When the Emperor gave his final orders “Guards, leave us”, two Imperial Royal Guards stepped out of the throne room with flawless discipline. They stood watch at the entrance, motionless but alert, their minds racing beneath the calm exterior. Few in the galaxy understood the Emperor’s true nature, yet these guards did. They served a Sith Lord, not a simple ruler. Inside that room, he was about to decide the fate of Luke Skywalker—whether the young rebel would serve him or perish.
Waiting Outside the Throne Room
The two guards exchanged quiet words, their crimson helmets facing the sealed doors. One of them, RG, couldn’t hide a flicker of frustration. Leaving the Emperor alone felt wrong. Protecting him was his only purpose, and stepping away during such a critical moment unsettled him deeply. His partner, Tauk, stayed calm and focused, confident that obedience was the greatest form of loyalty.
Their small talk ended when the sound of lightsabers reached their ears. Sparks and fury echoed through the walls, followed by crashes of metal and bursts of energy. The two guards stood ready. Every sound felt like a step closer to the galaxy’s destiny.
Then came a scream—sharp, powerful, and filled with something neither of them had ever heard before. RG’s instincts flared. While Tauk stood firm, RG rushed into the throne room to see what had gone wrong.
The Throne Room After the Battle
Smoke drifted through the air. The throne sat in eerie silence. RG froze when he saw Luke dragging the damaged form of Darth Vader across the floor. His training pushed him to act, but then Vader’s broken voice ordered him to leave. Even through the mechanical rasp, the command carried authority. RG obeyed. He stepped back, allowing Luke and the fallen Sith Lord to pass.
When the guards reentered the throne room, they searched for signs of the Emperor. The truth hit them instantly—his body lay lifeless near the throne. Their master, the being they had sworn to protect above all else, was dead.
Rage replaced disbelief. Both guards turned toward the corridor, ready to chase the rebel who had destroyed everything they knew.
A Revelation in the Hangar
As they hurried toward the hangar, RG’s thoughts tangled in confusion. Vader’s order still echoed in his mind. Why had he protected Skywalker? Why allow them to leave? The questions found no answers until the two guards reached the shuttle bay.
Luke was there, kneeling beside Vader’s still body. The sight stopped them cold. The boy didn’t look like a conqueror or a dark heir—he looked like a son saying goodbye. Still, the guards tried to make sense of the scene. Maybe this was part of the Emperor’s hidden design. Maybe Skywalker had fulfilled some secret plan none of them could understand.
They approached with caution, waiting for direction from what they assumed was the new hand of the Empire. But instead of commands, they heard Luke’s voice shouting for them to run. He warned them of the station’s coming destruction and fled with his father’s body.
RG stepped closer to where Vader had fallen. The damage on the armor revealed a story more powerful than any words. Vader had turned against his master. The Emperor had died at the hands of his own apprentice. The thought shattered RG’s world. Every truth he’d lived by crumbled in an instant.
Tauk rejected the idea completely. To him, the Emperor remained flawless, his plans beyond failure. He saw Luke as the enemy who must be destroyed. RG’s logic clashed with his partner’s faith, and their argument spiraled into violence.
In the chaos of falling debris and blaster fire, RG made the hardest choice of his life. He pulled the trigger. Tauk collapsed, and RG stood alone among flames and ruin. A moment later, part of the hangar ceiling gave way, trapping him beneath heavy wreckage.
The Last Loyal Guard
Pain filled his body as he waited for the end. Thoughts of loyalty, duty, and guilt raced through his mind. The sound of explosions grew louder, then everything shifted. The weight on his chest lifted, and air rushed into his lungs. RG looked up and saw Luke, focused and calm, using the Force to move the debris away. Without hesitation, the young Jedi urged him to flee.
RG sprinted for another shuttle and launched into the void. Behind him, the Death Star erupted in light, the last remnant of the Emperor’s empire consumed by fire.
Silence filled the cockpit as he drifted among the stars. The mission, the purpose, the Emperor—everything had vanished. His life had belonged to an empire that no longer existed. Part of him felt ready to join it in death. Another part wanted to live, maybe to see what kind of galaxy would rise from the ashes.
He sat there quietly, letting the emptiness settle. The guard who once served perfection now faced freedom for the first time. With nothing left to protect, RG closed his eyes and mourned—not only for his Emperor, but for the life that ended with him.