Chapter 24
Surprisingly, Noah kept the door between the two halves open for the next few days, during daylight at least. Boys still weren't allowed past the girls' common room and vice versa, but the reason for his decision became clear right away.
As soon as Diana and most of her class stepped into the boy's common room, she caught sight of a very large circular table set up in the middle of it. On the table was what looked like a diagram at first, but on closer inspection was clearly a map. The map was also circular, for the most part, and even though it wasn't labeled, it was pretty clear it was depicting Greater Harmony. Some of the boys were clustered around it, with markers in their hands.
The map was being projected, like the movies they'd seen in here before, from below and up onto the table itself, which appeared to be clear glass with the paper on top. The paper must have been taped or it would have moved around a lot, given how much the guys were shifting it around. "What's going on?" She inquired slowly.
Simon was there, and smiled at her. "We're planning our future," he explained, beckoning them all over. "Collectively, I mean. This is the city center, where Adam is right now," he tapped a stick on the middle of the map. "Here's the transit center, that links Greater Harmony up with the other domes," he indicated a portion on the far west side of the city. "The maglev has a track that leads right into the dome, and an umbilical that will detach and run out to the train itself. No need for an airlock at all. People can go from—or will be able to go from—a pressurized train right into a pressurized city. Cool, huh?"
It actually was. Diana gave a low whistle as she looked over the detail on the map. "Have all of these structures been built yet?"
Bez, who was next to Simon, shook his head. "Only the support beams. We'll have to build some of them ourselves. You know, to prove we deserve to live there and work there. Besides, Noah's flyers are all too busy completing this dome, and then going out to work on others. You should see the mining operations he's got going all over the continent. They're really something."
The girls circled the table, spreading out to look at different parts of the city, as it would look perhaps five, or ten years down the road. Diana was still getting used to using New Eden years instead of Earth ones, but by the end of this local year, she would be living there! Most of these people would, probably.
Simon nudged her, and then pointed to the northernmost part of the map. Like the transit center, it looked like it was a part of the dome that had been set aside for some other use. It wasn't labeled, but Diana grinned as she recognized a tarmac outside. An airport!
"What's the scale on this?" She asked excitedly.
Simon gave her a concerned look, but Bez didn't seem to care. "Uh, about three centimeters to a kilometer." He held his palm out, all fingers together, and then placed it on the map. "That's about the size of Harmony. You could fit dozens of them inside Greater Harmony, once it's done. Maybe hundreds."
That meant that the tarmac was just as big as the one outside right now. Those cargo shuttles would be able to fit under the dome easily! She reached out and grabbed Simon's hand, squeezing it.
Bez and the others continued to look around the map, speculating about what would be where, while Diana drew Simon away. "You did this, didn't you? You convinced Noah to let us see the map," she accused him, though not quite accusingly.
Simon shook his head and spread his hands. "Wasn't me. I asked Noah why he was doing it, but he dodged the question. I think it has to do with Adam and Sarah's announcement. Everyone was asking about Greater Harmony after that, so Adam must have badgered Noah into setting up that table and map for them."
She glanced back at the map. "Have you told anyone about us? About the proposal, I mean," she added with a twist to her mouth.
"Not yet. Bez and I shaped the mold this morning, and I poured the metal myself. It's cooling right now. I was going to go with silver, but steel is cheaper and we're going to need the money. I hope you don't mind."
She understood completely. "Not at all. Speaking of which, how much will our place cost us? Assuming we're buying and not renting from Argent."
He grimaced. "Noah set up the initial prices at just under four shekels per square meter. That means I can afford about a hundred and fifteen square meters. We can afford, I mean," he amended. "That's enough for a small two-bedroom, two-bathroom place."
He looked around and Diana followed his gaze, but no one seemed to care what they were talking about, except Bez, who gave them a wink and then looked back at the table. Ever since that kiss, he'd been smirking whenever he saw them together. Nodding, Simon continued. "I figured we could each have a room. That way we aren't stepping on each other's feet or getting in each other's hair."
"Are you sure Noah won't be able to tell? His trackers would let him know if we're not sleeping in the same bed," she commented in the same quiet tone.
He nodded. "Last year, before Noah found out I could disable his trackers, I snuck into the medlab and examined one. He programmed them all to shut themselves down when we turn eighteen. Not even he can turn them back on without us knowing. They'll just sit there in our ankles after that, until we grow old and die. Most people won't even remember they're there."
That was a relief, but still, Diana wasn't sure what life would look like, once they were living in Greater Harmony. She asked for specifics, and Simon hesitated.
"I'm not sure either, exactly. On Earth I would get a job, probably at an engineering or programming company, and work forty hours a week. Since there are no companies like that here, I guess I'll be the one employing other people. I am the oldest programmer we have after all."
"Employing who?" Diana couldn't think of any others in their class who knew anything about Noah's systems or drones other than Bez, and he wasn't exactly the follower type.
