Rage like I'd never felt before was building up inside of me. I drew on its power as Vader and I circled in the throne room. I struck again and again, harder and harder, only to be parried by my father, until finally, I kicked at him-a ruthless trick- and he fell backwards down the stairs.

The Emperor's malicious cackling invaded my thoughts. "Use your aggressive feelings, boy! Let the hate flow through you!" He called out to me, as though he were watching a game of sabacc.

The rage I'd felt melted away as I saw Vader struggle to get up, and heard the Emperor's cackle. I was doing exactly what Palpatine wanted me to do, and the knowledge of this horrified me.

"Obi-Wan has taught you well." Vader said.

"I will not fight you, Father." I called out, my voice cracking.

Vader began to slowly climb back up the stairs as I stepped back away from him. "You are unwise to lower your defenses!" On the last word, he lunged at me, saber flashing. Just in time I managed to parry, but I stumbled. We fought a few more seconds, but I deactivated my saber, and leapt up to a gantry. I'd heard something else in my fathers' words. "Your thoughts betray you father. I feel the good in you…the conflict."
"There is no conflict." He said angrily.

But I was equally certain that there was. "You couldn't bring yourself to kill me before, and I don't believe you'll destroy me now."

"You underestimate the power of the dark side." Vader warned. "If you will not fight, then you will meet your destiny."
With a single motion he hurled his lightsaber at me. I ducked…but it sliced through the beam that supported the gantry I stood on. I leapt off of it before it fell, but I landed so it hid me. Vader picked up his lightsaber, and came after me. "You cannot hide forever, Luke." He called.

"I will not fight you!"

I would not use darkness to fight darkness. If Vader used evil to fight, I would not. And even if I lost…I would not join the dark side.
"Give yourself to the dark side. It's the only way you can save your friends."
He'd touched a nerve. I closed my eyes, struggling to conceal any thoughts and memories of Leia and Han.
He knew he was getting to me. "Yes. Your thoughts betray you. Your feelings for them are strong. Especially for…your sister! So…you have a twin sister! Your feelings have now betrayed her too. Obi-Wan was wise to hide her from me. Now his failure is complete. If you will not turn to the dark side…then perhaps she will!"

I screamed, lightsaber flashing. I leapt out at him. I was struggling with myself again. If he turned his black, evil hands on Leia, I would kill him with my bare hands. Forget good and evil. Forget the Emperor. I would kill him.

With hatred in my heart, I beat at Vader savagely. It was like I wasn't even there anymore, but another Luke Skywalker had taken my place. Hot, bubbling hate poured through my entire body.

We maneuvered to a shaft that stood over the power core. I forced Vader to his knees. Yelling with each blow I dealt, I knocked his saber out of his hand…and in doing so cut it off.

I held my lightsaber at his throat. His breathing was ragged. It was a wonderful feeling, knowing that I held his life in my hands. His artificial breathing was ragged. One twitch, and my father would be dead.

But once again, the Emperor interrupted. "Good!" He praised me. I looked up, gritting my teeth. "Your hate has made you powerful." He breathed. "Now, fulfill your destiny, and take your fathers place at my side!"

Slowly, I turned back to Vader. I looked at his hand. It was mechanical. And I looked at my own mechanical hand.

How can I describe the emotions in that moment? The hate melted out of me, replaced by shame. I trembled, and sighed. I looked over at Vader, so much like me, and yet so little. Father and son. But never master and apprentice.

I knew that what to do. "Never." I deactivated my lightsaber, and threw it at Palpatines' feet. "I'll never turn to the dark side. You've failed, Your Highness. I am a Jedi, like my father before me."
Palpatine drew himself up to his full height, fury etched in his face. "So be it. Jedi."