Vader didn't say a word to me while on the shuttle. Nor did he when we were on the Death Star. He seemed to be struggling with something, and I hope that my words at the launch pad had somehow worked their way into his black, artificial heart. But when I was led into the Emperor's chambers beside my father, I knew that he'd not taken in a single word I'd said.

The walk up the stairs seemed to take an eternity. But I held my head high, even walking a little faster than Vader at one point. Then, the chair where the Emperor sat turned to face us.

"Welcome, young Skywalker. I've been expecting you. You no longer need those." He said softly, and with just the gentlest movement of his wrist, my binders fell to the floor.

He was deathly pale, and almost completely concealed behind a black hood. He seemed almost gentle, but a warning went off in my head. Wasn't deception part of the dark side?

"Guards! Leave us." He commanded. Several figures in red robes that I hadn't noticed before turned and left the room.

He gave a slight smile. "I'm looking forward to completing your training. In time you will call me master."
"You're gravely mistaken." I barely recognized the voice as mine. "You won't convert me as you did my father."

He stood up. "Oh no, my young Jedi." He walked towards me. "You will find that it is you who are mistaken. About a great many things."

Vader finally spoke. "His lightsaber." And he held out my only weapon. And the Emperor took it. "Ah, yes. A Jedi's weapon…much like your fathers. By now you must know that your father can never be turned from the dark side…so will it be with you."
"You're wrong." There it was again, that strange quality of my voice that didn't make it mine, but it had to be. "Soon I'll be dead, and you with me."
He chuckled then, and oh, I can't even begin to describe the evil that radiated from that laugh. It struck me deep to my bones, and it was all I could do from showing it. I wouldn't give the Emperor the satisfaction of knowing he was getting to me. "Perhaps you refer to the imminent attack of your Rebel fleet." Unwillingly, my face fell. "Yes, I assure you. We're quite safe from your friends here." He snarled, and turned around.

I fought the fear out of my voice. "You're overconfidence is your weakness." I challenged him.

"Your faith in your friends is yours." He shot back, returning to his chair.

"It's pointless to resist, my son." Vader advised me.

I looked at him in shock.

Palpatine called back to me. "Everything that has transpired has done so according to my desire. Your friends up there on the Sanctuary Moon are walking into a trap. As is your rebel fleet." He kept on, like an prophesying angel of death. "It was I who allowed the Alliance to know the location of the shield generator. It is quite safe from your pitiful little band. An entire legion of my best troops awaits them."
He leaned in, as though sharing a secret with me. "Oh, I'm afraid the deflector shield will be quite operational when your friends arrive."

I shook as I realized horribly how right he was. Everything fit. I knew that Lord Vader could sense me on that Imperial Shuttle! And he must have allowed our Bothan spies to bring in that false information. I shook a lot.

"Come, boy." He invited me. Vader pushed me slightly, but I didn't stumble, and I walked closer to the Emperor. "Come see for yourself. From here you will witness the final destruction of the Alliance…and the end of your insignificant Rebellion."

I looked out the revolving window to indeed see several rebel cruisers locked in conflict with several distinct Star Destroyers. And it pained me to see the blaster fire flickering in space.

I summoned every shred of self control I could find, and turned to look at him. Then, I noticed my lightsaber sitting freely on the armrest of his chair.

He followed my gaze. "You want this…don't you? The hate is swelling in you now."
I started taking deep breaths and turned away. "Take your weapon. Use it. I am unarmed. Strike me down with it. Give into your anger! With each passing moment you make yourself more my servant!"
I turned back to him then. "No." Was all I managed to get out.

"It's unavoidable. It's your destiny. You like your father are now…mine."

For several unbearably long moments, all we did was watch the space battle. It looked bad. None of the fighters were going for the Death Star. The shield was still up. "As you can see, my young apprentice, your friends have failed." He let that sink in for a minute, then continued. "Now, witness the fire power of this fully armed and operational battle station! Fire at will, commander!" He spoke into the comlink.

I've never felt so helpless. At the mercy of these two devils, all I could do was watch in horror as space lit up with the explosion of one of the rebel cruisers as the Death Star fired. I looked at Vader, but his emotions were impossible to read behind his mask.

Palpatine hissed at me. "Your fleet is lost! And your friends on the Endor moon will not survive. The Alliance will die…as will your friends."
Once again, I forced myself to look at him, and I found my gaze looking down at my lightsaber. I was trembling. "Good. I can feel your anger." The Emperor breathed. "I am defenseless, take your weapon! Strike me down with all of your hatred, and your journey towards the dark side will be complete!"
I turned around in defiance once more, but I could bear it no longer. Calling on the Force that bound all things, my lightsaber leapt into my hand, and I hurled it down at the Emperor…

…only to be blocked by a red blade. I looked up into Vader's face. Sparks flew from the collision of the two blades.

And the Emperor laughed.