"According to Noah, he'll be letting the younger kids into a kind of work-study thing, starting after we graduate. They'll come out there, uh, commute I guess, and work before heading back to Harmony at the end of the day. I'll be employing people like Handel and Yuun. Steve, I mean. He wants to be called that, after Steve Jobs from Earth. They both want to work for me, for some reason. I guess they like me."
Diana nodded, and thought about it for a minute. It made some sense to let the kids get some work experience, and they were almost fifteen themselves. Also, she liked the idea of Simon employing other people instead of being an employee himself. Since Noah refused to be an employer, Simon would probably end up working for Argent instead. They were equals as far as she was concerned, and someone as smart as Simon shouldn't have to be subordinate to someone who wasn't as smart. She was about to tell him, when she noticed a change in stance from some of the kids around the table, and followed their gaze.
John had entered the room, through the north airlock. He removed his breather with one hand, and his other was holding a large box under his arm. His lips tightened as he saw the girls around the table, and Diana remembered how he'd reacted after hearing about Adam opening the door during the EMP disaster. He believed, even more than Noah's programming, in strict separation of the sexes. Still, he didn't comment but instead went right up to the table himself, placing the box on it. "May I have everyone's attention, please?"
As if everyone wasn't already taking him seriously. New Eden's first Holy Man, the first priest of the Church of the Faith, their only pastor so far, and the one who led every public gathering with a solemn prayer. How couldn't they?
He nodded ever so slightly at the sudden quiet. "Now that Noah has made the plans to Greater Harmony known," he indicated the map, "we can get started on forming New Eden's government. Since some of the men in this room have already staked claims on land, and have the money to pay for it, they'll be our world's first voters. Argent, Bezalel, Simon, and Torin, please step forward."
Giving her a slightly befuddled look, Simon squeezed her hand and then moved up with the others. John gave them all a stern glance, and then went on. "Adam would be here as well, but he's busy at work in the city itself. I spoke with him this morning and he authorized me to speak on his behalf." He raised a sheet from on top of the box. "This is a registered voter's list. Once each of you has worked through any conflicts you might have over what land you're buying, and paid Noah for it, you will be allowed to put your name on this. Noah has agreed that the elections will take place the day before Graduation, so that we won't have to deal with it in addition to moving out to the city. Obviously there won't be many candidates, but it's vitally important that we set the first example well, so that future elections won't be bogged down with procedural stumbling blocks or legal questions. A copy of this list will be posted in both sections," he added with a sour look over at some of the girls, "so that we're all up to date on who our candidates and voters are, right up to the election."
Diana understood his angst now. John was fine with the boys having that information because they might someday become voters themselves. He saw no reason for the girls to have it, since they wouldn't.
She'd never really liked the mini-sermons he'd given before and after each social function, and she'd assumed she'd like full-on church even less, once he got it going. Now, Diana was starting to understand exactly why.
"Are you on the list?" She asked despite herself, projecting her voice into the group. Some of them gasped quietly, and Sarah's eyes looked like they were going to pop out of her head. Simon gaped, and then grinned at her. He should have known she couldn't just let this stand as it was.
John's face contorted for just a moment—not long enough for anyone but her to see, she was sure. "I am," he answered smoothly. "Greater Harmony's first church will be here," he pointed to the map. "Unlike most of my peers, I have saved my shekels and talents in preparation for a life of service to God. I will reside in an adjoining house, alone. As God intended."
I intended for someone like you to live alone, too, she thought, hiding her smile as best she could. "So there are six voters so far?"
"There may be more, if some of us can save up enough to buy land before the election," he cast a disparaging glance at some of the boys for a change. "But for now, yes. Noah, Adam and I are in the process of finalizing the details on our new Constitution, when we can find the time," he admitted, glancing out the dome. "Anyone on the list can be nominated for any office in the new government. As in America, we will have three branches of government, though obviously limited by our population for now. Adam has already been nominated for the office of President. I nominate Argent as our first Senator, and Simon as our first Representative. After the election, the new president will nominate a Supreme Court Justice, at which point Argent—um, our new Senator—will confirm or deny that nominee."
His slip was obvious to everyone, but no one made any more than a slight noise in response. It was clear to most of them, and Diana especially, that John meant for Argent to confirm him to the court.
Most of this was nonsense to the girls. They hadn't been taught the specifics of the American government, but Simon had filled Diana in, in secret. How each of these elections and appointments held vast amounts of power back in old America, and would here, as well. She was tempted to ask about mayors, governors, police commissioners and the like. She wasn't supposed to know about any of that, so she caught Simon's eye, and tapped her hand quickly at her side.
John was busy answering other questions and clearly didn't notice, but Simon got the message. Tentatively, as if wanting to raise his hand like he was in class, he spoke up. "What about Greater Harmony's mayor? Won't the city get one, like cities back in America?"
John shook his head. "Not yet. For now, our world government will be the same as the local one. Years from now, when we've started to build other large domes and have people living there, we'll establish more distinct levels, but for now we just don't have enough people for that."
