Part 1 of "Breaking Ranks."

As she and the other cadets stood at attention, Ezri remembered Sabine warning her that training in the Imperial Academy would be brutal. Now, she believed her best friend was telling the truth. For the past three weeks, Ezri had nearly died when they were in the training arena. This was going to be their first test since Ezri was dropped off at the academy. And for those past three weeks, she slowly began to have feelings for a certain cadet, Jai Kell, who was her first real friend since she joined the bucketheads' headquarters. And to be honest, Ezri was starting to like the kid. She wouldn't dare call it a crush because Ezri knew it wouldn't amount to anything, especially with the work she and her friends did. They would be on opposing sides when they would go on the battlefield.

Jai was the only person who was nice to Ezri, because she was the only girl in the group. Yes, the girl count at the academy was usually low and there were at least two girls in every training squadron Ezri knew of. Then there was that annoying cadet, Oleg who constantly tormented Jai and kept flirting with Ezri. That boy just didn't know when to take a hint. Now, she saw him without his helmet and boy, she knew that only an idiot girl would fall for a handsome face like him. And it didn't surprise Ezri that stupid imperial Commander Aresko and Taskmaster Grint didn't do anything about it. (Ezri recognized them as the two guys who were trying to beat that Jogan salesman the day she met the Ghost crew). Guess they were trying to show them about distractions, especially if one of them is a pretty girl…. try…. distractions…. It almost made Ezri think about Kanan…

Oh Kanan!

She wanted to curse Kanan for making her do this stupid plan because it was his in the first place.

Three weeks ago…

"Alright kids, listen up," Kanan announced, "we got a mission."

This caused Ezri and Sabine to stop their drawing together. Zeb stopped eating his breakfast to give their leaders attention. Chopper came from Hera's side to the side Zeb was sitting on as they surrounded the table.

"Now, my contact, Fulcrum warned us about the Empire transporting a shipment of dangerous weapons that could threaten everything."

"Like, what kind of everything?" Sabine asked suspiciously.

"And what kind of weapons, Hera?" Ezri asked.

Hera was well-aware that both Sabine and Ezri were acting more and more like each other every day. The girls were inseparable and Hera and Kanan were still trying to figure out how they could grow a friendship so quickly after only knowing each other for a few days. First, they began sharing secrets, and now, they were sharing the same suspicious, loner nature that made them actually sound like sisters.

"And how do we know we can't trust this 'Fulcrum' person?" Ezri asked.

"Because, Padawan, you can trust us on this one," Kanan said, looking sternly at Ezri, but she didn't feel intimidated. Not even when he addressed her as Padawan! (which she had discovered meant "Jedi apprentice" to masters of the Jedi order.)

"Okay, so what is the plan?" Zeb asked impatiently.

"Well, we need someone to infiltrate the Imperial Academy at Lothal to get the datapad containing the coordinates," said Hera.

"And it involves you, Ezri," Kanan began but before he said anything Ezri shouted.

"No!" Ezri immediate yelled as she got up to stand. Kanan thought she was going to leave, so he quickly stepped in front of her.

"You didn't hear what I was going to say yet," Kanan snapped.

"I know what you were going to ask," said the fourteen-year-old. "You were going it to ask me to go in there and steal it for you by admitting in as Imperial student."

Kanan nodded. "Okay, so you figured that last part out."

"Why don't you do it Sabine?" Ezri asked, looking hopefully at the older girl

"No can do, Ez," Sabine said. "I was an Imperial cadet. They'd easily recognize me."

Ezri cursed herself. Now, this really wasn't her lucky day. Before Kanan said anything, Hera came right next to Ezri and she didn't need the force to tell her that something was wrong with Ezri.

"Ezri, what is the real reason?" Hera asked.

"Okay, the truth is I had a friend who went into an Imperial Academy disguised as a cadet to steal something." She crossed her arms. "He nearly died doing it. Then he lost a leg and mysteriously disappeared."

"Well that's not going to happen, Ezri," said Hera, both girls missing Kanan's concerned looks pointed at the teenager.

"Well, if you don't recall, last time I infiltrated an imperial building, we encountered that pointy toothed, red spinning Lightsaber wielding freak on Stygian Prime. What if I get caught? Or worse, what if I run into the Grand Inquisitor again or Agent Kallus?"

"You'll have Sabine and Zeb right outside the academy," Hera assured Ezri, putting a hand on the girl's shoulder. "As they scout out the building, they will be there looking out for you. And if you get into trouble, they'll be ready to pull you out."

"Yeah that's right, kid," Zeb promised. "We'll be on high alert, because of your tendency to get in trouble."

Hera glared at the Lasat, who had just realized that was an insensitive thing to do when they were trying to comfort Ezri, not scare her.

"I mean the Imperials' tendency of getting in trouble," Zeb corrected himself. Ezri huffed in amusement.

