Miles sat on a bed in the dorm he was brought to, looking at all the other occupants. There were others with him. Some he recognized, most he didn't. Scanning the dorm, he noticed that it was divided, giving privacy to each individual. The females were on one side of the large room, and the males on the other.

"There aren't enough dwellings for everyone yet," a voice stated from beside him. "They're building as quickly as they can, though."

Miles turned to see who spoke to him. It was another human, one that he recognized but couldn't remember the name. Miles stuck out his hand to offer it in greeting. "Miles Alderman," he stated. "I recognize you, but I can't place who you are."

The man shook his hand. "Dan Wilson," he told Miles. "The dwellings are taking a while to be built. There are too many bodies to house. The first ones that get one of the dwellings are mated pairs, then high-ranking officers. One opened up recently. The Guard Commander found his mate and moved in with her."

"You live in the dorm?" Miles asked. He knew that Dan had to have come to the dome around the same time he did. He apparently had been in the dome for a really long time.

"Yeah. I have ever since I came here when Travis Nichols was still alive," Dan explained, looking around the room. He looked uncomfortable.

Miles studied Dan for a moment. "I'm not proud of being in that group either. I felt I needed other humans around me, so I stayed," Miles explained quietly.

Dan turned to Miles. "Before the invasion, I was Travis's best friend. We went to school together. I never knew how he really was. If there hadn't been an invasion, he would have become a serial killer. I know it in my heart. He hid who he was. I've known him since we were in elementary school. I would have never guessed he enjoyed torturing people. I came to the dome. When I did, I told them everything I knew about him to help stop him."

"Sorry," Miles told him sadly. "Finding out your friends are not who you thought they were is hard. You think that you should have known, but that's never the case. They hide who they are too well."

The dorm's door slid open, and Council Leader Vorik walked in. He scanned the dorm as he looked for someone. Dan and Miles watched as he scanned the room, his eyes finally stopping on Miles. Turning, he started to head toward them.

"I guess he was looking for you," Dan stated, starting to get up.

Council Leader Vorik held his hand up, gesturing him to stay. Dan sat down again and waited.

"Dan, you've been here a while. I have a task for you. I want to put Miles in a dwelling, but he doesn't know how to work with any of our technology. He has been in prison for a long time. We found out recently that he was innocent. I think it's only right to give him one rather than make him wait for more to be built. You've been in the dorm too long, also. I want to put you both in the same dwelling so you can teach Miles how to exist here. The tavern is near the dwelling; he may wish to visit it. The pizza is good. So is the company," Council Leader Vorik explained. "You can show him around and introduce him to others. Get him acclimated with dome life."

Dan nodded, showing he accepted the council leader's request. "I don't mind sharing a bed if he doesn't. I know they're very large to accommodate couples."

Miles frowned, not understanding what he was hearing. "Share a bed?" he asked confused.

Dan turned to Miles. "The beds are very large. Even bigger than the king-size. It's not an intimate thing. It's just sleeping. All the dwellings only have one private room, which contains only one very massive bed."

Miles nodded slowly. He appeared to be in deep thought.

Dan shrugged, not hearing any protests, then looked at Council Leader Vorik. "We'll work it out," he assured Council Leader Vorik.

Vorik nodded. "Follow me then. Get whatever belongings you want to take with you and follow me," he repeated.

Dan left everything behind and just followed Council Leader Vorik. Miles hadn't been in the dorm long enough, not even for one night, so he didn't have anything. Dan followed, too, without picking anything up on the way out.

Council Leader Vorik led them through the city toward the side of the dome where the tunnel entrance was known to be. Stopping at a door not far from there, he pressed several buttons on the panel and then turned to the two men. "I need both of your handprints," he told them.

One by one, they placed their hand on the pad. With each one, Vorik typed in another code. Once done, the door slid open, allowing them entrance. Council Leader Vorik walked in first, ushering the two men inside. They stepped in, Miles going slower than the other. He was still confused, unsure what to do.

