Ficlet: Setting Targets
Title: Setting Targets
Author: mideltone_one
Word Count: 615
Rating: PG
Characters/Pairings: Allan, Robin
Spoilers/Warnings: None
Summary: Robin has a process to follow
Disclaimer:The Robin Hood characters written about here belong to Tiger Aspect and the British Broadcasting Corporation. All Rights Reserved. No copyright infringement is intended nor is any money being made. I don't own them - if I did I'd be too busy drooling to write! All mistakes are mine.
Robin sat down and pulled out a piece of parchment. "Don't look so worried," he said in a calming voice, "I'm not here to criticise. I just want us to review the last twelve months, and see where we go from here. Is that OK?"
Not sure what answer he should give, or really why he was there at all, Allan nodded, "Yeah, that's fine."
"Good," replied Robin, apparently having expected there to be more resistance, "let's start then."
He looked down the length of the parchment, shaking his head as he went. Getting to the bottom, he laid it on his lap, and covered it with his hands. "I think the first thing we should talk about is your attitude to following orders."
Allan cleared his throat. "I do what you say unless it's stupid," he said, "but I 'ave to think on me feet, so sometimes I do something different to get to the same result. I mean, when did I last go against orders?"
Robin held up the parchment. “Well, I asked everyone to fill in one of these before we met," he said, "and you left yours completely blank."
"I can't bleedin' read or write," replied the thief, with an edge of annoyance in his voice, "'Ow am I supposed to fill that thing in?"
"Much completed his."
"Did he just fill up the boxes with drawin's?"
"I can't discuss somebody else's details with you."
"I'll take that as a yes then."
"OK then," said Robin, clearly annoyed that his new performance review process wasn't going to plan, "we can go through the questions here. Let's start at the top. Where do you see yourself in five years' time?"
Allan scratched his head for a few moments. "I dunno," he said, "in the still pool, maybe, or one of them fancy lookin' glasses in the castle."
"No," replied Robin, "I don't mean it like that. I mean what do you want to be doing five years from now?"
"Ideally, I'd see myself surrounded by ladies with easy morales, carryin' flagons of strong ale."
"I didn't mean in your personal life. I meant what you would expect to be doing to put food in your mouth."
“Well, I ain't gonna become the Sheriff, or a lord anytime soon, so I guess I'll still be 'ere," He looked over at Robin, hoping he wasn't going to be told it was unlikely he'd still be in the gang five years hence.
"You don't seem to be very ambitious, do you?" said Robin, "Some of the other members of the gang want to make a business of their own, to support a family, to put down some roots."
"'Ow can they do that?" asked Allan, "I mean, we're outlaws. Any one of us moves into a town, we'll be arrested and dead within a week, two at the most."
"Not once King Richard returns! He'll kick out Vaisey and Gisborne, and clear our names."
Allan laughed out loud. "You think 'e's gonna overturn the rule of law, forget all the people we've 'ad to injure or kill, just so a small group of us can go free again?"
"Of course he will," replied Robin brusquely, "he's an honourable man."
"An honourable man with a lot of debts," replied Allan, "so he ain't gonna be lowering the taxes anytime soon, or encouraging people not to pay by freeing the likes of us."
Robin paused for a moment, as he considered the truth of his companion's words. "You might be right," he said slowly, as the truth of it dawned on him.
"Perhaps," smirked Allan, "you should be considering where you see yourself in five years' time."
Author: mideltone_one
Word Count: 615
Rating: PG
Characters/Pairings: Allan, Robin
Spoilers/Warnings: None
Summary: Robin has a process to follow
Disclaimer:The Robin Hood characters written about here belong to Tiger Aspect and the British Broadcasting Corporation. All Rights Reserved. No copyright infringement is intended nor is any money being made. I don't own them - if I did I'd be too busy drooling to write! All mistakes are mine.
Robin sat down and pulled out a piece of parchment. "Don't look so worried," he said in a calming voice, "I'm not here to criticise. I just want us to review the last twelve months, and see where we go from here. Is that OK?"
Not sure what answer he should give, or really why he was there at all, Allan nodded, "Yeah, that's fine."
"Good," replied Robin, apparently having expected there to be more resistance, "let's start then."
He looked down the length of the parchment, shaking his head as he went. Getting to the bottom, he laid it on his lap, and covered it with his hands. "I think the first thing we should talk about is your attitude to following orders."
Allan cleared his throat. "I do what you say unless it's stupid," he said, "but I 'ave to think on me feet, so sometimes I do something different to get to the same result. I mean, when did I last go against orders?"
Robin held up the parchment. “Well, I asked everyone to fill in one of these before we met," he said, "and you left yours completely blank."
"I can't bleedin' read or write," replied the thief, with an edge of annoyance in his voice, "'Ow am I supposed to fill that thing in?"
"Much completed his."
"Did he just fill up the boxes with drawin's?"
"I can't discuss somebody else's details with you."
"I'll take that as a yes then."
"OK then," said Robin, clearly annoyed that his new performance review process wasn't going to plan, "we can go through the questions here. Let's start at the top. Where do you see yourself in five years' time?"
Allan scratched his head for a few moments. "I dunno," he said, "in the still pool, maybe, or one of them fancy lookin' glasses in the castle."
"No," replied Robin, "I don't mean it like that. I mean what do you want to be doing five years from now?"
"Ideally, I'd see myself surrounded by ladies with easy morales, carryin' flagons of strong ale."
"I didn't mean in your personal life. I meant what you would expect to be doing to put food in your mouth."
“Well, I ain't gonna become the Sheriff, or a lord anytime soon, so I guess I'll still be 'ere," He looked over at Robin, hoping he wasn't going to be told it was unlikely he'd still be in the gang five years hence.
"You don't seem to be very ambitious, do you?" said Robin, "Some of the other members of the gang want to make a business of their own, to support a family, to put down some roots."
"'Ow can they do that?" asked Allan, "I mean, we're outlaws. Any one of us moves into a town, we'll be arrested and dead within a week, two at the most."
"Not once King Richard returns! He'll kick out Vaisey and Gisborne, and clear our names."
Allan laughed out loud. "You think 'e's gonna overturn the rule of law, forget all the people we've 'ad to injure or kill, just so a small group of us can go free again?"
"Of course he will," replied Robin brusquely, "he's an honourable man."
"An honourable man with a lot of debts," replied Allan, "so he ain't gonna be lowering the taxes anytime soon, or encouraging people not to pay by freeing the likes of us."
Robin paused for a moment, as he considered the truth of his companion's words. "You might be right," he said slowly, as the truth of it dawned on him.
"Perhaps," smirked Allan, "you should be considering where you see yourself in five years' time."