Choices.
"… you will be interrogated, tortured." The Emperor snarled, yellow teeth flashing as he grinned "You will give me the names of your friends, and allies… and then you will die"
"Our deaths will only rally others" Spoke Bail Organa defiantly, chin held high.
"Your very public and painful executions will serve as an example to the rest of the galaxy" The Emperor quickly responded, lips curling into another sinister sneer.
Fate.
General Kota suddenly looked up at nothing, blind eyes brightening, and a sly grin creeping along his battle-worn face.
"There may be a rebellion yet" He said.
Suddenly, a small beep signaled that the proximity alarm for the Throne Room had been tripped, and a crackling blue hologram fazed into existence, a young, hooded man shown running down the hallway.
Getting nearer.
"Lord Vader…" the Emperor said, head tilting in the direction of the imposing figure next to him. "Deal with the boy…"
Darth Vader turned to face the hall leading out of the Throne Room, black boots thudding softly against the metal floor as he departed.
He unclipped his lightsaber from his belt.
He would end this.
Light.
"…but you still have much to learn…" Vader rasped, mechanical voice echoing in the dim hall.
"You have nothing left to teach me" Starkiller replied, taking his lightsaber from his belt and igniting it.
Darth Vader raised his own red blade, the color clashing with the soft blue glow of Starkiller's weapon.
Kill. Or be killed.
Dark.
Starkiller spun Vader into the air, slamming him through the large glass window leading to the Throne Room and using the Force to send him flying through a nearby pillar, the whole structure collapsing along with the Dark Lord onto the lower tier of the deck.
"Yes, kill him, he was weak, broken! Kill him and you shall take your rightful place at my side!" The Emperor rasped giddily, walking to the center of the room, eyes darting about excitedly.
"No!" Shouted Kota, rushing towards the Emperor, extending his hands. A lightsaber shot out of the Emperor's robes and into his waiting fingers, but the General barely ignited the red blade before lightning danced wickedly about his frame, the bolts extending out from the gnarled hands of the Emperor.
Starkiller hesitated a moment, looking down at the damaged Vader, who by now had recovered and stood, looking up at him. He looked at Kota, screaming in pain as the Emperor cackled and barraged him with another wave of purple electricity.
Starkiller took a step towards Kota, then stopped. He looked down at Vader once more, and Vader stared back at him.
His hate filled his body as he looked down at the man who took his life from him, who took his father from him.
The man who deserved to die.
Starkiller leapt down to the lower tier, igniting his blue blade.
Kill. Or be killed.
Darkness prevails, light extinguished, fate changed by a single choice.
