The Alpha Centauri Expedition

3. Palace of Awakening

"Ma'am, please pray for us," Gayatri said. Suddenly, a feeling of sadness arose in Aini's heart. The girl and her son would be going four light-years away. There was a sense of worry that she felt. No one knew for certain what would happen there. No one knew for certain if they would return.

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On Monday, June 17, 2458, 8:35 AM, at the Presidential Palace, Professor Handoyo and Aini walked towards the entrance for guests. The beautiful and majestic Palace stood not far ahead of them. The white Palace with its classical ornamental design and large screw-patterned pillars was truly amazing. The Presidential Palace and the city of Atlantis were inaugurated in the same year, 2302, 156 years ago. The founders of Atlantis named it the Palace of Awakening, to mark the awakening of the Indonesian nation. Three kilometers ahead, the Monument of Awakening stood tall. As they walked, Aini could admire the beauty of the monument from a distance. The nine curved shape gave it a magical aura, resembling that of a mystical heirloom keris. Despite having seen it many times, the uniqueness of the monument still filled her with wonder.

At the entrance, a queue of guests could be seen. In order to enter, everyone had to follow the security protocols. Several fully-armed security officers stood guard around the entrance. Deadly laser rifles hung from their shoulders. Bioscanners detected the identities of the guests one by one, allowing them to immediately identify anyone who was not registered. Each guest also had to pass through a scanner installed there. The scanner was connected to the officers' UVAs, enabling them to instantly know what items the guests were carrying. Professor Handoyo observed the security officers, and he recognized one of them as a type B android. It was difficult for an ordinary person to distinguish the android from a human. The only hint was that the android was the only officer not wearing a UVA and not carrying a weapon. The android was equipped with a bioscanner and various other sensors in its eyes and ears. Military androids were usually equipped with various weapons on their bodies as well. The presence of the android indicated the tight security measures at the Presidential Palace.

As Handoyo and Aini approached the entrance, the android suddenly looked towards him.

"Good morning, Professor Handoyo. Please enter," the android said abruptly. Handoyo nodded his head in its direction. He was someone who had an important position in STA, so the android recognized him immediately.

They were directed to a spacious meeting hall. The guests sat on the North side, while government officials and special invitees occupied the South side. The back seats were reserved for journalists. Professor Handoyo and Aini sat in the front row. In that section, the families and relatives of the crew members of the Bimasakti spacecraft were present. Some of them appeared to be foreigners, as there were two foreign members in the Alpha Centauri expedition team.

It was nine o'clock in the morning, which meant that the event would start in another hour. They sat back and patiently waited for the program to begin. Small tables appeared in front of their seats, adorned with refreshments and light snacks. Similar to the tables, the chairs they were sitting on emerged from the floor and could be retracted if the room needed to be cleared.

Aini helped herself to the provided snacks and, while enjoying them, she admired the beauty of the meeting hall. The hall was truly spacious, capable of accommodating 4000 guests when fully occupied. Beautiful crystal chandeliers adorned the ceiling, casting a shimmering glow. Various traditional ornaments and decorations from the archipelago adorned the walls. Moreover, the elegant combination of white and ivory yellow colors dominated the ceiling and walls, adding a touch of cultural richness and beauty to the surroundings. In the background, soft, melodic traditional music played, creating a serene and peaceful atmosphere for all who listened.