The Gambit's Mess Hall, a wretched hive of fistfights and debauchery. A place Fluttershy wanted to avoid at all costs...

It's okay, Fluttershy. Breathe, stay calm... She thought, shivering in place and sweating bullets. The Mess Hall was the only place, aside from the barracks, that the clones could settle disputes, relax, and occasionally get at each other's throats without being court martialed. Drunken brawls and the occasional table flip were quite frequent in this mess hall. "Wow! This place is amazing!" Spike exclaimed, causing the poor girl to jump in fright. "I mean, just look at that hardware the chefs are using!" One of his metallic claws pointed to the kitchen, and more importantly, the advanced ovens and stoves the kitchen staff were using. The poor astromech was oblivious to the chaos surrounding him.

"Heh heh, yeah... The hardware..." Fluttershy chuckled nervously, flinching at another brawl started mere feet away from where she was sitting. For a ship under the Republic flag, there doesn't seem do be much regulation...

After a while, the chaos of the Mess Hall died down to only the occasional verbal spat, calming the Jedi's nerves a little. Remember Fluttershy, you're still being tested...

"So," she stared down at the cute little robot currently sat to the left of her, paying close attention to her and also adding to her anxiety. Fidgeting in her seat, she continued. "Have you...read any good books?" She smacked her forehead almost as soon as the words left her mouth.

"Oh yeah, tons!" The droid spoke enthusiastically. "Twilight, *AHEM* I mean Master Sparkle, has catalogued and read over 2.8 quintillion books, theses, adventure novels; You name it, she probably read it, took notes, then alphabetized it! She had me scan all the hard copies to her Holocron." SP-K3 chuckled, earning a giggle from Fluttershy as well.

"Oh my! That does sound like a lot!" After a bit more of polite conversation about good books, awkward silence ensued once again. Noticing a bit of dirt on SP-K3's shell, the young padawan licked her thumb and wiped off the smudge from one of his lenses, much to the small astromech's dismay.

"Hey! what are you- Oh. Oh, wow! My ambient environment processors just kicked up by 9.3%!" His lenses refocused with enhanced vigor. "I can even smell the Womprat Stew one of the clones are eating on the other end of the mess hall! And this Mess hall takes up a quarter of the ship!"

She giggled. "It's amazing how far a little bit of kindness goes, isn't it?" It was true- even during short time with her previous Master on the frontlines, she always helped where she could, even if it was as small as giving an injured Clone some water to drink while the Bactas did their work. The chipper little droid reminded Fluttershy of those treasured short moments under Master Pectus. It took her mind off the test Master Sparkle had in mind.

Suddenly, a rumble knocked most of the Clones and Fluttershy to the ground. Red flashing lights came on, followed by a call from the Captain to battlestations. What was once a mess hall full of famished soldiers turned into a cry of excitement and a surprisingly neat line or two forming outwards, each clone trooper grabbing their helmets and heading to their stations. "What are you doing still standing around?!" A clone barked at her and the droid, startling the poor girl by doing so. "Battlestations means everybody that can use a weapon!"

"B-but I d-don't know how to f-fire b-blasters!" She stuttered.

"There's no greater weapon than the mind! Now move it!" She still stood there frozen, the red flashing lights illuminating her face. "ON THE DOUBLE, SOLDIER!"

"Eep!" Fluttershy sprinted away as quick as she could, her robotic observer struggling to keep the pace.

"Where are you going, Fluttershy!?"

"I don't know!" She bawled. Turning a corner, she saw a familiar sight, at least to her: the Hospital Ward. It was one of several aboard the Gambit and had several floors soon to be littered with clones in need of aid.

SP-K3, flagging down a nearby trooper, asked what was going on. "Surprise attack." The clone began, saluting the droid. "A small command ship came out of Hyperspace followed by a few support ships. If they haven't spotted us, they soon will; The clankers came out just a few parsecs south of our location!"

"What was the rumbling then?"

"Full stop, by captain's orders. If we got any further to our rendezvous point with the landing party, it would give away that they are down there!" Noticing Fluttershy's look of fear, he turned to face the young Padawan, taking off his helmet. "Don't worry," he smiled. "Your Master is safe, there ain't no way Hotflash is gonna let anything harm her. Besides," he put his helmet back on. "She isn't just good for reading and lectures: I heard about her skill from some of the uppers and let's just say I'm more confident she'll be protecting more him rather than the other way around." Another rumble followed, interrupting their conversation.

