Hello Readers! Back with another chapters. I know these chapters are short, and they take a while to produce, but I do have a life I have to take care of. However, i will not abandon this story, you have my word on that. All I ask is that my readers review so I can do better. I also had some family issues recently. Lets just say I am not on speaking terms with my father and most likely will not be for a long time. If you want to know more, you may PM me. I could not do this without you guys! Cheers! Oh, and I experimenting with recommending songs with chapters. If I am not too lazy and have time, i may go back and recommend songs for chapters. The song for this chapter is: Beat You by Wattwhite

watch?v=Y2Pg_ZsVTDo.

Now onto the story!

Chapter 7: Divided We Stand

We circled each other, looking for openings that we could take advantage of

"You don't have to do this, 3-8. We are brothers for Sith's sake! Stop now, and leave!"

" I won't let a traitor leave this ship alive! My brother died when we left him!"

He lunged at me. Blades clashed against blades, again and again we struck. I went for his leg and he went for my head. He knocked my blade away and I caught his. I tried to push him down, but he twisted out of my grasp. Another flurry of blades against blades, to someone else, our battle probably looked like the fires of Mustafar.

While he was recovering, I slashed his tendon, but I left myself open in the heat of the moment, and 3-8 slabbed my arm. We both cried out in pain, but still stood proud.

"Give it up. Even if you kill me, the others will not let you live! Come back to us, 3-8! Leave the Empire behind!"

"You know I can't do that. I will bring you down! You killed these poor men! I will bring justice!" He gazed at the bodies of clone marines and officers on the ground.

"Then you have made your choice."

I clicked at flashbang behind my back and lobbed it at him. He was caught off guard by my unexpected move and stumbled, blinded my the grenade. I tackled him, but even blinded, the woosh of my strikes intended to be driven home into his heart were felt my him. He blocked attack after attack, but I knew he could not keep this up forever. No man is perfect, and he was no exception.

In desperation, he headbutted me, cracking both of our visors and stunning me the most. 3-8 noticed my weakness, and exploited it. With my blackened vision and ringing ears, I never saw it coming.

I felt the blood pouring out of my chest, and a spike of pain brought me out of my stupor.

'Maybe dying won't be so bad, I feel so tired...' A feeling of warmth crept over me as my vision dimmed.

NO! I couldn't leave this world! I had something to live for! My friends needed me, and I would be damned if I would abandon them now!

My adrenaline kicked in full time and everything seemed photorealistic. I could see every dust particle, every tiny scratch on my armor. My pain melted away. I had something to fight for, and I was not buried yet!

I pushed off 3-8 and tackled him like a frenzied Acklay, rapidly striking, spark flying and blades heating to the point of nearly catching fire. HE WOULD NOT WIN! NOT TODAY!

3-8 kept up with my strikes, but the chink in the armor presented itself. 3-8's head was exposed as he was focused on keeping me off his chest. I cracked his visor and finally shattered it, and what I saw would stay with me for all of my years.

I saw myself, my own eyes. They were filled with hate and anger, with a nagging tendril of fear. This could have been me, I could have followed this path. I had the same DNA, the same mind. I shook it off, I had to.

"I'm sorry, brother.." Tears flowed down my face. I never my brother, my own flesh and blood. I had saved him, laughed him, protected him, confided in him. Now, I had to kill him.

I ended his life, and part of my spirit left with him.