Logan awoke and smiled at the young girl in his bed. She was barely twelve though she looked even younger. He shook her arm and she awoke, yawned, then asked, "Are we there yet?"

"Few more hours. You go on and get ready."

She nodded and slid out of the bed. A dozen minutes later, Logan got out and waited at the restroom door. She came out a few minutes later and went to get dressed. When Logan was done, he came out and said, "I'm going to be glad when the 'droids finish your quarters."

She smirked and said, "I'm not the one who snores."

"No. you just drool and kick the covers off. Make breakfast. I'm going to make sure the 'droids are on course."

She nodded and wandered to the small galley off the sickbay. The ship Logan had bought to leave Earth had been one of the most expensive with its ten 'droids included but it had had only one room they had ended up sharing.

Logan settled into the left chair at the drive console and nodded at the small droid plugged into the console. "How's it going?"

The reply showed up on the HUD and Logan nodded then said, "Alert me when we come within their hailing distance."

Logan walked back and sat down to eat with his latest student. Under his shirt, a locket, almost as old as he held an image of his wife and a rotating image of his children in the opposite side. "Sorry, what Hinata?"

She repeated herself. "What are we working on today?"

"Accelerated mathematics and Seals. Hand me the salt."

She pushed it forward he sprinkled it on his meal then finished it quickly and went to see how the 'droids were doing converting some of the cargo hold to a bedroom.

When he was done there, he walked back and found Hinata forming Seals with her hands. In moments, she was no long where she had been and was now standing on the ceiling, smiling at Logan.

He shook his head and did the same Seals. "Are you ready? We'll do this upside down until you fall."

"You'll fall first."

"As you say," he murmured then did Seals faster than she could see. A beam of red light erupted from his hands and slammed into her, knocking her to the deck below her.

She moaned then stood, rubbing her backside as Logan dropped from the ceiling, his body turning to a globe of fire then shifting back as he landed upright, kneeling.

"Still slow, Hinata. First comes," he was interrupted by the voice of one of the 'droids coming through the speaker on the wall. "We're within one hour of hailing distance of Gaea's Eclipse."

"Hinata, lesson three-seventeen on the computer. Hop to."

She scowled and did as ordered.

Logan looked at the planet they were approaching and nodded. He had been off Earth before but this was the first time he had ever left for so short a time.

"This is the Hermione, requesting docking permission."

"This is Gaea's Eclipse station, please transmit credentials," Logan did so then heard, "Please remit the thousand credit docking fee, refundable on first ore purchase or in repayment for supplies. Processing... granted."

Logan sat down to pilot the luxury freighter down.

Their hatch cracked open then the smell of the planet invaded the ship. Hinata started to rush off the ship but was stopped when a large man filled the hatch. Her fingers came up in a mock-gun look, though she aimed them at the ceiling with a martial arts flair to her footing. Logan just smiled and walked forward then was drawn into an immense bear hug as the burly man laughed and said, "It's good to see you again, old man."

Logan laughed then said, "Hinata, this is one of my old students."

She looked between the man who looked to be in his forties then to her teacher that looked barely older than twenty and raised an eyebrow. Logan patted Hinata's head and said, "Go change into your uniform."

She did as ordered and Logan cast a spell on his own clothing. The utility suit he had been wearing was replaced by a loose gray robe over a gray shirt and charcoal leather trousers with thick leathery boots on his feet. "Cort, is this planet good for her midlevels?"

"It's perfect. My tavern is just down the road. It's called, surprisingly, Cort's Bar." His face twisted with wry amusement.

Logan nodded and replied, "We'll meet you there in a bit then."

Cort walked off just as Hinata returned, pulling her robe into place and doing up the buttons. She looked around and asked, "Where's the man?"

"We're meeting him at his business."

Her eyes widened then pointed at his side. "You've got a gun."

He nodded. "Yes, I do. This planet is a new colony. Now, come along."

She nodded and stepped off the ship then breathed in deeply. They had only been on the ship for two weeks but she had felt like she had been trapped off and on. As they walked along, four men began offloading their cargo of supplies for the colony.

As they walked along, she began to skip and Logan smiled then looked up and watched some of the others in the colony doing their own things. Surprisingly even now people were washing their clothes by hand and the like.

They found them outside the bar and they walked in. Cort brought them two bowls of thick stew and sat down with them, then began speaking in a language Hinata didn't understand.

Logan replied in the same language and they chatted back and forth in it until Hinata said, "I'm done. Do you have any Slurt?"