"Yeah, thanks for the attempt at making me laugh, Zeb," Ezri said, knowing he didn't mean it, "but I can't do this job."

"Yes, you can," Kanan said all of the sudden. "Look, Ezri," he stood beside his Padawan and placing his arm around her shoulders, "you forget that you were the girl who took on the Empire since you were young, bravely hauled a heavy crate onto the Ghost. Then you took on a Stormtrooper to protect a Wookiee child, stole a TIE fighter and freed prisoners of the Empire and brave enough to defy me. You can do this, Ezri, because I trust you to do this."

"We trust you," Hera corrected, pointing at herself and the rest of the crew. "Even Chopper."

Ezri looked down at the little droid who beeped at her in agreement, causing her to tap him on his dome affectionately. Actually, it surprised Zeb and Kanan that the rust bucket didn't torment the kid. He was shocked that he instantly liked her and listened to her like Hera.

"We're with you 100%, Ez," said Sabine.

"And trust is extended to everyone on this crew," Zeb said.

Ezri smiled, just glad to have people supporting her on this mission.

"Alright, I'm going in, but if I get killed doing this, it's going to be on your head, Master," Ezri said and she sat back down. "Now, are we going to go with the rest of the plan or not?"

Hera smirked, just glad that Ezri had the confidence to do it. Meanwhile, the teenager thought quietly to herself. How hard was this going to be?

Present…

As Ezri cursed Kanan, she had forgotten where she was at as she looked at her reflection in the helmet. She heard someone calling her but she was too absent and closed minded to notice it was Jai talking to her.

"Davina Morgan, are you in there?"

Ezri jumped, looking away from her helmet. She realized Jai was calling her by her alias. Davina, that's right, that was the first part of her undercover alias. Oh, she wished that Sabine had come up with a better first name for her.

"What? Yeah, I'm here," Ezri said as Jai looked at her concerned. "Davina Morgan is all here. Th-That's me."

Actually, she realized she didn't hate the alias because Sabine created it. It was because it was not her real name and it was a lie, she was telling everyone, especially Jai. He became like the only person who truly understood her and she didn't want to hurt his feelings.

"Wow. You must really be feeling the pressure but not because you're the only girl here, Dav," Jai joked with her. She rolled her eyes and bat him on the arm. This must be how Kanan and Hera felt when they were bantering with each other.

"Sorry, Jai. Who's under pressure? Not the girl who's won every assessment."

"Yeah, but today I can taste victory."

"You said that yesterday and went hungry."

Before anything more could be said between the two of them, Ezri braced herself as the floor sunk down. Actually, when she felt it move, Ezri let out a shocked gasp and quickly put her helmet back on. Meanwhile, she ignored the Imperials while they went on and on about if anyone failed this, they'd be sorry to be working under the taskmaster. However, Ezri didn't care about that. She was actually wondering how were they going to get back up.

"I'm taking that prize," said Jai, Ezri smirked underneath her helmet.

"Not today, Kell," Oleg snapped, hitting the boy hard on the shoulder. Ezri snapped. She hated that kid. He was too mean and needed to be put in his place.

"Hey, back off," Ezri hissed, coming in between the two boys. Girls did not start fights, but they could finish them.

"Stay back babe and leave this to the boys," Oleg said. Ezri rolled her eyes. "You know I could protect you instead while we do this. Wouldn't want you to break your leg, Davina."

"I can take care of myself. Besides, despite the gender, you still gotta know when to kill one."

As Jai wondered how they were going to get up, his prayers were finally answered when Ezri saw lifts passing over them. They had to jump onto any level to get to the top. Ezri didn't mean to use the Force, but she had to pass this test if she was ever going to get into Kallus' office and get the decoder. She must have gotten on Oleg's final nerves, because every time she jumped on one of the boxes, he tried to knock her down. His attempts to best Jai and Ezri were all in vain because he actually tripped and fell onto three levels lower than where the padawan and the starry-eyed cadet were at. It only took them one more jump and Jai and Ezri were at the top first, followed by Cadet Zare Leonis and the other boys and the other girl in the group.

"Quite a finish, Cadets. It seems this trial was too easy," Aresko acknowledged Ezri and Jai. "Morgan, Kell, you both set course records. Then, he looked at the third boy. "And, um, is it Leonis?"

"Sir, yes, sir," shouted the third boy, taking his helmet off, Ezri remembered him. They only talked to each other once and Ezri actually began liking him.

"You three are today's winners. But rest assured, your next trial will be a great challenge. Follow."

Ezri sighed in relief. She made it. As she and the cadets walked into a single file, Ezri looked down and saw Chopper passing by. She saw that Sabine had painted him, but enough for it to only last temporarily. Honestly, the droid wasn't just there to check Ezri's progress. He was also there to make sure to get Ezri out of the academy if it all went downhill. Seeing her droid, she signaled Chopper with her pinkie and thumb. The droid acknowledged her as Ezri gave a small smirk and a small nod.

