Star Wars: Force Bound

"Sit down, youngling." Mace Windu gestured with his right hand toward a meditation mat.

Yoda was already taking a seat on the left side from him and then looking at Jack.

Their current location in the temple was a room for meditation purposes and by the looks of it, both of these Master Jedi were inviting him to join them to do just that.

Jack of course just complied with no complaints and sat down in a lotus position on the space where he was supposed to be.

Naturally, in his mind, he was not feeling all too fondly of this man talking to him. He could feel the hostility towards himself even if the emotions were hidden well.

"What is it you have called me for, mentors?", asked Jack after the silence was not broken for at least a minute.

"Impatient, you still are.", mentioned Yoda now. A small smile was on his face. "About your future, we have to talk. But first, meditate."

"We need to make sure of something. So just concentrate and start meditating on yourself. Try to explore your emotions.", said Mace now.

"My emotions? I thought there are no emotions and only peace?", rebuked Jack back with a small smirk that told how he felt about that.

"That is why we are here. To determine if that what lies in yours is going to be a problem. Now, would you concentrate, youngling?", sighed Mace now and his voice got a little bit colder.

'Prideful, jealous fool...', Jack squinted his eyes lightly and then closed them entirely.

But unknown to him the feeling was a lot stronger now. He could feel the presence of Yoda and Mace with him and it did not even take long before all three of them dived into the deep cosmos getting a picture of a planet.

Their vision traveled to the surface of said planet and what came into view was a city burning. Screams of agony and death reigned over the otherwise eerily tranquil metropolis. And what they saw mostly in their path, was only destruction.

When all three of them started to frown they soon found the source of the problem.

Jack had cold sweat run down his back and his breathing became haggard and heavy. When they entered a gory clump of flesh at the center of the city there he saw it.

A shrieking scream attacked his mind and threw him back to the present.

The surge of pain even got him disoriented for a second and he had to support himself straight with a hand placed on the ground.

Raising his head and looking at Yoda and Mace with a pale face, he could see them heavily frowning. They also looked paler than before. Sure enough, that told him that they saw it as well.

"What was that evil presence?" Mace seemed to contemplate on what they saw.

"Hmm, very worrying, that is. A dark presence. Pure of....hunger. Young Shea, information has?" Yoda also did not know what that was and only could ask if the youngling knew anything.

Jack only smiled wryly. "I guess now I know what it is that haunts my dreams from time to time...It survived somehow."

That was the truth. Jack had some bad nightmares in the past years. It mostly concerned his friends that he lost. He thought about it being his guilt gnawing at him. But it also kept his determination aloof and a goal in mind.

"It is why I search for knowledge. That thing..." Suddenly a deep well of anger surfaced on his otherwise calm mind and brought him to a stop in his speech. "...I see." But he calmed down rather quickly after realizing where the source of it came from.

"Your thoughts dwell on your late friends and that keeps dangerous emotions in you.", noted Mace. He did not miss that small fluctuation in his force presence. "The sheer coldness I just felt from you aimed at that being is worrying..."

"Let go of what you fear, you must. Death is a natural part of life.", said Yoda now while looking at Jack. His face was solemn.

"But master Yoda...You should have felt it as well. That thing is still alive. And it hungers, growing stronger by the second." Jack frowned and urged the grandmaster to reconsider. He actually tried to convince them to act in this case. He did not even do so when being asked about the war.

"It is a disease that infects people and turns them into murderous slaves to consume more and more. There will be no serene death and return to the force... Worse, if what we saw was the past then I dare say the galaxy will meet another calamity even greater than the current war..."

"Hmm...confront our fears we must. Physical, in your case, that will be. Prepare, you must.", nodded Yoda.

"From how it felt, it should be the present time we saw...We really can't let that thing grow if what you state is true. But we have our hands tied to the current problem as well. I will petition the supreme chancellor to use some available working force to find that planet. We should also admission some Jedi Seer to look into it to find the location." Mace sighed a little and then seemed to refocus his focus towards Jack again.

"Still, we should get back to our task at hand. With your inner turmoil, I doubt he would become a good Jedi, Master Yoda." That was his opinion and final evaluation on the result of the little test they put Jack through.

"Hmm, but calm he remained. Not let his judgment clouded by anger, he has."

Jack only continued watching these two debate on his emotions and there was only calmness in his gaze.

He did not even feel wronged by Windu's claims. His humanity showed and he felt it was alright. Jack would have worried more if he became an emotionless monster entirely.

That is after all where a true ruthless Dark Jedi is born. The so-called Sith that took his race's name.

"But how long will he be able to keep that in check? It would only need a little bit of a push and he could become what we try him not to become.", argued Mace.

"You as well, on the very thin line walk. But not overstepped, you have. Training and a good teacher, he needs.", hummed Yoda back.

Mace only sighed. "So you are still going to go with the previous decision? Fine. Youngling, you are hereby elevated to the status of a padawan. In the next few days, the necessary ceremony will be held. Don't disappoint our trust, you hear me?", asked Mace him.

"I will try my best, Master Windu. But who am I going to be learning under? And...this may be a personal request. But what about Ahsoka?" Jack's gaze looked more towards Yoda than Mace now.

The green alien smiled happily. "Not worry, you need. Both of you, concerned we were. Now, both will learn, to become Jedi."

Hearing those words from Yoda made Jack smile. So Ahsoka really made it through. It made him somewhat happy that his presence did not alter her result too much.

Just thinking about that one time where he actually caught another youngling bullying her made him actually feel disgusted at the order. His rage at that conflict where he beat up the other guy and repeated showing signs of wrath was also why he was here in the first place.

And that was also why he feared that he shone a bad light on Ahsoka's reputation while she still associated herself with him.

To speak the truth, he did not even think that he would actually be put under a Jedi as a Padawan. He was already set on leaving the order and do his own thing right after getting his sentence.

But knowing now that the Black Wing was still at large, he would first make it pay. It needed to disappear. Learning a little bit more would also not be too bad.

That being said, he would now become a soldier. A fate for a Jedi that is ironic in itself.

"You will be put under Master Obi-Wan Kenobi's care. You can tell your fellow padawan that she is going to be learning under the Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker."

Now that actually brought shock to Jack. "Master Kenobi and Master Skywalker? The famous Jedi that defeated a Dark Jedi?"

Mace frowned again. "Not a Master. Anakin Skywalker is no Jedi Master. Not every padawan receives training from a Jedi Master. You could call yourself lucky, actually. Now, Master Yoda and I have still some things to discuss. You should prepare yourself for the ritual, Padawan."

Jack only sighed and nodded at this man's antics. "I understand." Then standing up and bowing lightly with cupped hands he left the room.