Star Wars: Force Bound

Jack remained on the same spot for quite a while until his throat was hoarse and dry. Just the same with the tears that had dried up from all the crying and the heat surrounding him.

He slowly raised his head and then supported his body on his feet. It felt weak and it was hard to stay upright.

Looking at his left forearm he could feel dampness that collected underneath his armguard. The armored gauntlet above it was shredded to oblivion by Ben that gnawed on it relentlessly.

Grabbing that piece of armor and throwing it off his arm he could see that the bandage-like Zillo guards were still intact.

Seemed they were extremely resilient beyond normal armor. But he could already see the blue paint job having been scratched off and the greenish-gray leather skin that was its base color shining through it.

Not to mention the blood that seemed to flow underneath the glove-like armor and painting it red like his skin. Jack took out a stim and rammed it into a spot where it could penetrate.

[Detected Bacta. +50 HP and increased regeneration for half an hour.]

Then he started walking. He ignored most of the warning sensors that were currently crying out in alarm inside his helmet. The scorching at his feet and all the ash around him made this place look like some vulcanic cave.

Not stopping he soon arrived at the hangar door. He raised his lightsaber and penetrated the door. With a lot of force, he could slowly but surely cut through the thick metal until a circular pattern was drawn.

Jack even grimaced thinking about this solution now. He was a fool and thinking too much about fighting and running instead of a much simpler way to escape. If he just had taken Ben's idea about blowing a hole into consideration and applied it like this much sooner, they would still live.

Anger collected in his mind again and he tried to Force push the metal away but nothing happened. Looking at his hands that now trembled he sighed and used his body to kick the metal.

It gave way and the hole was open. Going through it he could also see ash in the hanger. His eyes widened in the realization that zombies were waiting even in the hangar.

The open ramp of the spaceship indicated they already tried to steal it as well.

"F.u.c.k this god damn virus...", commented Jack one last time with his voice cracking.

Going inside the ship he closed the ramp and quickly searched the ship. There were a few ashes lying around in the interior and c.o.c.kpit but otherwise, it was clean and clear.

That let him sigh a relief and he swiped away the few armor parts that were still lying on the pilot chair and sat down there himself.

That brought him back up to his feet. He tried to inject himself with some bacta again but collapsed to the ground.

Scorching heat enveloped his body.

'No! Don't tell me I still got infected!?' With that little thought, he lost consciousness.

Sometime later he came back to his senses and opened his eyes. Looking around he realized he was still himself.

Standing up he noticed his helmet lying on the ground. He tried to pick it up but suddenly his armor slided over his arm and landed on the ground.

'Huh?' Looking at his arms now he saw two small hands. The size was completely different and when looking at his body hastily he could see his clothing was baggy and lose around him. The armor barely was holding itself on his smaller shoulders.

'What the f.u.c.k happened!?'

[I can explain, Jack. You used up too much energy in that last forceful execution of your ability.]

'You mean the force wave I used in my anger?'

'Should I not have just simply not been able to do it then?'

[Jack, there is no limit to doing things just because you see numerical values to your powers. I told you already that they only are estimates and represent what comes with ease to you. Every ability you have can break limits if you can pay the price in considerable higher energy costs...That aside, how do you feel?]

Hearing her worry about him brought him back to the event mentally. 'I...feel like crap.'

[But you seem to still hold on to something? That is good.]

'Yeah...I have been thinking while hunching there. I can change this.'

[Jack...] She clearly thought he was still griefing.

'There should be something that can help me traverse time and change this moment. There has to be! If visions can appear then there should be a way to transfer me to the past or future...Terra, can you tell me if I am right?'

[...] She was silent for a moment. [Time travel is a very dangerous thing to do, Jack. But I will not hold you back in doing so. There are many ways to do it. You need to find them. I can't tell you about them even if I wanted to. I am restricted talking about time and space laws until you yourself understand it.]

Jack grinned while he felt a clear relief inside his mind. 'That is all I need to know.'

Jack thought about it. 'Well, I did already think about going to search for Force artifacts and study it more. Could as well just start with the Jedi Temple.'

[You know that you are too old for joining the Jedi order? They will just deny you entry.]

'...Ignorance is Strength, huh...And yet they think there is no Ignorance, only Knowledge. I do not like the way the Jedi handle things but I will at least try. Since I have a goal I would not even care about totally changing this timeline and f.u.c.k.i.n.g everything up. If they won't accept me, then I will do it on my own. It's not like I am forced to stay. I could as well go visiting planets like Korriban or Tython myself. Maybe even Malachor V...Wait! That's it! The world between worlds! Why did I not think about that sooner? David would have immediately suggested it to me. Not that I would have needed it then...'

Thinking about it some more Jack just sighed.

'No...I don't know the entrances. I would have to wait what....30 years or something?'

Grimacing he just sighed.

'F.u.c.k it, first things first.' Jack then proceeded to switch and press various buttons and levers and the engine of the ship went online. While traveling he learned the basic ins and outs of operating the ship from Ben.

But no one should expect any hard or skillful maneuvers from him.

Reaching up over his head to another switch he halted.

Looking the last time towards the doors leading into this wrack he turned and flew out of the hanger to only instantly accelerate and leaving this space to never return.

What he did not see was a lone figure walking out of the door now and glaring after him. Its body was charred and hideous. A sinister perpetual grin placed on its face.