When Ezra walked into the cockpit, the human, Granger, was leaning in the pilot's chair. He twisted his neck around to see who had joined him and waved Ezra to come sit when he saw the kid. Grateful he hadn't been kicked out, Ezra slid into the copilot's seat. "So you don't like Jedi?"

Granger tilted his head to the side before responding. "Define 'Jedi,'" he requested.

"You know...we use the Force, we fight with lightsabers, save the world...Jedi."

He snorted, amused by Ezra's answer. "You mean the people, then. Well, as far as my experience goes, you're a pain in the neck. Always getting into some kinda trouble, which would be a problem if you weren't so good at getting yourselves out. You can't say no to justice, or freedom, or whatever else you say to justify the fight."

Ezra raised an eyebrow. "That doesn't sound so bad to me. What's wrong with doing the right thing?"

"Oh, you sound just like O-Mer," he groaned, tilting his head back. "I can't tell you how many times I've heard that in the past few years."

"Maybe you should listen to him."

"I do listen to him. It just gets annoying to hear," Granger complained, shaking his head. "As I said, a pain in the neck, but I don't have a problem with them."

"Then what did you mean about not liking the Jedi?"

Granger looked at him, then glanced away as if contemplating what he wanted to say. When his gaze landed back on the Padawan, he asked, "What has your teacher told you about the Jedi Order from in the Republic Era?"

Wait, this guy knew about the Order? And he was willing to talk about it? That's a first. "Not much. He doesn't like remembering it."

"Why not?"

"Because they're all dead, I guess," he answered, shrugging. "People died. Who wants to remember that?"

He nodded, his face softening a little. "Fair enough. Well, the Order was terrible. Can't say I was that sorry to see it go."

"What?" That was the last thing Ezra expected you to say. "How can you say that?"

"Because I wasn't in it, kid," he said calmly, not bothered by Ezra's distraught state. "I have no idea what other Jedi have been telling you, but from someone who could only look in from the outside, I prefer it that way."

Checking to see if either Jedi in the cargo bay had heard them (they hadn't), Ezra objected again. "So many Jedi died during the Purge! Kanan said there were thousands of them during the Clone Wars. How can you just want them to die?"

He had the audacity to laugh. Shaking his head, he clarified: "I don't, kid, but you think Jedi are all there is to the Jedi Order, and that's not what I remember. Believe me, I wish more Jedi were alive. They'd probably have dealt with the Empire by now if they all worked together. It's the Order I don't care about."

"What's the difference?"

"The Order didn't care," Granger told him, his voice going flat. "Didn't care about their people, didn't care about other people, they definitely didn't care about me. They were more worried about what the Republic thought of them, which meant all they focused on was the Clone Wars for the last five years of their existence. Didn't give a damn about the world beneath their feet."

"Have you ever even fought in a war before?" Ezra asked, trying to defend the Jedi. "It's a lot to focus on. How is anyone supposed to take care of stuff like that when they're in a battle?"

"I've had my battles," he asserted, almost challenging Ezra to say otherwise. "Not big ones, like you're used to, but I fought my own battles every day. Still do. Doesn't mean I forget about the people around me."

Ezra shook his head. "I'm sure the Jedi didn't either."

Looking out the windshield, Granger didn't contradict him. "You're right, but I'm not talking about the Jedi. The Jedi were the ones fighting the battles, from what I heard. It was their grand ole' council that turned a blind eye."

"That doesn't make sense."

"Good," he decided, still looking away. "It shouldn't make sense. Means you're a better person than they were."

Clearly, there was no changing Granger's mind. Nothing Ezra said would sway him to believe otherwise, so he just gave up. Still, the thought lingered in his head, and Ezra wondered what Master Skywalker would say about it. Would he defend the Order, or would he agree with Granger? Probably defend the Order, right? He took orders from the Jedi council for years during the Clone Wars, and maybe he had been friends with some of the members, too. He wouldn't say the things this guy was saying.

He sounds a lot like Ventress, Ezra realized, glancing at him out of the corner of his eye.

Granger nodded at Ezra's lightsaber. "How long you been training?"

"Over a year," he answered, his voice a little guarded. "I started late because the Order had been destroyed."

"Did you know your family?"

Ezra clenched his jaw. He didn't know why Granger was asking, but he didn't appreciate it. "I did before they got arrested and killed."

"If the Order had picked you up, you wouldn't have gotten that chance. Kids didn't ever see their family again after the Order decided to train them."

"Master Skywalker mentioned that," he mumbled, remembering the day he had met him. The two of them had talked together for a few minutes, and Ezra distinctly remembered that part. It had shocked him at the time, but he had forgotten about it since then. "How do you know about it?"

He smiled, but it seemed forced. "I'm no Jedi, but I'm a bit closer to them than I usually let on about. Even before I met O-Mer, I had a few brush-ups with them. Not much, but enough to tell me what I need to know."

There was clearly some story that he wasn't willing to talk about. Ezra wanted to ask about it, but he didn't think it would get him very far, and he wasn't even sure if he wanted to know. "So that's why you hate the Jedi Order?"

"Yep."

"So if the Jedi aren't the same thing as the Jedi Order, what do you think of them? Of us?"

Granger looked back at the cockpit door, and if he listened hard enough, he could hear the two Jedi reminiscing to each other. "They're some of the best people I've ever met."

Well, that's not confusing at all, Ezra noted, but he was thankful for it. Apparently, this guy wasn't a total buzzkill. Just... most of the time.

He twisted around in his seat. "So how are we going to get those ships? We need them. Why didn't you just hand them off to us in deep space?"

