Sere ran out of the industrial building, her boots kicking up dust as she approached the Marauder where the others waited. Her chest rose and fell with steady breaths, and though her dark hair was slightly disheveled, she still wore that ever-present smirk.

"What happened to you?" Omega asked, her amber eyes filled with concern as she noticed the soot marks on Sere's clothes.

Sere just smiled, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "Nothing I couldn't handle, dear."

Before Omega could ask more, two other figures stepped out from the shadows near the ship. Sere's eyes widened when she saw them, recognition flashing across her face. "Well, well," she murmured. "Martez sisters—I thought I'd never see you again."

Rafa Martez chuckled, crossing her arms. "Same to you, little one," she teased, stepping forward to pull Sere into a quick hug. Trace followed suit, smiling warmly as she embraced Sere as well.

Echo raised an eyebrow, glancing at Hunter and Tech before asking, "You know each other?"

Sere nodded, pulling back from the sisters. "Yes, we did once. I helped them run their repair business for a while. And when the Empire was just starting to flourish, they helped me hide." Her gaze softened as she looked at Rafa and Trace. "I owe them my life."

Rafa gave a short laugh. "We could say the same about you, Serenade."

Trace tilted her head. "So, what brings you back to this mess?"

Sere glanced at the Bad Batch, then at Omega, before flashing that playful smile again. "Let's just say I found a new crew to cause trouble with."

The Bad Batch smiled at Serenade, their walls slowly coming down. Even Hunter, ever the cautious leader, softened his expression as he approached Rafa with the head of the tactical droid.

"Here," Hunter said, holding it out to her.

Rafa frowned, crossing her arms. "Why are you giving me this? Don't you need it too?"

Hunter shrugged, his gaze flicking briefly to Serenade. There was something unspoken between them—an understanding Serenade caught immediately. Her lips curled into a soft smile, her eyes twinkling with approval.

"You need it more than we do," Hunter said simply. "And I've got a feeling you'll do some good with it."

Rafa's stern demeanor eased as a grin tugged at her lips. She nudged Trace. "Come on, Trace. Let's go."

Trace glanced at Serenade one last time, her expression thoughtful. As Rafa headed toward their ship, Trace lingered, turning to face Serenade with a question lingering on her lips.

"Hey," Trace called out, "why did you give up on the Jedi? You know Ahsoka and Rex really need you."

Serenade's smile faltered for a moment. Her gaze softened with a hint of sorrow, but she quickly masked it. "I'm fine as a bounty hunter, Trace. That life is behind me. And now..." she glanced at the Bad Batch. "I have my own squad. I'm happy as it is."

Trace nodded slowly, taking in Serenade's words. "I can see that." A warm smile touched her lips. "Well, take care of yourself, then."

As Trace boarded her ship, she paused for a moment at the controls, then tapped a button. The soft sound of a serenade floated from the speakers, a gentle melody meant as a parting gift.

Serenade listened, closing her eyes briefly as the music played. A rare, genuine smile graced her lips as the ship lifted off and disappeared into the sky.

Echo, who had been quietly observing, finally spoke. "What was that all about?"

Serenade glanced at him, her expression unreadable. "That? Just a little unfinished business." She adjusted the cord around her neck, her fingers brushing the dragon's tooth. "Sometimes it's good to leave old songs behind."

Echo tilted his head, still curious but knowing better than to press. "Right. Well, we've got a mission to finish."

Hunter gestured toward the Marauder. "Let's move. We've got more trouble waiting for us."

As the team boarded the ship, Serenade lingered at the ramp for a moment, her gaze fixed on the horizon where Trace's ship had disappeared.

She whispered softly to herself, "Goodbye, old friends."

SCENEBREAK

As soon as they landed back on Ord Mantell, Cid was already waiting for them outside the Marauder, her arms crossed and her scaly green lips twisted into a scowl.

"Guess you didn't get the droid, then," she said sourly, eyeing the crew as they disembarked.

The gang ignored her, filing past without a word. Even Wrecker, who usually had a quip or two, remained silent. Omega trailed behind them, clutching the cord Serenade had given her.

Cid sighed loudly, throwing her arms in the air. "For all I care, just ignore me. It's not like I run a business or anything."

She shook her head and followed them into her bar, muttering under her breath.

Serenade, walking alongside Hunter, caught Cid's disgruntled expression out of the corner of her eye. But she didn't feel the usual sting of guilt that might have crept in at another time. She wasn't here for approval. She wasn't here to win anyone over. If Cid thought they'd failed because they didn't deliver every part of the mission, so be it.

Serenade let her gaze drift toward Omega, who was busy twisting the dragon's spine cord in her hands. She smiled faintly. No, they hadn't failed. The mission's true value was more than a tactical droid head.

Inside the bar, Cid busied herself with wiping down the counter, but she kept casting glances toward the group.

Hunter leaned against the bar, his tired eyes scanning the room before landing on Cid. "We got what we needed," he said simply.

Cid snorted. "Yeah? And what's that?"

Serenade stepped forward, her dark eyes flashing with quiet confidence. "We got allies. And that's worth more than any droid."

Cid paused, giving her a long, skeptical look before shaking her head again. "You're a strange one, Petal."

Serenade smirked, crossing her arms over her chest. "I've been called worse."

The tension eased, if only slightly, as the gang settled into their usual spots. Omega slid into a chair next to Tech, who was already reviewing their next mission on his datapad. Wrecker grabbed a snack from the bar, and Echo quietly adjusted his scomp arm.

Hunter, however, remained standing, watching Serenade with a thoughtful expression.

"You're sticking around, then?" he asked.

Serenade tilted her head, considering his question. "Unless you have any objections."

Hunter shook his head. "No objections. Just curious."

She smiled softly. "Well, curiosity's not a bad thing, Hunter. It might even save your life one day."