by Robert McKay
“It was science fiction until the queen told someone to build it under penalty of losing their head. You’d be surprised what that kind of motivation can do to the right kind of person.” The smile drained from Laxana’s face and she turned to walk toward the elevator, beckoning Alice to follow.
They rode the elevator in silence, back down to the dock level. Alice kept glancing up to look at the duchess’ face to get a read on what she was thinking, but it was a mask of bland disinterest. Her eyes, however, didn’t reflect what Alice had expected. Gone was the solemn sadness of a few moments ago, replaced by a burning hatred that made her green eyes gleam. The sword suddenly gave her a flash of insight. “Did she hurt you?” asked Alice, keeping the question vague, like the vorpal sword had recommended.
“That’s all she knows how to do,” said Laxana, reaching up to wipe away a single tear. “You’d do well to remember that.” She pointed up to a tiny camera, barely visible in the corner.
The elevator opened to the docks and Laxana summoned a smile and stepped off, her heeled boots clicking on the cement floor. Alice longed to hear the story she knew the duchess had to tell. If the queen had hurt her, why was she attending her parties and pretending to be her best friend? Adults didn’t make a lot of sense sometimes.
She followed the duchess around the garage for a while, and then passed the guards at the gate. One of them was the guard who had beheaded his companion in front of her. He didn’t look at her twice as she walked by with the duchess. There wasn’t even the slightest trace of sadness on his face. That, for some reason, chilled Alice’s blood worse than anything. The guard that died had been cruel to her and still, she felt sad that a life had been worth so little. The one who had taken his life probably hadn’t even gotten a break after cleaning up his body.
By the time Alice realized the section of the docks she was walking to was familiar, she was standing in front of The White Rabbit again. His hatch was already open, and a small set of steps was placed in front of it to allow easier access, though it wasn’t really needed. Even at her height, Alice could easily step inside without stairs. The duchess walked right up and into the ship, past the guards that flanked the hatch.
Alice followed, wanting badly to take out her sword, force everyone off except Laxana, and speed off into the night. Instead, she settled for a muttered, “Hello, Rabbit,” and then followed Laxana up to the front of the ship.
“Oh, Alice, it’s so good to see you with your head still attached. I thought for sure you would be on the chopping block tomorrow after the way the queen’s nasty guards hauled you away,” said Rabbit, not even bothering to whisper. Alice could plainly see the queen sitting in the front of the ship.
“What was that, dear?” asked Laxana, seemingly oblivious to what Rabbit had said. She gestured for Alice to take a seat next to her on a comfortable looking pink bench seat that rather resembled a couch. It was definitely a new addition to the ship, though it looked like it was made of the same soft spongy material as the rest of the ship’s interior.
“Nothing, just saying hello to the ship,” said Alice, her brows pinching together as she looked up toward the point she always thought of as the ship’s nose.
“Well, don’t expect an answer,” replied the duchess, buckling herself into the seat. “We know it can talk, but its never said a word. And don’t forget to buckle up. This thing bounces around like a bucking bronco. It must be the worst ship in existence, but the queen loves it because its alive and that makes it rare.”
“And thus, better,” replied the queen with a sniff, obviously miffed at their lack of greeting. “Welcome aboard, ladies.” She sat in a single chair facing the front of the ship. She turned her head just enough to be able to see them out of the corner of her eye. “Pilot, take us up to the Imagisphere.”
“Ugh, now I have to pretend to let this dope fly me,” groaned Rabbit.
That’s when Alice noticed there was a man seated in the seat to the queen’s left and in front of him was a console and flight controls, much like she’d seen in pictures from other ships back on Nedra. None of it had been there during her flight to Wonderland. The ship lifted up a few feet and then slowly made its way toward the large doors that exited the building. Immediately after they left the building, the ship began to climb at a steep angle, headed for space. It was a perfectly smooth ride.
