When I start to wake up, I realize that Anakin had not been entirely accurate in his description of the knock-out gas. It didn't do any visible damage, but had left me with a raging headache.

I used the Force to numb some of the pain, and come to instant alertness. I open my eyes and realize that I cannot see. I don't hear or smell anything either. Relax, I tell myself, as panic starts to rise within me. It's just a game. Think. Where are you?

I shift for a moment, realizing that I'm resting on my knees. I concentrate, and conclude that I'm blindfolded. My hands are bound behind me, in what feels like a common pair of binders. My legs are not bound at all, but I am barefoot, my boots having disappeared.

"Alright Ahsoka, first level." Anakin's voice echos through the room. "Grab your utility belt and get to the wall within two minutes. Begin."

Immediately, I spring into action.

I get to my feet and remove my blindfold using the Force. My sapphire eyes dart about the room, my brain using the sense it was deprived of to take in information at lightning fast speed.

My utility belt is hanging on a hook on the wall, several feet off the ground, and there's a large hole in the floor directly beneath it.

My mind starts to race. Take a running start, jump up to grab the belt, use lock-pick in belt to remove cuffs, reach wall. Within just a matter of seconds I had my plan. I flipped once, bringing my arms up and over my head so that my hands were now in front of me.

There was no time for hesitation. I took a step back and started running full speed at the wall. A foot from the edge of the hole, I leaped into the air and grabbed my utility belt. I kicked off the wall, executed a perfect back flip, and landed on my feet.

Which promptly slid out from under me as I realized , too late, that there was some sort of oil coating the floor. I tried to stand up, scrambling, driven by the will to finish in time. I lost my balance yet again, falling forward this time and sliding face first into the pit. It was wide, eight feet deep and filled with a sticky, foul-smelling, black gunk.

I was now coated in the awful stuff, but I didn't have time to contemplate it's contents. Instead, I found my lock-pick and made short work of undoing my bonds. This done, I clicked my belt around my waist and pushed myself up and out, using the Force to help me reach the top.

Though it smelled horrible, the gooey substance kept me from sliding, and I dashed across the room. Practically colliding with it, I slammed both my hands on the wall and sunk to the floor, breathing hard.

A large hose came out from the ceiling and began spraying the floor with water, allowing the oil and goo to flow down the drain in the middle of the room. I quickly moved to stand under the icy spray, and washed away the sludge before it dried and became my second skin.

I went back to the wall and sat, praying I had made it in time. If this was only the first level, I wondered what nightmarish hell awaited me in level 5.

To my delight, Master Skywalker entered a few moments later, with a wide smile on his face.

"Great job Snips! You did better than I expected!" He sits down beside me while I wring out my clothes.

"What was my time?"

"1:37. Not bad, for your first time. How do you feel?" He asked, resting a hand on my knee.

"Taken by surprise." I reply, my heart rate finally coming back to normal. "I hadn't expected that."

"Ah, now that is the key. You must prepare for the unexpected."

I roll my eyes. "The goo was a nice touch."

He smiles. "Do you know what that was?" I shake my head, unsure if I really want to know.

"Just some fertilizer for the gardens." he replies nonchalantly. I pause for a moment, putting two and two together.

"Was that..." I cringe slightly, praying that I'm wrong, "...animal fertilizer?"

He says nothing, merely smiles and winks at me.

"Yuck!" I cry, leaping to my feet, trying to rub off any microscopic remnants that may remain. "That's gross Skyguy!"

He stands and laughs at my horrified and annoyed expression. "And yet, you didn't think about it until now. That's a good thing, Ahsoka. It means you have a valuable piece of the Jedi puzzle: the survival instinct."

"Yay for me." I mutter, still shuddering inwardly. Curiously, I start to feel very drowsy, and I sway, struggling to keep my balance.

"Master, something's wrong." I say. With kind eyes, he wraps an arm around my shoulder and helps me sit against the wall.

"It's alright Ahsoka." He whispers softly. "Just relax, Ahsoka, don't fight it."

I look up at him, my vision beginning to blur. "Master?"

His voice becomes very distant, but I manage to make out one last thing.

"Prepare for the unexpected."