Mandalas

Two Sides of Story

Mia was lying on the bed inside the same nursery since 2 days ago. His consciousness has not returned. His mouth is still crammed with long tubes that help him to breathe. Several round stickers stuck to her chest, sending Mia's vital signs data directly to the large monitor attached to the wall. The wound on Mia's right arm was covered in a thick white bandage arranged in a circle.

              He sat watching his sister from behind the insulating glass in the room. He took a deep breath. Why don't you just be quiet in the dorm, Inner Maha.

              He knew Mia was idolizing him. Mia learned well from morning, afternoon, evening, and night to achieve the highest grades in class. He is active in various sports and science clubs to boost the rap score that is actually too high. Mia has been preparing herself since childhood to follow in Maha's footsteps, becoming a Mandala.

              Now seeing Mia lying unconscious like this made Maha's heart crumble. No one has been able to tell when Mia's consciousness will return. The infection from Lentipede had damaged several organs of Mia's body including the nervous system that regulates the level of consciousness. Only this time, after all this time, Maha felt so sad that crying was difficult to do. For a while, Maha just stared at her sister.

              The automatic white door in the room opened. Joke stood at the door in her white robe and surban, She carried a tablet in her right hand and 2 bottles of lemon soda in her left hand. Maha smiled and moved her head, hinting Joke to enter.

              “How are you guys?” Joke sat next to Maha. He had a tablet in his robe. Joke offered one bottle of soda to Maha and opened the other bottle to herself.

              “As usual,” Maha smiled and nodded. He opened his drink and straightened it quickly.

              “What's there progress?” joke said as she pointed at Mia from behind the glass.

              He shook his head and smiled wryly. “Nothing significant yet. Awareness is not back.”

              Joke nodded in understanding. “We'll see you this week. Hopefully there is a change,” said Joke while patting Maha's shoulder. Maha nodded. They sat facing the glass that divided the two

the room, quiet for a while.

              “You are very similar,” said Joke suddenly. “Sama-sama is stubborn.”

              Maha chuckles, “Indeed this family talent.” When Maha revealed the left arm of her white suit, she gently rubbed the t59 bracelet she was wearing. The projection of the digital clock appeared, still at 16:17.

              “Are you here to let me know that my shift time has arrived?” ask Maha.

              “Not, you're still resting for another 3 hours. I want to finish his friends' files.” Joke pointed at Mia. “My name is automatically in charge of Lenolea during treatment.”

              Remember, he hasn't visited Leno since yesterday. He asked, “How is Leno?”

              “According to the record, the child is still relatively stable,” Joke said without taking her eyes off.

              “Thank God,” says Maha. Joke stayed a while before answering Maha.

              “No, Maha,” says Joke suddenly. “It is strange that this child is relatively stable while your sister is lying on a ventilator, cardiogram, encephalogram, and there is no positive neural activity seen now.”

              Maha frowning, “You mean?”

              “Did you see what the boy did before Lentipede attacked Mia?” ask Joke.

              Maha shook her head, “I didn't pay much attention.”

              “The boy lunged at Lentipede from inside his body! He twisted my spear and tore the creature from within. Without protective gear,” exclaim Joke half yell. ”And she's fine.”

              “Lentipede it disappeared after the boy attacked it, without protective clothing, without face coverings, without training that could not possibly be, done, done, because that's when the animal touched your skin,

              “You will be the new host, or worse, die from a widespread infection in your blood,” Joke continued.

              I am contemplating the words of Joke. He hadn't thought about this before. If that's true, then there's something they don't know about Leno.

              “Again, Maha. I don't want to hurt you more deeply, but you should also know that Mia can't actually survive. With direct exposure of Lentipede and other newly formed wounds on his arm.” Joke looked at Maha with seriur

              “But this is what happened, your sister survived, and the child was not the slightest defect of the attack.”

              Maha rubbed her bald head with her palm. Even though the room was cold, his head felt full and hot.

