Chapter 18 - The City in the clouds!!
The boat was sailing around the shores of the island on it's busiest and largest section and on the mainland, the huge buildings of the Bandersnatch homes, offices and factories were visible through the spray from the ocean that washed up past the eyes of the crew aboard ship. From the Command deck all the orders for the docking and arrival were being sent from the captain to his subordinates and the whole ship was bustling with activity as both the officer and the regulars were all excited about returning from their trade mission with a hold full of cargo. However Alice was simply dumbstruck at the sights that befell her as they approached the mainland. Beside her on either side were her new friends Nails and Lash Bandersnatch who were assigned to be with her during her period on ship and on more personal reasons were considering the idea of staying with her during, some pats of her exploits on the island. They both knew too well the island was bustling with activity and a single person can often become lost very easily!
"Order Central is a big place Miss Alice" bricks began to say to Alice, "There a places where you get lost and some places that you don't want to go!!!| and he looked at Lash with an almost concerned look.
"I'm sure one will be ableto find her way around, but thanks for staying with me, I'm starting to miss some of my best friends." Replied Alice as she gazed in the opposite direction of the city back to wards wonderland. She knew very well that no-one was willing to travel far away with her as they didn't share her curiosity. Cat seemed tied to the mainland and he amongst many people know what curiosity did to people like him…
The Boat sailed through the spray and crept it's way into the docks, joining up in all the relevant places as it's crew were commencing to empty the hold of it's cargo. Alice could already see that the captain was granting leave to some of the men and she heard their cheers as they ran through the docks and into the city. He returned onto the deck and approached her with his first officer following in his footsteps.
"Welcome to Bandersnatch Isle, Miss Alice!" he spoke and he turned to her companions on either side of her and his expression became slightly more stern. "I trust you will show our new guest what's what and where's where crewmen?" he asked.
They both stiffened to attention in respect and they ushered Alice down the gangplank onto terra-firma (which felt especially good to Alice since she felt that the floor had not stopped moving since she boarded the boat) and started to move through the harbour.
The Harbour was made up of huts of all shapes and sizes and warehouses which contained various contents and bandersnatch all hurry about their jobs and tasks into which Alice was ever curious but she was nudged along in a certain direction all the time by her 2 escorts, but she could not help seeing the occasional guard, armed with a blinker or a long spear like with a glowing orb on the top.
"Why are their guards on the pier guys?" she asked inquisitively, "I thought you said you didn't have any enemies as such?"
They looked at each other, almost in desperation as if they were trying to find the answer in each others mind. After a few moments of this mutual discomfort, Lash swallowed hard and spoke in a very quiet voice.
"Don't forget Miss Alice, That the rebels are everywhere on the island an there's been a few rumours that they've been stealing supplies and weapons from the docks. That's why the guards are everywhere. There's even a few towers up ahead where they can shoot you from!!!" and he gestured up ahead of them where several tall towers made up of metal had been erected with a small cabin on top where a guard or 2 were surveying the scene from on high, all of them were armed in one form or another.
"I think we'd better get into the city now Lash!!!" Bricks blurted out suddenly changing the subject and they all hurried past the harbour into the city.
Alice had never seen such a Place! The buildings were higher than any steeple or tower she had seen in her lifetime and some of them were joined together by hollow tubes of steel and glass in which she could barely see bandersnatch walking through them, crossing over from building to building. The whole sides of the Towers seemed to be rooted deeply into the ground, unaffected by weather or nature as a testament to these little creatures incredible achievements. On the streets surrounding them, thousands upon thousands of bandersnatch were walking on the pavements, talking amongst themselves and all of them seeming to be in a rush to go somewhere or to do something. Her mind and her thoughts seemed to be drowned out by the sheer and loud sound of thousands of people talking, moving, living and working. Entering these enormous buildings, working on the large streets. The feeling of almost bewilderment had grabbed her as she stood in this immense city, walking its streets with her 2 new friends who weren't affected by the sights that had numbed her so badly.
She was suddenly snapped back into concentration by a shocking spark on her forearm and a stern voice shouting at her.
"No weapons allowed on civilians in the capital!!!!!"
Alice turned around sharply and almost fell down as the sight of a Bandersnatch seated upon a large Jabberspawn (who's face and fangs were no less that 1 foot away) with his long lance pulling away from her arm. He had obviously given her a mild shock, however he instincts returned to her faster than her concentration.