Cort raised his arm and a young girl came over. She collected the empty bowls as Cort told her, "Bring over two ales and a Slurt, please."

She nodded and walked off then came back with the drinks. Cort looked around then reached into his jacket and took out a bottle. "Some firewhiskey, Old Man?"

Logan smiled. "Aye." He waved his hand over the two ales and the fluid inside disappeared. Cort poured approximately one hundred milliliters in the mugs and the two went back to talking.

Cort pulled Logan into another bear hug and the two parted. As they ambled out onto the stone walkway, Hinata asked, "What were you talking about?"

"Old times. Now, we need to outfit you."

"Outfit?" she queried, looking down at her clothing. "But this is what you said I would be wearing."

"Weapons, not clothing. It's time for you to pick up a real blade."

"Oh." Her voice was filled with excitement.

They walked to another building and went inside. There were dozens of weapons covering the wall. Gaea's Eclipse sounded like a safe planet but it wasn't. The animals of the planet had an aversion to the colonists so the villages were like small armories.

As she looked at the short swords and long knives, Logan studied the more expensive weapons until he saw four grips on the wall. His eyes widened and he said, "I'd like to see those sabers." The man looked up from the gun he had been reassembling then said, "Sabers? What-" his eyes widened as he realized Logan knew what the items on the wall were.

"Sir, are you sure--" Logan made the man's mouth drop as he raised his hand and one of the small handles rocketed towards him, igniting, sending a violet phosphorescent blade a metre long out of it. He swung it expertly and said, "Am I sure I can handle it? Yeah."

The salesman closed his mouth, then nodded and said, "I also have some color gems and three mod units but I don't know how to install them." Logan looked those over as Hinata tried to look at the blades and her teacher at the same time. She had never seen the type of saber he was holding before.

When they left, Logan had the saber hanging off his belt next to his gun and a pack of throwing knives. He had more weapons secreted around his body also.

Hinata fingered the new pack of throwing knives and shurikens as they walked to their next stop, the main hall of commerce. Logan had to finalize the deal of the equipment he had brought in, mostly luxury items like Terran Silks and candy though he had also brought in portable mining equipment and other needed items.

Inside, the leader of the planet greeted them like old friends and said, "Mister Smith, thank you for coming so quickly. With you here, we can begin the auction."

Logan nodded and the two watched the auction begin. When it was finally over, while Logan began counting up his profits, Hinata asked, "What is that weapon you got?"

"It's called a lightsaber. I told you about The Force, right?" She nodded. It had been part of her beginning of training orientation though she wouldn't learn about it. Logan was a master of the ability but had long ago pledged never to teach it. He had seen too many people fall to the dark side of the ability. "Well, this is the weapon of Force adepts, the Lightsaber. You're learning Seal magic and I doubt you'll come across many of the users of The Force. It's a dying art form in this corner of the galaxy."

He looked around then said, "Come on. Let's have dinner then we can get a night of sleep before we begin."

They went back to the ship and ate slowly, Logan quizzing her on hand Seals and the few foot Seals she had been trained in.

When they finished, Hinata went to sleep in her just finished quarters while Logan knelt on the floor in the middle of the now mostly empty cargo hold, the lightsaber and his sidearm on the floor in front of him and a small pool of silver light in the deck behind him.

When light began shining into the cargo bay the next morning, the pool of silver light began to disappear as the 'droids inside the ship began preparing to lock down the ship for the time they would be gone. One 'droid that had not done any work activated, surveyed Logan then stood waiting. Bipedal with a mostly symmetrical design, it resembled a human more than most 'droids did. On it's 'thighs' were twin ion cannons. Though they would destroy a 'droid easily enough, they would only stun humans, getting through any form of technical shield.

When Logan stood, the 'droid spoke. "Unit designated HK One-Eight-Seven is ready for service. All subroutines in proper order. Processors at low capacity. Ready for mission parameters."

"State design specifications," Logan asked. The 'droid had been part of the freighter's complement, a guard/battle 'droid.

"HK One-Eight-Seven; design specifications; Hunter Killer protocol 'droid. Main purposes; diplomat protection, security, executive protection, assassination, protocol, and defense analyzation."

Logan nodded. The HK series were expensive. It alone had been a third of the price of the freighter. "Mission parameters are to follow my orders. At all times you will follow us. You will stand night duty when we're sleeping." He rattled off a few more directives until Hinata came in, her face flushed with excitement as she told him breakfast was ready.

