Okay, let me explain the bunny behind this story. I've been listening to some of those relaxing white-noise types of things at night for relaxing. CD's that play rain storms, wind, ocean waves, etc. So, while on the bus going to work one day, I had "Midnight Surf" playing on my ipod. And this bunny creeps into my head about Obi-Wan sitting on a beach, being nipped at by something called a hoola crab. I'm pretty sure it's not a real crab, just something that came into my odd mind. And from that, came a story. Ya never know where those bunnies will come from.

Title: Simple

Author: Obi the Kid

Rating: G

Summary: Pre-TPM. Obi-Wan takes some time away from negotiations.

My Website: .com/movies/obithekid/

Disclaimer: The characters and venue of Star Wars are copyrighted to Lucas Films Limited. I make no profit from the writing or distribution of this story.

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The ocean inhaled deeply, its emerald green water sucked into its might belly. A deep exhale followed tossing foamy excess within inches of where Obi-Wan's bare toes touched the damp sand.

Knees drawn up and arms folded across them, the Jedi apprentice let his chin perch on his hands as he watched the power before him. His toes had dug a small trench into which some of the foamy water dribbled down. A tiny spider-like hoola crab scurried from under the sand to grab the tasty goodness that the tide was washed in. Food unseen to human eyes, but plenty visible to the hungry ones of an ancient inhabitant of the Arzan ocean. Obi-Wan smiled as the crab disappeared into the foam, re-emerged, only to vanish into it's sandy home once more. A simple life. Much simpler than what the young Jedi was living.

This mission was frustrating. As much as he'd worked on learning patience in the eight years that he'd been under the tutelage of his master and mentor Qui-Gon Jinn, there were times that he had to walk away, or lose all progress achieved during negotiations. Honestly, he had no idea how Qui-Gon managed to deal with some of these bureaucratic types without either throwing them against a wall, or just leaving them to battle it out against themselves. Obi-Wan couldn't imagine ever having the type of patience to deal with these types day after day without losing his mind. He realized that Qui-Gon's ability with people of all shapes, sizes and temperaments was a trait that he not only admired in his master, but one that he also found inspired him to a bit of jealously.

Another crab scurried out of the sand as the next wave washed over naked toes. "I don't suppose you have these same problems, do you? No, you just pop out when you need something to eat and disappear back into your world. Simple."

The small creature stopped and looked at him, almost as if it was pondering the comment that he'd made. Obi-Wan lifted his eyebrows in surprise before a smirk grazed his face as the hoola crab dug itself into the sand.

"I don't suspect a crab's life is as simple as you make it out to be."

The padawan looked up and over his shoulder towards the familiar deep voice of his master. Qui-Gon sat next to him.

"You see only a brief part of its life. A scurry for food. Which can in itself be dangerous, should it be swept out to sea. But beyond that, you can see nothing. Never assume what you cannot see, Obi-Wan."

The younger Jedi nodded and replied with a frustrated "Yes, Master." Leave it to Qui-Gon to turn a crab's hunt for food into a lesson. Only he had that ability.

"And you know very well that you do not get off that easy. Thank you for at least waiting for a break in the negotiations before disappearing. However, you realize that I won't allow that type of behavior. Because the others cannot see it, does not make it all right. I can see it. I can feel it every time Prince Shanma speaks. Your focus is clearly not where it should be. I expect more, Obi-Wan."

A deep breath was released as Obi-Wan straightened his back, closed his eyes and titled his face towards the sun. "I'm sorry for my behavior, Master. I will…I will do better when we go back. It's just…how do you do it, Master?"

"Do what?"

"Deal with those people without wanting to strangle them?"

"That doesn't sound very Jedi-like, Obi-Wan."

"No, I know. I'm sorry."

"Although I admit, I do, at times, want to toss them around a bit. Certain leaders can be hard headed."

"But you still keep your calm. I never even feel a ripple of frustration from you. I can't do that. No matter how much I want to."

Several hoola crabs chased the next wave of regressing foam as the ocean sucked it back. Two of them clashed momentarily and locked in a short-lived, but aggressive claw fight. Another wave rolled in and the fight was quickly forgotten as they tiny creatures hurried to escape the doom the awaited them should they be dragged out to sea.

Obi-Wan smiled as the life and death drama played out. "You're right, Master. It's not such a simple life."

