Her blood ran cold. She instantly recognized it as the place where the Antasena spacecraft crashed into the cliff and exploded violently. It was the place where her father had fallen! Gayatri's eyes were fixed, and her mind stopped working. All she could see in her mind was her dearly missed father's face.
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On Wednesday early morning, June 19, 2458, the call to the dawn prayer awakened Lieutenant Gayatri from her sleep. She rose and sat at the edge of her bed. She uttered a brief prayer as part of her wake-up routine, but then she was jolted back to reality as she remembered what she would experience later in the day. Her team would undergo their final flight training with the Bimasakti simulator. However, it was not the virtual flight that troubled her, but rather the destination they would be heading to.
The flight path of the Bimasakti spacecraft to Alpha Centauri passed through Saturn's largest moon, Titan, before the spacecraft continued its journey to leave the solar system. Two other spacecraft, Cakrawala I and Cakrawala II, were already waiting on Titan to accompany Bimasakti in the expedition to Alpha Centauri. In the morning's virtual flight with the simulator, they would attempt a self-rescue maneuver to land the Bimasakti spacecraft on Titan as a practice for emergency situations. They had to land Bimasakti at the Titan II space station located on Titan's surface so that the crew members could safely seek refuge inside the space station.
The Titan II space station was located in a narrow valley surrounded by high and steep mountains. The valley was called Saptonium Valley because it housed the rare saptonium mines. Titan II Station was built as a stopover facility for the astronaut miners extracting saptonium. Landing a spacecraft in the valley was not an easy task due to the strong and constant winds. The pilot had to possess exceptional skills to safely land the spacecraft in the narrow valley.
For Lieutenant Gayatri, landing the spacecraft in Saptonium Valley was actually not a difficult task. She was an exceptionally skilled pilot. She had even landed spacecraft in more perilous locations without significant difficulty. During her previous assignment on the Jatayu spacecraft, she successfully landed it on the peaks of hills and ice valleys on Jupiter's moons, Ganymede and Europa. Those places were more hazardous than Saptonium Valley, and she handled it with ease.
But Titan was a place she always wanted to avoid. The memory of an incident eleven years ago was still vivid in her mind. When she returned home from school that afternoon, she found her mother sitting in the corner of the couch with red, swollen eyes. Every day after school, her mother would share news from her father on Titan. Her father never failed to recount his daily experiences there. Gayatri admired her father greatly, and she eagerly awaited news from him, always eager to hear about his new adventures in space. But that afternoon, her mother shared a story she never wanted to hear.
"Gaya... papa... is no more...," her mother's voice sounded soft yet resonated within her. Suddenly, her world seemed to collapse. Gayatri sat down next to her mother. She could already imagine what had happened. She fell silent and didn't want to hear anything more. Her heart shattered into pieces. One sentence from her mother was enough. She didn't want to ask anything. She was afraid to hear any stories about her father at that moment. Gayatri embraced her mother. They held each other tightly, crying inconsolably.
"Papa's plane crashed...," her mother said with a weak voice.
"Enough, ma... Don't tell me... I don't want to hear it...," Gayatri said while sobbing. What she felt at that moment was a deep longing for her father. The longing was quickly replaced by a piercing sense of loss. She couldn't imagine her father being gone. Suddenly, there would be no more laughter and jokes from her father. No more warmth in his presence. No more adventurous stories that fueled her spirit. No more role model to inspire her.
The loss of her father became a painful trauma in Gayatri's life. For a long time, she refused to hear any stories about her father. However, as time went by, she gradually began to understand what had happened on Titan that day. When entering Saptonium Valley, the propulsion system of the Antasena spacecraft manned by her father suddenly failed, causing the spacecraft to glide uncontrollably. Unfortunately, at that unfortunate moment, a sandstorm swept into the valley, causing the spacecraft to crash into the cliffs of one of the surrounding mountains. The impact of the spacecraft against the cliff triggered the antimatter reactor inside the spacecraft, causing a massive explosion. The Antasena spacecraft was completely destroyed, and the portion of the cliff crumbled. As a result, Antasena and all its contents were annihilated, no longer recognizable. The collapsed cliff left a lasting mark.
That was what made Gayatri always avoid Titan. The trauma of losing her father haunted her. She was still unable to face the place where her father had perished. She feared that deep sorrow would engulf her heart once again. The virtual flight with the simulator to Titan, which they were going to undertake that morning, could have brought back that sorrow. How could it not? The emergency maneuver they were going to perform required landing the spacecraft at the Titan II space station through Saptonium Valley. That meant the spacecraft would pass through the same path that her father had taken when the tragedy occurred. The place where her father had fallen would appear before her eyes. And Gayatri knew well that the scenery presented by the simulator closely resembled the actual conditions. She couldn't bear to see the remnants of the collapsed cliff on the mountain, which stood as silent witnesses of the spacecraft explosion that took her father's life.
Gayatri snapped out of her reverie. From her mouth, the utterance of istighfar, seeking Allah's forgiveness, could be heard repeatedly. Feeling weak, she rose from her seat. Her heart was still shrouded in anxiety and she did not know how to get rid of it. She hurriedly cleaned herself and performed ablution to promptly observe the dawn prayer. She concluded her worship with a longer prayer than usual to soothe her restless heart.
Suddenly, she felt the urge to talk to her mother. She put on the UVA and asked the AI to connect it. Shortly after, a three-dimensional virtual reality video image of her mother appeared before her. Her mother was still wearing a white prayer garment and kneeling on the prayer mat.
"Assalamualaikum, ma...," Gayatri initiated the conversation.
"Waalaikumussalam...," her mother responded from the other end.
"Have you finished praying, ma?" Gayatri asked.
"Yes, Gaya. Have you prayed, dear?" her mother replied, returning the question.
"Yes, ma," she answered. Then she fell silent, prompting her mother to inquire.
"What's the matter, Gaya? Are you okay?" her mother asked. Gayatri remained silent for a moment before finally speaking up.
"Ma, later I have to fly with the simulator to Titan...," she uttered softly. Her mother began to sense what was troubling her daughter and tried to think of what to say.
"Sooner or later, you will go there, Gaya. Try to accept it," her mother said. Gayatri sighed. They had discussed it many times before, and Gayatri knew what her mother would say. She had memorized all the words and advice her mother usually gave, but at that moment, she simply wanted to hear her mother's voice to soothe her heart.
"Yes, ma, but somehow I'm still afraid to see that place...," Gayatri's voice faltered. Gayatri's mother understood that her daughter was referring to the place where her father had fallen.
Mira, Gayatri's mother, once met with a psychologist from the Space Force who explained to her that Gayatri had impressive psychometric scores but had one weakness, which was psychological trauma due to the loss of her father. Mira understood that it could happen because Gayatri was very close to her father. She was an only child who idolized her father. She didn't have any siblings to share with, and her father filled that void. So when her father passed away, it deeply devastated her. Since then, Gayatri had no other desire but to become an astronaut like her father. With a heavy heart, Mira had to accept her daughter's choice, even though she was always filled with anxiety. Truly, she didn't want to experience losing a loved one for the second time in outer space.
"Gaya, becoming an astronaut is your choice. You know that you can't avoid Titan forever. Now there are already four space stations on Titan. All astronauts will be assigned there. You have to be prepared for that, Gaya," Mira tried to speak words of encouragement to her daughter, even though deep down in her heart, she didn't want her daughter to leave. She was always torn between conflicting emotions. She was proud of Gayatri's achievements as an astronaut, but she also wished her daughter could always be near her.
