He was afloat in his escape pod in open space, this time luck was not on his side. He knew that sooner or later he will be picked up by a bypassing patrol, and so it happened.
Dominic felt uneasy knowing his first day in space after two years went far not as well as he wanted: he lost ship, this means he owed money for it, he lost battle, and he again, probably, owed money for it, uh, why did that woman bet officer? It was so stupid to make such a deal...And rely on him. He knew that once he will be on the ground again he'd be treated with cold and contempt, because many people knew Dominic, and knew him well as a man, who wanted to look and act not they way he was meant to.
But at least there was something rather positive today - he has met Blodwyn, a pilot he knew from the past days. Dominic was very surprised to find her alive and operating in the field as usually, she must be a good pilot. Sure thing he didn't felt warm towards her as she is just one of these who called him traitor, but it seems that she can tolerate him, and this is for the best.
Dominic felt that his life went uneasy just once he started pushing his ideas among the other Mollys while thinking that they might understand him, which was rather failure.
At this point he felt disappointment and started regretting he couldn't meet Sequoia from Gaians, towards whom he felt rather warm and acceptive as to a person in the first place. But it was so long time ago that it probably won't be possible any more.
Being surrounded by thought he didn't notice how the ship, which picked him up, has landed. Soon his damaged pod was crack-opened and he was met by a bright light and a gun, facing his head.
After some time he was left alone at the docks - officer had checked his identity and left him mumbling something angrily, probably regretting that Dominic hadn't die this time.
He had to report about the accident, and, as usually, queue up for a new ship. Whatever and whoever might have been thinking or feeling towards him - he still was a combat-capable (to some point) pilot, who put his health and threaten his life fighting for his people. Probably this was holding others from exiling him anywhere else, but still didn't change attitude of those who knew him. Was he regretting? Sure thing such attitude was rather stressful, but he was of that kind who didn't suffer much.
Once he finished filling up papers, he has nothing to do but use free time to have some rest, thus he decided to lurk around the Arranmore, to check for new things he had missed for years of absence .He went to the refining facility where gold was processed. Sure thing guards didn't let him in.
The only place he was avoiding was bar and surrounding corridors, where most of the people he didn't really like were spending their free time and credits. He didn't have anything against those, but he knew that most probably he will be bullied till the point he would be forced to leave. Thus he left to his tiny apartment, which were buried deep in the Arranmore rock and unfamiliar one wouldn't mange to find it from the first attempt.
He was bypassing hangars by the grated bridge high above the ground. He saw occasional Greyhound manoeuvring below, it was, as it usually happens, not in its best condition, but it was a reliable well-built craft, so there were most likely no need to worry.
Once he had reached his apartment (the door was blocked by random wreckage and garbage which has collected here over the time, so he had to fiddle with it for some time) he closed his doors behind him and switched on ventilation to vacuum off the dust and sand which has collected around. It was couple of years when he last was here. Most of his stuff were removed with his leaving, but some basic things were still present and electricity was still working. He shook off the dust from his bed and lied down. Once ventilation stopped working he could finally sense the silence, which was turning into distant grumbling as his ears were getting used to absence of any loud sound. He was lying over there and listening to the Arranmore rock under him, like to the giant golem with many steel hearts, which were distantly humming. He felt safe and peaceful being closed in his small room deep in the rock, this good feeling made him forget all the today's happenings and so he fall asleep quickly.