"I've managed to get us the rest of the day off. Negotiations will begin again tomorrow morning. I don't believe any of those men where in the right frame of mind to talk things out anyway."

"They might never, Master."

"True. But we must try."

"Prince Shanma reminds me of one of these little hoola crabs. He's kind of flat and skinny, has dark little round eyes, and when he talks I get this odd feeling like I'm being pinched. That and he seems to scurry when he's going from one side of the room to the other."

Pondering the comparison, Qui-Gon ran a hand through his hand to shake out the sand that the breeze was tossing around. He laughed. Obi-Wan's comparison, although incorrect politically, was dead on.

"Do me a favor, Padawan. Keep that between you and me."

"Yes, Master. It's true though. We might have more success negotiating with these crabs then with the Prince and his sort."

"You continue to think like that, and you'll end up insulting him tomorrow by comparing him to a crab. Maybe you should put that out of your mind."

"Of course." His ginger hair tinged with blonde highlights after the week long stint on the sun drenched planet, Obi-Wan flopped backwards into the sand with a sigh. "Master, how do I force myself to listen to the bickering and such and still keep a calm and open mind? How did you learn it?"

"You must learn patience, Obi-Wan. Complete and uninterrupted patience. Think of the Price as a trial. And in order to pass that trial, you have to wait him out. You have to be stronger than he. Not physically, but mentally. If you can outlast his type, you can probably feel confident that you can outlast anyone. Think of him as training for when you take on an apprentice. He's testing you, as your apprentice will test you. As you test me."

Obi-Wan glanced sideways, giving his teacher an awkward look. "I'm not that bad, am I, Master?"

Silence passed between them as the waves crashed down creating an almost hypnotic white noise. Finally Qui-Gon let his learner off the hook.

"No, Obi-Wan, not that bad. You have tested me. You still do. But that's normal. I wouldn't want you to just conform to everything I teach you without questions and concerns and even disagreements. I've had to learn patience with you, as I'm certain you've had to learn with me. And I know how difficult it is to be patient with your master, especially when one is so young and full of energy and thinking there are better ways to achieve the same goals. But you aren't anything like the Prince in there. I fear he is his own worst enemy. And I have little confidence about any success on this mission."

"I have some ideas, Master. Maybe um – a better way to achieve the same goal?"

Qui-Gon smiled at his words being tossed back at him, then considered. "Perhaps now would be a good time to hear and even see those ideas. Would you care to begin the talks tomorrow?"

Sitting up, Obi-Wan shook the sand off his back, shooed a crab away from his toes and pulled his legs in, crossing them. He faced his teacher. "But you don't know what my ideas are, Master."

"True, but my methods are going nowhere. The Prince is more your age than mine. There are times when something as simple as the age of the negotiator can be more powerful than all of the life experience one may possess."

"You mean, maybe we are making this more complicated than it has to be?"

"It's possible. But I didn't think of it until now. You and your crab friends here can be given credit." Qui-Gon pulled his boots away from the tip of the wave rushing towards him. A much too slow hoola crab got caught in the water as it began receding. Its flat skinny claws flailing in desperation. The Jedi Master motioned towards the distressed crustacean. "Ah, Obi-Wan, you might want to catch…"

With a slight wave of the hand, Obi-Wan nabbed the tiny creature and floated him back to safety. The crab paused before burying, looking at the apprentice again. Obi-Wan didn't know if it was the same crab that had stared him down before, or if there was some form of advanced intelligence there, but the crab clicked its claws together twice, then vanished. The padawan would almost have sworn he felt a touch to his mind as the sandy beach swallowed the tiny creature. "I think you're right, Master. Those little things certainly aren't as simple as they would appear to be."

"A good lesson in all of this, Obi-Wan. I knew there was another reason you came out here – other than just trying to escape the negotiations." The big Jedi hauled himself off the beach gesturing for the apprentice to follow. "Let's go explore this place. And eat. All these crabs running around the beach are making me hungry…for seafood."

"Master!"

"I'm kidding. Well, about the seafood part. Not about being hungry. Come on, Padawan. We'll shop, eat and then discuss your plan for tomorrow."

"What if I don't exactly have a plan?"

"Well then, we'll see how well you can improvise. Ultimately, it's up to the Prince. You'll only be able to do so much. Just, be patient and try not to strangle anyone."

Obi-Wan laughed as Qui-Gon put an arm around his shoulders and they walked along the beach towards the resort village in the distance.

END