"Yes, ma, I know that... I will do my best... Please pray for me, ma...," Gayatri said in a soft voice.
"Of course, Gaya, mama always prays for you... for your safety. After this mission is over, request a longer leave so that you can rest enough and we can spend more time together," Mira said.
"Yes, ma. Thank you, mama...," Gayatri replied. Finally, Gayatri ended the conversation. After hearing her mother's voice, her inner turmoil lessened. After her father's passing, her mother became the person she confided in. Her mother was the only one she longed for when she was in space. During the expedition to Alpha Centauri, she wouldn't be able to contact her mother directly for a long time. And that was also a source of concern for her.
Now she was alone in her room. She placed the UVA on the table and tried to forget her anxieties by preparing breakfast from the replicator. Then she completed her daily routine of preparing herself before starting her duties. By around half-past seven, Gayatri was ready, wearing her orange astronaut overall and carrying her work bag filled with all the necessary items for the day's tasks. She lived in the astronaut apartment complex at the B. J. Habibie Space Base. The apartment complex served as the residence for all the astronauts stationed at the space base, including the Alpha Centauri expedition team. Gayatri lived on the sixth floor, and as usual, she chose to take the stairs instead of the elevator.
In the lobby of the apartment building, Gayatri saw Colonel Dr. Amalia just coming out of the elevator. Gayatri gave her a military salute.
"Good morning, Doc," she greeted.
"Good morning, Lieutenant," Dr. Amalia replied. "Are you heading to the base? Let's walk together," she invited.
"Roger, Doc," Gayatri answered. They walked together, leaving the apartment building. The space base was about a 15-minute walk away.
"Today is scheduled for the final simulator training, right?" Dr. Amalia started the conversation.
"Yes, Doc. It's scheduled for 8 AM," Gayatri replied.
"Are you ready?" Dr. Amalia asked.
"I am ready, inshallah," Gayatri answered. She tried to say it with conviction, although deep down, she wasn't entirely sure of her answer. As the medical officer of the Alpha Centauri expedition team, Dr. Amalia was well aware of the medical and psychological records of all the astronauts in the team, including Gayatri. She had also read the psychological assessment report on Gayatri, which indicated the psychological trauma she had experienced. Therefore, she knew that the journey to Titan could be a serious problem for Gayatri.
"Have you ever been assigned to Titan, Gaya?" Dr. Amalia asked. She wanted to steer the conversation towards Titan.
"Not yet, Doc," Gayatri replied.
"It must be an exciting experience for you," Dr. Amalia said with a smile. Gayatri smiled in return, although her heart felt uneasy.
"Don't hesitate to come to me if you have any problems or anything else you'd like to discuss," Dr. Amalia said sincerely. She was someone who genuinely liked Gayatri's personality, so her words were genuine and not just small talk.
"Okay, Doc. Thank you," Gayatri replied briefly.
After that, Dr. Amalia tried to change the topic of their conversation. She mentioned a little about her family's activities for the day. They also lived in the same astronaut apartment building as Gayatri, but they had a larger apartment for astronauts who were already married. Her husband was an engineer working for a robotics company that produced commercially available type A androids. Meanwhile, their two children were completing their education at university.
Not long after, they passed through the heavily guarded security checkpoint at the entrance gate of the space base. Several fully armed military police officers stationed at the gate saluted them. Among the guards stood an AI military police officer whose role was to detect and identify individuals entering the military zone using the bioscanner integrated into its android body.
Gayatri and Dr. Amalia continued their journey into the B. J. Habibie Space Base, named after the pioneering aerospace technologist from Indonesia's past, Professor B. J. Habibie. The aerospace technology developed by Professor Habibie in the 20th century laid the foundation for Indonesia's space technology advancements in the 25th century. Therefore, the space base was named in his honor, serving as the largest space base in Indonesia at this time, the B. J. Habibie Space Base. This military facility, guarded by the Space Force, housed several of Indonesia's largest spacecraft, including Bimasakti, Cakrawala I and II, Pasopati, and Nagasasra.
Gayatri and Dr. Amalia found themselves within the premises of the military base. Before them stretched a vast area with large hangars scattered at a distance from each other. Each hangar served as a storage facility for a spacecraft, and their roofs were designed to open, allowing the spacecraft to enter or exit vertically using their anti-G engines.
To facilitate transportation within the expansive space base, not far from the security checkpoint, there were anti-G scooters available for personnel working there. Hundreds of anti-G scooters were stationed at the scooter terminal, and almost everyone used them since private vehicles were not allowed in the space base area. These scooters were entirely controlled by AI. Passengers simply needed to state their destination, and the scooter would transport them there.
Gayatri and Dr. Amalia headed towards Hangar F, where the Bimasakti spacecraft was stationed. Hangar F was located quite far from the entrance gate, so they concluded their walk and continued their journey using the scooters. Gayatri and Dr. Amalia each took a scooter since the anti-G scooters could only accommodate one person at a time. Only registered personnel were authorized to use them. As Gayatri boarded one of the scooters, the scooter's built-in bioscanner immediately recognized her.
"Good morning, Lieutenant Gayatri. Please state your destination," the AI of the scooter she was on greeted her.
"Hangar Foxtrot," Gayatri replied briefly.
"Destination: Hangar Foxtrot. Please prepare. Take a seat and hold onto the lever in front of you. The journey will commence in five seconds," the AI voice from within the scooter resounded. Five seconds later, the scooter gently vibrated, and it slowly lifted off. The anti-G scooter could float only half a meter above the ground since it was designed specifically for land travel. Its propulsion and maneuverability were produced by a stream of air ejected forcefully from the holes on all four sides.
The anti-G scooters carrying Gayatri and Dr. Amalia began to move away from the terminal. Their journeys were fully controlled by the AI. Similar to anti-G cars, the anti-G scooters were connected via AI-net to the government's central computer located in the Department of Transportation. This allowed for the monitoring of each scooter's movement, and the AI could safely navigate them to prevent collisions. The scooters followed dedicated paths specifically designed for anti-G scooters. The traffic was quite busy as many personnel were commuting to work. Several empty scooters could be seen returning to the terminal after dropping off passengers. If needed, the scooters could be summoned back using UVA to pick up individuals. After approximately five minutes of travel, they arrived at the main entrance of Hangar F.
"Arriving at the destination, Hangar Foxtrot," the AI voice sounded again after the scooter came to a stop and landed on the ground. They disembarked, and shortly after, the scooters lifted off again and headed back towards the terminal.
It was nearly five minutes to seven when Gayatri and Dr. Amalia entered Hangar F. The entrance gate was guarded by two fully armed soldiers who gave them a military salute. Gayatri and Dr. Amalia returned the salute and stepped through the hangar gate. Once inside, they were instantly greeted by the awe-inspiring sight of the grand Bimasakti spacecraft. The large spacecraft gleamed in pristine white and was parked right in the center of the hangar. Its physical shape resembled an elongated tube with a tapering end, a slightly widening rear section, and a somewhat flat bottom. It measured 110 meters in length and ten meters in width. On the top and sides, there were small fins designed to stabilize the spacecraft during atmospheric flight. These fins gave the Bimasakti spacecraft the appearance of a large rocket lying on the hangar floor. However, once the spacecraft was in the airless space, the fins would fold into the body of the spacecraft.
At the flatter bottom section, there were landing gears that would also retract into the spacecraft during flight, giving it the appearance of a long tapered tube with a somewhat flat bottom while flying. The bottom section also housed the anti-G and pro-G engines. The anti-G engine was used to counteract gravitational forces, allowing Bimasakti to float freely, while the pro-G engine created artificial gravity for the crew inside the spacecraft, enabling them to move normally as they would on Earth when Bimasakti was in outer space.
