The Legion Renewed

Chapter Thirty-Two

Luke rushed in through the door in time to see Brenna raise her weapon high to deliver the death-blow to her twin. Instantly, his own lightsaber was in his hand and activated, and he moved to strike the evil Dark Host before she could strike Briande.

From her position on the floor, Briande could see what was happening, although her sister's back was to the door. "Luke, no!" she screamed. "Don't kill her!"

At the warning, BrennaPalpatine whirled around, and simultaneously a heavy rock picked itself off of the cave floor and hurled itself toward the oncoming Jedi.

Luke reacted through the Force and simultaneously tried to deflect the rock and spin away, but the power behind the missile was so great that he succeeded only in deflecting the killing force behind the stone. The rock still impacted against the side of his head with enough force to send him sprawling to the ground, unconscious.

Then, for a moment, the Dark Lady hesitated, bewildered by her sister's actions. In saving Brenna's life, Briande had automatically condemned Skywalker to death. It made no sense, but Briande had done it. BrennaPalpatine moved slowly over to the Jedi teacher and raised her lightsaber to finish him off.

"Brenna, please-" On the floor, Briande somehow found the strength to raise an arm in supplication. As she had just pleaded for her sister's life, she now pleaded for Luke's. "Brenna, please, don't kill him. I...love him..."

The Dark Twin turned slowly back to her sister. As she turned, Briande saw that it was Brenna. Angry, yes, but it was her. For the moment at least, Brenna's personality was dominant over Palpatine's.

"The way that I loved Ayyris?"

Briande nodded desperately. "Exactly the same way."

"Yet you killed him." The Sith-Lady raised her weapon again above Luke.

"No, wait!" Briande cried. "Brenna, listen to me! I never had the chance to tell you why."

The Imperial colonel gave no indication that she had heard, except that the deadly energy blade did not come crashing down across Luke's body, but remained poised in her hands, ready to strike. Briande knew that she had to talk fast.

"Ayyris was a traitor. He was an Imperial spy sent to Kalmyr to eliminate the source of the information leak. He was going to kill you."

"I knew that," her sister said, without lowering her weapon.

Briande was stunned. "You knew? Then why did you-?"

Her sister turned to face her, the weapon still held aloft in the ready position. "I loved him! Don't you think I would have given up my life rather than take his? The choice was mine to make, not yours!"

Briande shook her head. "No, Brenna. It was my choice, too. If I had to, I'd make the same one again. It was Ayyris or you. Even if I knew everything that I know now, I'd still choose you."

"Well, sister, time to make another choice." Brenna nodded to where Luke's weapon had fallen to the ground, and to where Luke himself lay. "I will give you the chance to join me by destroying him. If not, you will surely die. And your Jedi-teacher will die anyway."

"No, Brenna, please! I...beg you. No more killing."

Her sister laughed incredulously. "You beg me? You, who destroyed my life? I don't give charity, but perhaps you could bargain for the life of your young Jedi. Come, sister, make me your best offer."

Briande closed her eyes, knowing that she had nothing to bargain with, except perhaps..."My life," she said. "And your freedom. I'll take your place, just as you planned originally."

Amusement showed in Brenna's eyes. "I doubt that your precious Jedi would agree to that."

"As long as you keep your word to stop the killing, he won't interfere with you. I'll see to that."

Her sister laughed. "Your offer is ludicrous. I have all that I want if I kill the two of you now. Why should I accept your offer? You would do better to accept mine."

"Please, Brenna. Your anger is with me. I beg you, take it out on me, not on the others. I can forgive you for anything you do to me."

Brenna's expression changed to anger again. "Who are you to tell me these things? Who are you to pretend forgiveness, when you betrayed me! If I killed your young Jedi, would you be able to forgive me then?"

Briande knew that she had failed. There was nothing more that she could do or say to turn her sister back. She had failed herself, she had failed Luke, and...she had failed Brenna. "I don't know," Briande sobbed. "Please, Bren, I just don't know."

Then, in that moment, Briande suddenly realized where her mistake had been. It was not she who needed to forgive Brenna, but Brenna who needed to forgive her. As the Dark Lady returned to where Luke was lying and raised her weapon one final time, Briande cried out, "Brenna, I'm sorry!"

Brenna turned to look at her.

Briande closed her eyes, sobbing. "I'm so sorry. I didn't understand until now. It's easy to love someone who loves you in return. It's so much harder to love someone who doesn't."

"There's more to it than that," Brenna said.

"I know. I thought I was choosing between Ayyris and you, when I killed him. I know now that I was choosing between you and me."

"Ayyris was brave," Brenna said quietly. "He came to Kalmyr knowing that it was a Rebel stronghold. He didn't expect to leave alive."

"But he didn't love you."

"He did," Brenna said. "He just...loved the Empire more."

Briande closed her eyes. "I'm sorry, Bren. I didn't kill him for you. I didn't even kill him for the Rebellion. I did it for myself, because I didn't want to lose you. It's the same reason I begged Luke not kill you a moment ago. I still love you. I love you more than Ayyris ever did, more than Palpatine ever could, but it's a selfish love. And I beg you now for Luke's life for the same reason, because it's what I want, because my love for him is selfish, too. And I ask you to forgive me for being the way that I am, for putting my own wishes above yours."

For an endless moment, time seemed to stand still. Briande had nothing left. There was nothing more she could say or do. She waited helplessly for the whoosh of air that meant either Luke's or her own death, hoping it wouldn't come.

Brie.

Yes? Briande answered automatically, before even realizing that her sister had not spoken aloud. It was as if they were suddenly very young again, comforting each other for the lack of their father's affection, sharing secrets and songs, inseparable compassiatos.

Brenna lowered her deadly lightsaber. "I...forgive...you."

An earpiercing scream echoed suddenly around the cavern walls.