Disclaimer: See chapter 1. I own nothing.
Foreword: I encountered the dreaded writer's block when writing Guy into the narrative, hence the months' long gap in between chapters. But I broke through it and figured it out. Yet when I was writing it, it grew too long to accommodate the original 3-part arc I had planned. - M.C.
3
"Enough of tawdry matters," the Sheriff got up from his seat. "Let us talk of more softer… sweeter things."
Clara suppressed a shudder. "Ah good, I was hoping we'd get around to that."
"You were?" The Sheriff was puzzled.
"Yes. For I have known I was destined to draw the eye of a great and powerful man in a long time." She paused. "Ever since I saw those mysterious lights in the sky."
"Oh… you saw them too?" Vaisey quirked an eyebrow.
"And those strange mechanical men, with their promises…"
"I too have experienced these things…"
"Really?" Clara perked up. "I would have never guessed. Tell me your story."
"Ah, but tell me yours." The Sheriff teased, picking up his goblet. "Ladies first."
"Oh but you have to go first."
"Why so?"
Clara stepped out of her chair, leaning towards him flirtatiously.
"Because great men always precede." She drew a finger alongside his jawline.
"…you have a point," he conceded. He took a fortifying gulp of his wine.
"Your story, then."
"Once upon a time, there was a clever and handsome man—"
"I can almost picture him," Clara breathed. "I don't even have to close my eyes."
"…unappreciated by his Royal master."
A lightbulb clicked in Clara's head. "Prince John?"
"The very same."
"Right." Clara corrected. "Then came the lights in the sky and everything changed."
"The skyship came to earth in a fury of fire!"
"I'd almost call it a crash," Clara offered. "I remember it well."
"It was a craft from the heavenly spheres, with twinkling lights and miracles beyond imagining. The most beautiful thing this most brave and handsomest man had ever seen. This man being me, of course."
"I suppose the mechanical men saw you as their natural leader."
"Ah, but I and I alone, to whom these mechanical men imparted their secrets unto. With them, I shall become the most powerful man in the shire!" the Sheriff spread his hands wide. "King in all but name. But Nottingham isn't enough."
"It isn't?" Clara felt her stomach plummet.
"After this… Sussex!"
She nodded. "Right."
"Then… Leicester. And after Leicester…" He trailed off.
"Wales?" Clara supplied.
"The world!" the Sheriff intoned.
She forced a smile on her face. "So what are you hanging around here, your Majesty? Why are you bothering to squeeze the pips out of the peasants if you've got a starship on standby?"
"Always asking too many questions," the Sheriff groused. "So, young lady, what about your story, hm?"
"I don't have one. I was lying."
A muscle twitched in the Sheriff's face. "Lying? Oh, very... clever."
"Yeah. People are so much better at sharing information if they think the other person already has it."
"Such spirit." He put his goblet down. "You'll do very well."
"For what?"
"Does not every Sheriff has a consort?" He leaned in to kiss Clara, but she pushed him out of her way.
"Do that again and you'll regret it," she warned.
The Sheriff was cut off as Gisborne stormed through the doors.
"Hood has escaped!"
Free of their chains, the Doctor and Robin sneaked along the castle, feeling among the tapestries along the corridor. As the two men approached the end of the corridor, they could see a big circular door hanging ajar. The two exchanged puzzled looks before venturing inside.
"A starship?" the Doctor asked in wonderment as the two entered the doorway. Instrument consoles glittered and hummed noticeably. In the center of the room, of what looked like the bridge, is a huge glass sphere. It seemed to glow and pulsate from within, leaking steam through small cracks on the surface.
"By all the saints," Robin breathed, his blue eyes taking in the new environment with equal parts wonder and apprehension. He turned to see the Doctor gliding to the consoles, fiddling with the instruments and turning dials.
"Data banks, data banks, data banks," the Doctor confirmed, making one last tweak to a dial. After pressing a button, torrents of information began scrolling down the screen, illuminating the Doctor's gaunt face.
"Where were you heading, hm?" his fingers danced over the consoles. "Where was this ship headed?"
His face fell as the consoles gave him the answer. 'Destination: THE PROMISED LAND.'
"The Promised Land. Not again." He sighed. "Like the Half-Face Man. But more… so much more sophisticated. Disguised as a twelfth century castle!"
As he and Robin watched the console, a schematic of an impressive-looking starship slowly transformed into the keep of Nottingham Castle.
"So it merges into the castle," the Doctor surmised. "Trying to keep a low profile so it won't get noticed. Which explains the robot knights."
