Among the stars, Rex and Cody piloted their ship towards the outpost on the moon Rushchi. Rex broke the silence, casting a curious glance at Cody, "Think we'll catch sight of Smaug?"

Cody released a weary sigh, the weight of unspoken stories heavy in his voice. "I hope so. I haven't heard from her since... since..." His words trailed off into the void and with another sigh, he surrendered the thought. "Forget it. We're unlikely to cross paths. That dragon's a master at staying out of sight. Heck, I don't even know her haunt in Coruscant."

Rex just hummed in response, harboring the secret of her whereabouts like a guarded treasure. He wouldn't betray Smaug just because she'd become unpredictable, even if she slipped off the radar. Cody was by-the-book, a stickler for the rules – something that Rex respected, but when it came to Smaug, he was willing to bend them, to consider other things.

As they neared Rushchi, Cody steely voiced his readiness, "Let's do this," and affixed his helmet securely. Rex hummed, a low sound as he hailed the clones at the outpost on Rushchi. But when a clone's sleek ship appeared, gleaming against the backdrop of space, Rex felt unease he couldn't shake. His time with General Anakin and Commander Ahsoka had taught him that things were seldom as they seemed.

The silence from the outpost had stretched for too long, and if they were ever to see Smaug again, they would approach with vigilance. "Everything's clear here sir, no need to come down," reported the clone through the comms, his image flickering on the screen.

Rex tilted his head thoughtfully, skepticism etched into his features. "We'll see about that," he replied. The unspoken tension of unseen threats hung between them as they prepared to uncover the truth of Rushchi.

The trooper's voice broke through the comms, "Something's off, I can't pinpoint it, but I just have this feeling," Rex voiced his concern, the words laced with a soldier's intuition.

Cody hummed in agreement, his own gut mirroring that of his comrade's. "I know, I feel it too. It's definitely a trap waiting for us down there."

Rex's lips curved into a knowing smile. "So, we're heading into the wolf's den soon?" he quipped.

With a laugh that resonated with the thrill of danger paired with duty, Cody replied, "As always."

They touched down on the platform, and both soldiers strode forth with a cautious gait. It was then they felt it—the pulse in their hearts quicken—an omni-presence on the edge of perception. A figure emerged; it could have been a droid or a clone. The uncertainty was fleeting because before the advancing silhouette could announce itself, it was viciously cut down.

Rex blinked, the scene before him riddled with sudden violence, while Cody pointed his blaster towards the fallen body and peered intently at the figure that materialized from the shadows at the axis of the crossfires.

"Boys," a familiar, hauntingly beautiful voice called out, causing Rex's heart to vault into his throat.

"S-Smaug," he gasped, his voice a whisper lost amidst the cacophony of potential warfare.

"I see memory hasn't failed you," Smaug's voice caressed the tense air, her visage luminous under the celestial ballet of stars. Her words seemed to dance, weaving a tapestry of past remembrances and unspoken camaraderie.

Against the stark canvas of space, Cody's silhouette remained unyielding, his weapon a stalwart extension of his war-hardened resolve. Yet, there was a flicker in his eyes—a taut string of restraint—at Smaug's gentle reproof.

"Cody, you always did wear earnestness like armor," she mused, her head tilted ever so slightly, a silent acknowledgment of his unwavering rigidity.

Her gaze then settled on Rex, a softening in the depths of her eyes, a mirror to Rex's own discernment. "And you, Rex—the voice of reason amid the chaos. What quest has led your path to cross mine in this void?" Her inquiry cloaked in velvet tones, Smaug was the enigma now laid bare before them, a dance of shadow and light.

"Just doing our regular check-up here," he replied, easy and matter-of-fact despite the tension. Smaug's chuckle rolled softly through the space, "And Rushchi outpost drew the short straw?"

He offered a nod, slow and weighted. "What's up with you hanging around here? You know Anakin's totally out of sorts without you," Rex's voice softened, a trace of vulnerability peeking through. "Miss you, you know. We all do." The words lingered, unguarded and genuine, the kind only spoken by those who've weathered storms together.

Smaug snorted with amusement. "That's news to me. These clones here didn't even recognize who I was," she said with an eye roll. "Anakin will be fine; Padmé's got his back, right?"

Rex flinched slightly, a bit caught off-guard. "Padmé? No," he shook his head, dispelling the assumption. "Those two are just friends, as far as I know."

"Hmm," hummed Smaug, cryptically, before turning her attention to Cody, who still had his pistol at the ready. "Darling, lower your weapon, would you? I'm not the enemy lurking in the shadows anymore. You can trust me," she said, her voice a blend of sass and sincerity.

"You threw half of my brothers in harm's way that day. Don't think I can forgive you that easily, unlike my soft-hearted bro here," Cody shot back, not quite ready to drop his guard.

Smaug let out a weary sigh. "I'm not interested in letting history repeat itself. I'm stepping out of this war, going back to my hideout in Coruscant. There, I'll be out of your hair, and I won't have to watch anyone else die."

She advanced until Cody's pistol was almost kissing the plate on her chest. Rex's eyebrows lifted in surprise—she wasn't exactly armoured up before she lost it. Somehow, it suited her, he could see that; the cut, the fit, it was unmistakably part of her.

"Now, lower that gun. The rest of the commando droids might just be tin cans, but Sergeant O'Niner needs you guys," she said, her red tail weaving between Cody's legs then up over his shoulder, its tip brushing softly against his neck—a familiar touch, one that whispered of past intimacy. "Calm down, love," she murmured.

Cody's tension melted away, his readiness easing back as he stowed his weapon. Smaug's smile bloomed across her face, warm and kindling a spark of ease in the charged atmosphere. "Charm's all done — let's roll out," she said with a playful lilt, turning on her heel towards the outpost.

The guys shared a look — one of those glances that said everything without a single word — and trailed behind her. They were a team again, at least for the moment, their steps syncing up in the silent rhythm of reunion.