Saga Dark Side of the Road (Garen/Obi and Others) - THANK YOU - July 11!!!

Title: Dark Side of the Road
Author(s): Shaindl
Characters: Obi-Wan, Garen, OCs and more!
Genre: Drama, action
Summary: As Choss plots his revenge against Garen and Obi-Wan, a new villain enters the fray, and our boys will have to choose which side of the road they'll walk.
Notes: Sequel to The Roads We Travel Shatter and Split

All recognisable characters are the Flanneled One's (all hail Emperor George!), all OCs are mine - ask before you touch.

Title from Don't Think Twice, It's All Right, by Bob Dylan


For those of you who were along for Roads, welcome back to the continuing saga of Obi-Wan, Garen, Ria and company. I hope you enjoy this one as much!

This is a sequel to my other story The Roads We Travel Shatter and Split

I don't think you need to have read that entire story to understand this one. However, there's a nifty summary of the events of Roads in the fifth post (I believe) of this story for your reading pleasure.

Hope you enjoy the sequel...

* * * * * *

It ain't no use in turnin' on your light, babe,
Light I used to know.
It ain't no use in turnin' on your light, babe,
I'm on the dark side of the road.
Still I wish there was somethin' you would do or say
To try and make me change my mind and stay.
I'm walkin' down that long, lonesome road, babe,
Don't think twice it's all right.

(adapted from Don't Think Twice, It's All Right)

* * * * * *

The street was dark, the lights lining it having long since been shot out by the guards standing watch at either end of the complex?s entrance. One had to know a special code to get by them, and any of the nosy local denizens who tried who didn?t know the code had a brief moment in which to lament their curiosity before they were delivered to whatever deity in which they happened to believe.

The guards were very good with the blasters they wielded and had been told to take no chances. They were always eager to comply with any directives that let them sharpen their aim.

Even so, a wide variety of the galaxy?s species made it past and hurried towards a non-descript two-story building halfway down the street in groups of twos and threes, heads or other speaking appendages tucked close together as they whispered excitedly about the evening?s coming events. Two Gotal guards stood on either side of the building?s only door, their red-tinted eyes and their sensitive headcones searching the crowd for any signs of tension or suspicious nervousness as they passed inside. So far, they had detected only the eager anticipation they had been told to expect, but they too took no chances ? they knew they were dead if they did something to screw up.

In contrast to the groups of people that were trying to push their way into the building, a lone being stood across the street, silently contemplating the building and its purpose. The figure had stood there quite some time, having pushed by the guards standing at either end of the street. They hadn?t bothered to ask the hooded figure for the codeword, but had stood aside immediately. Likewise, the guards at the door would never think to ask for identification, but would open the door and step aside even faster than the guards at the end of the street had. It was a curious ? but definitive ? measure of respect.

But the desire to enter was practically non-existent, even though the invitation had been personal, rather than the general call that had gone out to the crews. The urge to run the other way, as fast and as far as possible was overwhelming, although the person wrapped in the enveloping cloak couldn?t put a finger on the reason why. Fighting back the dread that was growing with each passing minute, the figure stepped out into the street and crossed to the building, fighting through the crowds around the entrance.

* * * * * *

Unlike the outside of the building, the inside was well-lit, and most assuredly descript. The walls had been knocked out, along with the flo

 

Aggghhhhhh!!!!!! Confused isn't the word for it missy! Thrilled you have it up and running! And I still say that post reminds me of Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome !

 

WAHEY!!!

The sequel is here at last. And Shaindl - jeez - confusing, as o_e so kindly put it, isn't the word. You have me hooked - and I still don't know who 90% of the characters are!

I'll be back whenever there's more. Maybe sooner.

Nem

 

Okay, this is strange. The board is refusing to acknowledge I just posted. ?

 

What a way to start the sequel....WOW. Riveting, scary, confusing and wonderfully done. You've managed to describe the Court as I had imagined it to be - rauchous, treacherous, and terrifying in its distain for life.
And what Jedi are these? Will we ever know? I assume the mysterious cloaked figure will be revealed... but not too soon.

Terrific. I'm so glad you're continuing this!

 

Yeah, the sequel is here!

I may not have any idea what is going on in that first post but I am still happy as can be to see you continuing this wonderful story. The post was very dark and foreboding, not to mention very intriguing. I definitely look forward to more.

 

*is lost and confused...well kinda*

*can't wait for more!*

 

confused. shocked, floored by that opening

 

What a beginning Shaindl! You like to be mysterious dont you?

I see Choss has found yet another dispicable source of income, he really needs to be brought down. I have a feeling it's going to be even harder to do now though.

Absolutely riveting beginning, can't wait for more! Have to wonder how much time has passed and just what our boys are up to.

I've got you bookmarked so i'll be checking in whenever I can make it here. Til next time.

--Shan

 

was that garen and his padawan?

better get someone on the rescue right away.

 

Garen has a padawan? * glares suspiciously at Shaindl * You wouldn't keep something like that from your co-writer would you?

 

Let's reinstate the Roads tradition right here & now. UP!

 

So many questions! I'm especially curious as to who the Jedi are...

I wasn't around the for posting of the first story, so I don't know how often posts come. Any discernable pattern, or do we just get lucky on random days?

I'm so happy there's more, as you're a fantastic author. Great start!

~Calantha

 

Confusing but great!

 

And up.

Nem

 

and UP!

I'm baaaaack!

Sounds grate already Shaindl.

 

And people say that I am mean with my cliffy's..

