Alice and her two new friends, Lash and Bricks, were following the captain down the dimly lit corridors of the ship and as they marched along, she felt quite important but not for the roles that wonderland had placed on her. On this ship she was an honoured traveller from the mainland who's stature was odd to the new company she kept as she was slightly taller than most bandersnatch bur a lot leaner than any one she had seen so far. But it was all drowned out by her feeling of excitement as she walked in expectancy to the dinner, looking forward to the occasion immensely as all little girls love a good party, but usually with other girls. Who was her guests with her? Two huge Bandersnatch who were not in the least bit feminine but she had taken them to her side and she was going to enjoy tonight as tomorrow she would see the Island of the Bandersnatch for the first time.
All four of them turned the last corner and before them was a very solid looking door which at first did not seem welcoming. Alice looked at the captain with a look of slight confusion as if to enquire if this was the right room.
"The Officers mess is where we look at mission orders as well as hold senior meetings. That's why it is a secure compartment. But don't worry." He replied . "Nothing out of the ordinary will happen, I assure you"
So far on board, an attempt was made on her life, she had almost been boiled alive in the engine room and she had a severe hallucination from drinking something only the engineer could stand. Almost everything that had happened so far was "out of the ordinary" but she sighed almost in agreement as the captain released the locks on the door with a clank and swung it open stepping through it revealing a comfortable looking room, belaying the impression of the door. Around half a dozen Bandersnatch were sitting around a large table which had been suitably laid for a meal or in Alice's impression a banquet with candlesticks and shiny cutlery. The captain let out a gentle couch and all the officers attention was now focused on him,.
"gentleman," he began sounding quite important; "our guest of honour, Miss Alice"
And in reply was the sound of groaning wood as the chairs slid across the floor and their owners rose out of them in respect as Alice stepped through the porthole.
"Quite gentlemanly of them" Alice thought to herself as she thought back to what she knew of officers in the real world. They were all gentlemen and more of the upper class of society whilst the lower classes worked on the more menial duties so there must be a similar order of things for the bandersnatch from what she had observed so far. But anyway the captain pulled out a chair in one side of the table into which she sat, wondering what kinds of dishes were under the tureens that were steaming on the table. She was quite hungry after all.
The Captain went to the top of the table and sat in a larger chair than the others and smiled at Alice.
"Miss Alice may I present my officers. Starting from my left, you have met my first officer and the chief engineer whom you have already met."
Alice was listening up to the very second when she noticed who was sitting next to the engineer. It was Shift. Alice wondered what he was doing out of the prison and was slightly relieved to see that he wasn't carrying his sidearm with him. But still, he and her had not got off to the best start.
"Yes well Shift is the chief of Security and Cargo Operations so he was obliged to come to this function." His tone became a little more fierce; "But anymore trouble from you and your going straight back to the brig! Understood?"
Shift nodded silently, his eyes never leaving Alice's. The Captain continued to the person to his opposite side.
"This is our Medical chief, Bones Bandersnatch who I don't think you've met yet?"
"No I haven't yet and no offence to any of you gentlemen but I hope I don't!" she replied which encouraged a mild laugh from everyone around the table, except for Shift.
"Actually miss," he began, his voice stern yet laced with mild sensitivity; "the good chief called me when you had that little incident in the engine room. But by the time I had got my medical kit you had woken up. But still, a pleasure Miss Alice" and nodded respectfully to which she returned the gesture as the captain continued.
"The gentleman on his left is Lost Bandersnatch and he's our communications officer and Navigator on board ship."
"Don't let the name fool you Miss Alice," he reassured her, his tone slightly higher than the others; "I'm really quite good. And we'll reach the hope port by tomorrow, you can be sure of it". He had a kindly smile which reassured her of his abilities.
"And of course there's your guests, Bricks and Lash" finished the captain.
Her friends by this point had both looked slightly put off by the whole scene about them. It must have been a special privilege not shared by many of their shipmates to be invited to the captains table and now they looked slightly humbled, which the captain noticed.
"Gentleman, you are at the officers table, don't be embarrassed as we're glad to have you. Now please everyone take your seats and lets have a drink." His voice was reassuring and like any crew would they all obeyed him and sat back down and being the guest, Alice retook her seat as a steward filled her glass from behind with what looked like a form of wine. Alice had remembered seeing her parents drinking wine and they seemed to enjoy it. But that was human wine, not Bandersnatch wine. However she followed the example of the officers as they raised their glasses for a toast.
"To our new guest," said the captain, raising his glass "Miss Alice."
"Alice!" echoed the chorus of voices and everyone took a drink from their goblets. Alice shrugged her shoulders and drank from hers as well. The sensation that greeted her taste buds was quite pleasing as her palate welcomed the liquid from the glass with avid hospitality. Its taste was more mature and formal than banderscotch and a lot cooler as well. The combination of the aroma and the taste was a pleasure to behold for all her senses and she could not help the smile and look of impression as she placed her glass back on the table.