They ate quickly then walked out of the ship, this time followed by the 'droid, moving slowly. Unlike the day before, those that recognized them from the auction bowed or made some sort of benediction while others moved out of the way, the 'droid's obvious expensiveness and its weapons enough to scare them out of the way.

Logan told Hinata to wait outside then walked into Cort's Bar. He nodded at some of the people who greeted him then walked into Cort's office. Inside, he received a large package. A blade he had sent ahead when he had taken Hinata on as a student. Cort ran his fingers over the hilt then nodded and turned away. Logan cut his hand and watched his own blood drip down down his hand and fingers then drop onto the symbols cut on the tsuba. The blade flashed silver and it began to hum with power. The soul trapped inside it howled then was quieted when the scabbard was slid back on. He shuddered then sighed. Bringing the soul with him was not his favorite deal.

When we walked back out, Logan pulled two grapples from HK's back then strapped the blade in place, it's angle vertical but able to swivel so he could draw the blade if need be.

As they walked, Hinata studied the blade then looked away. Logan was wearing a backpack. She was surprised she hadn't recognized it until now. It seemed to fade into the tunic and trousers he was wearing, the cloak off and tied around his waist.

She jogged up to him and asked, "What's in your bag?"

"Food. What's that over there?"

Hinata looked the plant over then said, "It's a Silver Cyan."

"And what are those useful for?"

"The leaves are used for healing agents, their roots have a naturally digestible form of caffeine, the flower petals are used in perfumes, and the stamens are used in pharmaceuticals. Aren't pharmaceuticals and healing agents the same thing?"

"Pharmaceuticals was used as an euphemism. They're used in recreational drugs."

"Oh," she nodded then drew one of her blades and severed half a dozen leaves and placed them in a small pouch on her waist then put another in her mouth. The leaves had small amounts of caffeine also.

They continued looking for certain plants and trees and when she got them right, she collected samples. The ones she misidentified, Logan had her study them again. They would try again the next day.

That night, the two slept, the HK standing over them, its sensors visually interrogating everything that came into view.

Logan stood on the bridge of a warship and grabbed a rail as they were hit by a brace of missiles. He reached down and lifted a lieutenant up who nodded in thanks and handed over a flexible sheet of plastic with data streaming down it then rushed off to get back to his station.

"General Atreides?"

Atreides turned and nodded. "Colonel?"

"The enemy's signaled. They've asked for terms."

"Transmit the normal surrender terms. Send over a clutch of lieutenants. We could use that ship."

The colonel saluted and turned to do the general's orders.

The time shifted and he wasn't a general yet. He was back in the group traveling with Tared Nan, a Jedi and an old friend. The two had 'borrowed' a ship from a Hutt and had flown through the enemy lines, trying to make it back to the Jedi Council.

Time shifted again and this time he stood on another ship, this time at sea on a foreign world far from his home. A young boy rushed up to him with a large mug then took the wheel as he drank from it.

"Paulus?"

Paulus turned and smiled at the woman. "Yes, dear?"

The time shifted again and he was watching fighters battling, attempting to break the lines of his own fighters.

Time shifted again and this time he was standing in front of a council of mostly humans. "I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhäuser Gate. I've unleashed the dogs of war under your command for decades and now you're throwing me away because I'm eighty?" He had a hard time keeping a straight face. He shook his head, then pulled his rank off his sleeve and walked away. It was time for a new beginning anyway, he thought.

Logan was shaken awake and Hinata looked at him with concern in her eyes. "Master, are you okay?"

He looked at her for a moment then nodded and said, "Make a fire. Without magic. Or technology."

She nodded and started gathering more sticks up and asked, "What were you dreaming about?"

"The past. Now, show me how to start a fire." He watched her rub two sticks together, blowing lightly on the wood curls she had shaved off earlier. When it was going, she looked around and asked, "Should I use a cleaning spell or can I use that pond?"

He looked at the pond and she saw silvery flecks of light surround his eyes. He nodded. "It's fine. Just keep a knife nearby. And don't use soap."

Hinata nodded and jogged off as Logan began pulling food out of the bag he had been wearing. He pulled the saber off his belt and used it to trim down the side of beef then settled it back in and pulled some potatoes out. He conjured some paper then soaked it in water he summoned from the pond and wrapped the wet paper around the potatoes, pushing them into some coals he separated from the main area of the fire.

