Chapter 12

Luke Skywalker leapt through a window in the Emperor's Dun Möch offensive and his blade connected with the one held by the Sith Lord. The momentary lapse in concentration allowed Luke to apply a flurry of flawless strikes, driving the Emperor to the defensive. Not the least bit helpless, Darth Sidious proved just how Ataru could easily be transformed into the perfect defensive form by a master swordsman.

As Luke applied his kinetic style, the Emperor twisted and turned, his red blade almost impossible to pinpoint in the maelstrom. Through his periphery, he saw Anakin bounding up the stairs to enter the fray. Like a charging boma, Anakin was upon his former master. His orange blade joined with Luke's green sword in the assault in almost perfect synchronization. Even as Sidious attempted to bring down one Jedi, another blade would parry him, leaving him open for a strike.

It was all the Emperor could do to avoid being cut down. He winced as green plasma grazed his right shoulder and his defenses nearly crumbled as Anakin made an attempt to capitalize on the opening by sweeping low for the Emperor's legs.

Darth Sidious leapt to the left to avoid being cut down by the Jedi and jumped again after his feet connected with the floor. The Emperor landed on a catwalk above his throne and held his lightsaber at a high guard.

"Is this familiar, Lord Vader?" the Emperor taunted, referring to Anakin's near fatal mistake on Mustafar.

Luke sensed Anakin's discomfort, but took little time to dwell on the sensation. "Surrender," Luke commanded. "It's only a matter of time before this station is vulnerable. How do you think your forces will survive without your Battle Meditation?"

Sidious replied, "There is no hope for you, young Skywalker. You fail to comprehend the power of the dark side and it shall be your last mistake." The Emperor turned his gaze to his fallen apprentice. "Darth Apostas, rise!"

Hearing his sister stir, Luke divided his attention. He watched her reach for her lightsaber and struggle to stand. With a snap-hiss, her blood red blade emerged.

"Leia, stop this!" Anakin shouted.

Darth Apostas grinned as she raised her lightsaber in front of her face in salute. It was a look Luke saw once before, years ago. It was the one Obi-Wan Kenobi gave him years ago before sacrificing his life to Darth Vader.

And Leia intended to do the same for them.

Leia dropped her right arm before she hurled her lightsaber at the catwalk. The Emperor registered a brief moment of surprise before he held out his left hand, using the Force to stop Leia's lightsaber in mid-flight. With little effort, he reversed the weapon's trajectory back to its wielder.

Luke wasted no time in using a Force leap to try to get to his sister before her lightsaber did. Anakin leapt onto the catwalk, the Emperor's blade missing him by mere centimeters.

Luke called his sister's lightsaber to his hand with the Force as he landed in front of her. He then turned to see her collapsing to the floor once again. Luke deactivated the glowing red blade and dropped his sister's weapon. He then returned his attention to the catwalk.

The Millennium Falcon flew away from the debris cloud created by an exploding Star Destroyer. Just then, another Death Star blast took down yet another Rebel cruiser. It appeared the Death Star's targetting computers were more than adequate enough to pinpoint a Rebel ship in the thick of a point-blank space engagement. Lando turned the freighter to port to avoid a barrage from incoming starfighters.

"Watch out," Lando told the squadrons accompanying him. "Enemy squadron at .06."

"We're on it, Gold Leader," Mara said.

A pair of X-Wings flew towards the Falcon, followed by friendly TIEs. Their combined firepower tore through the Imperials so thoroughly that little debris remained.

"Good shot, Red Two," Mara commended.

"Thanks, Rogue Leader," Wedge replied.

The Executor lined up against the port side of another Star Destroyer and began pummeling the ship with its extensive network of turbolaser batteries. The smaller enemy ship could do little to match the firepower of the Rebel behemoth. Its shields eventually failed and the Star Destroyer crumbled from the massive barrage, erupting along the hull. Thrawn's ship took plenty of hits as well, but its shields held.

"Admiral, our shields are holding at seventy percent!" one operator exclaimed from the Operations Pit on the bridge.

Admiral Piet continued to direct the flow of Thrawn's orders as the Chiss officer stood firm on the bridge. Thrawn turned his attention to his second-in-command and ordered, "Launch the remaining fighters. We have the same weakness as our enemies. It is only a matter of time before they remember this fact."

"At once, Admiral," Piet acknowledged before relaying the order.

Han arrived in the bunker control room with his small group of Rebels. Kyle shuffled in with a small contingent of Rebel troopers behind him. The former smuggler aimed his DL-44 at the commanding officer.

"It's over," Han said. "Your legions are being routed. We're taking control of this bunker."

Kyle held his activated lightsaber up to lend a send of urgency to Han's orders. The Imperials quickly surrendered to the Rebels, and in turn surrendered their advantage in the Battle of Endor. The Rebel troops quickly escorted the Imperial personnel out of the control room as Han, Winter, Kyle and Kyp set charges.

Anakin fought with purpose, grounded completely in the light of the Force as he attacked Darth Sidious on the catwalk. He could sense his former master still had a tremendous amount of fight left in him, though he was meeting his match against the Chosen One. Anakin lunged and parried repeatedly, moving his blade purely under the direction of the Force.

Darth Sidious snarled as he was caught at a disadvantage on the narrow catwalk, unable to employ Ataru effectively against his opponent. Every attempt he made to leap from the high ground was blocked by Anakin. He was effectively cornered.

