The group looked around in the water, but Taran was nowhere to be seen.
"It's too late, he's gone," said Anakin solemnly, anger and sadness apparent on his face. Ahsoka had tears forming in her eyes. Rex and Cody hung their heads down. Obi-Wan looked like he was on the verge of tears as well, but was trying despearately to contain it. Rex got down on his knees and banged his fist on the deck. Padme was crying too.
"He was my best friend," said Ahsoka.
"I think he was all of ours," said Anakin.
"He was the best Padawan learner I ever had (Anakin gives him a look), okay one of the best," said Obi-Wan.
"The kid, okay Taran, he made everyday of mine hell, but it was a funny hell," said Rex grudgingly.
"He helped me out in so many of those campaigns," said Cody. "Now he's gone."
"I never even got to say goodbye," said Ahsoka. Anakin put her head on her shoulder as she cried, his head glistening with some tears of his own. Padme got on his other shoulder too, sobs racking her body.
"Let's go, we have to get the ship repaired," said Obi-Wan, though a deep sorrow was etched on hsi face too. They turned to leave. Ahsoka took one last look at the ocean, but then turned her head away. As she turned some ripples were forming in the ocean near the edge of the ship. Everyone turned their head as the surface bubbled. Thinking the Kraken may not be all the way dead they readied their weapons. Then the bubbling stopped and a body heaved it's way out of the water, sputtering water out if his mouth and struggling to regain breath.
"Taran!," everyone said. They raced to him and Rex pulled out him away from the edge onto the deck. When Taran regained his breath Rex punched him in the shoulder.
"Ow Rex, is this how you always greet people?" said Taran.
"Don't ever almost die on my watch again kid," said Rex. Rex helped im to his feet. "How did that happen?"
"When I exited out of the Avatar state I blacked out. When I came to I was 40 feet below the surface. I had to bend my way back and I wound up here where you assaulted me," said Taran. Ahsoka rushed over and hugged him tightly.
"Don't ever scare me like that again," she said.
"Not planning on it," said Taran, returning the hug. Then it got weirder when everyone else got into the hug.
"Taran, don't ever do that again," said Obi-Wan and Anakin.
"At least you don't have to worry about the Kraken anymore, just gotta figure out what to do with the remains," said Taran.
"We could eat it," said Rex. Everyone gave him a WTF look.
"Rex, did those tentacles do some brain damage to you?" said Taran.
"Naw, I'm just messing with you kid," said Rex.
"So what happens now?" asked Taran.
"Well, we need to contact the Mon Calamari and ask them for repairs in order for the ship to get underway," said Obi-Wan.
"And after that?" said -Wan shrugged.
"You know we never did finish our vacation," said Taran. Everyone's eyes lit up.
"Why not here, the sunset is really beautiful here, and Mon Calamari is one of the most beautiful planets to visit in your life," said Padme.
"I don't think we have to call the Mon Calamari just yet," said Anakin. "How fast can the ship go on the surface?"
"42 nauts," said Obi-Wan.
"That's all the time we need," said Anakin. Obi-Wan, Rex, and Cody left.
"So how are you feeling Taran?" asked Padme.
"Now I can add eeaten alive to the list," said Taran. Padme chuckled.
"You know Anakin, you never did show me what living on a cruiser this size is like," said Padme, a little glint in her eyes.
"Well I can show you now, I got a tension in my back and I'm thinking you can get it out," said Anakin. They left Taran and Ahsoka on the deck.
"I swear, there's something going on between those two," said Taran.
"I think they think the same thing for us," said Ahsoka.
"What do you mean?" said Taran.
"On Naboo me and her had a talk and we had an understanding," said Ahsoka. Taran eyes lit up.
"How do girls do that?" said Taran as they walked back into the ship.
"It's a girl thing, you wouldn't understand," she said.
"And I never want to," said Taran. They walked back into his room, but saw it was trashed up. Apparently a lone tentacle had found it's way in there.
"Does every little bad thing happen to me?!" he exclaimed.
"Well think about it, now you can redecorate it the way you want to," said Ahsoka. Taran looked at her.
"I like you," he said. "Where would I be without the neverending sarcasm?"
"On the top of the most annoying list," she said. Taran chuckled a bit and looked at her.
"What happens if we can't continue this?" said Taran.
"We'll worry about that later, right now let's just think of you and me," she said, her fingers lacing in with his. "Now where we on Naboo?" she asked coyly.
"I think I was attacking your neck," said Taran as their bodies touched.
"Taran Cyneran, you are a naughty boy," she said.
"Maybe you can show me how to be nice," he said. They pulled in, brownish pink lips meeting grey, bonded together like they would always be.