He checked the readout again. "But the engines are damaged. It's leaking radiation in the local atmosphere creating a temporary microclimate of staggering benevolence."
Robin frowned. "I don't get it."
"See? I told you!" the Doctor declared. "It's too sunny, it's too green! And even there's an evil Sheriff to oppress the locals! It explains everything. Even you."
"Me?" Robin echoed. "I have no clue what you're talking about."
"Well," the Doctor gave Robin a quick once-over. "Well, what does every oppressed peasant workforce need? The illusion of hope! So there's a silly story to get them through the day, lull them into docility and keep them working."
His fingers danced over the consoles, which promptly began flashing images of various images of Robin Hood — paintings, drawings, and copies of ballads. Even images of the actors that played him in various films. Douglas Fairbanks, Errol Flynn, Sean Connery, Patrick Bergin, Kevin Costner, Cary Elwes, Russell Crowe.
"Ship's databanks," the Doctor said pointedly. "Full of every myth and legend you could hope for. Including… Robin Hood. Friend of the poor."
He turned to the outlaw. "Isn't it time you come clean to me?"
"What?"
"Oh, come on."
"I do not understand."
"You're not real, and you know it! Perfect eyes, perfect teeth, perfect five o'clock shadow! Nobody has a jawline like that!"
Robin reflexively felt his jaw. "Really?"
"You're as much a part of what's going on here as the Sheriff."
Robin's eyes darkened. "You dare to accuse me of acting in league with the Sheriff?" His voice lowered dangerously. "I had no knowledge of this! Trust me! I don't even know what this is."
Before the Doctor could say anything more, there was a deafening boom as the bridge's door was blown off its hinges. As the smoke cleared, the men could see three figures framed in the doorway: the Sheriff, Clara, and Guy. Just behind them were a battalion of robot knights.
"Surrender, Hood!" Guy unsheathed his sword.
The Doctor did a slow hand-clap. "Very good!"
"What's going on?" Clara was confused.
"Kill him, you incompetence!" the Sheriff snapped at the robot knights. "Kill Robin Hood!"
"You can drop all that, Sheriff," the Doctor answered placidly.
There was a steady hum as the knights' weapons powered up and took aim at the emerald-clad outlaw.
"Doctor?" Clara's voice grew more apprehensive.
"He's not who you think he is, Clara. He's just playacting."
Guy scoffed, lowering his sword. "Really?" He pulled out the same device the Sheriff had earlier, dialing a sequence of numbers on the device. The hum from the knights increased, powering up to full capacity.
Robin cringed as the purple 'X's hovered over his face, but made a quick dive out of the way as the lasers fired. The blasts blew away metal shutters, revealing a big window. He jumped onto the ledge.
"We can't just let them kill him!" Clara cried, pulling herself free from the Sheriff and Guy.
As the knights took aim again, Clara jumped in front of Robin, blocking their aim. The crosses hovered over her face, protecting the outlaw. She felt herself jerked backwards as Robin grabbed her midsection and backed up.
"What the hell are you doing?" she hissed to Robin.
His response was terse. "Surviving." With that, he tipped backwards out of the window, Clara in his arms. They jumped out of the way, narrowly missing another blast from the knights' lasers.
"NO!" the Doctor shouted, hearing several splashes. He and the Sheriff hurried to the shattered remains of the window, looking out into the moat.
"Pity about the girl," the Sheriff mused, passing a quick glance outside. "Such a pretty thing."
The Doctor noticed Robin pulling an unconscious Clara out of the moat, and decided not to tell the Sheriff.
"So," he turned back to the Sheriff. "Stop pretending. You and your fancy robots, I get it. I understand."
"Oh?" the Sheriff looked at his nails. "You know about my plans?"
"My lord," Guy interjected sharply, interrupting the Doctor's response. "What about Hood?"
Vaisey, Sheriff of Nottingham, shook his head. "Always fixated on Hoodie and your leper. But I have bigger fish to fry."
"Locksley has been a thorn in your backside for a year," Guy ground out. "You get this… army, and yet you fail to eliminate him at your earliest convenience."
"Have I not made myself clear? The world is bigger than Robin Hood. Once this skyship departs, I shall go to London and eliminate Prince John. Only a matter of time before King Richard comes home… and finds he and his brother are no longer in charge. Oh, what a day that will be, eh?"
The Doctor spared a closer look at the wires encompassing the consoles. "Gold," he muttered. "Using the matrix of gold to repair the engine circuitry."