When Hinata came back, Logan was just pulling the strips of meat off the fire. She was sqeezing the water out of her hair as he pulled the potatoes out and they unwrapped themselves in midair. She grinned when he made them dance for a few moments before settling them on the metal plates waiting. As they ate, Hinata looked around the small clearing they had stayed in.

"How come nothing bothered us?"

"Well, HK is over there, but there's a ley line convergence under this clearing. It helps with the magic of the planet and the scrambling of lesser minds."

"Magic of the planet?"

"Each planet has a magic of its own. A planet's magicks are part of its own way of surviving. On Terra, there are approximately fifty different types of magic, so far, the most ever found. This planet, no one knows since there're no inhabitants. Are you done eating?"

She ate the last bit of potato and nodded.

They broke camp and began heading out to continue her lessons.

As they walked along, she continued collecting samples of plants after identifying them while Logan watched the forest. He had felt something that wanted them dead, earlier.

As they walked, he explained more of magic types, glossing over specifics, mostly talking about how they did it.

"Wand magic on Terra consists of twenty different types of wood surrounding a core of forty different types. Seal magic is hand forms matching certain archetypal patterns, as you know. Then there are the lesser forms." He continued talking as they walked along until it was time to eat.

This time he pulled out two large strips of jerky and a water bottle. From the bag he pulled some packets out and said, "Here, add this to the water bottle. It'll make it into orange juice. Drain the bottle then recap it, alright?"

Hinata nodded and they continued walking as she slowly ate the dried meat and drank the juice while Logan sucked on his own jerky.

When she finished off the orange juice, she recapped it and the bottle refilled with water. Hinata handed it back and he placed it in the bag. As they continued walking, she asked, "Will you tell me about the first Emperor now?"

He smiled at her and said, "Alright. What do you know of him already?"

"Just what we learned in school. His bloodless coups worldwide soon had him in charge or people he appointed in charge of areas."

He nodded and said, "Alright, let's start at the beginning. When our first Emperor was young and had defeated an enemy of his--" he was interrupted by his student. She asked, "How do you know this? It's not in any books."

He smiled and said, "Let's just say that my family passed down an oral history. We were quite close to the throne."

He shook his head to stress his neck muscles then, "After he defeated his greatest enemy, he stood looking out at the stars one night. As he watched a comet streak by, his woman came in and hugged him from behind. Just as he was about to suggest something to her, he had a vision. At first, he ignored it then it came again to him. In the background, he was listening to a news station and he told his woman, 'Do you ever get the feeling you're the only one who can save the world?' She thought he was joking since that was what he had done just recently but he shook his head and said, 'I'm serious.' She stared at him then was just as surprised as he when two ghostlike beings appeared to them except instead of being silvery, they were blue. The beings were Merlin and Silvana. Silvana was a witch from after Merlin's time. They told the Emperor-before-he-was that defeating his enemy wasn't his destiny. It was only his test. After that, he spent the next few years meditating on it. Literally. He almost lost his wife but in the end, she understood what he was doing. After meditating for one thousand days, our Emperor made his way to Antarctica and met up with Merlin's shade again.

"From there, he came back, wearing the armor of King Arthur and search of Excalibur. It took him nearly a year but soon he had the sword and from there, he began his quest.

"The day he began his war, his first child was born as he removed the Minister from the British Ministry of Magic. One year later, he had finished bringing Europe into the fold. With the birth if his second child, he had completely brought the witches and wizards of the world into his fold and from there, his campaign began to enfold the Muggle worlds. Almost one million wizards pledged themselves to his mailed fist.

"He sat on the throne of world in Iceland in his palace built on the bones of his enemies. Literally. The few that had to die had their bones used as the supports, visible to remind him that his rule was not an easy one. His throne was an immense crystalline structure of ice charmed so that only the ones who were worthy of the throne could seat themselves upon it. They called it The Frozen Throne of Emperor Maker. A name his wife gave him as she sat upon her own throne next to his. They called it The Throne of Conscious because she acted as his when he let emotion get the better of him.

"Excalibur was always at his side, the immense broadsword and his armor his badges of office."

He stopped and looked off at the setting sun half-hidden by a hillock and smiled sadly. Hinata took the silence as time to ask a question. "Was he really immortal?"

"Yes. He was. Is. No one knows if he's still alive except his descendants."

"Why isn't he on the throne anymore?"

"Does living forever sound awesome to you?"

She thought about it then nodded. "You would be able to do so much."

