-The Supremacy- N8 Quadrant, Expansion Region near the Perlemian Trade Route

Captain Phasma admired the Supreme Leader; but that admiration could in no way compare to the fear she felt anytime she was required to speak with him. Now her presence was requested from Snoke himself, where she would be in the same room conversing face to face. When she first received the order, she hesitated wanting know why General Hux hadn't been assigned to the task. Instead she replied with a 'At once sir,' knowing it wasn't her place to question orders.

    Phasma was not accustomed to being afraid. She'd rarely experienced failure and did not tolerate it. She'd always carried out disciplinary measures herself and never hesitated on reporting dissension-like actions in the ranks of others.

Until FN-2187. The deserter.

Because of him, she was forced to keep a secret eating away at her insides, consuming her with fear. After her most promising cadet turned traitor, her anxiety and suspicion of others increased tenfold. No one knew she dropped the shields allowing the Resistance to destroy Starkiller

Base...but she'd been around Kylo Ren enough to know he possessed powers to extract information when he desired it.

She tried not to think about it when the Supreme Leader requested her presence.

In spite of her fear, she concentrated on controlling her breathing and remained at attention as the elevator transported her, four of her finest troopers and fifteen civilians captured from the former

Resistance base on D'Qar to Snoke himself.

As the lift cleared the last dozen floors Phasma thought about the irony of the situation, how she'd rather wade into a Wookiee army intent on ripping her limbs off than face the Supreme Leader. In his presence her confidence left her; no longer did she feel invulnerable or any degree of safety from her armor. Instead feelings of being exposed, naked and hopeless filled her head. She drew only the smallest of comforts from knowing those around her felt the same or worse.  

    The elevator finally came to a halt and the doors slid open to a room shrouded in darkness.

    "Enter," said the familiar voice. Slowly the room filled with dim starlight as the window blinders rose up to reveal infinite space; except for the space directly behind him. They could see the floor around themselves enough to keep their footing as they walked, but Snoke remained obscured from their vision.

Behind her some of the children whimpered while the men and women told them in whispered tones it would be okay and remain silent. She had them line up in rows in front of the Supreme Leader so every face could be seen. She and her troopers took up position to the sides and the back of the prisoners, in the unlikely attempt any of them tried to flee.  

    Still cloaked in shadow, Snoke stood up from his chair and walked forward to the top step of the dais. After breathing in deep through his nostrils, he exhaled with a quiet growl in a slow, predator-like manner. "It appears my apprentice is not utterly useless,"

    Inside her helmet, sweat trickled down her temples. She nodded toward the prisoners. "All of the Force sensitives as requested Supreme Leader."

    "Indeed." the ancient Force user smiled. Descending the dais, he clasped his hands behind his back and moved closer to the prisoners. It looked as though he floated across the floor in the low light. "It is clear the galaxy is in chaos. Distinguishing between friend and foe is a responsibility my subjects should not have to endure." he frowned slightly, looking saddened. "My poor, misguided children. Why do you resist when all I desire is to bring peace to this war-torn galaxy…?"

    One of the men scoffed, "Say what you will about the Empire, but they never tried to deceive any of us of the fact they wanted power," slowly he looked up to the Supreme Leader. "We'll never subjugate ourselves to you."

"Is that so?" Snoke asked. He pressed his fingers together, forming a steeple. "You cannot know what my intentions are. Your mind is incapable of fathoming anything beyond your galaxy." He returned to the windows behind him. "The Universe is mine. Whether you choose to accept it or not is your choice. If you are a traitor to the First Order, you will die. There are absolutely no exceptions," he glanced at Phasma. "Isn't that right, Captain?"

"Yes Supreme Leader," she turned toward the man and released the safety on her blaster. "Shall we execute them my Lord?" The other stormtroopers followed her lead, readying their weapons. All of the prisoners—men, women and children—gasped.

Snoke sighed, appearing irritated. "Not just yet. There is another matter we must discuss involving a single old man and his archaic religion."

The prisoner who spoke earlier stood a little straighter when he spoke. "None of us know the location of Luke Skywalker. You are mistaken if you think we would be privy to that knowledge simply because the Force manifested itself within us." He swallowed. "And a fool to think we'd share his location with you, even if we did know."

Snoke's face transitioned into a menacing scowl. He whirled around and pointed his talon-like finger at the man. "And you are mistaken to believe Skywalker cares for any of you! Even now he hides when those he claims he loves are in danger! He does nothing while I take control the galaxy around him! I left his academy in ruin and his students now serve ME!" spittle flew from his lips as he roared. "I will draw him out. And each of you will help me."

In a last effort of defiance the same male prisoner said, "You can try."

Even Phasma's blood ran cold upon seeing Snoke's grin work its way onto his wrinkled, deformed face.

Still standing above the group of captives, he stretched out his gnarled hands.

