The Alpha Centauri Expedition

22. Epilogue: The Return of Bimasakti

Their unparalleled adventure and love story had become a topic of endless conversation worldwide. Their story was like a legend passed down from mouth to mouth, like a fictional tale found only in imagination.

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Atlantis, Sunday, July 13, 2459. It had been one week since Bimasakti returned to Earth. The excitement and euphoria of the world's people over the return of Bimasakti had not yet subsided. For several days after Bimasakti landed back at the B. J. Habibie space base, the world was captivated by the welcoming of the spacecraft's crew. The whole world cheered for them, and for one week, the media worldwide had been flooded with stories about their adventure in Alpha Centauri. Countless photos and videos of the beautiful natural scenery along the Proxima Centauri b's oasis belt circulated in the mass media and social media. The beauty of the oasis belt enchanted the global community and sparked their dreams of visiting and living there.

After undergoing a one-day quarantine, the Bimasakti crew still couldn't rest. During the first week, they had to serve a series of interviews with the mass media and attend various events organized by the public. Each face of the Bimasakti crew had become the most recognized face in the whole world. They had their own stories about their experiences in Alpha Centauri, and they had all become new idols of the world.

However, the most phenomenal figures were Rizki and Gayatri. Their unparalleled adventure and love story had become a topic of endless conversation worldwide. Their story was like a legend passed down from mouth to mouth, like a fictional tale found only in imagination. Rizki and Gayatri had become legendary space heroes, like a pair of mighty warriors in an ancient saga. Their love story, leading to their marriage in Bimasakti, was unparalleled and had become the most romantic tale that captivated their fans and evoked deep emotions.

After their wedding in Bimasakti, Gayatri cared for Rizki with all her love. The power of their love became an irreplaceable source of strength for Rizki, enabling him to recover faster than AIMED's estimates. In fact, during the last two months of their journey back to Earth, Rizki and Gayatri were able to resume their duties on the bridge. The Space Force granted dispensation for their marriage conducted inside Bimasakti and regarded it as an exception made in an emergency situation.

The news of Rizki and Gayatri's wedding in Bimasakti reached their parents as Bimasakti entered the Solar System, and the quantum radio channels connected with Earth. The news surprised them, but also filled them with great joy. After hearing about it, Rizki and Gayatri's parents met and planned a wedding reception for them one week after their arrival, on Sunday, July 13, 2459. On that day, their grand wedding reception took place, attended by high-ranking officials of the Space Force and the government. The mass media from all over the world covered the event, making it one of the most reported wedding receptions in the world.

Upon returning to Earth, Rizki and Gayatri had not had the chance to be together again as they went back to their respective parents' homes and were occupied with endless media events. After the wedding reception, they finally had the opportunity to return to their own apartment, and that evening they decided to go to Gayatri's place. As their anti-G car landed on the apartment balcony, the call to night prayer echoed one after another from the mosques in Atlantis.

"Gaya, I'll go to the mosque first for night prayer...," Rizki said as they entered the apartment. Gayatri nodded.

"I'll prepare dinner for us," she said.

"Okay...," Rizki agreed and left to go to the mosque. Gayatri quickly cleaned herself up and performed the night prayer in her room. Afterward, she eagerly headed to the replicator to prepare their first dinner as a married couple. Shortly after the dinner was served, the apartment door opened.

"Assalamualaikum...," Rizki greeted as he stepped in.

"Waalaikumussalam...," Gayatri replied. When Rizki entered and looked at Gayatri, his steps stopped. He was mesmerized and stared at Gayatri without blinking. Gayatri looked back at him, puzzled.

"What's wrong, Riz?" she asked curiously. Rizki seemed speechless.

"This is the first time I see you without the hijab," Rizki finally said. Gayatri then realized it was the first time she had taken off her hijab in front of Rizki. Even during their marriage on Bimasakti, Gayatri had never removed her hijab in front of him because they agreed to maintain their pre-marriage behavior while on duty. And now, for the first time, Rizki could see her face without the hijab and her flowing black hair.

"Why? Am I ugly?" she asked hesitantly.

"You look like an angel," Rizki replied.

"Oh, come on, that's just sweet talk...," Gayatri said, laughing. Her innocence made her unaware that those words were actually Rizki's true feelings that he sincerely expressed.

That night, they enjoyed their first dinner together as husband and wife in their own home. Afterward, Rizki invited Gayatri to sit on the apartment balcony and enjoy the clear night of Atlantis. The almost full Moon adorned the sky. They sat side by side, gazing at the sky sprinkled with stars. Gayatri rested her head on Rizki's shoulder, and their hands held each other. They remained silent, savoring the serenity of the night, not wanting it to end. The boundless night sky they gazed at would soon become the setting for their new adventures. But Gayatri didn't want to think about it. She just wanted to cherish that moment with Rizki and make it an unforgettable night. When the night grew late, Gayatri rose from her seat, then she took Rizki's hand and led him into their bridal chamber.