All Things Considered:


Christa rested on a hammock in the garden outside her new residence, beneath a sky blanketed in amber and gold. A foot stretched from a place on the grass and pushed the hammock side to side. The pants worn by the leg appended to the foot were cuffed at the ankle, revealing its muscular build. Both Christa and Obi Wan Kenobi basked in post wedding bliss, a day having passed since the vows they exchanged in open secret.

Feeling particularly playful, Christa had become roused to ask him, "Do tell, my love... Can you account for moment you first realized you loved me?" Christa asked.

"I cannot fix upon the hour or day, for I was already in the middle before I finally realized it had begun."

"I am no fool; I was a terrible pain to you. And because I had not availed my knees to worship you like so many others, whose constant praise gave rise to your resentment... be sincere... did you come to admire me for my impertienence?"

"-For the liveliness of your mind, indeed," he smiled.

"We may as well call it impertinience at once, for my behavior bordered on uncivil. The fact is, that you were sick of civility, of deference, of officious attention. You were disgusted with everyone - who were always speaking, and looking, and thinking for your approbation alone. I roused, and interested you because I was so unlike them. Had I been really amiable, you would have hated me for it. Because you are honest and just, you thoroughly despised the person who so assidiously courted you. I have figured it out indeed, you knew so little about me, but one hardly ever think of that when they fall in love."

"Was there no good in your affectionate behavior toward your sister?"

"Who could do less for her?" Christa gasped. For Padme is good, and her favorite person in the world, next to her husband now. "My good qualities are under your protection, for you may exaggerate them as much as you want."

"Tell me, when you come to Senator Amidala's to visit my godfather, you were so quiet. I wondered then why you had not spoken to me."

"You were grave and quiet, and gave me no encouragement."

"By my own past behaviours and accusations, I was mortified!"

"As was I."

"You could have talked to me more at dinner," Christa suggested.

"A man who had felt less, might."

"What am I to do with myself while you are gone?" Christa worried.

"What you have done with yourself before, you are commanded hereforth not to worry, for it gives me great pain."

"I am able to do anything you are condescended to ask."

The following day, Christa and Mr. Kenobi traveled to Senator Amidala's villa, for the two sisters would comfort each other upon their husbands parting for a length of time unknown to them both. When they arrived, Anakin Skywalker was already there and appeared quite distressed. But not more than Mr. Kenobi whose face revealed, more than he may have liked, his abhorrence and mortification of having met Anakin there.

He might have known about Anakin's relationship with Senator Amidala, but Anakin was without knowledge of Mr. Kenobi's relationship with Miss Christa and there could be no reasonable explanation for their having arrived at Senator Amidala's villa together. No more than could Mr. Skywalker account for his reason for being there, as he was also unaware that his secrets were in the open.

Words could not describe the awkwardness of their greeting.