Accismus⋆౨ৎ˚⟡.• Anakin Skywalker⋆౨ৎ˚⟡.•

96.

Dispatched from a star destroyer, a caspule fell through Hoth's atmosphere and plunged into the snow. White shot into the air from the impact and the heat that had built up around the capsule from its fall melted the surrounding cushion. As water trickled out of the crater, a black head rose from its grasps and mechanical arms fell from its bottom. A singular red light beamed on its front, showing its functionality, and the probe droid flew away from its capsule to scout the planet.

It was one of many probe droids that were dispatched from the Empire. Because of Hoth's difficult conditions, the search of the planet would first be swept by robots that weren't effected by the cold. With many at their disposal, the Empire would simply send more from its destroyer when one's circuits froze. Their infinite supply of droids would ensure that no Outer-Rim planet went by unsearched, and with Hoth being nearly unhabited, they assumed that they wouldn't be lingering too long on the wasteland.

The probe droid reached a series of mountains and ice walls. It appeared unassuming, but the droid continued its scan of the area, which was sent back to the mothership above. As it went to the left and peered into another pile of snow, the droid caught sight of metal material.

Four large disks protruded from the snow with their greater halves buried. The probe droid flew closer to the structures and made sure to show its finding in its camera lense. Whatever the structure was among the natural, supposedly uninhabited land, it was sent back to the star destroyer.

'Sir, we appear to have something,' a general arrived in the control room. With a grey cap to match the Imperial grey uniform, the tall woman approached the figure who stood with his gloved hands together.

Turning from a workman, Darth Vader faced the woman who appeared confident in her stance. But deep down, the general was nervous to be standing in front of the nearly seven-foot tall Sith apprentice. To reduce the amount of time she suffered underneath his eyeless stare, the woman pulled up the tablet that was clasped in her hand.

'A man-made structure near the equator,' she said, the transmission from one of the probe droids on the screen. Darth Vader took the tablet from her hands, relieving her of her service of standing too close. The Sith peered at the four disks in the snow and was immediately alerted to its unnatural shape and man-made material.

'Generators,' his voice rumbled through the mask, and he raised his head to the general. 'Powering the rebellion's base underneath. Prepare the AT-ATs, we attack at dusk.'

'Excellent, sir.' 

The general rushed away with the tablet back in her hold. Vader was left on his lonesome, which most believed was spent in his thoughts that had become more prevalent in recent weeks, but the Sith was immersing himself in the Force. When he didn't see the white flame that he had searched for since its recent appearance, he resorted to the other channel of communication that he shared with only one other. 

'We'll be together soon, Solaris. You don't know it yet, but the dark side is awaiting your potential. We will rule, and we won't need to hide anymore.'

---

Once Sol was made aware of Vader's attempts to contact her through the Force, she noticed the light itch at the back of her head. She didn't hear the words or voice of the man she almost longed to hear. Instead, she felt as if someone was lingering behind her. It was like someone was trying to get her attention without being able to speak or touch her. Sol knew when Satele was working to keep Vader at bay, because a shiver would run down her spine, and she felt the need to scratch at her scalp.

'You okay?' Ahsoka asked when Sol was seen with a grimace on her face. The Jedi and Padme were gathered in a room to discuss the rebellion's placements across the galaxy. While Revan was showing a hologram of the moons of Mandalore, Sol couldn't resist using her nail to scratch at her roots.