I believe everything the Empire is doing right now is working to get the Deathstar built. Cassian was arrested, tried and convicted in under an hour, because the Empire needs labor to build parts for the Deathstar and just enslaving people is too overt.
I would be on board with that train of thought, but it doesn't really line up with what the series has shown us so far. At the beginning of the series the ISB seems to be operating more like an intelligence agency. But it seems like the Aldhani raid changed everything. It was a big thumb in the eye of the Empire. And it seems that PORD was a result of the Empire's reaction to losing 80 million credits in that raid. That was the excuse the Empire needed to ramp up the oppression. And listening to Luthen's conversations with Mon Mothma, it seems that was the point. The Empire was slowly oppressing the people of the galaxy. But the Imperial reaction to Aldanhi has made the oppression of the Empire that much more overt.
The funny thing is that while Cassian was an integral part of the Aldhani mission, he doesn't realize that his very long prison sentence and what's happening at Narkina 5 is a direct result of how the Empire has responded to Aldhani. As for what they're building in the factory? Perhaps that will be revealed next week. But I'm not banking on it. It is interesting to see that Kino Loy has been trying to keep Melshi in line, because he probably knows that Melshi has designs on getting out. He's been trying to keep things running smoothly, but more and more he sees the brutality of the Empire at work. From learning the truth about what happened on level 2, to the utter indifference they had to Ulaf's stroke, he seems to have come around. And I think Andy Serkis has been just awesome in the span of two episodes.
I'm curious to see where this Dedra Meero and Syril Karn thing is going. Because there seems to be intrigue afoot at the ISB. Those staff meetings previously had a lot more ISB officers, but the more recent ones have been attended by far fewer supervisors. Are the others in the field? Or have they been culled from the ranks? Major Partagaz did make a point of telling Dedra to watch her back. And now I think she suspects that her subordinate might be attempting to undermine her by issuing orders on her behalf regarding Rebel interrogations. Meanwhile, Syril Karn is trying to work his way into Dedra's good graces. While she seemed to be threatening Syril for stalking her, she also seemed to be vulnerable. Like there's some weirdness going on between the two of them, and I think they might be more closely linked in the next few episodes.
Oh, and MIND BLOWN about one revelation. Vel Sartha is Mon Mothma's cousin?!?!?! This is getting more interesting.