The shape of Bimasakti, resembling a long cylinder, was chosen by scientists to minimize its cross-sectional area while in motion, reducing the likelihood of collisions with objects in space. When the spacecraft was traveling at high speeds, even the smallest impact could have been destructive. To achieve high velocity, the rear section of the spacecraft, which slightly widened, was equipped with four photon rocket nozzles that served as the main propulsion system. These four nozzles were arranged in the four quadrants of the spacecraft's tail, with two adjacent ones at the top and two adjacent ones at the bottom. Additionally, microjet orifices were visible on all four sides of Bimasakti for directional control and maneuvering.
Gayatri and Dr. Amalia walked across the Bimasakti spacecraft towards the West Wing, located on the opposite side of the hangar entrance. The West Wing was the astronaut service area, consisting of rooms and training facilities for the Bimasakti spacecraft crew. Gayatri and Dr. Amalia entered the West Wing and headed straight to the briefing room, where the spacecraft crew began their daily activities.
Inside the briefing room, all spacecraft crew members were present except for the marines who were undergoing training at the Marine Corps headquarters in Kupang. The crew members had taken their seats and engaged in light conversation before the activities commenced. As usual, Colonel Adi Iskandar, the commander of the Bimasakti spacecraft, would initiate the briefing and provide instructions for the day's tasks. Shortly thereafter, he stepped forward.
"Assalamualaikum, peace and blessings, and good morning, everyone," Commander began by greeting them. He was a tall and robust figure with a deep voice.
"Today, we will conduct the final simulator training before the departure of the mission next week," Commander started his instructions. Everyone present was already familiar with the day's agenda as it had been outlined in detail in the handbook they had received.
"As we know, today we will be conducting a flight simulation to Titan. This simulation is to prepare for any emergency situations that may require us to land there. As we know, during the flight route to Alpha Centauri, we won't actually land on Titan, but only orbit it for the rendezvous with Cakrawala I and II, which are already waiting there. Only in the event of an emergency will we descend to Titan and promptly land at Titan II Station... Why Titan II? Because out of the four stations on Titan, Titan II has the most comprehensive emergency facilities and life support," explained Commander. After a moment, he continued.
"So, as a precautionary measure for the possibility of emergency situations, today we will simulate the entry into Titan's atmosphere from orbit. Then, we will descend to the surface and execute the emergency landing procedures at Titan II Station following the standard route," Commander continued his explanation. All team members listened attentively and followed the explanation with enthusiasm, except for Gayatri. Tension was evident on her face. She tried to calm her heart, but the uneasiness persisted. Commander had mentioned they would go through the standard route. That meant they would pass through Saptonium Valley, where her father had fallen. She was afraid of what she would see when Bimasakti passed through that place. She closed her eyes and envisioned the debris of the shattered cliffs when her father's spacecraft, Antasena, crashed into them and exploded violently. Gayatri shook her head and tried to push away those thoughts. However, the images reappeared in her mind, until suddenly she heard a voice that snapped her back to reality.
"Lieutenant Gayatri, are you okay?" Commander's voice startled her out of her reverie.
"I... I'm fine, Commander," she stammered in response to the reprimand. Her consciousness returned to the real world. She saw all eyes were now focused on her.
"Are you alright? Earlier, it seemed like something was bothering you," Commander asked.
"I'm fine, Commander. There's nothing wrong. I apologize for not paying full attention earlier," Gayatri tried to cover up what had happened to her. She felt awkward and embarrassed as everyone was now watching her.
"If you're feeling unwell or if something is troubling your mind, consult with Doctor Amalia immediately. At this stage, we all need to be in perfect health because the departure is only a few days away," Commander said.
"Understood, Commander," Gayatri replied shortly. She felt somewhat relieved that Commander didn't inquire further about the incident. She tried to push away the thoughts that had disturbed her earlier and refocus her attention on the room. Commander then continued with his instructions.
"As usual, Team One and Team Two will take turns conducting this simulation, starting with Team One. Before we begin, are there any questions?" Captain Rizki raised his hand.
"Go ahead, Captain Rizki," Commander responded.
"Thank you, Commander. May we have some information beforehand about the specific emergency situations we will encounter in the simulation?" Captain Rizki asked.
"We don't know what specific situations we will encounter in the simulation. However, we have all been trained to handle various emergency conditions that may arise," Commander answered. Captain Rizki nodded in understanding. Then Commander waited for a moment until there were no more questions, and he concluded his instructions.
"Very well, if there are no further questions, we will proceed with this simulation, starting with Team One," he concluded. Everyone stood up from their seats and made their way to the simulator room located in the pavilion building next to Hangar F.
The Bimasakti spacecraft simulator was used to train the crew to effectively control the spacecraft. In reality, Bimasakti was equipped with advanced AI that enabled it to fly on autopilot in various situations. Additionally, the two AI officers on board the Bimasakti, AI Major Arjuna and Srikandi, were capable of flawlessly controlling the spacecraft. However, the crew members were still trained to independently operate the spacecraft and were prepared to handle any possible situation. Although in normal circumstances, the AI took control of the spacecraft through autopilot, while the crew members monitored the spacecraft's condition through the console screens in front of their seats on the bridge. The crew members would only take control of the spacecraft in specific situations.
As usual, in the simulator room, they were greeted by the technical officers who served as the operators there. The commander of the Bimasakti Simulator Unit was an engineering colonel. That morning, the officer leading the operator team was his subordinate, Engineering Major Albertus Rinaldi. He and the other operators were already in the control room, preparing for the day's simulation. The room featured several consoles with large screens to monitor the progress of the simulation. Major Albertus stood up from behind his console and approached the astronauts who had just entered the room. He saluted them in military fashion to welcome them.
"Good morning," he greeted warmly. They had met dozens of times at the Bimasakti Simulator Unit since the astronauts began their training program for the Bimasakti spacecraft a year ago. Without needing to be instructed, they quickly took their seats in the room, ready to listen to Major Albertus's briefing on the simulation plan. On the wall in front of them was a large holographic screen where information would be displayed. The holographic screen, also known as a holoscreen, had replaced the television and computer screens used in the past. It was a transparent sheet that could easily be folded, rolled, or attached to a surface or wall. When activated, the sheet transformed into a screen that displayed stunning three-dimensional images with vibrant colors. In this era, holographic screens had become widely used for entertainment, television, information, and much more.
Major Albertus stood at the front to begin the briefing.
"Permission to proceed, Commander," he looked towards Commander who was seated in his chair.
"Go ahead, Major," Commander granted permission to start.
"Thank you, Commander," he acknowledged and then continued.
"Officers, as we know, this is the final simulation before the departure. According to the training manual, today's activity will involve a mission simulation on Titan with a specific scenario, which is an emergency landing at Titan II Station." He then activated the holographic screen behind him, instantly displaying a visualization of the planned route for the Bimasakti spacecraft in the simulation. On the screen, there was an image of Titan seen from orbit with the planet Saturn in the background.
"The simulation will begin with the standard route scenario towards Titan's orbit. You are required to follow the standard procedures to reach the designated orbit location for the Bimasakti spacecraft," Major Albertus explained while pointing to the visualization on the holographic screen. He continued.
"An emergency incident has been programmed into this simulation, where you will be required to respond by executing the standard procedures for evacuation towards Titan II Station on the surface. This means descending from orbit to the surface of Titan via the standard route towards Titan II Station by applying the emergency landing procedures," he clarified. He briefly looked at the astronauts in front of him, who appeared to be attentively listening, and then continued.