"And risk the Empire finding out?" Granger pointed out. "Alderaan would lose their seat in the Senate if anyone found out we were in cahoots with the Rebellion. I'm not trying to get charged with treason, and neither is Senator Organa. On the other hand, stolen ships, especially on the Empire's watch, gives Alderaan a claim to compensation for the theft of private property."

"Really? And Alderaan won't be to blame at all?"

"We haven't yet," he told the kid, but Ezra got distracted by his communicator going off.

He held it up while Chopper called for attention. "Yeah, what is it, Chop?"

Granger's eyes narrowed as the droid grumbled to the Padawan. "Stormtroopers?"

The cockpit door opened, and the Jedi ran in. Kanan looked at Granger. "Mind if I take over?"

"Go for it," he told him, sliding out of the seat to make room. Kanan started flying to where he and Ezra had left the Phantom, where Chopper had reported unwelcome company.

"You didn't traumatize the Padawan, did you?" O-Mer asked Granger quietly.

He shook his head. "Now, why would I do that?"

"I don't know. You can be pretty blunt sometimes."

Kanan landed the shuttle not far from where the commotion was happening. Ground transports were surrounding the area and had Ryder and Chopper pinned down. Things didn't look so good.

Everyone stared out the windshield at their situation. "I don't suppose those are more of your rebel friends in disguise?" Granger complained, pointing at the stormtroopers. There was at least a full squadron here, maybe two.

"Doesn't look like it," he admitted. Although he wished his rebel friends would get here soon.

"What's your plan, Caleb?" O-Mer asked before realizing what he had said. "Kanan, sorry."

He actually didn't mind this time. Hearing his old name gave him the audacity to say what was coming next. "This time, you follow my lead."

Ezra and Kanan put their helmets back on, and the delegates walked behind them, ready to follow the Jedi into their newest terrible idea. O-Mer didn't mind too much. It was exciting to do something a little reckless again. Granger was resigned to the situation at this point. He just hoped this plan wouldn't involve any Force business because if it did, he was screwed. He was the only one in the group of four that couldn't actively use the Force. Granger knew that O-Mer hadn't used the Force in years either, but he assumed he wasn't supposed to say that.

The shuttle ramp lowered, and the four of them walked toward the mess that was happening on the ground. Kanan led the team toward a few troopers that were guarding a man the delegates didn't recognize. Off to the side, an orange astromech droid waved at them and grunted a greeting. That must be Chopper. The man who had been taken prisoner didn't look like a 'Chopper.'

A stormtrooper commander approached the group. "This is a secure site. State your business."

"I'm taking the ambassadors here on a scouting mission for possible refugee relocation," Kanan told him, trying to think. He really should have rehearsed what he was going to say before he got out here.

"This is not a safe area for you," the commander told them. "There's a high level of rebel activity happening at the moment."

Yeah, no rancit, Kanan thought. "Well, we're finishing our survey. We could take these prisoners back to Jalath for you." Please work.

"That won't be necessary." Come on! "We have orders to terminate one of them immediately." Great.

Their eyes flitted to the man standing behind them, where Ryder had quite the defeated look on his face. O-Mer thought quickly. If he waited too long, Granger would take matters into his own hands, resulting in a fistfight. He decided to step in before that happened. "Hold on, trooper. As a representative of the Senate, I demand to know what this man has done."

"He's a fugitive from an Imperial prison," the trooper reported. Obviously, he was one of many, so he didn't know the exact crimes he had committed. "Now, depart immediately for your own safety. Where you find one rebel, there are usually more."

Indeed, there were. Chopper suddenly started warbling and spinning in circles. Those who knew him could pick out what he was saying amidst his distraction. "Chopper's receiving a signal."

Ezra grinned under his cadet helmet. "You know what that means. Hera's here."

Right on time, the Ghost descended into the fray, casting a shadow over the others on the ground. Whoever was on the nose gun aimed at one of the transports, and everyone ran for cover.

The Jedi and Granger had kneeled in place. Granger looked around at the chaos. "I take it these are your people?"

"Told you they'd get here!" Kanan answered. While the other three ran out of the way, he grabbed Ryder, hoping he would cooperate. "You're coming with me!"

They joined the rest of the group behind a transport, watching the fight play out. Sabine sent Chopper to retrieve the Phantom. Ryder looked up at Kanan. "Your friends might shoot you wearing that armor."

True, excellent point. "That's not a bad idea, Governor. Take the delegates hostage."

"What?"

"If they see us escaping with rebels, they'll think we're traitors," O-Mer explained, trying to speak over the gunfire. "Taking us prisoner is better."

"Well, you better make it look good," Ezra told them. "I'll warn Sabine." He started making hand motions so she could see. When it was clear that she and Zeb knew what was going on, Ryder shoved the two of them over and grabbed the delegates.

The two of them started shouting various things to seal the deal. "Hey, watch it!" "Commander! Commander, please!" "I am a delegate of the Galactic Senate!"

The stormtrooper raised his blaster at Ryder, but Kanan jumped in the way. "Hold your fire! They're my responsibility! I'll get them back!" he claimed, running with Ezra toward the Ghost.

"Kanan's coming," Ryder warned as he ran past Zeb. "He said to make it look good."

Zeb grinned at the incoming stormtrooper and cadet. That wasn't hard to do.

At the sight of the incoming Lasat, Kanan began to worry. "No, Zeb, wait! Easy!" he yelled, but it didn't do anything. Zeb hit him with the butt of his blaster and knocked him out.

"That's Kanan!" Ezra cried, but Zeb hit him too, smiling.

"I know," he muttered to himself, pleased with the job well done. While Sabine covered him, he dragged the Jedi on board. Hera began to fly away, and Chopper followed close behind in the Phantom. Not to mention, they also made sure to destroy the Imperial shuttle on their way out. Couldn't have anyone tailing them.