War Plans Part II:
(1911 A.D., The Royal City of Hearts, The Land of Hearts, Wonderland, the Realm of Ishrakie)
"It's been hours. Are they ready yet?" the Red Queen snaps.
"Yes, Your Majesty," the elder Prince of Aces says, bowing to her. "They should arrive within the hour." he reassures her.
"Fine," she says, looking out the window. "I can't wait until I've removed that wretched Alice's head from her body once and for all!"the Red Queen spews venomously, turning to the Princes of Aces.
"You really hate her, huh?" laughs the elder Prince of Aces.
"I don't hate her… I just want to rip her apart limb from limb. I rather think her head would look lovely on a spike about… there!" she says, pointing out the window to a spot in the rose garden. "I rather think, she'll enjoy 'painting the roses red,' will she not?" The Queen laughs wildly. Even her most trusted and loyal allies tremble involuntarily.
"The troops will be here soon. In the meantime would you care to lay out your plan for us, your majesty?" asks the Prince of Hearts.
"Very Well," the Queen answers, gesturing for all of them to turn their attention to her war-map of Wonderland.
"So it comes to this?" Ishrakie asks from beyond the reflective silver vial of a nearby mirror-wall once the Red Queen's companions have left the room leaving just the two of them.
"You could always just surrender. There is no shame in giving in afterall," the Red Queen replies, turning to face the mirror-wall and staring daggers at Ishrakie's phantom reflection.
"There is in surrendering to the likes of you, my dear Adelaide. I'll never let your madness escape into the Multiverse," the white witch proclaims.
"Spare me your self-righteousness," the Red Queen quips back, grabbing a glass of fine wonderlandian wine off a nearby table and taking a sip of it.
"I feel so sad for you. You always had so much promise. You were once so much more than this. It does not have to end like this… it never did. Please, my little Adelaide… let me help you," she adds. "You were more than this. You don't have to be like this," Ishrakie pleads.
"Strange talk from a woman who knows all and can see the future! You know you really should have killed me in that bath while I was still weak and naive… back when you had the chance," the Red Queen retorts, drinking more of the wine.
"That has never been my way, I'm not a bringer of death… I'm not my father," Ishrakie replies with a more-than-subtle edge to her voice.
"Keep telling yourself that, Father, maybe one day you'll actually believe it," the Red Queen laughs back.
"Listen to me please, we don't have to do this," Ishrakie begs.
"Hear me well, witch. I am coming for you, I'll kill that pathetic creature you created to replace me and I will have what is mine, one way or another," the Red Queen snarls, tossing the wineglass to the floor and shattering it.
"You will never have my power. You are unworthy, but not unloved," Ishrakie replies, her voice saddened but steadfast in her resolve.
"Very well then… ON YOUR HEAD, BE IT!" the Red Queen retorts, firing a powerful bolt of telekinetic energy at the mirror-wall, shattering it into countless shimmering pieces.
Back at the Pale Tower, Ishrakie weakly stumbles back into Alice and Cheshire's arms.
"Well, that was draining," she says, matter-of-factly. "She refused my offer, it would appear war is the only path for us," Ishrakie reports, clearly exhausted and dismayed.
"That's enough now, mother. Please just rest," Cheshire insists, snapping his fingers and teleporting them to her bedchamber. Cheshire helps her into bed as she turns her attention to the little blonde girl climbing into bed next to her for cuddles.
"I'm so sorry little one… I am afraid the line has been crossed. I am not going to last, Sherlock was right."
"It's okay. My soul and my body are yours. I'll do it… I'll have your child," lovingly replies Alice as she nuzzles Ishrakie's hand tenderly.
"I'll go inform Queen Ozma of the decision to move forward with the Impregnation Ceremony so that she can use her power to help keep your strength up during the process and then Dorothy and I will go kidnap a few dozen more high-quality girls to give you a nice little power boost for supper," Cheshire says, excusing himself and leaving Alice and Ishrakie alone in the bed, wrapped up in each other's arms.
*******
Smee gives Hook a loving kiss for courage. They are both dressed in their best ceremonial garbs. Hook receives Smee's affection with a tender laugh as they both start making their way to the Gilded-Docks where the other summoned Captains and select dignitaries have agreed to meet with them.
"Please forgive my lateness, I had some last-minute matters to tend to," Hook explains respectfully to the gathered assembly as he and Smee come to a stop beside them. "I thank you all for agreeing to meet me at such short notice. Please, I would be honoured if you would join me for dinner. After all, business is best discussed over a fine meal and splendid drink," Hook continues, gesturing the group's attention to his ship, the White Witch, docked nearby. The White Witch is docked at the head of the Gilded Docks, a position of honour and status.
Sven approaches Hook, bowing his head as his boy-maids kowtow to the Hook, Smee and their procession of honoured guests as they board the White Witch and the rest of Hook's crew go about their ship-duties.
"The dinner is ready to your exact specifications, sir. I pray it pleases you and fills your guest's bellies and hearts with satisfaction. Captain Zurokashi is on standby to join you. I had a boy of mine aboard her ship prepare her the same fine meal as well. She is just waiting for you to activate the link," Sven reports, ending his bow and guiding the procession to the captain's quarters where the captain's table has been prepared with a perfect spread of food and the room's ambiance has been brought to perfection for such an event.