"The emergency conditions and atmospheric conditions on Titan are selected randomly by the computer, which means we do not know yet what emergency condition will occur and how the weather conditions on Titan will be. You are expected to anticipate that according to the emergency evacuation procedures you have learned." Major Albertus paused for a moment, then pointed to the holographic screen and continued.
"We believe that you have mastered all the emergency procedures for the Bimasakti spacecraft. However, as a reminder, we will display on the screen the standard procedures and route for the emergency landing on Titan that you will need to perform in the simulator," he stated. The screen began showing a video of the emergency landing procedures on Titan, starting from Bimasakti's position when still in orbit. The video displayed visualizations of the safest route selection to reach Titan II Station, avoiding the dangers of methane storms and sandstorms that often occur on parts of Titan's surface. Therefore, the astronauts must try their best to follow that route to reach Titan II Station.
Titan II Station was constructed at the Saptonium mining site to support mining activities there. Unfortunately, the location was situated in an area with extreme weather conditions. The region was frequently hit by storms. The station was also surrounded by mountains with steep cliffs, making a vertical descent from above directly to the station highly dangerous as the storms could have thrown the spacecraft into the cliffs. Scientists had studied this issue and discovered a safer route for spacecraft to reach Titan II Station even during storms. To follow this route from orbit, the spacecraft needed to descend approximately 50 km away from Titan II Station towards a highland area called Iremia, which stood at an altitude of around 700 meters. Iremia was a calm region with rare storm occurrences, making it the best entry point from orbit to Titan. From Iremia, the spacecraft would descend towards a 30 km stretch of rocky terrain known as Petra. In Petra, methane storms and sandstorms were infrequent, making it relatively safe to traverse.
Titan II Station was located in an area surrounded by steep and towering cliffs. These cliffs provided protection from storms but also isolated the station from the outside world. The only access point to the station from the ground was through a ten km path known as Saptonium Valley. In the past, Saptonium Valley used to be a hydrocarbon river flowing between the high cliffs on either side. However, the river had dried up over time, leaving behind large rocks. The tall cliffs shielded Saptonium Valley from storms, making it a passable route. However, navigating through Saptonium Valley still required exceptional skills as storms could unexpectedly enter the valley. It was this situation that led to the tragic loss of Gayatri's father. When the Antasena spacecraft lost control, a storm suddenly entered the valley, causing the spacecraft to crash into the cliffs.
The incident served as a valuable lesson for all astronauts but remained a painful history for Gayatri. Every astronaut received the lesson at the Space Academy, and it was a deeply tormenting experience for Gayatri when she had to go through it herself. After graduating from the academy and becoming an astronaut, the trauma made her always try to avoid missions to Titan, and so far she had always been successful in doing so. Even until now... when the mission to Alpha Centauri required passing through Titan, the spacecraft would only remain in orbit without landing. However, unexpectedly, she still had to experience a landing on Titan, even if it was only in a simulator. And she knew that the virtual experience in the simulator wouldn't differ much from the actual reality.
Gayatri's eyes remained fixed on the holographic display in front of her, but her mind wandered to distant places, unaware that the presentation had ended. Suddenly, she was brought back to reality by Major Albertus' voice.
"Officers, that concludes the visualization of the emergency landing procedures on Titan. Are there any questions?" he asked, signaling the end. Silence briefly filled the room.
"Very well, if there are no further questions, let us proceed with the activity. As usual, Team One will have the first opportunity." The astronauts rose from their seats. Team One made their way to the simulator while Team Two waited their turn in the officers' cafeteria, where various entertainment facilities, food, and drinks were available. The room also had a prayer facility, and some of the astronauts from Team Two took the opportunity to perform the Duha prayer in the prayer room. Others chose to enjoy a meal, relax, and engage in conversation.
As usual, before entering the simulator, Team One stopped at the spacesuit storage room. Even though it was only a virtual flight, they still had to wear spacesuits just like in a real mission. Spacesuits were specially designed garments for astronauts to wear during their duties in space. They could remove the spacesuits once the spacecraft was in cruise flight and controlled by autopilot. However, in alert or emergency situations, they had to put them back on. Spacesuits were made of synthetic materials that could protect the wearer from extreme temperatures and cosmic radiation exposure. The spacesuits covered the entire body from the feet to the neck. There was a circular collar joint around the neck to attach the space helmet. In the ceiling of the bridge, right above each seat, a space helmet was stored and could be lowered so that it could be quickly worn by the astronaut sitting in that seat.
After everyone had put on their spacesuits, Team One began entering the simulator, one by one. The simulator had the same shape as the front section of the Bimasakti spacecraft, where the bridge was located. The interior was identical to the actual bridge of the spacecraft. Those entering the simulator would not feel any difference from the real bridge. Gayatri had entered the simulator dozens of times before, but now she felt something different from usual. Her legs felt heavy as she stepped inside, and her heart wanted to turn around and leave. However, her logic still worked to endure and complete the task.
"I have to be able to do this. It's just a simulation, not reality," she said to herself.
"I will go and leave the solar system and become the first one to land on Alpha Centauri!" she exclaimed in her heart to strengthen herself. She continued her steps into the simulator. The simulator room, identical to the bridge of the Bimasakti spacecraft, had a width of nine meters and a length of 20 meters. Inside the spacious bridge, there were seats for the entire crew. At the very front, there were two consoles for the pilot and copilot. Behind them, there were three seats, with the spacecraft commander in the middle, the mission commander on the right, and the deputy spacecraft commander on the left. In the next row, behind the spacecraft commander, there were three consoles for the technician, navigator, and AI officer. That was the seating arrangement for the crew on duty on the bridge. Behind them, there were 20 seats for the other crew members who were not on duty. The seats were arranged in five rows, each consisting of four seats.
Gayatri walked towards the copilot seat located at the front right. To its left was the pilot's seat, and Captain Rizki was already sitting there. Behind them, between her and Rizki, Commander had seated. The seats on the right and left of Commander were empty, as the mission commander, Marshal Haris, was not participating in the simulation, and the deputy commander, Major Vincent, would lead Team Two in the next simulation session. Other members of Team One began occupying their respective seats. Behind Commander sat Lieutenant Hilman, the navigator, Lieutenant Ridwan, the technician, and between them, right behind Commander, was Major Arjuna, the AI officer. Behind them, five non-duty crew members took their seats, including Colonel Dr. Amalia, Colonel Dr. Sisca, Dr. Paul de Hoop, Dr. Carlo Pusone, and AI Major Srikandi. Even though they were not on duty, they always participated in the simulator sessions.
Gayatri took her seat. As usual, she had to commence the standard procedures to prepare for the flight. Embedded within her spacesuit was a communication device connected to the spacecraft's AI system. Nearly all controls of the Bimasakti spacecraft could be operated manually from the console in front of her or through voice commands. To activate her console, she had to log in to the spacecraft's AI system. However, before doing so, she took a moment to calm her mind. She endeavored to sit calmly and took a deep breath.
"Bismillahirrahmanirrahim...." Softly, the words of basmalah escaped her lips, seeking Allah's blessing and guidance. Then she proceeded to log in to the spacecraft's AI system.
"Bimasakti, login Gayatri Dewi, NIA 10483744," she said, mentioning her name and astronaut identification number. The AI promptly recognized her voice and responded through the transducer installed in her spacesuit collar.
"Confirming login for Space Lieutenant Gayatri Dewi, NIA 10483744." She heard the AI's response clearly. Then she commanded the AI to activate the copilot's console in front of her.