Everyone in the room except Phasma—even her stormtroopers—arched back and screamed. Hundreds of strands of silvery-white light exited from stomachs, chests and heads; all flowing toward his extended fingers. Their screams turned into shrieks as their eyes bulged, every one thrashed back and forth in attempt to break the grip holding them.

Phasma stood paralyzed in fear, terrified as she watched her men and prisoners die. She wanted to run, but her legs refused to obey. The cries echoing around the chamber made her want to cover her ears, but she couldn't let go of her rifle. Her chest felt empty and weak.

All at once they collapsed to the floor, their open eyes staring up at the ceiling.

"Captain,"

Snoke's voice snapped her out of her trance. She turned more sharply than intended, "Yes Supreme Leader?!"

The robed being exhaled in ecstasy before returning to his throne. She noticed his movements were more fluid; stronger. "I know you are responsible for lowering the shields on my former base."

Phasma's mouth felt as dry as the Jakku desert. She wanted to argue, but knew better. "Yes sir. I was caught off guard by the traitor FN-2187 and his associate at the time; Han Solo."

Snoke's eyebrows and the edge of his mouth twitched as he said, "Yes, well both are but a fading memory now. An unpleasant, but fair trade for both sides, wouldn't you say?"

Phasma swallowed, not knowing how to reply. He wasn't implying one smuggler was of equal worth to a planet-destroyer, was he? "My Lord?"

He waved a hand, dismissing the question. "Never mind. I have a task for you, one which takes immediate precedence over every order given and task assigned to you. Do you understand?" "Yes Supreme Leader."

Snoke studied her a moment before saying, "You will go to Wayland where the traitor FN-2187 is located. He is to be executed immediately for his crimes against the First Order; past, present and future." He leaned forward. "As of now you are an embarrassment Captain. I cannot have my top military officers showing weakness to the rest of my army. Am I understood?"

Phasma tilted her head in a bow. "Yes Supreme Leader."

"You may go."

Just before she reached the elevator, his gravelly voice called out. "And Captain,"

She stopped.

"If you fail me in this assignment do not bother returning, for your fate will be far worse than what you witnessed here today."   

She didn't answer. Instead she continued to the lift and boarded it without turning around. As she descended to the lower decks, Phasma pondered the many ways in which she would terminate FN-2187. She found the idea brought her a degree of comfort after time with Snoke. She needed to make this right in order to clear her head, to give some semblance of peace.

The elevator door opened a moment later to the hangar bays.

Normally she would have returned to her quarters to put together gear related to the mission; but the urgency in the Supreme Leader's tone and her hatred for the traitorous soldier overwhelmed all other concerns. Those around her could sense the urgency as well; not once did she give the command to move or step aside, all steered clear upon seeing her chromium armor.

This worked against her when trying to locate a transport; everyone either avoided eye contact, or changed direction when they saw her coming. She spotted a single engineer working on the landing gear of an assault shuttle and approached him before he could escape.

"Cadet,"

The young man jumped back, holding up a large wrench. The moment he saw who addressed him he hurled the wrench across the hangar. It bounced off a storage container, tumbled several feet and then slid with a loud scraping sound before coming to a stop.

Phasma stared at him in silence. Once things were as uncomfortable as they could get, she asked "What is your operating number, soldier?"

He saluted. "Flight Cadet Adaza, Operator number 0491."

Phasma examined the vessel he was working on before interrupted. "Is this your ship?"

"No mam. My responsibilities are restricted to maintenance only." he replied.

She nodded. "What maintenance were you performing? Is the hyperdrive operational?"

Adaza looked confused. "Yes mam. These Assault Shuttles are kept flight-ready at all times. The Night Drexl here is currently fueled and prepped for exploration and land raids. I was in process of checking the hydraulic lines on the landing gear."

"Can you fly it?" she punched the button to open the cargo door.

"Uhh...yes? However, my responsibilities—"

"Get in." Phasma said walking up the ramp.

Adaza hesitated a moment. "Captain, we'll need clearance..and I don't have authorization to pilot—"

Turning around she snapped, "The Supreme Leader has provided clearance and you have my authorization to pilot this starship. Is there anything else?" she waited almost one second before adding, "Then get aboard. We must depart immediately."

The Flight Cadet had no more questions. Grabbing a duffle bag of gear sitting nearby, he ran up the ramp, tossed it in a corner and jumped into the pilot's seat. He immediately started flipping switches and pushing buttons as though he'd flown the ship a hundred times. Once the doors to the ship were closed, Adaza lifted off and took the assault shuttle into open space.

He quickly input his operator code to access the nav computer just before Phasma took a seat in the co-pilot's chair. "Where to, Captain?"

"Wayland."

Adaza paused in the middle of entering the coordinates. "Urgent business at the Old Imperial Archives?" he raised his eyebrows. "Everything there should be available on the Supremacy Captain."

"Cadet Adaza, do you always question your commanding officers this way?"

Adaza frowned. "No mam."

"I can assure you, now is not the time to start."

Without a further exchange of words, Flight Cadet Azada punched in a course for Wayland and took the Night Drexl into hyperspace.