As all the glasses were replaced, the stewards brought in the foods and condiments to the table with clockwork timing as the command staff all made various expectant noises as each plate was brought in. Alice herself had wondered what the delicious smells were approaching and her plate was presented with a piece of mean which was slightly green in appearance, but still looked quite succulent as much as the vegetables of different shapes and colours aside the meal. It had been a while since Alice had a meal of such preparation as food in the asylum was very basic and quite bland but still, green meat?
"Captain," she asked; "I've never seen meat of this…….type before what is it?"
"Jabberwock meat miss Alice, it comes from a Jabberwock. Its quite tasty!" he replied, as though normality was sitting on her plate as she was expected to eat it.
"I hope the meat is nicer than the personality, the last one I met tried to kill me!"
This ushered a small chorus of laughter among the officers as they looked to each other , enjoying their meat.
"They are quite unpleasant those Jabberspawn, aren't they" piped up the First officer.
"This was the fully grown Jabberwock." She replied cutting the meat with cautious precision.
The sounds of delight and feasting stopped suddenly as the assembly looked at her. At least half a dozen pairs of eyes focusing on her with expressions of shock on the faces of their owners. Her studies had mentioned the jabberwocks and the bandersnatch co-existing together, why were they so afraid?
Alice looked dejected
"Have I said something wrong?" she said, slightly deflated.
"No Alice you haven't" replied shift, his tone still reeking with contempt.
"It's just on our homeland, all the Jabberspawn die before they reach maturity." explained Lost; "They cant survive with out external aid."
"But we do know that the one Jabberwock that was fully grown was quite the handful." Echoed the first officer.
"That's why I noticed your blade when I first saw you." interrupted Shift. "That blade may not be powerful but the Jabberwock fear it. You'd be well advised to keep it hidden when we reach the island. Or I could mind it for you" he smiled. This kind of smile would make the bravest of men shudder in their soul, even Alice felt uncomfortable.
"Wherever this blade goes, Shift" she replied. Her voice almost as sinister; "I go"
The mood stayed like this for a few moments. The atmosphere between them could have been cut with the very blade she mentioned. Thankfully, the Captain intervened.
"Yes well, this is a dinner party so lets keep the surprises to a minimum shall we?" looking at both Alice and Shift. Alice nodded apologetically but Shift just carried on eating.
"You must be quite daring to defeat a full grown Jabberwock, Alice?" asked Bones. "I'm not one for violence myself."
"I had some help from a good friend, he took the brunt while I finished him off. But I'd rather not talk about it, thank you." Alice well remembered Gryffon was mortally wounded with his fight but thanks to her and the queens defeat, he recovered.
But the meal carried on and the food was delicious. Alice never expected this meat to taste particularly nice, but it was quite scrumptious and she secretly wished to herself that she had taken the opportunity to carve a slice from her fallen foe when he was lying on the ground. But she took note not to mention it in polite company and simply smiled to herself!
All four of them turned the last corner and before them was a very solid looking door which at first did not seem welcoming. Alice looked at the captain with a look of slight confusion as if to enquire if this was the right room.
"The Officers mess is where we look at mission orders as well as hold senior meetings. That's why it is a secure compartment. But don't worry." He replied . "Nothing out of the ordinary will happen, I assure you"
So far on board, an attempt was made on her life, she had almost been boiled alive in the engine room and she had a severe hallucination from drinking something only the engineer could stand. Almost everything that had happened so far was "out of the ordinary" but she sighed almost in agreement as the captain released the locks on the door with a clank and swung it open stepping through it revealing a comfortable looking room, belaying the impression of the door. Around half a dozen Bandersnatch were sitting around a large table which had been suitably laid for a meal or in Alice's impression a banquet with candlesticks and shiny cutlery. The captain let out a gentle couch and all the officers attention was now focused on him,.
"gentleman," he began sounding quite important; "our guest of honour, Miss Alice"
And in reply was the sound of groaning wood as the chairs slid across the floor and their owners rose out of them in respect as Alice stepped through the porthole.
"Quite gentlemanly of them" Alice thought to herself as she thought back to what she knew of officers in the real world. They were all gentlemen and more of the upper class of society whilst the lower classes worked on the more menial duties so there must be a similar order of things for the bandersnatch from what she had observed so far. But anyway the captain pulled out a chair in one side of the table into which she sat, wondering what kinds of dishes were under the tureens that were steaming on the table. She was quite hungry after all.
The Captain went to the top of the table and sat in a larger chair than the others and smiled at Alice.
"Miss Alice may I present my officers. Starting from my left, you have met my first officer and the chief engineer whom you have already met."
Alice was listening up to the very second when she noticed who was sitting next to the engineer. It was Shift. Alice wondered what he was doing out of the prison and was slightly relieved to see that he wasn't carrying his sidearm with him. But still, he and her had not got off to the best start.
"Yes well Shift is the chief of Security and Cargo Operations so he was obliged to come to this function." His tone became a little more fierce; "But anymore trouble from you and your going straight back to the brig! Understood?"