"Bimasakti, activate copilot interface...." Shortly after, the screen and all indicators on the console in front of her lit up with impressive color variations, presenting various data and information in the form of graphs, indicators, text, and symbols understood only by trained astronauts. On the arms of her seat, there were control levers with buttons to manually control the spacecraft's maneuvers. The control levers were synchronized with the pilot's control levers on the left side. Gayatri began to navigate her fingers on the screen and panel in front of her to inspect the spacecraft's control system and other systems. As the copilot, she was responsible for preparing the spacecraft's condition before initiating the flight. Once all the procedures on her console were completed, she had to prepare herself to commence the flight.
"Bimasakti, lower the copilot's helmet," she commanded the AI. Instantly, the storage compartment for the spacesuit helmet on the ceiling above her opened, and the requested copilot's helmet descended and stopped right above her head. She reached for the helmet, and the helmet's lowering handle rose back into the storage opening, which then closed again. Gayatri placed the helmet on her head and locked it onto the circular attachment around the neck area of her spacesuit. Once the helmet was secured, she felt a flow of oxygen starting to blow, providing a cool sensation as she breathed it in through her nose. Then she needed to quickly fasten herself to the copilot's seat where she was sitting.
"Bimasakti, activate the nano-velcro," she commanded the AI. Nano-velcro was a layer on the back of the spacesuit that replaced the safety belts used in the past. Gayatri felt her body being pulled towards the seat's backrest as the nano-velcro layer on the back of her spacesuit suddenly attached to the copilot's seat. Now she was securely fastened to her seat and ready to begin the flight. The other crew members had also donned their spacesuit helmets and activated the nano-velcro to secure themselves to their respective seats. She glanced to her left at the pilot and saw that Captain Rizki was also prepared and calmly waiting for the flight to commence. Shortly after, they heard Commander giving a brief command.
"Bimasakti crew, report readiness...." Everyone could hear Commander's voice through the transducers embedded in their spacesuits.
"Pilot ready." Captain Rizki's voice was heard in response.
"Copilot ready," Gayatri followed suit. Then, one by one, the other crew members also responded in accordance with their seating order. After all the crew members reported their readiness, Commander contacted the simulator operator to initiate the simulation.
"Control room, Bimasakti ready...," Commander's voice was heard, and the simulator operator in the control room promptly responded.
"Roger, Bimasakti... Stand by to start the simulation...," Major Albertus' voice was heard from the control room. Shortly after, various information and spacecraft status data began appearing on the screens and indicator panels in front of each crew member. Gayatri looked at the data on her console, indicating that the spacecraft was in a flight status. She quickly understood that the current position of the spacecraft was near the planet Saturn and heading towards one of its moons, Titan.
Suddenly, the previously dark windows on the bridge transformed into holographic screens depicting the conditions outside the spacecraft. Through the front window of the bridge, she could see a stunning view. In front of her, the beautiful planet Saturn was visible. Gayatri had never been on a mission to Saturn before, so she had never seen the planet up close. Now, Saturn appeared clearly before her eyes, captivating her with its enchanting beauty. Although it was only a simulated image, what she saw closely resembled reality.
From the front window of the bridge, Saturn appeared as a golden-yellow sphere. Its surface was encircled by bands of varying brightness. The brightest band was visible at its equator, giving the planet a glowing golden-yellow equator. But what amazed Gayatri the most was its stunning rings. Saturn's rings consisted of captivating concentric circles in shades of light and dark gray, white, and pale yellow. Truly, the planet's rings left her in awe. It was hard for her to comprehend the fact that the immensely wide and beautiful rings were actually incredibly thin. Their width was comparable to the distance between Earth and the Moon, but their thickness was only about ten meters!
"Mashallah, God has willed it...," she whispered in admiration of God's creation. However, her awe was interrupted by Commander's voice.
"Everyone in position and ready... Bimasakti's status set to autopilot, destination: Titan's orbit... Pilot, switch the spacecraft control to manual," Commander's command was heard.
"Roger, Commander," Captain Rizki immediately responded. His finger moved swiftly, touching a button on his console panel, and instantly the control of the spacecraft shifted from the AI-controlled autopilot to manual control. This meant that the spacecraft was now directly controlled by the pilot.
"Bimasakti on manual control...," Captain Rizki's voice reported the change. As Rizki maneuvered the control levers to adjust the direction of the spacecraft, Gayatri felt the control levers in both of her hands, which were synchronized with the pilot's control levers next to her, also moving. Now she had to closely observe the changes in the spacecraft's movement status.
"Position: 7.753 alpha unit; theta: 54.2, phi: 68.4, gamma: 30.1; velocity: 0.4 papa charlie," Gayatri's voice reported the status of Bimasakti. In the solar system, the location of the Sun serves as the reference for the spacecraft's position and direction of movement. The unit of distance used is astronomical unit, AU, which represents the distance between the Sun and Earth and is referred to as alpha unit. Theta, phi, and gamma represent the angles of the spacecraft's direction of movement. The velocity of the spacecraft is expressed as a percentage of the speed of light, denoted by the term papa charlie.
Bimasakti raced swiftly towards Titan, which was still hidden behind Saturn. Gayatri became absorbed in her duties behind the copilot console. Her eyes, ears, and mind worked diligently, observing the spacecraft's movement data and status as it was piloted by Captain Rizki. Occasionally, her fingers touched the screen and panels on the console in front of her to perform certain actions. But suddenly her heart started pounding when she saw Titan emerged from behind Saturn through the front window of the bridge. It appeared as a small yellowish sphere and seemed to be emerging from its hiding place and gradually growing larger. It was still approximately 1.5 million kilometers away from Bimasakti. But with a velocity of 0.4 percent of the speed of light, Bimasakti would reach Titan in 20 minutes.
Gayatri's eyes remained fixed on the sight through the front window. The yellow sphere became clearer and clearer. She no longer paid attention to the copilot console in front of her. Her entire focus seemed to be absorbed by the yellow sphere. A sense of sadness and anxiety started to loom in her heart. The feeling deepened as Bimasakti drew closer to Titan. Gayatri closed her eyes and tried to regain her concentration. However, the feelings of sadness and anxiety persisted. In her heart, she recited istighfar over and over again, hoping that Allah would soon give her peace again. Yet suddenly, Commander's voice startled her.
"Pilot, hand over control of the spacecraft to copilot... Copilot, take control of the spacecraft," Commander's command was heard, startling Gayatri. Commander ordered her to take control of the spacecraft. Did Commander know that she was so anxious about the journey to Titan and wanted to test her? Or was it simply because Commander knew that she had never been on a mission to Titan, so he wanted to train her?
"Roger, Commander...," Captain Rizki's response was heard, and he turned to Gayatri.
"Lieutenant, take control," he commanded her. Gayatri's heart raced.
"Roger, Captain," she answered, trying to calm her heart. Slowly, she recited basmalah to strengthen her resolve, bismillahirrahmanirrahim... in the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
"Copilot in control, pilot monitoring," she confirmed the takeover of the spacecraft's controls. Now the control of Bimasakti was in her hands. The control levers felt heavy in her grip, but she remained composed in her efforts to steer the spacecraft. With her intelligence, she quickly processed the navigation data and spacecraft status displayed on the console in front of her. Then, she began maneuvering Bimasakti along the standard flight path she had learned towards Titan. Saturn was now on the left, and Titan appeared directly in front of Bimasakti. Through the front window, the moon appeared as a dimly glowing yellowish sphere. Gayatri sought to make peace with what she saw and strengthened her resolve to guide Bimasakti there.