He shook his head and said, "Living forever becomes tiring after a while. You outlive your children and their children. People come after you wanting to know your secret. Soon you'd decide to change your name and face then disappear into the crowds." his voice was almost choked and he coughed then said, "We're near another Ley convergence. We'll bed down here."

He watched her gather the wood for their fire and continued the conversation she thought over. "Our first Emperor saw the religion forming around him. You saw the predicant in the village. One of the reasons he stepped off the throne and left his family to do what it must was that exact reason. He could see the coming Jihad through the galaxy in his name if he didn't."

Logan shook his head then said, "Climb that tree and hang from that branch." He pointed. "I'll make the fire and cook dinner. Don't let go until I say so."

She nodded then made a steeple with her hands and orange light seemed to form under her feet as she raced towards the tree. Hinata ran up the side and laughed when she caught the branch. She had done it on her first try.

Logan shook his head and grinned. Sometimes he wished he was that young again.

Hinata cocked her head and blew upwards, moving a strand of hair out of the light so she could see Logan's face better. He was still sleeping soundly and Hinata was at the point where she was ready to shake him awake.

Logan opened his eyes, narrowed them, then closed them as he said, "What are you doing?"

"Watching you sleep. It's half an hour past sunrise."

"I know this. Have you prepared the meal?"

She nodded and moved away from him. As he stood and stretched, Hinata picked up a plate and held it out for him. He sat down and took the plate then began slowly eating, debating between the two avenues for her study to take. The first would be hard, harder for him than her, or the soft way and possibly diluting her abilities...

He shook his head and stood, the meal complete. A wave of his hand and the plate was cleansed then settled back into the pack of food. "We come to a fork today. I must decide whether to train you as a warrior or a scholar. Either way could prove fatal for you if your path through time needs the other..."

"Why do you choose? It's my life. Why isn't it my choice?" There was no petulance in her voice. Just the question. Searching for knowledge instead of whining.

"Because I've chosen a future for you in the Imperial household."

Hinata's eyes went wide and her hand went to her mouth but didn't hide the squeal of excitement or the deep shining that came to her silver eyes, a genetic marker she wouldn't learn of until she was much older. A bounding leap and she was hugging Logan tightly, her arms around his neck. Logan laughed and peeled her off. "It's not a moment for levity. Sit. I'll be back in a moment."

She nodded and sat down as Logan gave orders to the 'droid then walked off into the forest.

Hinata sat waiting, wondering what it would be like in the Imperial household and what she would do. Her training wasn't what a chambermaid would learn nor a nurse.

When Logan reappeared he motioned for her to damp the remainder of the fire then stood away, waiting for her to finish.

They began walking again, this time the 'droid trailing them a full seven metres.

As was usual, Hinata in her youthful zeal got ahead of Logan but he said nothing about it this time.

It was nearing lunchtime when Hinata screamed and Logan saw her drop into a whipcord stance of battle. Two men came into view and Logan sighed. It was time. He faded from view along with the 'droid, a cloaking field of magic around them.

Hinata looked for her Master then heard his voice in the wind telling her to save herself. There would be no help with this Test of Life.

"Little girl. You look so sweet. I'll have her first."

"I'll have her first, you dirty bastard."

"No you won't," she told them, her voice hiding it's tremulous whine of fear well. "You'll bleed out on the sands of this planet before you touch me."

They both laughed and the closer reached out to grab her. His hand jerked back, the skin flayed open to the bone and arterial blood pumping. He let out an articulated sound of rage then wrapped his hand with a filthy bandanna he had been wearing around his neck.

The second man tried the same and this time Hinata was gone from where she had been, a stump of wood where she had stood. Time slowed for her as she raced from where she had been to behind the first man and a Tiger Claw punch to the spine of between his first lumbar and twelfth thoracic vertebrae.

He screamed in pain as the two vertebrae and the four surrounding it were all shattered. Her next move was a leap onto the second's back. Hinata's blade slashed in and slashed out, the breath escaping his body and making a flute sound as he died.

She stepped away, breathing hard, the red lens of battle had disappeared from her eyes, and she looked at the dead man and his paralyzed partner.

Logan and the 'droid approached. He surveyed the scene for a few seconds then said, "You've killed in battle, when your mind is empty, your body doing as it must. Now you need to make a decision. Can you kill with aforethought?"

Hinata stared at the man below her, mewling like a ravaged child and then looked at her teacher. He said nothing, staring at her calmly.

