Can They Do That? (Knight Jinn story, humor)

?Can They Do That??
BY: p_stotts
CATEGORY: Humor
SETTING: pre-TPM, Qui-Gon is 25.
SUMMARY: Qui-Gon and Mace attempt to take a vacation.
RATING: PG - language.
DISCLAIMER: I don?t own them, and I never claimed to. But, darn I wish I?d thought
of them first! I?ll be nice and pick up after myself when I?m done.
SPECIAL THANKS to Moonscribe for your ideas, encouragement, and beta.

// indicates thoughts
** indicates Force communication


Newly-knighted Jedi, Qui-Gon Jinn and Mace Windu disembarked from their Republic
transport on Vecton IV. The pair had been graciously granted a week?s leave by the Jedi
Council at the completion of their Trials.

The choice of destination hadn?t been hard. Both men liked warm sunshine and sandy
beaches, something that Vecton IV had in abundance. The planet?s major trade lay in
tourists and vacationing families. The Jedi had reserved a house on the beach at the edge
of one of the many seashore resorts that populated the bulk of the planet?s surface.

After leaving the spaceport they rented a speeder for the week, and purchased a map of
the local area. The resort village was about three hours from the spaceport, and they
arrived by mid-afternoon in plenty of time to check in and stock up on provisions for the
week.

The two men first went to the rental office, finalizing the paperwork so they could pick
up their access code to the beach house. After perusing the information they?d supplied,
the landlord?s eyebrows shot up. He looked at the prospective renters, then at the data
pad, then back up to the two young men.

?Um,? he began nervously, ?it says here that your residence is the Jedi Temple on
Coruscant??

Qui-Gon and Mace had agreed that for this one week they?d wear civilian clothes, and
keep their lightsabers packed away in their luggage. After the rigors of apprenticeship and
their Trials, they just wanted to act like normal people during what would probably be the
last break they?d get for a long, long time. Besides, it wasn?t like anyone would be
shooting at them with blasters while they were here.

They?d forgotten about the security check for the rental agreement. ?Yes,? Qui-Gon
confirmed, not elaborating.

The man leaned back in his chair, and continued to study the information on the data pad.
He was a human male, about middle age, if his receding gray hair and mid-torso paunch
were any indication.

The landlord glanced up at the two men again. ?What, exactly do you boys do at the Jedi
Temple??

?We?re Jedi knights,? answered Qui-Gon truthfully.

Mace leaned forward and peered at the man. ?We?d prefer to keep that information quiet,
if you don?t mind. We?re on vacation, and we just want to relax.?

The man?s eyebrows knitted together in a question. ?Can you do that??

?Which? Take a vacation, or relax?? asked Mace.

?Both?either,? he answered, starting to get confused.

?Yes,? answered Qui-Gon.

The man stared at them a moment longer, and then shrugged. He slid a microchip across
the desk to them. ?Your access code is on this,? he said. ?Just fit it into the access panel
on the front door, and it will let you in.?

Qui-Gon pocketed the chip and got up. ?Thank you, sir. Have a good day.?

?We?re going to have all kinds of unwanted attention now, aren?t we?? asked Mace as
they descended the front steps of the rental office and headed to their speeder.

?Maybe not,? said Qui-Gon.

Mace chuckled. ?Yeah, you just keep dreaming.?

Qui-Gon gave his friend a lopsided smile. ?Well, it could happen.?

Their next stop was the local all-in-one shop where they proceed to gather food and
supplies for the coming week. Elevated voices at the front of the store drew their
attention as they made their way up to the checkout counter.

?I?m telling you, Cherlene,? said a clearly angry male voice, ?that little brother of yours
cost me big time!?

?Ow, Bracken!? a female voice answered. ?Let go! You?re hurting me!?

Just as they reached the front of the store, the two Jedi saw