"Wondrous, isn't it?" Vaisey said gleefully. "Amazing what a tax hike and a bit of plundering will do, eh?"
Guy sneered. "I've seen better."
The Sheriff frowned. "You know, Gisborne, I'm getting tired of your arrogance and stupidity. I groomed you when you were a squabbling youth, I made you who you are. Ever since Locksley came back from the Holy Land, I tell you to get rid of him, and you FAIL! Every single time!"
"You know," Guy gave the Sheriff a sidewise glare. "I'm beginning to think I don't like you."
"The feeling's mutual, Gizzy," Vaisey snatched the remote from Guy's hands. "It's only until these knights came along that I was able to clean up YOUR mess!"
"You going to kill me?" Guy replied cooly, sheathing his sword. "I suppose your fancy contraptions will do your dirty work for you."
"Oh, Gisborne," The Sheriff's voice took a patronizing tone. "Kill you? Where would be the fun in that?"
"I'm no longer useful to you."
"He does have a point, you know," the Doctor added.
"My dear boy," Vaisey replied, turning back to Guy. "If I'm going to rule the world, I'm going to need someone as my right hand man. Has to be someone I trust, or close to it. Need I remind you that I own you."
A muscle tensed in Guy's cheek. "Not any more."
"Very well." Vaisey gave a quick nod, and two knights grabbed Guy by the shoulders. "Guy of Gisborne, you are forthwith stripped of your title and lands. Gentlemen, escort Guy outside. Enjoy what little time you have left."
The Doctor felt a pinch as a small dart hit his side, and felt himself going numb. He looked to see one of the knights holding a small tranquilizer gun, and his whole world went black.
"Engine capacity at forty-eight percent."
The Doctor stirred, and jolted awake. As consciousness fully set in, he realized he couldn't move too much thanks to strong ropes bounding him to a pillar in the corner of the computer room. He heard a mechanical jolt, and saw molten gold spurting into a giant spout above his head.
He realized the mechanical knight's statement. "Not enough. That's not enough, it won't even make orbit."
Another realization hit the Doctor. "That's the engines, building in power! Stupid Sheriff. Stupid Sheriff. Stupid, stupid Sheriff. Stupid, stupid things."
He turned to see a beautiful young girl, in ragged clothes, sitting next to him. "What are you looking at?"
"Unnh." Clara stirred, feeling herself awake. In her blurred vision, she could see Robin, his gang, and a beautiful but unfamiliar woman in her peripheral vision. As her vision cleared, she noticed he was toying with the gold arrow he'd won the previous day.
"Hi." Clara managed a weak smile.
Robin's face was expressionless. "The time for games is over."
Clara felt a pit in her stomach.
"Okay." The girl bit her lip. "I think I understand you. The Sheriff is using the gold to repair something?"
"That's the principle," the Doctor replied. "But he's an arrogant moron. If he tries to fly his ship, it'll explode and wipe out the country."
He looked around fervently. "What we need… is a little riot."
As the girl began to untie his bonds, he whispered in her ear, "Spread the word."
"Right." Robin turned to Marian and the gang. "First we need to—"
He was interrupted by the sound of Will's alarm going off.
Clara, still groggy from earlier, clapped her hands over her ears as the gong banged several times. "Can someone get that?"
Leaving Djaq and Much to look after Clara, Robin, Marian, and the gang trooped down to the clearing, to see a man hanging suspended high above. A monstrous grin broke across Robin's face as he registered the frustrated yells and the glistening leather outfit.
"OI! Who said money doesn't grow on trees?"
Guy's yells grew more gutteral. "HOOD! Should've figured this was your doing!"
"Actually, you can thank Will for that!" Robin shot back as the group gathered under the ensnared noble.
"Let me down, Locksley!"
"How do we know you don't have those robot knights with you, eh?" Allan put in.
"This isn't a trap!" Guy's kicking grew more frantic.
"So you're a man of your word now? That's news to me."
"I'm serious, Hood! Get me down!"
Marian put a hand on Robin's shoulder. "We should get him down," she put in quietly. "He might be able to tell us the Sheriff's plans."
Robin sighed. "It could still be a trap, Marian. He almost killed you and you were going to marry him!"
"But I'm not," she cut in curtly. "It's all in the past."
"I suppose him and the Sheriff sentencing you to hard labor is in the past too?" Robin shook his head.
"Robin, he's on our side."
"What makes you say that?"
Marian bit her lip. "I could see it in his eyes. He's free of the Sheriff—"
"Or the Sheriff is free of him," Robin cut in pointedly.
