The inside of the dome looks even smaller because the material it's made of is at least three walls thick. Chalidah sees you looking at it and explains: "The domes serve multiple purposes. For some feeders, it's about privacy, focus, getting in the zone. In other cases, it's about sound-proofing." She glances at you to gauge your reaction. "It's also hacker-proof. Lots of people out there who try to tap in for free, or to siphon the feeds into countries that already have rigid legal frameworks against VE in place."
A woman is sitting in the middle of the dome. She wears VE equipment similar to the one you saw at the club, but less restrictive in movement. In front of her is a table covered in dozens of dishes, probably produced by the printers you saw earlier. She's currently working her way through a bucket of deep-fried wings. There's no way to tell whether that's chicken or not, but probably not. Her movements are slow, her gaze unfocused, as if she's somewhere far, far away.
Chalidah unhooks a helmet from a panel next to the entrance. "This is Sendra. You can tap in, if you want," she says. "We use these to monitor the process. These helmets are rigged to prioritize cognitive function over physical sensation; a window into the feeder's thought processes, that is. A blurry one, but still. Sometimes we have to pull people out, if they push themselves too far." She pauses. "Also," she adds, "Sendra is in the middle of a level 3 experience right now, so it may not be entirely pleasant, especially if you're not into that sort of thing."