After that, Bez and Torin signed their names immediately, but Argent and Simon held off. They both claimed that they weren't sure exactly what land they were buying just yet, but she knew they had different reasons. After they all rejoined the crowd, John started answering more questions from the group. Strangely, Yuun ran into the room, straight up to Simon. Not Yuun, she reminded herself. Steve, now. He wasn't quite old enough for his Naming Day yet, but most people were calling him that by now. He pressed something into Simon's hand, and then ran out again. Simon's face stayed deadpan, but she could tell something had changed. He moved towards her, and she resolved to ask him about it.
"Are you sure about this?" He said softly, before she could. "The living together part, I mean."
She nodded, thrown by his sudden serious expression. "Why? Has something changed?"
"Not at all. Hang on—my shoe's untied." He knelt down and began fiddling with his shoes.
Diana looked over at the group. John's question and answer portion had ended, but he was still there, looking with the rest of them over at the map. Most of the others were clustered around it, with few of them paying any attention to her or Simon.
"There are a lot of things I could say," he said loudly, from his knees, and Diana looked down at him curiously. She was peripherally aware of the others doing the same. He was looking up at her with both of his hands clenched around something small. "I could say how much better my life has been since you've been in it, or I could say how I felt like I've been hollowed out whenever we part. I could talk about the future I've envisioned not just for our planet or city, but for you and me. I could wonder just how to make that future into a reality. Or I could just ask this," he opened his hands, and inside a tiny metal circle gleamed. "Diana, will you marry me?"
Diana resisted the urge to laugh, given that she'd asked him that very same question not twelve hours ago. She knew how to behave, though. How to pretend like she was delighted and swept off her feet. "Of course I'll marry you, Simon!" She plucked the ring out of his hands, and fitted it onto her left ring finger. It was a perfect fit, naturally. There was something emblazoned on it, but she didn't have time to look.
Grinning, Simon stood and kissed her—thankfully a brief one this time—which turned into a hug very quickly. The crowd had grown a little during his words, and they all started clapping and cheering at this very public spectacle. Simon lifted her a little and spun them both around slowly so she could get a look at everyone else. Even John was clapping, though his face was still deadpan. He probably disapproved of them touching at all, even now.
Then the crowd was all around them, and she had to submit to multiple tearful hugs from the girls, while Simon shook hands and endured a bunch of slaps on the back. When the girls started asking about the ring itself, she presented it with as much enthusiasm as she could muster. "What's that?" Naomi asked, pointing at the top of the ring.
Diana examined it along with the rest of them, and could make out a... plane. Based on its wingspan and dimensions, it was a scale silhouette of the shuttle outside on the tarmac. Raising her eyebrows at him, Diana called out Simon's name.
Simon gave a sheepish smile upon seeing her hand. "Oh, yeah. When I was out there last year, all alone and flying up to help Noah, I didn't really feel alone. I felt like you were up there with me. Ultimately, because you were." He clenched a fist to his chest. "In here."
The girls made appreciative noises, and Diana felt her smile tug at her again. Apparently the best lies were the ones with grains of truth in them, as he'd mentioned several times. Also, this gave him the chance to poke fun at everyone around them and give her a laugh while he was at it. "Anyway, I know you love planes, so I figured that would make a good emblem. Don't worry; the actual wedding band will have a stone instead of a shape." He paused. "Though I might be able to shape a gemstone into a plane, if that's something you'd appreciate—”
"It's not," she cut him off. "This is great, but I'm only willing to push tradition so far. I want a normal wedding band with a normal stone, understood?"
He saluted, giving her a similar sly smile to the one she knew she'd been wearing. She didn't care even slightly about tradition and they both knew it. Poking fun went both ways.
The congratulations continued for another few minutes before Adam showed up. He heard the news, passed on his own best wishes, and then gently dispersed the group, sending them off to their own tasks. He also went aside with John, probably to discuss more government business. Now that they were at least partially alone, Diana turned to Simon again. "Why did you do that?" She asked softly.
"Why else? Because it was expected of me. Sound familiar?"
She was tempted to elbow him. "I mean why now, in front of everybody? I don't really care about the spectacle, but I didn't think you liked displays like this."
"I don't," he said with a slight grimace. "I did it so that I'd have a reason to go out to Greater Harmony as soon as possible and get to work. Now that we're officially engaged, I can start on our place. It'll need a lot of work, but I think I can get it done so that the moment you graduate, you can move out of here. Oh, and if you want to, you can really rub our public display in Sarah's face. I figured that would be a nice perk."
Come to think of it, Sarah's reaction had been much like Johns, just after the proposal. She'd gotten there first, but her engagement had started quietly. By comparison, Diana's was much more noteworthy and romantic, based on the girls' reactions. "Ok, you're not wrong about that," she admitted. She looked down at the ring on her hand again. "Wow. So we're really doing this, then."
"We really are," he said confidently, a far cry from his usual soft-spoken tone. He took her by the hand and led the way over to the map again. "Come on. You can help me pick out where we'll be living."
