Meeko returns to the Corvus with Hask and Iden, who informs them that their next assignment is to extract Protectorate Gleb from Vardos. Gleb serves as headmaster of the Future Imperial Leaders Military Preparatory School, raised both Hask and Iden, and also serves as an officer in Jinata Security. Iden is unsure how this relates to Operation: Cinder but states that they must trust the Admiral. However, when they arrive to Vardos, they find the satellites, which are climate disruption arrays, being deployed by the Dauntless, pointed out by Meeko, in orbit of Vardos. Inferno is shocked to see this, and Hask recalls that they were never informed of their target. An angered Iden confronts her father aboard the Eviscerator, pleading with her father that Vardos and its people are loyal to the Empire. Her father rationalizes that Operation: Cinder will spread fear throughout the galaxy that will allow the Empire to continue its rule by fear in order to control the galaxy and maintain order. Iden continues to try and appeal to her father that Vardos is their home, to which he responds, raising his voice, that the Empire is their home and that they will do as the Emperor commands. Iden says that she will not take orders from dead men, causing her father to assert his authority over her, shouting that she takes orders from him before reminding her that her orders are to extract Protectorate Gleb alone. He dismisses her, though Iden walks off with a bitter face. The Admiral tells an Imperial officer to patch him in with Agent Hask.
The Corvus lands in an Imperial facility on Vardos, where hurricanes and superstorms are forming from the beams being shot down by the satellites. Iden says that they will find Gleb in the Archive in Kestro. During their walk there, they encounter disgruntled protesting civilians and learn that any aircraft attempting to leave the planet will be shot down. Iden, Del, and Hask debate this turn of events; Iden notes that the people on Vardos are their people, and that their own troopers are in harm's way, while Hask retorts that their fearlessness in the face of the storms shows true discipline, and that Operation: Cinder is a test to prove that they are worthy of what is to come. They eventually make it to the Archive, where they find Gleb and a Rodian agent among a group of civilians. As Hask escorts Gleb and the agent away, orange lightning hits one of the buildings, causing part of its structure to fall, the resulting debris nearly crushing a civilian. With Iden's approval, Del tells the civilians to run to the Corvus. Hask tries to stop it, but Iden commands him to stand down. Hask reminds Iden and Del that their orders are to extract the Protectorate Gleb alone. Del says he doesn't recognize the Empire anymore, and Iden defends him, pointing out that it is the Empire's duty to protect civilians from things like Operation: Cinder. When Hask asserts that this is the "new Empire," Del finally says that he wants no part in this new Empire and will follow his commanding officer. Hask asks Iden if these are her orders, which are treason, and Iden says they are. Hask refuses to lower his weapon and warns that defiance will be the death of them before pointing it at Iden, but she shoots Hask first in his leg, buying time for Iden and Del to escape. Hask contacts Admiral Versio and informs him that Commander Versio and Agent Meeko have abandoned the mission and committed treason.
Iden and Del sneak their way through the city, reluctantly shooting Imperial troops who notice them and learning that the Admiral has ordered for their deaths. They manage to steal an AT-AT and use it to take out the anti-air batteries across the city, eventually destroying a satellite array that disables all anti-air batteries across the sector. Del pilots the AT-AT to the Corvus while Iden shoots at Imperial forces firing at them, including AT-STs, demolition troopers, turbolasers and another AT-AT. She manages to blow up the barricade at the Imperial facility where the Corvus is docked, but a bolt of lightning disables the AT-AT. Iden and Del regroup with their crew, who are under fire from Imperial troops and cover them as the Imperial raider's ramp is lowered and the refugees get on board. The lightning storm protects them from an advancing AT-AT walker, and they are able to escape as scout walkers arrive to the facility. They evade the Eviscerator and the Dauntless and jump into hyperspace.
Meanwhile, Agent Hask returns to the Eviscerator with Protectorate Gleb and her agent, reporting to Admiral Versio, who congratulates Hask on the "success" of his mission and promotes him to Commander.