There was a snap as the rope gave way and Guy tumbled to the ground, his curved dagger in his hands. Robin and his gang were quick to surround him, Little John ready to grab him if he reached for his broadsword. "Now Hood—"
Guy then registered Marian's presence, Robin all but forgotten. "Marian! What are you…"
He was cut off as Marian's fist hit his solar plexus; he sank to his knees, winded.
"I could say the same thing, Guy of Gisborne," she put in acidly. "Is that how you treat your formerly betrothed, packing her off to the castle as a servant? What kind of man does that? Letting the Sheriff kill my father…"
Guy staggered to his feet. "Marian, that wasn't me, it was —"
"You work for the Sheriff," she said curtly.
"Was," Guy said quickly. "I no longer work for him."
"Does it?" Marian asked rhetorically. "Where were those qualities that made you a better man than he is?" Robin scoffed at the word 'qualities', but she paid him no mind.
Guy let out an exasperated sigh. "I… Marian, what are you doing throwing your lot in with Locksley? Thought you despised him."
"You didn't answer my questions," she pointed out.
"Answer me first."
"I was mistaken," she said simply. "Now you."
"You were right," Guy sighed. "I shouldn't have treated you that way. The Sheriff had enough gold and precious metals to power his starship, but he wanted to make a special example of you and your father. He promised me he wouldn't kill you, but…"
"… but he decided to kill my father instead. And have me work as a servant in the castle."
Guy looked away, remorse tinged on his face. He didn't elaborate.
"And you let him do it."
"I had no choice, Marian!"
"Everything is a choice!" she barked at him. "Everything we do!"
Robin cringed at those words, remembering the time that he and Marian quarreled over her decision to join a nunnery, only for her to throw the words back at him.
"I thought there was something between us," Marian said bitterly.
"There can be," Guy interjected.
"Very well," Robin cut in. "You will tell us everything you know about this starship and what we can do to stop it."
"Robin!"
"Look, Marian, we don't have the time!" Robin pleaded. "We need to stop the ship and save the Doctor."
Robin turned back to Guy, expectantly.
"What's in it for me, Hood?" Guy shot a venomous look at the outlaw. "Take me as a hostage again? He'd rather see us dead."
Robin smirked. "I have a better idea."
The Doctor turned to see one of the knights trooping towards him, the metallic boots clanking along the stone. The young woman had retreated for a few minutes before returning to the Doctor's side, her beautiful brown curls mussed. The two watched as the familiar robot face changed to a purple retina scan, scanning the length of the Doctor's body.
"You are fit for labor." The knight rumbled, its scan complete.
It motioned the girl away. "Stand aside as this peasant unit is freed."
"I'm afraid you're a bit too late." The Doctor put in.
"Explain."
"I'm already free!" Swinging his freed arms from around the pillar, the Doctor's hands grabbed a gold plate from the pile of treasure at his feet. The familiar purple laser shot forth from the knight's face, but the Doctor neatly deflected them with the plate. The lasers deflected into the shadows, causing instant panic. As the knight readied to fire off another barrage of lasers, the young woman deflected those with a gold-plated mirror. The second blast of lasers reflected into another knight, blowing its head off and out of commission.
As the other robot knights prepared for their assaults, the rest of the peasants emerged, already armed with all the reflective treasure they could find.
Laser shots were thrown in all directions from the reflective surfaces, sowing confusion but no serious injuries. One shot reflected hard and fast enough to blast open the door to the vault. As the robots slowly dwindled thanks to the peasants' ingenuity and persistence, the Doctor began ushering some of the weaker and injured peasants to safety.
"All right everyone, it's the last one!" the Doctor bellowed, motioning to the last remaining robot knight. As the knight's lasers burst forth, they crisscross the vault. As they ricocheting from the reflective surfaces and onto itself, it erupted satisfyingly into small fragments.
"All right, everybody out!" the Doctor shouted, ushering the rest of the peasants out of the vault. The young woman who aided him paused on the damaged threshold.
"You've saved us all, clever one," she said quietly. "Thank you."
She kissed him on the cheek and dashed out. As the Doctor lifted his hand to touch his cheek, he heard a robot voice repeating, "Engine capacity at eighty percent."
Breaking him out of his shocked mindset, he's galvanized into action as he registers a horribly familiar voice.
"You are a genius fellow indeed," came the harsh voice of the Sheriff, as the short bald man and two more robot knights entered the vault. "But do you really think that peasant revolt could stop me? A clue… no!"