There are humans assigned to monitor us, but they do not interfere with our lives. They ensure that our ecosystem remains balanced, and they study us from observation platforms throughout the dome. We don't mind them watching us. Many humans have never seen animals before.
Milton, Daiyna, and James Bishop visit us often. We do not speak to them anymore, but they speak to us, standing on an enclosed deck overlooking a wide grassland, sharing news with a lion or a bear or an elk. In this way, we learn about the lives of our human friends.
Milton has kept his talents for speed and flight hidden for the most part—ever since a video of him wrangling security cruisers in midair was shared online among every citizen in Eurasia. But his movements were too fast for anyone to identify him by appearance. Since the incident with Trezon, he no longer believes that every human in Eurasia should have supernatural abilities. His desire is to live a normal life, as much as possible.
Once the animal embryos were discovered in Futuro Tower, he was eager to let us depart from him.
"You've done enough for us," he said, staring at the racks of countless species in cold storage. "Time to live the way you were meant to."
Milton and Victoria work in Dome 3 now, a manufacturing center for various machines. Having grown up in a trade sector, and working as a laborer himself, Milton understands both roles. He and Victoria handle disputes between workers when they arise. Victoria's telepathy, as well as Milton's casual, honest attitude, goes a long way in diffusing conflict.
Their children, Florence and Boaz, soon will be taking a two-month tour of the Ten Domes to help them decide where they would like to work, once they finish their education. Their biological father, Cain, died aboard the Integrity. After a month of confinement and agonizing experiments conducted by government scientists, he managed to escape from his cell and kill half a dozen of his captors with his bare hands. He was attempting to dive overboard and swim to shore when a volley of rounds from the sentries stopped him in his tracks. Florence's biological mother perished in the Homeplace when Cain fired that missile.
"Never thought I'd be a dad," Milton confides, standing behind a clear pane of plexicon. Below him, a small herd of horses roams free. "Never thought it would be possible. But I love these kids—they're really growing up. And Victoria sure keeps me on track." He shakes his head in awe. "I can't get away with anything. She's always in my head. But so were you." He smiles, and his eyes glisten. "I love her more than anything...and I'll always love you, Julia."
We were never Julia, not really. But we love him, and we are glad his life has taken him here, into this season. We are proud of the man he has become.
When Daiyna visits, she tells us about her work in Dome 6 where she and Luther serve at a hospice, providing care for those nearing the end of their lives. Belief in The Way has grown in the absence of Chancellor Hawthorne's iron fist, and Luther has emerged as a leader due to his knowledge of ancient scripture. His unfailing hope and faith have impressed Daiyna over the years, as well as his unconditional love.
"That's why I married him." She smiles in the sunlight as deer forage below the observation deck. "I'm still not convinced there's an all-knowing Creator out there with a plan for our lives, but...he's always believed, no matter what we've gone through." She pauses, and her expression dims. "He carries a heavy burden of guilt for all the lives we lost along the way. I wish I could take that from him."
They keep in touch with their ten biological children—Sera, in particular. She made a full recovery following her injury at Dr. Wong's hand, and Commander Mara Bishop promoted her to the rank of Investigator in Dome 1. Given her choice of human partners, Sera instead selected a security clone named Dunn. After being shot in the head by Drasko, it lost all of Erik's reprogramming. When it showed her such great devotion in Futuro Tower, it did so of its own volition. For her, that was reason enough to want it by her side.
Drasko has retired from law enforcement, instead choosing to fill the underworld void left by Trezon. He covertly derails the Domes' criminal activity as much as one man can, often acting as an unofficial informant for Investigator Chen. In the absence of fascist rule, crime has been on the rise, keeping law enforcers busier than ever before.
At least a third of the Thousand—children of the Twenty—are exhibiting supernatural abilities as they reach puberty. It remains unclear how many of them will accept the Eurasian neural implants with their augmented reality instead of enjoying the superhuman gifts passed down through their DNA. Perhaps they will appreciate the best of both as Sera and Erik do, turning off their implants when they wish to use their gifts.
They see one another weekly for a casual meal, and they refuse to admit they have feelings for each other.
"That takes time," Daiyna admits. "If Sera's anything like me…" She laughs quietly to herself before sobering. "Thank you for seeing me through, Rehana. I never would've made it without you by my side."
We were never Rehana, but we love Daiyna like a sister, and it gives us great joy to see her at peace. Like Luther, she carries more than her share of guilt for the past. But perhaps with the passage of the seasons, those scars