The time to reach Titan was still about 15 minutes. It was time to reduce the speed of Bimasakti. Slowly, Gayatri began to decelerate the spacecraft. Her eyes, ears, and mind were back to their tasks. Her concentration had almost fully recovered. The image of Titan on the front bridge window appeared larger and brighter, but now she could observe the scene calmly. Gayatri was grateful that she had regained her composure. She guided Bimasakti swiftly towards Titan. With her high skills, she was able to control the flight to be faster, which was one of the factors that made her the best pilot in the Space Force.
Gayatri had slowed down Bimasakti well below the maximum speed. The distance to Titan was only 50,000 kilometers, and the image of Titan almost filled the front bridge window. At such a close distance, Titan appeared different. Now she could see the dark patterns of hydrocarbon lakes and seas on the moon's surface. There were also bright-colored layers of methane clouds covering the land here and there. Gayatri tried to enjoy the view to maintain her inner peace. She didn't want to think about what would happen next. But suddenly, an alarm sounded from the spacecraft's warning system, and the red indicators on each console began flashing.
"Report the damage...!" Commander's voice sounded loudly, while the alarm continued to blare.
"Reporting, deflector malfunction, deflector malfunction...!" Technician Officer Lieutenant Ridwan quickly responded in a loud voice. Hearing that, Gayatri promptly reduced the speed of the spacecraft. Now Bimasakti was flying only at a conventional rocket speed of about 15,000 kilometers per hour. The deflector was a force field generator used to deflect small objects in space that were in front of the spacecraft to avoid collision. At extremely high speeds, even a collision with a tiny object could destroy the spacecraft. If the deflector was damaged, the speed of the spacecraft had to be immediately reduced because at lower speeds, small objects in front of the spacecraft could still be detected by the quantum radar, giving the spacecraft enough time to evade them.
"Report, safe trajectory, no objects detected on the path...!" sounded the voice of the navigator, Lieutenant Hilman.
"Technician, inspect the damage and initiate repair immediately... Pilot, maintain a safe velocity...!" Commander commanded.
"Roger...," replied Lieutenant Ridwan and Gayatri simultaneously. The damaged deflector needed to be repaired promptly so that the spacecraft could resume high-speed flight. At the current speed, it would take 12 years to return to Earth. If the deflector couldn't be fixed, the spacecraft would have to perform an emergency landing at the nearest space station for repairs.
"Report, the deflector damage occurred in the forcefield generator," Lieutenant Ridwan's voice was heard again, reporting the damage.
"Commence repairs immediately...!" ordered Commander to Lieutenant Ridwan, and he promptly acknowledged the command.
"Roger, Commander. However, repairs on the spacecraft will take a long time since the damage occurred in the forsitron module. Repairs can be done more quickly at the emergency facility on the space station," Lieutenant Ridwan explained. Commander seemed to ponder for a moment, then quickly made a decision.
"Alright, proceed with an emergency landing at the nearest space station for repairs...," he stated. Then he continued.
"Crew, initiate emergency landing procedures... Navigator, immediately identify the nearest space station...," he commanded.
"Report, the nearest station from our current position is Titan II," the navigator responded, and instantly Gayatri's heart started beating faster. That meant they would soon descend to Titan and cross Saptonium Valley, where her father had fallen!
"Does the emergency facility at Titan II support the repair?" Commander asked.
"Affirmative, Commander. Titan II has the most comprehensive emergency facilities," replied technician Lieutenant Ridwan.
"Alright... Pilot, execute landing procedures at Titan II!" Commander's voice thundered in her ears.
"Ro..Roger, Commander," Gayatri stammered in response. She turned to her left, towards Captain Rizki, hoping that he would take over control. But she saw Rizki looking at her, giving a thumbs-up sign to indicate his approval for her to continue piloting the spacecraft. Gayatri took a deep breath and tried to calm her heart.
"Bismillah...," she whispered, seeking strength from Allah. She firmly gripped the control levers with her slightly trembling hands. Her eyes focused on the data displayed on the copilot console, and her mind began working to find the fastest landing approach to the surface of Titan. She glanced at Rizki, who seemed to be attentively monitoring the pilot console in front of him. Her heart felt somewhat reassured because she knew Rizki would also watch over her during the landing.
Gayatri began adjusting the course of Bimasakti towards the shortest trajectory to enter Titan's orbit. They were only 4000 kilometers away from reaching the orbit. The moon now appeared as a large yellowish sphere filling the bridge's front window. With their current speed, they would arrive in 15 minutes. Gayatri activated all the quantum radars located at the front of Bimasakti to extend their coverage, allowing her to accelerate the spacecraft. Using this method, she successfully brought Bimasakti to the orbit, positioned at an altitude of 1200 kilometers above Titan's surface. As they arrived, the image of Titan's surface filled the front window. The curved horizon line extended across the top of the front window and looked slightly blurry due to the refraction of light in the nitrogen and methane atmosphere that filled the moon's sky. But now, Gayatri could see the beauty of the relief on the surface, with its mountains, hills, and plains. However, the sight also made her anxious because she knew what she would see down there. She tried to strengthen her resolve to bring Bimasakti down into Titan's atmosphere.
"Landing initiation...," she spoke into the microphone. She began guiding Bimasakti down into the atmosphere. The spacecraft's anti-G systems had been adjusted to automatically counteract Titan's gravity, which was only 14 percent of Earth's gravity.
"Radar detects a category one sandstorm in the vicinity of Titan II Station within a ten-kilometer radius!" Navigator Lieutenant Hilman's voice came through. Gayatri quickly checked the weather radar data and recalculated their landing plan. For a brief moment, a mischievous thought crossed her mind to change the landing route to avoid passing through Saptonium Valley. However, that thought quickly vanished when she heard Rizki's voice.
"Follow the standard route, Lieutenant," Rizki said as if he could read her thoughts.
"Roger, Captain," she replied. She knew that in stormy conditions, the safest path to Titan II Station was the standard route. Logic compelled her to accept it and set aside her emotions. She began directing Bimasakti to follow the navigation instructions on her console screen towards the highlands of Iremia. The spacecraft started to vibrate as it entered Titan's atmosphere. The vibrations and jolts intensified as it penetrated through the thick layer of methane clouds. The view from the front window and all the windows on the bridge were obscured by the whitish-yellow methane clouds. After a moment, as Bimasakti descended through the cloud layer, the surface of Titan unveiled itself, adorned with brownish-yellow mountain peaks and dark hydrocarbon lakes. Gayatri had never seen such a sight on any other planet or moon she had visited. Only on Titan did she witness methane clouds in the sky and hydrocarbon lakes surrounded by rugged mountains and hills. It was truly a unique sight. Despite her anxieties, she felt grateful to witness it all.
After some time, the highlands of Iremia started to appear in the distance through the front window of the bridge. Its location was in an area that rarely experienced storms. Gayatri easily guided Bimasakti towards the plateau and flew at an altitude of 100 meters above the surface. Above Iremia, the Titan sky appeared bright and calm, with a yellowish hue. The sunlight was somewhat subdued, resembling the twilight on Earth. In the surrounding area of the highlands, rows of mountains and land could be seen in the distance, interspersed with several lakes, stretching to the horizon. But what amazed her the most was what she saw in the sky. Saturn, emitting a yellowish glow, with its beautiful rings, appeared gracefully perched above the horizon. Saturn and its rings appeared so large, adorning the Titan sky, larger than the view of the Moon from Earth.