However, what she missed was Zare giving a suspicious look as he watched Ezri give the signal to the droid. He knew something was off with that and a feeling that Davina Morgan was not all she appeared to be.

"Hope Ezri's doing okay," Zeb said, leaning up against the wall in the alley he and Sabine as they stood outside of the Imperial Academy, waiting to hear from Chopper.

"I hope so too, Zeb" said Sabine as she looked through her visual in her helmet, waiting for Chopper to signal her. "But since when have you gotten this worried for Ezri?"

"I don't know, maybe it is because the kid is in an Imperial academy surrounded by bucketheads." Zeb answered. Actually, he was protective of both Sabine and Ezri because, despite both the girls' assurance they could do anything by themselves, they were still the youngest members of the crew and it would not stop anyone on the team to protect Sabine or Ezri.

"So, she has Chopper," Sabine said.

"Oh yes, put my trust in a droid that tries to prank me," Zeb hissed. Sabine rolled her eyes. She wished that Lasat had more faith in Chopper. Sure, he was a pain in the ass, but the droid was still part of the crew, and as crew members, they had to trust each other.

"So, you put your trust in Ezri the day Kanan told her she had to do it. Remember, with her 100%. So, if you can do that with Ez, you can do it with Chopper," Sabine said, holding back an annoyed growl in her voice. She saw Chopper approach, blink at least twice, signaling that Ezri made it. She took her comlink and gave in her report. "Specter-5 to Ghost. Looks like Spectre-6 passed the first test. She's inside Imperial H.Q."

"Roger, Specter-5," came in Hera's voice, "Ghost standing by."

"Now, all we need is the decoder," said Sabine as she put her comlink off and watched Zeb smirk. One thing to worry about down and one more to go.

Meanwhile outside of Lothal's orbit, the Ghost floated in the emptiness of space. However, there was tension in the cockpit, as Kanan sat around impatiently. He was agitated because Ezri couldn't get the stupid decoder. Despite him dismissing it, deep down, Kanan was actually worrying about the kid's safety, because as a Master, he was supposed to look after her and protect her until she could stand on her own two feet. Finally, he couldn't hold his silence any more.

"We've been standing by for weeks," Kanan hissed. "I'm sick of this."

Hera looked at her partner and smirked. "You're worried about Ezri."

"I'm not worried about the kid. I'm worried about the op," Kanan said. For a while, he almost believed his lie.

"Come on Kanan, I'm worried about Ezri too," Hera said. Besides, the girl did become something of a second daughter figure to both her and Kanan. Kanan sighed.

"What were we thinking, putting her undercover?"

"What were we thinking? This was your idea."

"She's just not ready. And if she gets caught..."

"She hasn't gotten caught so far."

"The minute she gets that decoder, Zeb yanks her out of there."

"Uh, that's the plan."

"I should've done this myself."

"Oh, yeah," Hera said sarcastically. "You'd make quite a cadet."

The Twi'lek just sighed. Guess a protective Kanan was better than a vengeful one.

Ezri worried. Sure, she passed the first test, but now, she had to get into Kallus' office. As she sweat, she could feel her helmet filling up with water. She had to calm down. She could do this. Her entire crew was counting on her to do this. As she made it to Kallus' office, Ezri was going to get in, take that stupid decoder and get out. However, everything went amiss when she did make it to the wing of Kallus' office, he was already gone and out. She hated that man but she had to get that stupid decoder. She quickly ran and spoke to Kallus.

"Excuse me, sir. I have your new datapad," Ezri said. "I can leave it on your desk."

"No," Kallus said without looking at Ezri. "I'll take it now."

She huffed as she gave him his datapad. Now, she had to go right to plan B: use the Force to get the decoder. Ezri made sure that no one was looking and she used the Force to open the lock on Kallus' door. It was not hard for her to find the location of the decoder. It must be in the computer disk that laid on Kallus' desk. Quickly, she pressed a button and it ejected the decoder. Without thinking, she took the decoder and stuffed it into her helmet.

"One decoder, as ordered," Ezri said. She couldn't wait to get out of there. However, as she opened the door, she suddenly came face to face with Zare Leonis. Now Ezri knew she was screwed. Before another word was said, Zare pushed her back inside and looked around in Kallus' office.

"What do you think you're doing?" Ezri hissed. The boy ignored her and reached into her helmet. "Hey, get outta there!"

Before she could stop Zare, he had already taken the device out of her helmet. "Figured it would be something like this."

"It's not what you think."

"I think this device has a built-in sensor, which would trigger that," Ezri looked up and saw a trigger plate. "You try walking out with this thing, the whole facility goes on lockdown."

"Wait. Are you trying to help me?"

"You really want to discuss this here and now?" Zare asked her.

Ezri stopped and thought for a moment before she shook her head no. "Mmm, not so much."

Zare put the disk back into the drive and quickly, ushered Ezri out of the room and they quickly left before anyone caught them.