Java's Fate in an Unknown World

Prolog

In his hand, the digital boarding pass vibrated briefly. A notification from the security system: “Status secure. Weather stable. Clear path. Departure permission granted.”

He walked toward the departure gate. Beside him, a young man in a suit was busy talking to his virtual assistant on his smartwatch, while an elderly woman struggled to lift a heavy suitcase. Nindya paused briefly, helping the woman without saying much. A nod, then she continued on her way.

The high-speed train was beginning to board passengers. Nindya glanced at her watch again.
08:15. Time to board.

She took a deep breath, then walked down the platform corridor.

****

In one of the carriages of the high-speed train, a man named Damar Prasetyo stared at the window beside him, the only source of entertainment in the premium economy class cabin of the Jakarta–Surabaya high-speed train. He had just finished a report on the economic migration risks following the capital city’s relocation and sent it to his office email. Or, at least, he thought he had.

“Failed to send.”
The notification appeared for the third time. He furrowed his brow, trying to think rationally. His signal bars were completely gone—not just weak, but completely empty. No mobile connection, no onboard Wi-Fi.

He turned back to the window. The vast rice fields of Purwokerto stretched green beneath the sky, which was slowly changing colour. A faint green hue streaked across the horizon, so thin it was almost invisible... except to those who noticed. 

Damar suddenly felt uneasy. Not because of the sky’s colour, but because the atmosphere inside the cabin felt... odd. Too quiet. 

Suddenly, the sound of emergency brakes growled throughout the train’s corridors. The carriage shook gently then slowed down abnormally for a train travelling at over 300 km/h. Passengers exchanged glances, some removing their earphones, others beginning to wonder. 

"Why did we stop?" whispered a middle-aged woman across the aisle.

The cabin lights flashed once.
Then again.

The train came to a complete stop. No announcements. No voice from the stewardess, no news from the staff. Only silence, and whispers growing louder.

Damar opened the online map application on his tablet, trying to see where they were.

Latest In the Area. Can't find updates...

He turned to the man next to him who was busy fiddling with his phone.

"Sir, is your internet down too?" asked Damar.

"It's not just the internet. All the applications are down. Even the GPS... it's like it's gone."

Across the corridor, a teenager shouted, “I can’t open Instagram. WhatsApp either. It’s Crap.” 

“And why did the train stop suddenly?” 

Damar stood up and walked to the connecting corridor between carriages, hoping to find the train crew. The corridor was silent. Even the control room, which should have been manned, was empty.

A faint rumbling could be felt beneath his feet. It wasn’t the train moving. More like… the ground shifting. A slow but consistent vibration. 

Outside, the sky began to change more rapidly. The green light grew brighter, swirling slowly like an irrational vortex. Passengers began to rise from their seats, gazing out the windows, their confusion giving way to real anxiety.

In the middle of the rice fields, passengers looking out the window are likely or even certain to see the green light.

Damar pressed the emergency communication button on the cabin wall.

There was no response.

Then the vibrations intensified. Small objects began falling from the luggage racks. The sound of the train swaying slowly wasn’t due to the tracks, but because the ground beneath the tracks was moving too.

People began to panic. 

From behind, a female flight attendant tapped Damar on the shoulder. 

“Sir, please sit down; there’s an earthquake happening right now!” 

Without resistance, he immediately complied with the attendant’s request. 

Damar looked up at the sky and felt uncertainty pressing on his chest. 

“This isn’t a regular signal disruption,” he thought. “This... is something bigger.” 

And at that moment, the sky seemed to be covered by a thin layer of white clouds, shrouding the view like a curtain before a grand drama begins. 

Soon, the shaking subsided. All passengers fell silent. The hysterical cries died down, while some continued to pray, seeking protection in their words.

Then an announcement came over the loudspeaker, explaining what had just happened and asking all passengers to remain calm.

The cabin filled with the noise of passengers, and the attendants on duty had to answer every question thrown their way. 

~ End of chapter ~