The awe-inspiring sight momentarily distracted Gayatri from her worries. She guided Bimasakti to descend from Iremia towards the Petra plain. Occasionally, she heard reports from the navigator and technician assisting her during the flight. Upon reaching Petra, she lowered Bimasakti's altitude to just 20 meters above the surface and accelerated to a speed of 300 kilometers per hour. At that height, Bimasakti flew calmly and remained unaffected by the storm that was beginning to sweep over the airspace above Petra. At this speed, they would reach Saptonium Valley in six minutes. Gayatri tried not to think about it. Her eyes tried to enjoy the scenery visible through the bridge's windows. Petra was a vast, dry area. As far as the eye could see, there were only light brownish-yellow plains with a flat and hard surface that was safe and easy to land on. Perhaps that's why Petra was chosen as the emergency landing route on Titan.
However, the tranquility of the flight didn't last long. The impact of the storm in the Titan II Station area began to be felt. As they approached Titan II, the influence of the storm grew stronger, forcing Gayatri to reduce the speed of the spacecraft. Now the storm had caused the body of Bimasakti to shake, growing increasingly intense. Gayatri utilized her skills to control the spacecraft and ensure the flight remained safe.
"Maintain the altitude, Lieutenant," Captain Rizki's voice sounded as a warning.
"Roger, Captain," Gayatri replied. She then asked the navigator to check if the ground surface they would pass over to reach Titan II was sufficiently level and safe to traverse at an altitude of 20 meters.
"Navigator, check the flight path safety at a 20-meter altitude and the surface topography up to Titan II," she said.
"The flight path at a 20-meter altitude is safe. The radar shows a topographic variation of less than 3 meters up to Saptonium Valley," Navigator Lieutenant Hilman responded. Suddenly, Gayatri's heart began to beat faster upon hearing the words Saptonium Valley. She realized that the spacecraft would soon arrive there. She felt her hands starting to sweat, and anxiety once again haunted her. She tried once more to calm her heart and regain her focus. But her efforts were in vain when she saw two hills flanking Saptonium Valley appear on the front window of the bridge. The two hills looked like a daunting gateway. For a moment there was panic in her heart. She no longer felt the shaking on the fuselage due to the storm.
With the remnants of her courage, Gayatri tried to hold on. She controlled Bimasakti as best as she could, even though her hands felt heavy. She hoped that Rizki would continue to watch over her, so if something happened to her, Rizki would immediately take control of the helm.
"Oh, this is just a simulation... Whatever happens, it won't harm anyone," she thought to calm her heart. But why did what she saw through the front window still feel so terrifying? Now Saptonium Valley was right in front of her. She would soon enter the gap between the two hills where the valley lay. She tightly gripped the steering levers with her cold and sweaty hands. With her heart still pounding, she guided Bimasakti into Saptonium Valley. Now the two hills were on her right and left, forming tall cliffs that shielded the spacecraft from the storm. The wind gusts on the spacecraft were almost imperceptible now.
Bimasakti glided calmly within Saptonium Valley, shielded from the storm that raged in the region. The towering cliffs on the right and left seemed to serve as protective barriers along the path throughout Saptonium Valley. The rocky base of the valley displayed remnants of past hydrocarbon river flows that had dried up. Gayatri tried to fix her gaze on the rocks at the valley floor, avoiding looking towards the high cliffs on either side. The stories she had heard about the devastating explosion of the Antasena spacecraft that claimed her father's life echoed in her ears. The explosion was so powerful that it caused the collapse of the cliffs in Saptonium Valley, leaving lasting scars. She couldn't bear to see the ruins! Yet, soon she would be passing by them up ahead. Gayatri wasn't certain where the ruins were located, and she feared she wouldn't be prepared to face them if they suddenly appeared before her. She tried to keep her eyes fixed on the rocks at the valley floor, avoiding looking towards the cliffs. She hoped to pass the ruins without laying eyes on them.
The path in Saptonium Valley began to twist and turn, following the course of the ancient river it once traversed. Gayatri slowed down the spacecraft and descended in altitude. She thought that if the ruins were located on the upper cliffs, she wouldn't see them. That's what she believed. While her eyes remained fixed on the rocky valley floor, she occasionally glanced at the navigation instructions on her console screen. There, she saw a warning for a upcoming turn, and she prepared to follow it. As she looked ahead, she noticed the path starting to curve. Gayatri began to maneuver the spacecraft, following the bend. However, as her eyes unintentionally lifted, she saw the cliff in front of her. In that instant, her heart felt like it stopped beating. On the wall of the cliff, a large crater could be seen, and below it, thousands of boulders and fragments of rocks were scattered. Her blood ran cold. She instantly recognized it as the place where the Antasena spacecraft crashed into the cliff and exploded violently. It was the place where her father had fallen! Gayatri's eyes were fixed, and her mind stopped working. All she could see in her mind was her dearly missed father's face. Her heart was overwhelmed with an immense pain as she felt her father's suffering in that place. Deep sorrow enveloped her. She felt as if the world around her had frozen.
"Gaya...!" Rizki's sudden shout snapped her back to reality. She felt a jolt on the control levers as Rizki quickly took over and steered Bimasakti back onto its course. If not for Rizki's timely intervention, Bimasakti would have met the same fate as Antasena.
"Captain, take control," Commander's voice commanded.
"Roger, Commander," Rizki replied.
"Lieutenant Gayatri, what happened to you?" Commander's voice was heard through the transducer. Gayatri still felt weak and was unable to speak.
"I... I'm sorry, Commander... My concentration... it momentarily slipped...," she stuttered. She sensed Commander observing her from behind her seat.
"If you're feeling unwell, consult with Doctor Amalia later," Commander said.
"Understood, Commander," she replied, her voice still weak. She slumped back in her seat, completely relinquishing control to Rizki. Bimasakti resumed its calm flight. She no longer paid attention to the status data on the console screen. Her mind was empty, filled only with sorrow. But she felt relieved that the moment she feared had passed. She tried to regain control over her emotions. Her gaze wandered far beyond the front window. She saw the rocks on the valley floor and the towering cliffs on both sides receding quickly. She tried to remain calmly seated, waiting for the simulation to end. Faintly in the distance, a square-shaped building appeared, painted white. A blinking red light adorned the tower on top. That was Titan II Station, the end of the journey through Saptonium Valley.
Rizki skillfully guided Bimasakti into the area of Titan II Station.
"Initiate docking," he said through the microphone. He positioned Bimasakti towards one of the two docking ports on Titan II. After receiving confirmation from Rizki, the technician extended the docking bridge from the right side of Bimasakti and locked it onto the docking port. Now, Bimasakti successfully docked and landed at the Titan II space station.
"Crew, shut down all systems... End of simulation...," Commander's voice concluded the morning session. They all promptly followed Commander's orders, removing their helmets and nano-velcro. One by one, they left the simulator and gathered back in the briefing room to listen to Commander's final instructions.
"This morning's simulation went well. The actions taken during the simulation were appropriate. However, there are still some things that need to be corrected, especially regarding what happened in Saptonium Valley...," Commander said. He then looked at Gayatri.
"Lieutenant Gayatri, prepare for a repeat simulation of the Saptonium Valley session tomorrow," Commander said again.
"Understood, Commander," Gayatri replied with a troubled heart. She couldn't yet envision how she would be able to repeat it tomorrow.
"If you have any health issues, discuss them with Doctor Amalia immediately," Commander added.