She dropped to her knees and jabbed the knife into his temple, killing him cleanly. As she stood, Logan spoke in Latin and the blood that had covered her disappeared. She watched him take a few items off the bodies then he dropped a roll of paper with Hiragana on it. The bodies disappeared in a flash of green fire as Logan turned and walked away, saying, "You've taken the first step on the path. Come along."

Hinata walked just behind him in silence, thinking about what she had just done.

When they reached their camp for the night, Logan did everything then sat down on a stump and asked, "Do you continue your path or do you step aside and take a new one?"

Hinata looked at her teacher then said, "I didn't feel anything. How come?"

"Because he would have raped and killed you, given the chance. Morality is flexible. It seeks to fit where it must and doesn't cover like a blanket. I hope you survive to serve the Empire. You'll make a fine addition to the Fremen Corps."

Hinata's eyes went wide at that. The Fremen Corps were the elite guardians of the palace. All female, no one knew where they lived or who they were. On duty, they wore sheer robes of pure white over white bodysuits with green and black scroll work from the arms down the legs.

Logan whispered a spell as she thought about this new aspect.

Hinata could feel a compulsion coming over her as she contemplated this new role in her life. To be of the Fremen meant honor and comfort as well as strife and loss. Even on Terra, a planet of peace, there were those who thought they could rule the Imperium better than the Imperial line.

"You will not be able to speak of this other than to myself or Cort."

"Who is he? Really?"

"A former student and a member of the DA."

"What's that?"

He shrugged. "All in it's own time. Tomorrow we concentrate on killing blows. You were ragged though your cuts were well done. Your strike on the second was exquisite enough. The Fluting Cut is very hard to do. It takes much practice and you need to make sure you've learned the movement so it becomes first nature. Those who know of battle will know with that strike to submit or die."

One year later...

Hinata looked at her hands as she washed them and wondered if the blood would ever come off. Sometimes at night she imagined there was blood still upon them from the day before.

Her thirteenth birthday was less than three days away and she had just slain her eighth person though Logan had killed three times that many that had attacked them, attempting to kill and loot them.

In the distance, she could see the fires of the village they had landed in and she knew that tomorrow they would be there. Hinata dried her hands on her tunic then walked back to where Logan sat, roasting potato-like roots and a small animal somewhat like a rabbit though with a long tail and six legs.

Logan nodded at her then handed her a plate and pushed two roots onto her plate, shaking his hand from the heat of them. A few moments later he pulled some of the meat off and she reached into the food satchel, retrieving a set of shakers. As she covered the meat with salt, Logan ate slowly, watching her through the fringe of his messy hair.

She knew he was watching but didn't say anything. There was nothing to say, truly.

As they walked into the city, Logan ordered the 'droid to the ship and stretched, wondering if she would pass her final test of Morality. He prayed she would. Destroying those who failed always troubled him the most when it was he who sent them on the course in the first place.

As they walked along, a hush was upon the village and she asked, "Master, what do you think is wrong?"

"I don't know. This place should be—" he was cut off by one of the Imperial priests. The man saw them then rushed towards them and bowed low. Low enough that Hinata wondered if the man's spine was going to break.

"Master... Logan Howlett?"

Logan nodded and Hinata watched as the priest handed her Master a missive printed on paper, make the sign of a true believer, then back away as the people around them watched in surprise. For a priest to act thus to someone else meant that the person was known in the Imperium.

As Hinata watched Logan open the letter, she saw his tanned skin go pale then she saw anger come upon him. As his hands crushed the letter he held, four claws ripped out of his skin on each hand, blood spraying.

His student watched in fascination and a tinge of fear as her Master backhanded a pole, slicing it apart then punched a stone wall, crushing it into dust and leaving four ragged holes from the claws.

Those around them ran off as Hinata absorbed and added the knowledge of the hidden weapons, wondering how they worked and why he had them. She didn't know that long ago Logan had been kidnapped by one of the alien races and genetically experimented on before being sent back to murder the Emperor at the time.

"Go to the ship. Tell the 'droids to prep to return to Terra. GO!"

Hinata did as ordered as Logan made his way to the tavern Cort owned.

Cort was standing behind the bar when Logan walked in. As soon as he saw the man, he poured a tumbler half full of amber liquid and pushed it halfway across the bar. Logan took it up and drained it all at once then gestured for Cort to refill.

"They killed her. They killed the last of the Line of Hermione."

"I know. I'm sorry, Master."