              “Actually I thought of something else. I told Bon when they visited here,” Maha said.

              “About weirdness in these victims?” ask Joke

              “About the possibility that this is not a coincidence.”

              It was Joke's turn to be confused. He waited to explain.  “I know Mia should not be safe, this Lentipede is different from what we used to face before. They are like they do not come from nature,” said Maha again. His gaze flashed through the glass in front of him.

              “You mean? They didn't appear because of evolution?” ask Joke wonder.

              “The possibility still exists. But it could not be.” Turn his head towards Joke. “Someone may be behind all this.”

              Joke took a deep breath and shook her head. “Forming Lentipede is not like assembling a super computer, Maha. They're living creatures.”

              “But not entirely living beings. You also know there are properties of living things that Lentipede,” does not possess.

              “I mean.” Joke lifted her victim a little. “If there is a party that really plans, why do they do it? And more importantly, how?”

              “And who planned it,” said Maha.

              Joke shook her head again. “I have no opinion, Maha. This is too far from what we learned.”

              “Or maybe this is all beyond what we learned. Therefore we have no shadow whatsoever.”

              “Maybe,” said Joke. He took off his turban and rubbed his short hair. His head was hot like Maha.

              “I just think this is weird. Why are so many irregularities happening these days. You

must've felt it, too, Joke. That's why you said the strangeness you got yourself to me,” said Maha.

              Joke sighed again, “But we don't know anything.”

              “Not yet,” saut Maha. “We just don't know.”

              Little smiling joke. He knew Maha would not give up and stop before finishing something. This is what makes Joke always amazed with his good friends since long ago. Joke remembered something, “Have you discussed with Mn. Sito?”

              Supremely shook. “I haven't seen him again.”

              Joke shrugged her shoulders. “Maybe we should gather the five first to discuss this.” He took his eyes off the glass. “Much to do. I'm not sure we can get together

in no time.”

              Joke pat Maha's shoulder again, “We'll find a way. As usual,”

              The warmth began to envelop Maha. He felt better not being alone. Members of his team are friends of Maha since the initial level. Even Bon has been with Maha since school, 10 years ago. Many missions are related to the dangerous and fun Lentipede they have passed. “When we last collected ya?”

              “At Ayu's house, Prof's birthday party,” Joke replied. “The beginning of the week of the long holiday after from the affairs of the ambassador Mikrad is finished.”

              Maha remembers 1 week ago when they were invited to Ayu's house in Cemara, a luxury residential complex on the north side of Trikad. In addition to magnificent and amazingly beautiful, the design of the architect of the neighboring city of Heriad, the cool mountain temperatures make the four of them comfortable to visit there. Bon, who has been visiting Ayu's house a lot, teased Maha and two other friends for refusing to spend their long holiday there.

              “Iya, our first holiday being corroded because of this giant Lentipede,” said Joke. “If it's true that someone planned all this, I'll have him pay for the rest of our vacation.”

***

Kay parked her electric car on the 0th floor of Geduna. The unit changed watch hours 10 minutes ago. She took off her active unit uniform in the form of a white-and-white vest and denim suit and replaced it with a knee-length brown dress. Kay took a white robe from the front car seat and put on a robe

it's outside her dress. Kay glanced at her bracelet again, the incoming message said Prof. Said's waiting downstairs. Kay rushed to push the elevator button and got down to the floor - 1.

              Elevator capsule opening. Kay stepped out. A young woman greeted Kay from behind the information table on the right side. “Good afternoon, Moonasera Kayrina,” she said with a smile. Kay nodded to the female robot, “Sore, Hana.” Hana sat in her chair again, looking back at the elevator with artificial eyes that did not blink.

              Profs. Said was wearing the same grey LTK suit as earlier this morning sitting in the waiting room in the corner opposite Hana. Another young man was wearing a grey suit of the same color as Prof's suit. Said. He sat down next to Prof. Said wore flying lenses in both eyes and typed something on the tablet. Projections of artificial waterfalls are seen behind where they sit.