She got up from the floor and brandished her Vorpal Blade in defence, knocking the persons lance away from her tingling arm and raising it in a defensive posture, ready to counter a following shock.
The only response he offered was a loud growl from his beast of burden which caught her off guard followed by a more numbing shocking prod to her abdomen which felled her once again.
Lash and Bricks quickly stepped in front of her to avoid further trouble as they knew she was important.
"Officer," began Lash "She's new to the island and were helping her out while she's here, we'll take care of her, promise!!!"
The officer raised his pole arm back up to a vertical position and jerked the head of his mount down the street, more than likely continuing his patrol for trouble. They both turned around to see Alice glaring at the streets. There were all manner or vehicles being pulled my Jabberspawn of various sizes and several more mounted soldiers patrolling the streets and roads.
"What was that!!!!!" she simply said, almost lost for words.
"Bandersnatch Mounted Cavalry" replied Bricks, "They are used by the army and internal security to do the work of policing us people and to solve trouble. As for his mount, didn't we tell you that we use Jabberspawn already?"
Alice was on the verge of becoming extremely frustrated. Jabberspawn had always tried to kill her by tearing her apart or shocking her on the spot. Now she was seeing these beasts in all directions doing various functions and her first feeling of terror was starting to creep over her. She was now in a place where her former enemies had surrounded her in every direction, yet they were not after her. Bricks and Lash had noticed her slight terror and were looking concerned.
"Yes, I'm sorry I forgot." Was the only answer she could muster and they continued down the streets, passing the people and the metropolis.
The Mounted Cavalry officer was watching them walking down the road with an unfriendly interest as they journeyed down the streets. He reached into his tunic and pulled out a small device and began to speak into it.
"Watcher to base, Girl has been sighted and is now in Order Central"
He put his device back into his tunic and continued on his patrol.
On the top floor of his building, The Ordermaker was making decisions.
"She is in the city," he spoke into his talkbox. "Make sure she finds somewhere to stay and she is comfortable there!" he turned off the talkbox only to turn it back on again.
"Lets hope she finds the rebels before we do!" he spoke with a sinister tone and sat back in his chair. IF this worked, he wouldn't have to worry about rebels again. She would unintentionally help him to get rid of his "spanner in the works".
The boat was sailing around the shores of the island on it's busiest and largest section and on the mainland, the huge buildings of the Bandersnatch homes, offices and factories were visible through the spray from the ocean that washed up past the eyes of the crew aboard ship. From the Command deck all the orders for the docking and arrival were being sent from the captain to his subordinates and the whole ship was bustling with activity as both the officer and the regulars were all excited about returning from their trade mission with a hold full of cargo. However Alice was simply dumbstruck at the sights that befell her as they approached the mainland. Beside her on either side were her new friends Nails and Lash Bandersnatch who were assigned to be with her during her period on ship and on more personal reasons were considering the idea of staying with her during, some pats of her exploits on the island. They both knew too well the island was bustling with activity and a single person can often become lost very easily!
"Order Central is a big place Miss Alice" bricks began to say to Alice, "There a places where you get lost and some places that you don't want to go!!!| and he looked at Lash with an almost concerned look.
"I'm sure one will be ableto find her way around, but thanks for staying with me, I'm starting to miss some of my best friends." Replied Alice as she gazed in the opposite direction of the city back to wards wonderland. She knew very well that no-one was willing to travel far away with her as they didn't share her curiosity. Cat seemed tied to the mainland and he amongst many people know what curiosity did to people like him…
The Boat sailed through the spray and crept it's way into the docks, joining up in all the relevant places as it's crew were commencing to empty the hold of it's cargo. Alice could already see that the captain was granting leave to some of the men and she heard their cheers as they ran through the docks and into the city. He returned onto the deck and approached her with his first officer following in his footsteps.
"Welcome to Bandersnatch Isle, Miss Alice!" he spoke and he turned to her companions on either side of her and his expression became slightly more stern. "I trust you will show our new guest what's what and where's where crewmen?" he asked.
They both stiffened to attention in respect and they ushered Alice down the gangplank onto terra-firma (which felt especially good to Alice since she felt that the floor had not stopped moving since she boarded the boat) and started to move through the harbour.
The Harbour was made up of huts of all shapes and sizes and warehouses which contained various contents and bandersnatch all hurry about their jobs and tasks into which Alice was ever curious but she was nudged along in a certain direction all the time by her 2 escorts, but she could not help seeing the occasional guard, armed with a blinker or a long spear like with a glowing orb on the top.