"Understood, Commander," Gayatri replied again. Commander nodded. Then he looked at the others and began discussing some technical aspects of the simulation they had just completed. Gayatri felt somewhat relieved that Commander did not bring up the mistakes she had made in Saptonium Valley. She didn't pay much attention to the discussion at that moment because all she wanted was to go home and share what she had seen in Saptonium Valley with her mother. Eventually, Commander concluded the discussion, and everyone started to leave the briefing room. Gayatri wanted to meet Rizki right away to thank him for his help in Saptonium Valley earlier. However, she noticed Commander calling Rizki, so she postponed her desire and hurriedly left the briefing room as well.
In the room, only Commander and Rizki remained.
"Rizki, there's something I want to discuss with you," Commander initiated the conversation. Rizki nodded, ready to listen. Commander continued.
"I know that you are the closest person to Gayatri in our team since she is your copilot, and you two always have to work together."
"So, I want you to talk to her about the issues she faced in Saptonium Valley. Try to help her overcome her problems," Commander continued.
"Understood, Commander. Gayatri has never been like this before. As far as I know, this is the first time she has made a mistake during a task," Rizki replied.
"Indeed, and I know the cause," Commander said, looking at Rizki with a serious gaze. Rizki furrowed his brow, still not understanding what Commander knew.
"I will share confidential information with you, so it must not leave this room," Commander said, maintaining eye contact with Rizki.
"Understood, Commander," Rizki responded.
"In Gayatri's medical records, there is a note stating that she has experienced psychological trauma due to the loss of her father, and she still suffers from that trauma. She also has a phobia of Saptonium Valley, especially the place where her father fell. That's why she lost concentration when passing through the site where Antasena was destroyed. I deliberately ordered her to take control to test her in Saptonium Valley, and she failed," Commander revealed.
"I had no idea about this, Commander. Gaya has never talked about this issue before," Rizki said.
"This is confidential information, Riz. Not many people know about it. It's just that because she has shown exceptional performance during training and assignments, her weakness has been overlooked. That's why she has never been assigned to Titan before because we knew it could be problematic for her," Commander explained.
"So try to help Gayatri overcome her problem. Talk to her to strengthen herself again. Tomorrow she must successfully pass through Saptonium Valley, because if she still fails, the mission departure could be delayed," said Commander.
"Understood, Commander. I will meet her immediately. I will try to assist her," said Rizki.
"Thank you, Riz," said Commander.
"My pleasure, Commander," replied Rizki. Commander seemed ready to get up from his seat, but then he held back.
"Oh, by the way, Riz. I know you are quite close to Gayatri. But I don't know how close you are to her... I hope you both stick to the military service protocol," said Commander with a smile. Rizki understood what Commander meant. Two astronauts serving on the same mission are prohibited from having a romantic relationship. If that happens, one of them will be reassigned from the mission.
"There's nothing between us, Commander," Rizki answered, blushing slightly. Commander continued to smile.
"If someday there is something between you two, I will be one of the happiest people, but not as long as this mission is ongoing. Hold your relationship until this mission is over. You are my best pilots. I don't want to lose either of you in this mission," he said, still smiling. Commander's words made Rizki blush even more.
"There's nothing between us, Commander," he repeated, smiling shyly. Commander nodded, then stood up and left the room. Rizki also stood up and saluted. Now he was alone in the room. He continued to think about Commander's words. He pondered what he should do to help Gayatri because tomorrow Gayatri must not fail again in Saptonium Valley. He had to meet with Gayatri tonight.
Rizki left the briefing room and walked towards the officers' cafeteria. He hoped to find Gayatri there. He saw that most of the members of Team One were already there, taking a break. Team Two had gone to the simulator to begin their shift. In a quiet corner of the room, Rizki saw Gayatri and Dr. Amalia engaged in a conversation. Perhaps they were discussing Gayatri's psychological issues, he thought. He grabbed a cup of coffee and sat down, enjoying his coffee while waiting for Gayatri and Dr. Amalia to finish their conversation. Shortly after, he noticed that the conversation had ended. Gayatri approached him and sat down nearby.
"Riz, I want to thank you for your help earlier," she said.
"You're welcome... Maybe another time, you'll do the same for me," Rizki replied with a smile. Gayatri smiled in return.
"How was your talk with Doctor Amalia? I hope it went well," Rizki continued.
"Alhamdulillah, Doctor Amalia gave me a lot of advice. Hopefully, tomorrow I can correct my mistake," Gayatri said. Rizki tried to observe Gayatri's face and noticed a lingering sense of anxiety there.
"Gaya, it seems like you're exhausted and in need of rest... I want to take you out tonight to relax, so that you can be more relaxed tomorrow. How about it?" Rizki asked. Gayatri was somewhat surprised. She never expected Rizki's invitation. The two of them had become quite close after spending a year together in the Bimasakti spacecraft training. But this was the first time Rizki had asked her to go out just the two of them. She knew that Rizki always tried to maintain a certain distance from her due to the military service protocol. She admitted to herself that she felt comfortable with Rizki, and it was only the protocol that currently limited their interactions.
"Okay... Where are we going?" she asked.
"We'll have dinner at the Neptune restaurant... I'll pick you up at half-past seven," Rizki said, and Gayatri agreed.
Gayatri returned to her apartment immediately after work that evening. The day had felt long for her, and she was grateful to be back home. She performed the afternoon prayer and then reached for her UVA to contact her mother. She was eager to share her experiences of the day with her.
"Assalamualaikum, ma...," Gayatri greeted as her mother's virtual reality image appeared in front of her.
"Waalaikumussalam...," Mira, her mother, replied from the other side. Before Gayatri could say anything, her mother immediately asked.
"How was it in the simulator, Gaya?" Hearing the question, Gayatri fell silent for a moment. She seemed to have lost her words.
"I saw it, ma... I saw where papa was last...," she said, suddenly unable to hold back her tears as they streamed down uncontrollably. Her mother let out a long sigh.
"Gaya, mama is grateful that you finally had the courage to face it," Mira said. Gayatri remained silent, trying to calm her sobs. Of course, her mother didn't know that she couldn't truly face it. She had unintentionally seen the place where her father had fallen, despite her efforts not to look. But she didn't want to tell her mother about it.
"Yes, ma...," she responded briefly.
"I hope that from now on, you can find peace in papa's departure and make peace with yourself," Mira continued. She genuinely wished for her daughter to be free from the psychological trauma she had endured. Suddenly, Gayatri no longer felt the urge to discuss the incident in the simulator with her mother. She couldn't bear to disappoint her mother if she knew the truth.
"Yes, ma... Inshallah, ma... Please pray for me...," Gayatri said.
"Of course, Gaya... I always pray for you," Mira replied.
"Thank you, ma... Tomorrow, I still have to go to the simulator once again...," she added.
"Yes, Gaya, I hope everything goes smoothly tomorrow... In that case, you should get enough rest tonight...," her mother said.
"Yes, ma... But tonight, Rizki invited me out...." The words slipped out of her mouth unintentionally. Hearing that, Mira seemed slightly surprised. Her mind was still trying to grasp what was actually happening. Gayatri realized this and quickly provided an explanation.
"Rizki wants to discuss the preparations for tomorrow's simulation, to ensure that everything goes well, ma...," she continued, trying to dispel her mother's uncertainty. Unbeknownst to her, a blush appeared on her face. Mira smiled.
"Yes, Gaya... I hope everything goes smoothly... Give my regards to Rizki, okay?" she said, concluding their conversation.
"Yes, ma... I will convey your regards... Thank you, ma... Assalamualaikum," Gayatri ended.
"Waalaikumussalam...," Mira responded, and shortly after, her virtual image disappeared from Gayatri's view.