Looking at Dan, Council Leader Vorik asked, "Have you been in a dwelling before? Do you know where everything is? They are all the exact same."

Dan nodded. "I've been in several. We'll be fine."

Vorik nodded, pleased. "Then I will leave you two alone. Your handprints are the only ones that can get in your dwelling. It's locked to everyone else."

"Thank you, sir," Dan told him.

Miles nodded. "Thank you." That was all he said. He discreetly looked around the room. His gut tightened; he was nervous. A lot was happening quickly.

After Council Leader Vorik left, Dan ushered Miles to the private room. Miles looked in and gasped. "That is a big bed."

Dan smiled. "They are taller than we are. They need more room. Now, let me show you how to work everything. You'll find that their tech is really cool. After I show you how to work everything, we can go to the tavern and get some pizza and beer."

Miles's eyes grew wide in shock. "They have pizza and beer?" he asked, wanting to make sure he was hearing it right. That was something he had missed.

Dan laughed. "Yeah, but they call the beer 'strong beverage,' and they call the pitcher a 'jug,' so you may need to alter how you order it."

Miles smiled but then realized something. "How can we order anything? I don't have any money," Miles asked, confused.

"We don't need money. Nothing costs anything. Those living in the dome are given jobs to do to help us all thrive. We all do our part to keep everything running smoothly. When we're given a job, we do what we're told. And don't worry, this is a good place to live, and we are never asked to do anything we aren't able to do," Dan explained. "Just like now. Council Leader Vorik just gave me a job. My job is helping you get acclimated into dome society."

Miles, finally understanding, nodded.

"Come on, let me show you everything, and we can change and go to the tavern. I think it will be your favorite place to go," Dan told him, ushering him into the main room to start with all the devices it contained.

*** *** ***

Dan led Miles through the group of dwellings toward the tavern. Miles scanned the area as they went. He was nervous, not yet used to being able to go wherever he wished. He wasn't used to being around other people, either. He had been alone in his cell. He only saw the guard when he came to bring his daily meal. Knowing that he would be around a group made him nervous.

When they reached the tavern, the doors slid open, and they walked in. "Do you want to sit at the bar or one of the booths?" Dan asked him.

"Booth," was all he said. He knew the booth would give some privacy. He would feel too out in the open at the bar.

Heading toward a booth in the back, the server saw them enter and headed toward them. After they sat down, the server approached the table. Miles kept his head down, trying to avoid eye contact.

"What can I get you?" the girl asked, smiling.

"Hi Ver, can we get a jug of strong beverage with two glasses and a pepperoni pizza, please?" Dan asked, smiling widely at the server. There was a flirty playfulness to his tone.

Miles kept his head down, not wanting to be noticed. He still felt out in the open; the downside of being in a small, dark cell for nearly a year.

Ver giggled. "Sure, Dan," she said, winking, and headed to get their order. Dan watched her go. It was clear he liked the young Ramesian server.

Moments later, Ver returned with a pitcher of beer and two glasses. She set it on the table, smiling. "I'll get your pizza," she told them, then disappeared again.

When she returned, she held a medium-sized pizza in her hands. Placing it in the middle of the table, she turned to Dan. "Anything else?" she asked, laughter in her voice.

"Not right now, Ver," he told her happily, then pointed to Miles. "This is my friend Miles. You'll see him a lot. He's new to dome life, so go easy on him."

Ver turned to Miles. "Hello, Miles," she told him, smiling widely.

Miles looked up and gasped. Ver had pure white eyes. He had never seen a Ramesian with white eyes. Trying to cover his shock, he smiled. "You're very beautiful," he couldn't help but tell her.

Ver's smile grew. "Well, thank you, Miles." Then, she turned back to Dan. "I got to get to work," she winked, then left Dan and Miles to enjoy their pizza and beer.

"I've never seen that before. I thought their eyes were always completely black," Miles whispered, leaning toward Dan as he tried to talk covertly, not wanting to offend anyone.

Dan smiled, turning to watch Ver serve someone at the bar. "She's a beauty. She is also the only one I know of like that."

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