"Why are their guards on the pier guys?" she asked inquisitively, "I thought you said you didn't have any enemies as such?"
They looked at each other, almost in desperation as if they were trying to find the answer in each others mind. After a few moments of this mutual discomfort, Lash swallowed hard and spoke in a very quiet voice.
"Don't forget Miss Alice, That the rebels are everywhere on the island an there's been a few rumours that they've been stealing supplies and weapons from the docks. That's why the guards are everywhere. There's even a few towers up ahead where they can shoot you from!!!" and he gestured up ahead of them where several tall towers made up of metal had been erected with a small cabin on top where a guard or 2 were surveying the scene from on high, all of them were armed in one form or another.
"I think we'd better get into the city now Lash!!!" Bricks blurted out suddenly changing the subject and they all hurried past the harbour into the city.
Alice had never seen such a Place! The buildings were higher than any steeple or tower she had seen in her lifetime and some of them were joined together by hollow tubes of steel and glass in which she could barely see bandersnatch walking through them, crossing over from building to building. The whole sides of the Towers seemed to be rooted deeply into the ground, unaffected by weather or nature as a testament to these little creatures incredible achievements. On the streets surrounding them, thousands upon thousands of bandersnatch were walking on the pavements, talking amongst themselves and all of them seeming to be in a rush to go somewhere or to do something. Her mind and her thoughts seemed to be drowned out by the sheer and loud sound of thousands of people talking, moving, living and working. Entering these enormous buildings, working on the large streets. The feeling of almost bewilderment had grabbed her as she stood in this immense city, walking its streets with her 2 new friends who weren't affected by the sights that had numbed her so badly.
She was suddenly snapped back into concentration by a shocking spark on her forearm and a stern voice shouting at her.
"No weapons allowed on civilians in the capital!!!!!"
Alice turned around sharply and almost fell down as the sight of a Bandersnatch seated upon a large Jabberspawn (who's face and fangs were no less that 1 foot away) with his long lance pulling away from her arm. He had obviously given her a mild shock, however he instincts returned to her faster than her concentration.
She got up from the floor and brandished her Vorpal Blade in defence, knocking the persons lance away from her tingling arm and raising it in a defensive posture, ready to counter a following shock.
The only response he offered was a loud growl from his beast of burden which caught her off guard followed by a more numbing shocking prod to her abdomen which felled her once again.
Lash and Bricks quickly stepped in front of her to avoid further trouble as they knew she was important.
"Officer," began Lash "She's new to the island and were helping her out while she's here, we'll take care of her, promise!!!"
The officer raised his pole arm back up to a vertical position and jerked the head of his mount down the street, more than likely continuing his patrol for trouble. They both turned around to see Alice glaring at the streets. There were all manner or vehicles being pulled my Jabberspawn of various sizes and several more mounted soldiers patrolling the streets and roads.
"What was that!!!!!" she simply said, almost lost for words.
"Bandersnatch Mounted Cavalry" replied Bricks, "They are used by the army and internal security to do the work of policing us people and to solve trouble. As for his mount, didn't we tell you that we use Jabberspawn already?"
Alice was on the verge of becoming extremely frustrated. Jabberspawn had always tried to kill her by tearing her apart or shocking her on the spot. Now she was seeing these beasts in all directions doing various functions and her first feeling of terror was starting to creep over her. She was now in a place where her former enemies had surrounded her in every direction, yet they were not after her. Bricks and Lash had noticed her slight terror and were looking concerned.
"Yes, I'm sorry I forgot." Was the only answer she could muster and they continued down the streets, passing the people and the metropolis.
The Mounted Cavalry officer was watching them walking down the road with an unfriendly interest as they journeyed down the streets. He reached into his tunic and pulled out a small device and began to speak into it.
"Watcher to base, Girl has been sighted and is now in Order Central"
He put his device back into his tunic and continued on his patrol.
On the top floor of his building, The Ordermaker was making decisions.
"She is in the city," he spoke into his talkbox. "Make sure she finds somewhere to stay and she is comfortable there!" he turned off the talkbox only to turn it back on again.
"Lets hope she finds the rebels before we do!" he spoke with a sinister tone and sat back in his chair. IF this worked, he wouldn't have to worry about rebels again. She would unintentionally help him to get rid of his "spanner in the works".