It was cool.  Not cold, but cool with a tiny breeze bringing the faint aroma of green foliage. Comfortable!  Comforting!  This was how a morning should feel. 

Markil was outside.  It was early spring and the grass had begun to grow on the flat ground close to the Habitation.  He was spending more time outside these days.  It was still frowned upon of course, but he enjoyed it.  It was all very well to say there was no need for people to go outside, to say that the machines had everything in hand, and could be controlled without risking one’s life by leaving the Habitation. 

Leaving was not the risk now that it had been in the early days. Then the people who went outside had to don protective clothing and wear breathing apparatus.  And they only went outside for reasons of maintenance of the structure.

How long ago was it that the pollution had begun to clear?  His great grandfather Tordil, had been outside and survived, and he had died a natural death several years ago.

Markil had got his taste for the outside by listening to his great grandfather’s stories.   He still missed the old man and could recall all his tales without effort.
 
He especially liked the one about the day Tordil had taken one of the animals outside.  It was a goat, and Tordil had been severely reprimanded over it.  On his discovery he had told the Councillors that the goat had run off and he couldn’t find it, so he and a supervisor were sent outside to search for it.  They soon found the goat munching happily on the grass nearby and returned it to the agricultural area.  Apparently it had been quarantined for two weeks after its adventure, but it had come to no harm and had spread no dread disease among the other animals.

Markil had not long returned to the family enclave after several years in education.  He had been fascinated by the historic component.  Learning about the time before pollution had forced the people inside.  There had been visuals of trees and hills, and water that appeared to have occurred spontaneously; landscapes with wide and varied aspects! 

There had even been some which Markil was not sure were real, with copious amounts of water, moving and roiling as if having taken on a life of its own.   There had been visuals of enclaves too, but they were odd looking and made from strange looking materials.

Markil had asked to be placed in agriculture for his employment, which had rather surprised his family as both his father and mother were in health and wellbeing.  His friends on the other hand were not at all surprised especially not his chosen consort, Trina.    

Trina was aware that Tordil’s tales had become Markil’s dreams, dreams of moving outside permanently.  They were agreed on this.  Trina hadn’t thought much about outside as she was growing up, but having met Markil while at education, and feeling very strong regard for him, she had been easily persuaded that it was her dream too.

Markil wanted to be sure that he knew all he could learn about the care and breeding of animals and the growing of crops.  He had read all he could find, and asked to be called if anything different or unusual happened with the animals. Trina thought she would be best to study health and wellbeing.  They had discussed setting up their own enclave, but this would not be possible any time soon. 

Family accommodation was at a premium.  Enclaves hard to acquire, and when one did become available it would need much refurbishment to make it acceptable to a newly united pair.  The only other alternative would be to share a family enclave with one or other set of parents.  This did not appeal greatly to the young couple. 

Markil’s parents already had Markil’s elder brother Cordot and his chosen one living in their enclave with their son, and Trina’s father had in recent years ‘re-chosen’ after the accidental death of her mother and had started a new family.

Markil was early.  He waited patiently until Trina joined him, just breathing in the fresh outside air.  They greeted each other in the normal way of chosen consorts, covering each other’s ears with their hands, and touching foreheads, and then holding hands, they walked towards the nearby hills.

They had been outside together before, but this time, Markil wanted to show Trina what he had found and he had brought bread and fruit and water, so they could stay outside for a longer period than previously.

They reached the hills and, started to climb.  There were trees and short grass on the lower slopes and the climb was easy.   When they had been climbing for about an hour, large rocky outcrops started occurring and travelling became more difficult.  Markil suggested that they rest for a spell and drink some of the water he had brought and eat some fruit. 

“Just a bit further on, beyond that band of rocks we can see, is something very special that I want you to show you”.  Markil said.  “If you don’t like what you see, we will return to the Habitation, and I will keep looking.  You don’t have to like it!  I will understand.”

Trina sealed the water container and returned it to the carrier bag, into which Markil had already placed the leftovers of the fruit they had eaten and stood up.

“Perhaps I will like it, we will see.” She answered smiling and handed him the bag.  They resumed walking and as they rounded a bend, a wide green, sward appeared in front of them dotted with trees.  Beyond this the view was spectacular, and seemed endless. 

“This is what I wanted to show you,” Markil dropped the bag and excitedly pulled his chosen consort over towards the rocky heights on their left.  Several openings appeared in the rocks.
 “Come inside and look!”

The two entered one of the openings, and Trina was surprised as the rock walls opened out into a sizable room.  The floor was flat close to the entrance, and a bit further in, was a rock platform almost as high as her shoulders.  This was twice as big as the first floor space, and there were the beginnings of a set of steps cut into the rock.

“This is wonderful Markil!” she gasped, her eyes shining.  Without any more words between them, she knew what he was thinking.

 “How clever of you!  Do you really think we could set up our enclave here?” 

Trina ran forward and begun to climb the steps leading up to the upper area.  Markil caught her around the waist and swung her up.  She scrambled to her feet and explored the room, already imagining how she could place things and make it look like a real enclave.

Markil placed his hands on the upper surface and jumped up, joining Trina.  He placed his hands over her ears, and touched her forehead gently with his.

“Do you really like it?  You must tell me if you don’t!”  He looked into her eyes, and there he saw her answer.
 “I think we can make this into a fine enclave,” she reached up to find his ears and touched them gently with the tips of her fingers, moving her body closer to his. “The finest ever seen,” she breathed.