“Well done, pilot,” said the queen, favoring him with a smile. His brow was dripping with sweat and he let out a large sigh of relief. “I think I shall have you fly me next time as well. None of your predecessors ever managed to take off so smoothly.”
“That’s because none of them were ever flying in the first place and I shake and shudder just to mess up your hair. I give myself bonus points if I can shake your crown loose, you wicked old bag.” While there was no face to accompany the words, Alice was certain Rabbit would look smug if she could see him.
Nobody reacted at all to Rabbit’s harsh words, except for Alice who had to cover a giggle with a cough. Once he’d spoken enough, it was clear that his words weren’t out loud. They were going directly into Alice’s mind.
Can you hear my thoughts too? thought Alice.
“Only if you want me to,” answered Rabbit. It still sounded like he was talking out loud and standing just a few feet away.
Well, I just want to apologize for treating you like my property. It was cruel. I’ve gotten just a little taste of it from the queen and I don’t like it at all.
“Thank you. Apology accepted.” There was a hint of a smile in the words.
I would like to be your friend, if you would have me, thought Alice.
“I would like that very much, young Alice. I’ve never had a friend before,” said Rabbit, bright cheer evident in his voice.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
They arrived at the Imagisphere without a single bump. The pilot seemed torn between being pleased with himself and scared that he would have to fly again and risk his head.
The Imagisphere was massive and pastel green in color from a distance, growing more translucent as they approached. “Wow, it’s not a moon at all,” said Alice, her mind reeling.
“No,” said the queen, grinning, “Wonderland only has one moon, and it’s a boring hunk of rock. The Imagisphere is so much more, and just a bit larger as well.”
The duchess rolled her eyes and then jolted upright, looking startled. She watched the queen for a few moments and then seemed to relax again.
“Give me a good old-fashioned hunk of rock any day,” said Rabbit. “Landing on ground that I know really isn’t there makes my skin crawl. And passing through that horrid bubble of an atmosphere? Blech.”
They approached the massive green sphere at a sharp angle. It looked as solid as glass, but The White Rabbit didn’t slow down. When the collision was imminent, Alice closed her eyes and gripped her seat belt, certain they were all about to die. Instead, a strange tingle washed over her body, causing all of the hairs on her arms to stand on end. It was strange and not entirely unpleasant.
That wasn’t so bad, thought Alice.
“Not for you, there on the inside. Out here it’s a very different experience. Think of a normal atmosphere as a pool of clear water. When you dive in you pass through it cleanly and come up refreshed. This fake atmosphere is like diving into a fetid swamp with a thick layer of green slime over the top of the water. Disgusting.” The ship shuddered.
The queen gave a sharp glance at the pilot and he cringed, gripping the wheel tightly. “Just a bit of an air pocket, Your Majesty. I doubt it will happen again.”
“You’d better see that it doesn’t,” she hissed.
It didn’t. Once the ship had passed through the green bubble of the atmosphere, a lush green expanse of rolling hills and valleys spread out before them. For all intents and purposes it looked like a planet of nothing but grass covered hills.
The White Rabbit set them down, or as close as he ever came to touching the ground anyway, next to what appea
red to be a small house completely covered in red hearts. Even the shingles on the roof were shaped that way.
They disembarked and the queen led them over to the little house. One of the card guards opened the door to let them in. Inside was an array of racks with clothes and shoes on one wall and mallets and croquet balls on the other.
Alice found a rack full of clothes her size and selected a nice pair of dark blue pants, a light blue t-shirt, and a fitted gray cardigan. Once she’d selected them, a guard showed her to a dressing room. The queen and duchess were nowhere to be found, probably changing themselves.
A few minutes later they all stepped outside in their new clothes. Alice wondered briefly how the queen could have possibly gotten clothes in her size and stocked the house with them already. Then she remembered that they were in the Imagisphere and that everything in it was probably completely fake. Her face suddenly went ashen. “Laxana, are the clothes we’re wearing made by this place?”