You do know that this post answered nothing at for us..

Who was the hooded figure...the slave, and the person watching the hooded figure leave?

See my confusion here?

Update more soon PLEASEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!

 

Curious. UP!

 

up

 

Apparently I've completely joined the land of the insane. I changed my plans for this fic and made it a whole lot more complicated. That on top of starting a new story. I AM an idiot.

Thanks for all the great reponses for the first post...

OE - Nope, haven't seen Mad Max. Thanks for the support - I'm going to need your brain more than ever now.

Nem - You know a few more characters after today. Some of the confusion lifts...

...only to be replaced by more. Thanks in advance for all the ups!

Diane - oh, I loved your description of the Court - that's exactly the atmosphere what I was going for. Any place ruled over by Choss isn't going to be a nice place. Glad you're along for the ride.

Sheila - yep, dark. Don't expect too much light any time soon.

PR - lost and confused...just what I like, at least at the beginning.

PK - floored? And it's only the first post. I think this post might floor you some more...

Shan - yep, mysterious is my middle name! Oh, yes, it's going to be much harder to bring him down - you'll see why today and get a clue as to how much time has passed.

Froggy - Garen and his Padawan? Don't be ridiculous!

OE - Me? Keep anything from you?

Calantha - hey, you've joined the crowd - I'm glad! I'll try not to keep you waiting too long with posts. I'm afraid there's no pattern or timetable - it all depends on how kind DRL and inspiration are. How do you know they're Jedi? Thank you so much for "you're a fantastic author" - that means a lot.

FOW - confusing seems to be the word of the day around here!

Siri - great that you're back! Hope you enjoy it!

PT - oh, come on, this wasn't a bad cliff, as those things go. Of course I know I didn't answer anything - but I answer a little today.

Jivan - curious? You don't know the half of it. Interesting name, BTW - you must be a BIG fan of my co-writer's work!

I'm going to try writing shorter posts, which will hopefully allow me to post more often. A word of warning - the next couple of months are going to be busy and stressful ones for me personally, so my posting might be even more sporadic than usual. But I'll keep plugging away at it until I'm past that.

On with the post...a little trip down memory lane...Incidentally, this story is now officially AU.

* * * * * *

Contrary to the image space pirates tended to have, Choss was a cultured man who appreciated the finer things life had to offer. There was nothing he liked more than to sit down with a glass of the finest Corellian brandy, a cigarillo of the finest Plareit tabac, with the Coruscanti Galactic Symphony playing his favourite music in the background. It never hurt if a beautiful woman happened to be there as well ? not one of the common harlots who frequented every port to which he had ever been, but a truly beautiful, sophisticated woman. You could buy or rent a woman like that if you knew where to look.

He?d had three out of four when the bounty hunter had pulled him roughly out of bed. It was difficult to enjoy a cigarillo and a woman in bed at the same time without setting the sheets on fire. Not that he hadn?t tried when he?d been a younger, more adventurous man.

He had lain naked on the floor of the rent-by-the-minute room, blinking up into the bemused face of the black-clothed man as the traitorous woman hurried to dress. Choss shot her a black look when she caught the credit chit the man flipped her way. She shrugged as she stared back at him. ?Money?s money. You paid well. He paid better.?

She left as the bounty hunter chuckled. Choss looked back up at him, resigned to his fate. He?d always been prepared to die violently, his chosen line of work not lending itself to dying of old age in one?s bed. He was immersed in the completely academic problem of figuring out who had finally caught up with him when his concentration was shattered by the bounty hunter throwing him his clothes. The hunter's voice was low and danger

 

The Xan man! Yee haw! Evil and cunning twist! * sits and waits for more*

 

Damn the boards! * shakes fist in the air *

 

I knew his royal droolworthyness would show up...(Xani)

Forsee many complications I do, and a long wait for the next post, I do not *hint hint*

Great! Now I'm hooked...just one more addiction I guess...

(great job shaindl!)

 

Hooray !!! The sequel is here !!
Now I can take the time to stop and carefully read it, after a computer breakdown and before I leave for the holidays.

That first post was everything I expected it to be : dark, mysterious, foreboding and promising. It's great to see this infamous court. I just wish I could understand what it all meant ! Come on, tell us who was the hooded figure. Please ?

Then the second post... Xan ! And bad Xan on top of it. Nothing like a handsome but lethal villain. This story, combined with Lost, is going to wreck more than one hormonal system on these boards !

Choss is also on top of my list of bad guys. I love the way you describe him.
"It was difficult to enjoy a cigarillo and a woman in bed at the same time without setting the sheets on fire." I love this sentence.
It's really going to be interesting ! I can't wait for all the main characters to meet again.
Speaking of which... When are you going to show us our precious (Garen ) Jedi ? They're not cliffies, but it's still cruel to make us wait this way !

This, lady, is going to be a wonderful story, I can tell ! I can't believe I'll be away for a few weeks now that my computer works again. Oh well... There will be more to read when I come back.

Bravo Shaindl!!

 

Grrr... nasty italics... *unable to see straight*

Anyway, I can see well enough to read.

I like your description of Choss and the way the scene was told more-or-less from his point of view. Good going. And I must agree, the sentence about cigarillos in bed was funny.

Now... ah yes. Xanatos deCrion is back. And as a villain, too, which is what he's best at. I see you've borrowed your co-writer's surname for him, too.

I'm away on holiday for two weeks from tomorrow, with NO INTERNET ACCESS so I won't be able to up but I confidently expect an update by the time I get back. Hmmm?

Nem