Return of the Jedi: Choose Your Own Adventure
By Mina
4.
And he could see it all laid out before him, the future within his grasp.
Majesty.
Order.
He could be what his father had so utterly failed to be - a hero. He could kill Vader and then he could depose Palpatine. And in their place he would rise... a Dark Lord, but instead of being despised by the galaxy he would be loved and hated in equal measure. The man who would both save the galaxy and enslave it.
Luke blinked, and the images were gone.
That was a fool's path.
He wasn't here to become the next Palpatine. And he wasn't here to kill his father.
He straightened, turned to fully face the Emperor, knowing his next words were probably going to be his last and determined to make a dent in Palpatine's pride with them.
"Never," he said calmly. He tossed his lightsaber aside, not looking where it landed. He wasn't going to need it again. "I'll never turn to the dark side." He felt a smile reach his eyes. "You've failed, Your Highness." And then the smile reached his lips. "I'm a Jedi, like my father before me."
For a moment Palpatine simply stared at him, a sneer on his lips, but through the Force Luke sensed a gathering tide, an inrush of anger and hatred from the Emperor. He forced himself to breathe in another breath, resisted the urge to turn to Vader, stayed facing the Emperor.
Palpatine's eyes flashed with anticipation. And still Luke stayed as he was; ready to face to consequences of his decision.
"So be it, Jedi. If you will not be turned, you will be destroyed!"
And then shrieking blue lightning arced from Palpatine's outstretched fingers, leaping towards Luke. He had moment's disconnected anticipation of the oncoming storm before it hit him, throwing him backwards to a painful collision with the floor. But the pain of that landing was trivial next to the electric sting of the lightning crackling through his body.
If Luke calls out for Vader, go to Chapter 14.
If Luke doesn't call for Vader, go to Chapter 7.