The duchess looked down at her, her brow pinched in confusion. “I don’t think so, why?”
“Well, if they are and something goes wrong, won’t we be…”
A look of recognition lit up her face. “Naked! Oh, dear, I hadn’t thought about that. No, there’s no way the queen would risk that. You can rest assured these clothes are one hundred percent real, then.”
“Oh, good, do you think I might be able to take them with me? I don’t have anything here in Wonderland other than my dress.”
“I can’t imagine why not,” said Laxana. She turned to the queen and repeated Alice’s question.
The queen smiled down at Alice, still looking regal in her simple skirt and blouse. “Of course you can keep the clothes, dear. Whatever would I do with such things?”
Alice opened her mouth to answer, but the queen had already walked away. She took a mallet from one of the card guards and took several practice swings. Two other guards stepped up and handed mallets to Alice and Laxana. Alice took a couple of practice swings herself, trying to figure out how to swing without bumping into Snicker-snack.
Laxana looked from the queen to the guards, and then up into the sky. She leaned closer to Alice and whispered, “Don’t show her up.” Then she walked away and joined the queen.
Alice scowled at the pair of them, picked up her balls, and placed them near the starting line. Laxana’s words were clearly a warning, but Alice was tired of warnings. She just wanted to play a game and have a little fun. “Shall we begin?” she asked.
“Someone’s eager to show off her skills,” said the queen, arching an eyebrow.
“I just enjoy playing games. It’s not about showing off or competition.”
“Just make sure that you bring your best game, Alice. I don’t want to beat someone who isn’t trying. Where’s the fun in that?”
Alice grinned. “I will do my best.”
Laxana’s lips were pressed into a thin line and she gave Alice the smallest shake of her head. When the queen turned to regard her, she smiled brightly. “You know I always give it everything I have.”
“I know you do,” said the queen. “You’re the only person who ever gives me a run for my money.” She turned toward the little dressing house. “Let’s begin!”
The uniform green lawn transformed between one breath and the next. The hoops spread out to impossible distances and some of them were raised up on large hills, others dropped into valleys and disappeared. The mallets lit up with soft blue lights and the balls floated several centimeters into the air, glowing from within. Somehow, the sky dimmed to twilight. It seemed that every part of the Imagisphere could be changed.
While Alice marveled at the wonders of the Imagisphere, the queen stepped up and took the first shot. The ball zipped away silently on its cushion of air. The first hoop was so far way that it was hard to tell how well she’d done. Laxana took her shot, her mallet connecting with a resounding crack. It was obvious that the ball would travel much too far. Finally, it was Alice’s turn. She stepped up to her ball and lined up her shot. The mallet connected and the ball rocketed away to stop in the same vicinity as the queen’s.
When they arrived at the location of their balls, Alice found that her ball was resting in the grass, no longer glowing. Hers was the closest to the hoop by at least three meters. “Something’s wrong with my ball,” she said.
The queen barely glanced at it. “It must have gone out of bounds. It should float again once you’ve run the first hoop.”
Alice looked around and could see a faint blue glow in the grass about a meter away from her ball. It was plausible that it had gone out of bounds and been placed back inside according to standard rules. “Well, that will certainly make the first hoop much more challenging,” she said with a smile.
“Quite,” said the queen, a wicked grin on her face. “You’re closest to the hoop Alice, so you shoot first.”
Alice lined up her shot and judged the added strength she would need behind it in order to overcome the friction of the grass, and the large hill her ball had to climb. The crack her ball and mallet made rang out like a shot. Her ball rocketed up the hill and ricocheted off the inside of the hoop and went through. Alice let out an excited cheer as her ball once again floated into the air.
“Well played, Alice,” said the queen, her voice flat.
“Thank you,” said Alice, looking warily over at Laxana. The duchess simply watched with knitted brows.