"All engineers to bay 6! Repeat, all available engineers to bay 6!" The intercom rang once more.

"Fluttershy, you need to get up!" SP-K3 begged, shaking her vigorously. It was too much for her to handle. She thought she'd be safe! They were gone, in a safe space; The Gambit was their virtual cottage on the outskirts of a dangerous forest, and she wouldn't have to panic!

Another alert finally shook her out of the fetal position she was in. "Priority Alpha to Medical Ward 16! Critically wounded are on arrival! ETA 5 minutes!" It was automated this time, probably a local alert. "Wounded?"

"Fluttershy, it's not safe here." SP-K3 said. "We need to get back to your room! We can continue there!" His robotic claw tugged her hand, dragging her towards the nearest exit and more importantly, away from danger. Spike was given a mission to both monitor the young Padawans closely and to keep them safe. A bloodcurdling scream echoed through the now bustling hospital ward: a sign of the soon to be droves of wounded that were to occupy here.

Suddenly, Fluttershy jerked away from his iron grip and rushed towards an open operating room. Quickly, she found a nearby nurse and asked to be place in a theater to begin helping. "Civilians aren't qualified to just jump in and start using a laser scalpel!" He yelled, pushing her out. Still, she held her ground and pushed back. "You need to-"

"That patient behind you," she pointed to the Engineer clutching his shoulder, obvious scorch marks beneath the part he clutched desperately. "He needs treatment on his upper left torso. The blast damage he sustained had liquid plasma in the round. If you don't cauterize the wound and seal it with burn foam, it'll turn gangrenous." Both the nurse and SP-K3 were stunned to silence.

"...Alright then, you heard the lady!" The clone yelled to his medical team listening in nearby. "Get that burn foam ready while I get to work on getting rid of,that excess plasma." He stared back at the woman standing before him with new convictions written upon her face. "You wanna help? Fine, you proved you got the smarts so help me cauterize that wound! Your laser sword would do a better job than my Bacta Welder, so after I clean I need you to go along the outer burn."

"I would, but Master Twilight took away my lightsaber until she gets back." Fluttershy replied, sending glances towards the still silent astromech sitting behind her. The clone picked up on it and approached him.

"Droid, from her stares outta the corner of her eye, I'm guessing you have her tool?"

Looking up, he nodded. "Well, yeah, but it isn't a tool. It's a weapon, isn't it?"

The nurse sighed. "You droids all think the same, ya know that?" He crouched down and continued, facing SP-K3. "You see her, over there?" He gestured to the woman in question. "Look at the fearlessness in her eyes. I saw how she was before she knew about the injured; whatever mess she went with before us, it must've done her in but good. But the way she is now, I'd say her 'weapon' would do a lot more good saving lives than ending them, don't you think?"

Spike stared long and hard at the young Padawan before him, explosions still shaking the massive vessel they were in. He sighed, opening up one of the five ports on the top of his head unit, revealing Fluttershy's lightsaber. Using the force, she attached it to her belt and went to work. "I'll be fine, Spike." She smiled. "Why not check on the others?"

And with that, SP-K3 checked his internal GPS and headed towards the nearest Padawan transponder, hopefully finding the next Padawan to be observed still in one piece...

AUTO-GENERATED REPORT 1 [TO BE SENT WHEN STATUS MEETS CERTAIN CRITERIA]:
SUBJECT: FLUTTERSHY
STATUS: PASSED

NOTES: THOUGH PREVIOUS BEHAVIOR INDICATED LACK OF SELF-CONFIDENCE THAT ALL PADAWAN LEARNERS SHOULD HAVE, FLUTTERSHY HAS SHOWN CAPABILITIES OF FEARLESSNESS WHEN PRESENTED WITH OPPOTUNITIES TO AID THOSE IN NEED. ADDITIONALLY, HER TOOL HAS BEEN RETURNED, AS MORALITY OF THIS UNIT HAS INDICATED WAS BEST COURSE OF ACTION.

Author's Note

Holy macaroni! This has been one heck of a delay, eh folks? Well, have a new chapter, on me ;)

As always, make sure to let me know about any errors/criticisms and ill try to address them immediately. Thanks for reading!