Starkiller leapt back up to the platform he had stood on just moments before, leaving behind the lifeless corpse of Darth Vader on the ground below. The fight was over in a matter of minutes, with Starkiller overpowering the weakened Sith Lord easily and running him through with his own blade.
Now, Starkiller strode towards the Emperor, who outstretched his hand to the crawling Kota, delivering another shock of Force lightning through the blind man. He cried out and fell back to the ground, and the Emperor turned away and walked back towards his throne as Starkiller drew near.
"Excellent" the deformed Sith Lord rasped. He turned back to Starkiller, who stood in front of him, hate still burning in his eyes. "Lord Vader was a broken shadow of his former self… I knew that one day you would replace him." The Emperor said, yellow eyes seeming to glow from beneath his hood. "You have just one final test…" He gestured to the old man on the floor, and Starkiller turned, looking down at him.
"Destroy your ties to the Jedi, and at last, you will be a Sith Lord!" The Emperor declared, voice laced with dark anticipation.
Starkiller activated his cyan blade, holding it in his hand. Kota turned towards the sound, face confused and fearful. For a moment, Starkiller's hatred faltered, but he breathed in, collecting himself as he raised his lightsaber. Kota gave a fearful gasp, and for a moment, Starkiller closed his eyes.
The thought entered his head that he could strike down the Emperor, who stood close behind him. Strike him down and spare Kota, taking the Empire for himself. But then he opened his eyes.
Below he saw Kota, the man who was once his enemy. Who had taunted him in the TIE Fighter Construction Facility, who had survived his attack only to be a drunken burden, passed out in the cockpit of his ship.
Useless.
The fire of his hatred burned within him again, and he raised his blade, giving out a primal snarl as he brought it down, slicing the blind man's head clean off with a hiss.
You should have made yourself useful sooner, old man, thought Starkiller. He felt his rage, his power grow within him, his weakness dying along with Kota.
He turned to the Emperor, who seemed almost shocked at the events that had just transpired, as if he expected a different outcome.
The Sith Lord quickly regained his composure, looking at Starkiller a moment before cackling.
"Yes, yes, I can feel your hatred growing… you are no longer the weak servant of Skywalker, no, you are Sith!"
Starkiller felt his pride swell, pride at overcoming both his so-called Masters, pride at rising above weakness and becoming something more. Something powerful.
Something unstoppable.
The Emperor eyed Starkiller, his expression pleased. "I can feel your power surging, your connection to the Dark Side deepening… now, no Rebels will stand in our way…"
As he said this, the Emperor turned to the other Rebels in the room, cuffed and floating in their energy prisons.
The Emperor looked to Starkiller.
"Destroy those who make you weak… that is the path to power, my new apprentice…"
"Yes, my Master…" Starkiller said, walking towards the Rebel leaders.
Bail Organa was screaming before he even got close enough to hear.
"Traitor! You killed Kota in cold blood! Your friend! Your mentor! Your-!"
Organa was cut off by Starkiller's raised hand, the only sounds coming from his throat now being choked gags and gurgled sputters.
He pinched his fingers, and heard the snap of the Rebel's trachea.
Satisfied, he turned to Mon Mothma and Garm Bel Iblis, their eyes wide with fear.
He raised his hand, and willed bolts of lightning through his fingertips.
The Rebels were dead within moments.
Starkiller had never felt so invincible.
Until a presence raced through his consciousness, and he turned just in time to see the Rogue Shadow hover in front of the viewport behind the Emperor's throne, with Juno at the helm.
Just in time to feel her anger as she squeezed the trigger of the turbolaser, firing into the throne room.