The queen and Laxana both took their shots and cleared the first hoop as well. As soon as Laxana’s ball passed under it, the landscape changed. The grass disappeared and was replaced with startlingly white sand. When Alice took a step to chase down her ball, both of her feet lifted off the ground. She floated slowly back to the ground. Alice wobbled on her feet and Laxana caught her by the hand.
“You need to move in a sort of gallop to get around when the gravity is like this,” said the duchess. She released Alice’s hand and demonstrated.
Alice imitated the moves and was able to follow behind her without too much trouble, sand flying about in her wake. “Is the landscape going to change with every hoop we clear?”
“Most likely. Every game is different. Literally anything could happen. Don’t ask too many questions though. The queen delights in the surprises.”
Besides the changing landscape and gravity, the surprises included: weather ranging from snow to torrential rain, their balls and mallets turning into hedgehogs and flamingos, balls that exploded after being hit enough times, and bats that swooped in and moved balls around the field. No matter the nature of the changes, they always managed to benefit the queen’s position in the game. Alice, despite the handicaps, stayed close behind her as they moved through the course. After the giant bats had stolen her ball and dropped it well out of bounds, Alice had had enough. “This is absolutely ridiculous,” she groused.
“Come now, Alice, it’s only a game,” said the queen, her emerald eyes glinting in the newly returned daylight.
“That’s easy for you to say. This whole thing is rigged to make it easier for you to win,” retorted Alice. Laxana gasped and Alice bit back the rest of her remark, realizing her error, but it was too late.
The queen stepped close, her mouth turned up in a smile so sharp it could cut paper. There was no mistaking it for a warm gesture. “Are you accusing me of cheating, young lady?”
“No, Your Majesty,” said Alice, turning her gaze to her feet. She laid her hand on Snicker-snack completely by accident and the sword sung out an unnecessary warning. The card guards were crowding the edge of the field in anticipation, stroking the hilts of their swords.
The queen studied Alice for an uncomfortable minute and the spark of mischief appeared in the depths of her green eyes. “Your shot,” said the queen. “Make it a good one.”
Alice wasn’t sure if there was an implied threat in her last statement, but Alice heaved a sigh and lined up her shot as best she could. Her ball shot through the hoop and she held her breath, waiting for the ne
xt change in the atmosphere to present itself. Large bubbles drifted up from the ground, their surfaces shimmering with color. Alice smiled and let out her breath. That was a mistake. Her next breath in didn’t provide any oxygen. Her lungs were full, but her body screamed in panic that she needed to take another breath. Alice clamped her hand on the hilt of her sword and it immediately warned her against obeying her body’s need.
Laxana had come to stand in front of her, wringing her hands. She looked at the queen who stood off to the side, an amused grin on her face. Both of them had bubbles encircling their heads. It was all Alice could do to process the thought and make sense of it. Her mind shouted over and over at her to take a life-giving breath. The sword prodded her thinking when one of the large bubbles brushed against her face. Alice reached out to grab it, but it popped. Another floated a few steps away. Alice went for it as slowly and gently as her oxygen deprived body would allow. Her fingers pulled it toward her face without it popping. There was a tingling sensation as it enveloped her head and she exhaled. Her breath in tasted like tangy citrus, but it provided the oxygen her lungs needed. She took several deep breaths and then glared at the queen.
“My dearest apologies, Alice.” Her apology was overly sweet and sympathetic. “The Imagisphere should have put the bubble on your head automatically. It still must have been configured for two players.” She threw up her hands in exasperation. “Technology!”
They finished the game without further incident. The queen won, as was to be expected, but she seemed to take no joy in it. Her trademark smile remained in place, but there was something going on behind her eyes that didn’t bode well for Alice.
CHAPTER TWELVE
There was palpable tension in The White Rabbit on the return ride to The Red Palace. Nobody said a word. The pilot was even sweatier than the first trip, but the trip was completely smooth.