Shift nodded silently, his eyes never leaving Alice's. The Captain continued to the person to his opposite side.
"This is our Medical chief, Bones Bandersnatch who I don't think you've met yet?"
"No I haven't yet and no offence to any of you gentlemen but I hope I don't!" she replied which encouraged a mild laugh from everyone around the table, except for Shift.
"Actually miss," he began, his voice stern yet laced with mild sensitivity; "the good chief called me when you had that little incident in the engine room. But by the time I had got my medical kit you had woken up. But still, a pleasure Miss Alice" and nodded respectfully to which she returned the gesture as the captain continued.
"The gentleman on his left is Lost Bandersnatch and he's our communications officer and Navigator on board ship."
"Don't let the name fool you Miss Alice," he reassured her, his tone slightly higher than the others; "I'm really quite good. And we'll reach the hope port by tomorrow, you can be sure of it". He had a kindly smile which reassured her of his abilities.
"And of course there's your guests, Bricks and Lash" finished the captain.
Her friends by this point had both looked slightly put off by the whole scene about them. It must have been a special privilege not shared by many of their shipmates to be invited to the captains table and now they looked slightly humbled, which the captain noticed.
"Gentleman, you are at the officers table, don't be embarrassed as we're glad to have you. Now please everyone take your seats and lets have a drink." His voice was reassuring and like any crew would they all obeyed him and sat back down and being the guest, Alice retook her seat as a steward filled her glass from behind with what looked like a form of wine. Alice had remembered seeing her parents drinking wine and they seemed to enjoy it. But that was human wine, not Bandersnatch wine. However she followed the example of the officers as they raised their glasses for a toast.
"To our new guest," said the captain, raising his glass "Miss Alice."
"Alice!" echoed the chorus of voices and everyone took a drink from their goblets. Alice shrugged her shoulders and drank from hers as well. The sensation that greeted her taste buds was quite pleasing as her palate welcomed the liquid from the glass with avid hospitality. Its taste was more mature and formal than banderscotch and a lot cooler as well. The combination of the aroma and the taste was a pleasure to behold for all her senses and she could not help the smile and look of impression as she placed her glass back on the table.
As all the glasses were replaced, the stewards brought in the foods and condiments to the table with clockwork timing as the command staff all made various expectant noises as each plate was brought in. Alice herself had wondered what the delicious smells were approaching and her plate was presented with a piece of mean which was slightly green in appearance, but still looked quite succulent as much as the vegetables of different shapes and colours aside the meal. It had been a while since Alice had a meal of such preparation as food in the asylum was very basic and quite bland but still, green meat?
"Captain," she asked; "I've never seen meat of this…….type before what is it?"
"Jabberwock meat miss Alice, it comes from a Jabberwock. Its quite tasty!" he replied, as though normality was sitting on her plate as she was expected to eat it.
"I hope the meat is nicer than the personality, the last one I met tried to kill me!"
This ushered a small chorus of laughter among the officers as they looked to each other , enjoying their meat.
"They are quite unpleasant those Jabberspawn, aren't they" piped up the First officer.
"This was the fully grown Jabberwock." She replied cutting the meat with cautious precision.
The sounds of delight and feasting stopped suddenly as the assembly looked at her. At least half a dozen pairs of eyes focusing on her with expressions of shock on the faces of their owners. Her studies had mentioned the jabberwocks and the bandersnatch co-existing together, why were they so afraid?
Alice looked dejected
"Have I said something wrong?" she said, slightly deflated.
"No Alice you haven't" replied shift, his tone still reeking with contempt.
"It's just on our homeland, all the Jabberspawn die before they reach maturity." explained Lost; "They cant survive with out external aid."
"But we do know that the one Jabberwock that was fully grown was quite the handful." Echoed the first officer.
"That's why I noticed your blade when I first saw you." interrupted Shift. "That blade may not be powerful but the Jabberwock fear it. You'd be well advised to keep it hidden when we reach the island. Or I could mind it for you" he smiled. This kind of smile would make the bravest of men shudder in their soul, even Alice felt uncomfortable.
"Wherever this blade goes, Shift" she replied. Her voice almost as sinister; "I go"
The mood stayed like this for a few moments. The atmosphere between them could have been cut with the very blade she mentioned. Thankfully, the Captain intervened.
"Yes well, this is a dinner party so lets keep the surprises to a minimum shall we?" looking at both Alice and Shift. Alice nodded apologetically but Shift just carried on eating.
"You must be quite daring to defeat a full grown Jabberwock, Alice?" asked Bones. "I'm not one for violence myself."
"I had some help from a good friend, he took the brunt while I finished him off. But I'd rather not talk about it, thank you." Alice well remembered Gryffon was mortally wounded with his fight but thanks to her and the queens defeat, he recovered.
But the meal carried on and the food was delicious. Alice never expected this meat to taste particularly nice, but it was quite scrumptious and she secretly wished to herself that she had taken the opportunity to carve a slice from her fallen foe when he was lying on the ground. But she took note not to mention it in polite company and simply smiled to herself!