              The two of them looked up as Kay approached the chair where they were waiting. Both stand together. “Good afternoon, Professor. Sorry I'm a little late.” Profs. Said smiled and nodded somewhat awkwardly. “Ya.. it's okay.”

              Kay turned her gaze to the young man standing beside Prof. Said. “Oh, this is my assistant, Moonasera. Rosi. He'll help me.” Rosi was large in height with straight, shoulder-length black hair that was pigtailed the rest. He looked more like a bodyguard than an assistant professor of engineering and biomedicine. “Rosi, Nice to meet you.” he said as he reached out. Kay shook Rosi's hand formally,

“Moonasera Kay.”

              After they removed the handshake, Kay turned to Prof. Said. “I guess you'll send your men to do a tool check. I mean you yourself do not need to bother to intervene directly by coming here, right?”

              Profs. Said hesitated to answer. The man asked back, “Is Mn. Sito will come with you?”

              “No, myself, Prof. He must replace one of the main units on guard,” replied Kay.

              “Good. Can we talk in a safe place?” ask Prof. Said again. Kay was a bit surprised why Prof did not want to meet Mn. Sito. Kay also caught a different shot from Prof. “At a safe place? Don't we want to check the damage to our vests?” ask Kay to make sure.

              “Iya.iya correct,” said Prof. Said nervously. “But there is something I want to say before.”

              “Oh, alright,” Kay replied quickly. “We can go to the meeting room on the floor - 4. Come with me.”

              Kay leads Prof. Said and Rosi get into the capsule lift back. The awkward atmosphere inside the elevator did not last too long. The elevator quickly went down to 4 floors below the main floor.

              When the elevator doors opened, they passed by Joke who was waiting in front of the elevator door. Joke bowed her head slightly and saluted with a smile. “Good afternoon, Prof. Said and Kay.” Profs. Said smiled clumsily. Kay also smiled as she patted Joke on the shoulder. “Joke.”

              Joke patted Kay's shoulder back. When Joke was about to enter the elevator door, she saw Rosi next to Prof. Said. “Rosi?” ask Joke to make sure. Rosi raised her hand. “Hai, Joke.”

              Joke raised her chin to recognize Rosi. But before Rosi answered, Kay had already walked ahead of them. Rosi waved her hand and with a firm step chased after Prof. Said and Kay headed for the meeting room in the left corner of Gardnella's room.

              The meeting room has a predominance of white color like most rooms in Geduna. Not as big as the meeting room in the central building, measuring 3x4 meters with one glass-lined oval table in the middle of the room. Kay took a seat at the end of the table, followed by Prof. Said and Rosi then sat down to Kay's right.

              “So, Prof, what's the real thing you want to say?” Kay deliberately put emphasis on his sentence, he knew the arrival of Prof. Said to Geduna is not for checking tools.

              Profs. Said gulped. He looked at Kay with a doubtful look on his face. Then he said, “I'll say it directly, your tools are not damaged.”

              “No.” Profs. Said leaned his body a little. “I can't trust anyone, including the Greeta you met this morning. LTK has changed and filled people who are not me

like.”

              Kay caught a hint of fear in the tone of this old man. He listened carefully. Profs. Said turned to Rosi on the right. Rosi nodded then he knocked on the tablet that was in front of her.

              A projection of the city exactly as displayed at the time of the meeting this morning appeared before them. Blue dots and some red dots can be seen moving concentrating on the 4 main gates. Rosi rubbed her tablet again, adding small towers to the city's projections. The towers had peaks that flickered and emitted black waves that encompassed an entire area

town.

              “This is a live broadcast of internet transmitters and radio waves spread all over the city. Everything seems to be going well here.

              “Except around some residential residents and across the main gate.” Kay noticed that some of the towers did not appear to flash in the southwest and north, many more were not lit around the FIGHTERR.

