The war droids advanced without hesitation. A squad of metal and wired terrors converged on their target. They were fast and deadly, but their opponent; even deadlier. In a flash of red, they were cut apart in an even faster speed than they could muster. The final group of war droids banded together, in a final ditch effort to fulfil their programming and execute their target. However, one after the other, they suddenly imploded, with bits of their innards littering the ground. The victor stood above their now mangled forms. Kylo Ren lowered his saber, his entire body heaving with fatigue. A slow applause echoed from overhead. Kylo looked up to the source. "Well done, my young apprentice. Your power grows by the day" Snoke exclaimed. Kylo sheathed his saber and bowed. "Thank you, Supreme Leader." he said. "It is by the grace of your guidance that I have been able to come this far." He said. Snoke narrowed his eyes. "Indeed. Now that you have completed every trial I have set before you, there is but one left for you to face." he explained. Kylo was filled with anticipation. "What is thy bidding my master?" he awkwardly said. Snoke grew impatient with the boy. "How utterly pitiful… All of that power and STILL you desperately cling to the idea that you should be someone you are not. Take some pride in yourself boy, for no one else will!" He lectured. A silence filled the room as Kylo tried to suppress his embarrassment. Snoke continued on. "There is a tomb amongst the ruins in the Valley of the Dark Lords. This tomb will challenge every part of your essence. Tomorrow you will make your way there to face your final trial. Then and only then will you be strong enough to kill Skywalker." Kylo bowed further. "Yes master." He recited. He paused for a moment. "What of the girl?" he asked. Snoke waved his hand dismissively. "You are still alive, so it seems her memories remain lost to her, as do the majority of her abilities." he said. "What if she makes contact with Skywalker?" Kylo asked. Snoke rubbed what was left of his chin. "That would make for an interesting situation. We must move quickly. The Resistance knows of Skywalker's location, but we know where those little rats make their burrow. We must eliminate them at once before they have the chance to bring Skywalker back into the fray. Assemble our forces! Go!" he ordered. Kylo rose. "Yes, Supreme Leader." He turned to leave, attempting to mask his anxiety. When he was gone, a sinister smile crept onto Snoke's face. "Very interesting indeed..."
Hux was in his office filing papers when Kylo entered. "General." he greeted coldly. Hux looked up at him. "Ah, Ren. What setback have you come to deliver unto me today?" he asked curly. Kylo was unfazed. "Your pessimism betrays you. Supreme Leader Snoke has given the order himself. We are to assemble the fleet and attack the very heart of The Resistance." he said. Hux seemed surprised. "So soon? Is it wise to attack while we are still recovering from your failure at Starkiller Base?" he mocked. Kylo moved closer to him. "My failure? I suppose when The Resistance arrived, the shields simply took themselves down?" he retorted. Hux was not impressed. "I suppose that you chose to capture the girl over the droid because you fancied her, then?" he said back. That got under Kylo's armor. "Who was the first one off planet I wonder?" he mocked. Hux looked him dead in the visor. "Are you questioning my loyalties?" he angrily asked. Kylo's fist clenched. Hux's chair began to crumple. "Are you questioning mine?" He coldly asked. The two were locked in a death stare. Then Hux relaxed his gaze. "No. Of course not. I will go make the necessary preparations." he said. Kylo's fist remained clenched. "Good." He turned to leave, then stopped at the door. "And General?" Hux looked up. Kylo's head was turned slightly. "No singular person was responsible for what happened to Starkiller Base. We are all to blame. Never forget that." He left before Hux could respond.
Kylo returned to his quarters. They were more spacious than the average living area, but right now there was only one room he wanted to be in right now. He passed his meditation room, he passed his treasury room where he held all of his possessions, he passed his armory where his trophies and equipment lay. Until finally, he arrived at the altar room and knelt before the scorched helm of Darth Vader. "I have grown stronger since we… since last time I knelt before you." He said to the helmet. The mask had been silent as the grave since Starkiller Base. However, that did not waver Kylo in his attempts to commune with it. "I have passed every trial the Supreme Leader has set before me. I will not fail again. My final trial is tomorrow. Then, this time I will be ready to finish what you started. I ask only to lend me your strength so that I may succeed with no doubts." He asked. He awaited some sort of reply, but the mask remained silent. He took his helmet off and set it on the ground beside him. "Grandfather… If you can hear me, I ask for your strength so that I may stride in darkness as you did. Anything you can provide; I humbly request it from you. Please." He insisted. Again, nothing. The silence cut into him worse than a thousand knives. His anger rose with each passing moment, eventually he had had enough and slammed his fist to the floor, cracking it. "Damn you, why won't you speak to me?!" He raged. He was met with more silence. Kylo decided that he'd had enough. He put his helmet back on and strode of his quarters.
The First Order was assembling their forces. Loading up ground assault equipment and fighters onto their lead vessels. The Fulminatrix, The Finalizer, The Steadfast, and the flagship: The Supremacy, were all being prepared to go to war, along with four other dreadnoughts, and half a dozen resurgent-class star destroyers. The one overseeing the mobilization was none other than a newly invigorated Captain Phasma. She was observing the preparations from a command center up above when Kylo Ren entered the room. She turned and stood at attention. "Sir!" she saluted. Kylo walked towards the viewscreen. "How go the preparations, Captain?" he asked. Phasma maintained her posture. "We are proceeding on schedule sir. We should be ready in two to three days at minimum." She answered proudly. Kylo waved his hand to put her at ease. "Good." he said. Phasma turned to join him in watching the thousands of troops load equipment onto the massive starships in silence for a while. Then Phasma spoke up. "Permission to speak freely sir?" she asked. Kylo kept his sights forward. "Granted." he said. Phasma shifted. "FN-2187, the trooper turned traitor, was instrumental in the destruction of Starkiller Base. He was my responsibility. My failure cost us dearly, perhaps even the war. I take full responsibility for our defeat sir." she said. Kylo stayed silent for a moment, then responded. "The fault is not entirely yours, Captain. I had sensed the conflict within FN-2187 back in the village on Jakku. I chose to let it be. The blame lies with me as well, it lies with all of us." he said. He turned to Phasma. "We must learn to never again make these mistakes. We will adapt, we will grow stronger. And we will crush all those who oppose The First Order." he said. Phasma's morale was heightened. "Yes sir." The two watched their troops mobilize through the viewscreen a little longer.