But not helpless. The Emperor used a Force push to deflect Anakin's attention. The effort Anakin used to block the Force push allowed the Emperor to leap from the catwalk. Not to be deterred, Anakin jumped down to meet his former master.

It was a nearly fatal mistake for the Chosen One. Sidious was ready and waiting for Anakin, but was unable to cut through his enemy. Anakin parried the lunge and with brute strength, resumed the offensive. Both men were now evenly matched. Sidious had the freedom to use Ataru, but Anakin's skill with a blade was just as lethal.

Anakin brought his blade in from below to prevent from being cut down by Sidious in front of the throne and their sabers locked. The Chosen One clenched his teeth as he tried to best the Emperor in a contest of strength.

"Now the ones you love will have to watch you die, Lord Vader," Sidious taunted as he gained the edge in the contest. "You were a failure as a Jedi. Let me take all your suffering. Give into your despair surrender to me. Your destiny has always been with me, Lord Vader."

Anakin's gaze hardened as he pushed against the Emperor with renewed vigor. Sidious took a few steps back, nearly stumbling from the incredible push. "You never understood anything," Anakin said as he moved against the Dark Lord.

Sidious defended himself against the incredible flurry of strikes from his former apprentice, but continually gave ground to Anakin. He tried to raise his blade to meet every attack, but it was no use. He could not sidestep the blow that mattered.

Orange plasma tore through the Emperor's wrist and the Dark Lord howled in pain. His lightsaber fell useless at his feet and the Emperor backed against the wall.

Luke rushed to his father's side, effectively cornering the Emperor. There was no escape for the Dark Lord of the Sith.

"It's over, my master," Anakin said. "Don't make me destroy you."

"Such arrogance, Lord Vader," Sidious commented. "You haven't defeated me."

Anakin could do nothing as Luke was thrown completely across the throne room by a gigantic Force push. Anakin used the Force to shield himself from the onslaught that was sure to come.

The Rebels rushed out of the shield generator station. Han led the charge, waving his arms and shouting, "Move! Move! Move!"

A shockwave slammed against the Rebels as the bunker exploded, throwing them flat to the ground. A series of explosions rocked the complex until they ultimately consumed the giant dish directing the shield around the Death Star.

One controller on the bridge of the Executor shouted, "Sir! The shield protecting the Death Star has lost its power!"

"At last," Thrawn said before he turned to Admiral Piet. "Order the attack on the Death Star's main reactor."

Lando smiled as he heard Admiral Piet saying, "Commence the attack on the Death Star's main reactor!"

"We're on our way," Lando acknowledged. "Rogue Squadron, Gold Squadron, all available fighters follow me!"

Nien Nunb was giddy with excitement as Lando told him, "I told you they'd do it!"

The Millennium Falcon turned away from the fleet action, leading the fighters to Death Star's incomplete superstructure. The tide of the battle had turned at last. Imperial fighters flew in pursuit, attempting to halt any attack on the Death Star since the Imperial fleet was now occupied fighting the Rebels.

Anakin held his lightsaber high as the Emperor unleashed a massive flood of Force lightning from his remaining hand. The assault blasted his lightsaber from his grasp, but Anakin used the Force to hold the dark side flow at bay. Force lightning radiated outward from Anakin's hands. It was now a contest of wills, a contest in the Force.

And the Chosen One was buckling under the assault. The powers Darth Sidious gained from beyond the grave were phenomenal. He clenched his teeth and used the Force to push against the lightning. A invisible wall formed between his body and the lightning, growing ever larger as Anakin pushed the lightning back to its source.

The Emperor's eyes changed colors from yellow to a deep crimson as his body began to visibly age. He growled as he directed even more power from the dark side at the Chosen One. The invisible light side wall slowly shrank as Sidious's powers overwhelmed it.

"Now only in the end do you understand, Lord Vader!" the Emperor taunted. "The Force has freed me! Even Its Chosen One cannot stand against me!"

Anakin recognized the Dark Lord's taunt. It was the final piece of the Sith Code. In a flash of revelation, he understood the prophecy. Anakin knew what he had to do.

"Do you want my life so badly, Palpatine?" Anakin asked him. He opened himself completely to the Force and began pulling in the lightning. "Take it if you dare!"

Unopposed, the lightning surged into Anakin's body. The Chosen One screamed, but continued to draw upon the Force. The Emperor, confident in his victory, summoned all his power to subdue his nemesis.

Anakin's body glowed with an intense white light. He had become a perfect conduit of the Force, drawing everything into him. The Emperor's power waned as he felt his spirit being torn away from flesh. Anakin's voice rang throughout the throne room.

"Take him!" the Chosen One commanded.

The Emperor's body collapsed as blue-white flames soared from his form, engulfing Anakin. The Chosen One rode the flames, arching his back as he drew the Dark Lord's spirit like poison from a wound. The blaze subsided and Anakin fell to his knees.

"It is finished," Anakin said as he gasped for breath.

Anakin did not sense the approach of his children. Luke and Leia knelt beside him, giving him the necessary support to stand.

"Father, what happened to you?" Luke asked. "You were completely formless."

"Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter," Anakin said, quoting Yoda.

"You look different," Leia said as Luke grinned.

Alarmed, Anakin touched his face. "Older?" he asked.

"No," Luke assured. "You look twenty years younger."