              “There is still a network interference around FIGHTR. You said this because of excessive use by students and parents,” Kay said. Profs. Said nodded. “Yes, repairs are still being done until now. But that's not what I want to show you.”

              Profs. Said turned back to Rosi. Rosi rubbed her tablet again, the city's projections changed. There were no blue and red dots scattered in the gates. The small towers still exist and emit black waves covering the entire city, except for the FIGHTERS area. Only a very small amount of the Tower blinked and emitted a small black wave.

              “This is a city network recording on the day of the Lentipede attack on FIGHTR. Did you see the difference?”

              Kay observed a lot of network transmitters that were not working, some completely dead. He nodded. Profs. Said looked at Rosi again. Rosi rubbed her tablet, now all. The towers around the FIGHTER were dead. One tower emits a weak signal once in the western area of FIGHTERR. “All

transmitter in the area of FIGHTERR die?” asked Kay in surprise. Profs. Said nodded, “Only transmitters in FIGHTERR die.”

              “So it's only natural that you can't communicate once you get in there.” Kay shook her head in confusion. “But, this morning you said no damage to the network in the center on that day?”

              “Because there is no damage,” said Prof. Said. “Someone deliberately turned off the entire Transmitter Tower in FIGHTR on that day.”

              Kay was surprised to hear Prof's statement. Said. “Someone? Who?”

              “Sadly we have not managed to track who turned off the transmitter, because this data has also been discarded to its backup storage. Anyone who has done it has

successfully cover this well.”

              “This is the only recording that my assistant managed to get from the sub-backup data before it was automatically deleted from our server.”

              Kay tries to digest this new information slowly. If true like this, it means that all Lentipede attacks can be intentional. But who?

              “Is there no clue who can control the towers? I'm sure not everyone can easily have that access.”

              “Of course not everyone, even the LTK board itself can not do that. Including me,” said Prof. Jery. He seemed to hesitate for a moment. “Only Neena can have access to enter the control panel of the transmitter tower.”

              “For that reason, Moonasera,” Prof. Said sounded more nervous, “I couldn't say this at the meeting earlier. There are so many parties that I suspect to be the culprit, including in LTK.”

              Kay recalled the Greeta she had met this morning. “Bu Greeta is also one of them?”

              “Sure, I strongly suspect him. Especially when Neena let her take over the meeting by making us all believe there was no tissue damage that night. In fact

intersect.”

              “Pardon me but what I have arrested is you indirectly accused Neena in making this attack?”

              “Ya,” said Prof. Said. “That's what I mean.”

              “This is a serious accusation, Prof.”

              “And no.. makes sense. I mean.. Why would he attack his own people? And how does he control that thing? How did he make that giant Lentipede?!”

              “We don't know for sure. But there is one more thing you need to know.”

              “Lentipede samples from the outbreak 12 years ago have been stolen. All my research data, computational records, and biomolecular descriptions of these creatures are gone. Deleted to his backup data.”

              “So, you suspect this perpetrator also took your calculation data? You need that data to make an estimate of the next attack pattern right?”

              Profs. Said nafa's. “True, but unfortunately not just that.”

              “We actually, have developed a research to combine certain genetic codes that can, on purpose, create a hostless Lentipede, project: Anti-Lent”

              Rosi replaced the city's projections with new images. A large Lentipede hologram almost filled the oval table in the room. Multiple algorithms and criss-crossed DNA chains run under a Lentipede hologram that twists in place.

              “Only this is the remaining data.”

              “Inter,” says Kay interrupts.  “So LTK has developed how to make Lentipede? Why haven't we heard from you?”

              “Because this research is not perfect. We.. do not want to develop these creatures intentionally, we want to examine their mutase patterns so that outbreaks or subsequent attacks can be prevented,” Prof said. Said.

              “But, it just seems like you want to develop it on purpose,” Kay said suspiciously.