"Perfect as always, Sven. I offer my praises to you and your boys. Now, if you would excuse us for our meal, Smee and I have much to discuss with our guests," Hook replies, gesturing Sven to leave as Smee guides their guests to their seats at the captain's table.
"Of course sir, thank you, sir," Sven replies, with one last bow before turning and making his way out of the room, shutting the door behind him.
"Looks good," Hook muses with a hungry smile to his guests, causing remarks of agreement to flow from them as they all take their seats and begin dishing up their food onto their plates.
Hook activates the Astral-Crystal Link, causing the ghostly form of Zurokashi sitting at her own captain's table aboard her own ship with a fine meal placed on the table before as one of Sven's lads tends to her glass filling it.
"It is good to see you again, Captain, and thanks for having Sven send me one of his boys to prepare this wonderful meal so that I may join you all in the joys of consumption," Zurokashi proclaims.
"Of course, we are honoured to have you join us in this meeting," Hook replies as he takes his seat and dishes up his own food.
"I won't deny," Hook begins, "that this will be a difficult war. Our common enemy is formidable, to say the least. Therefore, I salute you all for your willingness to fight alongside me." Hook raises his glass in honour and gratitude to his guests.
"Before I begin explaining the plan. Let me first offer my most sincere thanks and respect to our excellent Captain Zurkashi, for her swift and effective industrialisation of the newly acquired Fryst Vilde Lands has given us the resources and industry base to make this new plan possible and she has earned all our respect. Thanks, dear Captain, for your fine work," Hook proclaims, giving a brief bow to the nearby phantom body of Captain Zurokashi who nods back respectfully as all the gathered captains and dignitaries raise their glasses in toast to Zurokashi as well.
"Now, let us discuss strategy. My brilliant First-Mate and I have been pouring over intel reports and maps for weeks now. We think we have a firm plan or at least the makings of a strong plan, and we would value your input," Hook proceeds as Smee pulls out a map of the Neverlands.
"The plan so far is a simple but effective one," Hook manoeuvres paper cutouts of ships to depict his proposed actions.
"The plan will be broken into phases. For phase one, I will dispatch two of our Bombardment-Aramadas and three Assault-Aramades as a combined fleet will be under your command, Captain Lizzie Drakkin. I hereby promote you to Admiral," Hook proclaims, gesturing for Lizzie to stand up and take a bow.
"Oh my, such an unexpected surprise. Thank you my lord. I will not fail you," the surprised and pleased Lizzie blurts as she stands and bows as instructed before sitting back down so Hook may continue to explain his strategy.
"Please, this promotion should have happened for you a long time ago. You've more than earned it. You have always proved to be a remarkable captain and I want you and your ship, the Leviathaneer, to lead this phase. Your fleet will be sent out on orders to sail around the far northern edge of Neverland Proper. Once there, they will proceed to unleash a scorched-earth assault on all the Neverwood Native coastal-settlements and the northern-facing settlements located in the nearby Snow-Tomb Mountains," Hook explains.
"Now, it is expected that your fleet, even with favourable travel-conditions, will take about two weeks to reach your destination. So while your fleet is still enroute we will implement phase two of the plan. During this phase, I will order a massive fire-campaign to burn the whole of the Neverwoods to the ground."
"Wait… wait. Burn the Neverwoods? ARE YOU INSANE!" one Captain Fritz blurts out, flabbergasted. Hook without word or second thought draws his pistol and blasts Captain Fritz through the chest, killing him instantly.
"Any other objections to burning the Neverwoods?" Hook asks, holstering his pistol as the gathered dignitaries and captains shutter at his actions, all except Lizzie and Zurokashi who both laugh approvingly.
"FUCK NO! SHOOT HIM AGAIN!" Lizzie bellows, laughing gleefully and causing Hook to laugh as well at two female captains appreciating his use of lethal force.
"For ages, the natives of the Neverwoods have used that dense forest to ambush our troops and provide for their survival. So we burn and turn their lands to ashes leaving them nowhere to live or hide. Once the vast forest is burned, I will personally lead an army of 490,000 of our troops and 20,000 Wonderlandian Cardmen to march across the vast ashen waste to kill or capture any survivors they find. These ground forces will be supported by a combined air-fleet made from four of our new Bombardier Air-Ship Armadas. This should effectively put an end to the Neverwoood Natives once and for all. I assume you are all satisfied with this plan?" Hook asks, taking a long swig from his drink, drawing nods and utterings of approval and agreement from the gathered assembly.
"The plan is very impressive, my lord, and I have a very good feeling about it indeed," Captain Heinrick of the Air-Ship the Merigold-Lion replies.
"I am glad you like it because I want you and Captain Ashcroft of the Air-Ship, the Storm-Rose, to lead the combined air-fleet and support our ground-forces in the conquest of the Neverwoods. Therefore, I am promoting you both to the rank of Air-Marshals," Hook explains, leading the group in a round of applause for Heinrick and Ashcroft.
With their strategizing over, Hook's gathered guests finish their meals and drink. Gradually, one by one, they see themselves out to head back to their own ships and lodgings for the evening, or for some, to the local taverns and brothels for a little late-night frivolity.