere inside the massive facility, Lord Vesh was keenly observing something below her through a large wall-window of a long black hallway, her hands clasped behind her back. From behind her this is shown to be an enormous training room where a series of one-on-one combat sessions were currently underway, scattered and spaced across the room. Six of these one-on-ones consisted of a stormtrooper against a masked bandit-looking warrior.

These bandit warriors were the Knights of Ren. Like their master they were garbed entirely in black; cloaks over lightweight armor, masks covering their faces with some of them embedded with silver inlays. The melee weapons they bore were more crude than the wavering red blade of their leader. Each of them wielded a different vibro-weapon; a blade, a machete, an ax, a cleaver sword, a war club, and a short-bladed scythe. There were also knives, blasters, and/or other small weapons attached to their hips or around their torsos. One such blaster was large and rested across the owner's back. Their attire, enhanced by their unique masks, gave each of them an intimidating appearance.

Some of the stormtroopers wielded riot batons; holding either a baton in one hand and a small shield in the other, or one baton in each. A few of them held a quarterstaff. Both the staffs and batons bore light-blue electrical currents on the ends of them. These could blow back and knock the foe unconscious when hit by them. One such riot baton was larger than the others and consisted of a central shaft with two conductor vanes on one end with the same electrical current. On the other end was the grip with a magnetic grip perpendicular to it. This grip allowed the troopers to spin the baton in combat.

A couple of the stormtroopers toppled to the floor over and over again by the Knight they faced while others managed to remain toe-to-toe with theirs. Each of the Knights seemed to have their preferred style of fighting, likely owed, in part, to their weapon of choice. The batons and staffs had no issue resisting the vibro-weapons as they clashed. The Knights and troopers danced back and forth, clashing weapons, dipping and dodging and rolling, even throwing a few kicks and punches for good measure. Shouts from the Knights are uttered here and there, their voices distorted like their master's.

"Up! Again!"

"Faster!"

"Move your feet, move your feet!"

Vesh looked on, not necessarily displeased yet not quite pleased, either, with the performances of the troopers. She was confident, however, in their ability to improve, as some of them were clearly showing. Having seen enough, she rotated on her heel and walked down the remainder of the hallway, her cape flowing behind her. It was time she met up with the rest of the members of the council, the meeting surely already in session.

In a simple grey office around a black table sat several human men and women dressed in their officer attire. Almost every wall of the room was one giant window, revealing a rather magnificent view of the planet from high up in the facility. Most of the officers were in black, some grey, and couple were in teal.

"As of now, all the systems in the Colonies and the Inner Rim have now returned under our control," said an officer in black; a young man with fair skin and ginger hair sleeked over to one side. "New governors have been reestablished and designated to their own territories within the regions. In addition, the newly-appointed governor of the Expansion Region has just received word from Umbara that they have willingly returned into our fold."

"Oh Umbara would undoubtedly have been a done deal, Governor Hux," said another officer in black, this one a woman a little older than Hux, short black hair with high cheekbones. "They were sure to fall in line with us as Mon Cala did with the help of the Quarren. We must instead shift our focus on the more unruly planets in the galaxy whose inhabitants seem firmly fixed to deny any sort of negotiations. Planets like that of Kashyyyk-"

"I have a plan set for the Wookie home-world," Vesh's voice confidently said as she entered the room. She strolled past the council members and took her seat at the head of the table next to Governor Hux. "Seizing them should cause you no anxiety."

The officer acknowledged her with a nod. "Very well, my lord."

"What we should all really be concerning ourselves with," chimed in a male teal-clad officer with ebony skin, "is the location of that map. So long as Skywalker remains alive, he is our greatest threat to the Order."

"The map will soon be in our possession. I have sent Kylo Ren with a squad of troopers to retrieve it as we speak."

But the officer shook his head a bit. "Hm...forgive me, my lord, but I still cannot place my faith in him. He's too hot-headed."

Hux then stepped in. "Ren can indeed be...irate, yes, but he yields results."

Yet the frown stayed on the teal officer's face. "It will be his undoing at this rate."

"You need not worry about Kylo Ren, General," Vesh said firmly. "I have him under control."

The officer simply nodded, concluding this discussion.

"On a separate note," Vesh continued, "I'm pleased to inform that my Project Vizsla has been proceeding thus far with no complications. Furthermore, I deem it is ready to succeed to the next step: testing the weapons I have ordered to be developed with our soldiers."

A new officer, one in a grey uniform with a rather pudgy face and brown hair, decided to interject by clearing their throat. "If I may, Lord Vesh..."

Vesh gave an approving nod. "Go on, Admiral."

"Well I still don't quite understand why we've been pooling a large sum of our valuable resources into this...program of yours. Something which we don't know for sure will be of any success against the Resistance. I still believe, as do a few others," he nonchalantly gestured to the remaining council, though without specifically singling anyone out, "that we should have spent our time and resources constructing a new grand weapon, preferably around this entire planet. This idea, of course, being based off of something we know has been successful in the past."

"The Emipre," Vesh responded calmly, "has tried a technological terror twice. Have you forgotten what happened both times this was done?" When the admiral merely frowned without a retort, she continued in a dismissive manner. "Just because it would be bigger certainly does not mean it would be better..."

"And what exactly are you proposing, my lord?" he asked, speaking the last two words mockingly.

Vesh faced him with a frown, but then gave her smirk. She stood from her seat and took a couple slow steps toward the admiral. Anxiety quickly fell upon the room like a heavy blanket. She then casually raised her hand as though reaching out for the commander...and he began to make choking sounds, grasping at his neck and loosening the collar of his shirt. A faint low rumbling seemed to sound from the air around his head. Some of the council looked on, holding back fright yet remained dead silent, their eyes frozen on the admiral. The rest simply averted their gaze as though nothing was happening.

"And I'm barely squeezing..." Vesh said in her soft tone. "Imagine what this organization can accomplish if a simpleton like you could perform such an ability. This is what I am proposing. A power insurmountable to the likes of any super-weapon."

She held her hand for a few seconds longer before lowering it, releasing her grip on the admiral. He bent over the table reflexively with a sharp inhale, gulping in relieving breaths and coughing. Relief visibly washed over the majority of the council. A few, like Hux, though, were rather aloof to it.

Vesh returned to the head of the table yet remained standing, her hands clasped behind her back. "My technicians here at this facility have been hard at work for months, perfecting the technology for my project and I have personally overseen every step of its evolution. So I can assure you your resources have not gone to waste... I don't suppose anyone else wishes to share any concern regarding this matter?"

Hardened silence and a few genuine head-shakes gave her answer. The admiral, appearing rather embarrassed at the moment, dared not say anything at all for or against it. Vesh nodded and smiled.

"Good."