              “You can say whatever you want about us, but the point of that research is now mostly gone,” interrupted Prof. Said. “What I want to emphasize is that someone has successfully developed Lentipede in a short time and set up this attack.

              “This is no coincidence, Moonasera. You can see that even if you don't believe me

fully.”

              “And you accuse Neena of being behind all this?” kay asked increasingly suspicious.

              “I can say maybe. Everything is still a possibility. Or it could be the person closest to Neena, who has a certain motive, who could use her access to plan an attack with this Lentipede.”

              “I can't say anything, Prof. It's all outside my field. We had been only asked to fight against the creature, take care of their victims, hunt down those still seen around the island.” Kay paused for a while because she was at a loss for words. “But now you say that Trikad, under his own nose, developed research to make the animal?”

              “What makes you sure I believe in all that? And. and.. why should I? I'm not even a top leader, not a main unit, not making a meaningful difference to whether I am

knowing this or not. I Can't even help you if everything you say is true,” Kay added. He was distressed by all this new information.

              “Of course you can help me. You are not one of the people I suspect, far from the politics of the city and the conspiracy of the movement that recently shocked the city as you heard at the meeting,” Prof. Said.

              “I feel there must be a Mandala party who heard this information. I can't trust anyone outside this room. I need you to keep the facts I know. And if possible, share it with those who can help us solve this problem. I believe this attack was just the beginning. We don't know yet where all this is going and what their main goal is,” Prof said. Said tried to convince.

              “Even we don't know who they are yet,” Kay said a little slowly.

              “Therefore we must find out. And it's easier to select who we should trust than to assume who our main enemy is,” Prof said. Said.

              Kay shook her head, “I can't promise you much. Maybe I better tell this to Mn. Sito.”

              “Of course. If indeed you think it is the best,” said Prof. Said in peace.

              “You don't suspect him? Then why don't you talk to him directly?” kay asked confused.

              “I'm just on guard. Do you know Mn. Sito has a history with our Neena now?”

              Kay shakes back. “It's just an old story. Mn. Sito won't betray just because of his heart.”

              “Who can guarantee?” ask Prof. Said. “But, if you think Mn. Sito should know, I leave that choice to you. I share this information at the risk that this information is no longer mine. So if the next information owner wants to share it with others he trusts,” Prof. Said sighed, “I'll accept.”

              Silence was created between the three of them. Kay struggled with her thoughts, trying to digest them,

weigh up, and decide what he should do with this information. Profs. Said fluttered in his place quietly, waiting for the response of the Mandala before him. Rosi sat in the corner of the table watching the two of them, occasionally typing something on the tablet he was carrying.

              Then Kay opened the voice, “Why do you trust me so much?”

              “Because I trust Mandala, how do you think, act, choose a decision, how do you treat, how do you, and promote the safety of other human beings and ways to defend their wholeness.

              “I trust Mandala who is still untouched by city politics and other interests that can refract your thoughts and hearts in making decisions.

              “At least that's what I got from my late wife.” Connect Prof. Said.

              “Because of that, I believe in you. If you think Mn. Sito should know it, then do it.”

              “But if not, please consider carefully. I don't know where the end of this attack is yet,

but three victims falling in two days could be the start of something more dangerous, in other words, could be a threat to the city's citizens and the people themselves.”. Said seriously.

              “I know you understand my words. And believe me, I do not understand more than you about the current situation. That's why we have to act. Of course with caution, because it is possible, they will attack again tonight.”

              “Aren't we better report to Reppe? They have authority for criminal cases and other crimes,” Kay proposed.

              “Come, Son. Seeing one of his high-ranking earlier made me unsure of that choice.” said Prof. Said. “Or could have, but we need to gather evidence and more heads to formulate this suspicion.”

              Kay pondered everything. His head was full as if he wanted to explode. Kay needs help.

              They need help.

              “Professor, we obviously can't move on our own,” Kay said.

              “Of course.”

              “I'll ask someone for help.”