Then his own voice, speaking not to her, but to Juno, in another place, another time: "The Force is stronger than anything we can imagine. We're the ones who limit it, not the other way around. "
Starkiller breathed deeply and closed his eyes. His mind was just one speck in the endlessly shifting sea that was the galaxy. He felt the eddies and currents of the combined life force of every living thing sway through him-and with only a small effort he detached himself from himself and joined that flow, seeking the one he needed.

The roar of a crowd filled his mind. Movement scattered his mental vision, made it hard to make our anything specific. Was that fluttering wings, or banners? He couldn't quite tell. Figures that might have been beings glowed blue all around him. Above him hung a giant eye, staring downward.

Are you still with me, Kota?

His vision shifted, became red-tinged-deeply red, as though someone had cut the throat of a giant beast and drained it onto the ground. Something snarled. Something roared. There was a flurry of limbs, a wild rush of violent intent.

"It's all in your mind, boy, " said Kota from his memory.

Green light flashed. More blood. Severed limbs fell onto the dirt. The crowd roared.

General Rahm Kota, leaning back on his heels, breathing heavily, surrounded by a ring of corpses. How long had he been fighting now? Six days? Seven? Fatigue was taking its toll. With every wave he came closer to making a mistake-and when that happened, it would all finally be over.

Starkiller opened his eyes. His lips were pressed into a thin line.

"Hold on, old man, " he whispered, and brought Darth Vader's TIE fighter smoothly our of orbit.

Chapter 3