Page 14 of Galactic Sentinels, Vol. 1 (Chronicles of Pherebos #1)

I nod slowly, but inside, I’m not shocked for the reasons he thinks.

I’ve had serious doubts about the Confederation’s so-called flawless integration process for a long time.

I know firsthand how porous their filters are—especially since I’ve been tracking someone who runs an entire underground network for the Coalition.

But I’m not about to bring that up. Not here. Not yet .

I raise an eyebrow, inviting Isaac to continue.

“It’s a drama of passion, like I said. The governor’s companion—she’s completely lost it.”

At those words, my attention sharpens. He’s talking about Ileana. I feel it deep in my core.

“What happened?” I ask, trying to keep my voice steady.

“Oh, she was a lovely young woman. I never would’ve guessed.

Always so devoted to her sister. But apparently, she was having an affair with one of the guards.

I mean, I get it—the governor’s much older than she is.

She was probably drawn to the guard’s youth.

Still, it shows a serious lack of maturity and judgment. It’s a real shame.”

I’m stunned. Ileana… cheated? And now she’s suspected of murder?

Isaac looks genuinely sorry, like he’s mourning the whole situation. And I want to believe him. But the truth is—I barely know her. I spent maybe a minute in her presence. And yet, I can’t shake the feeling that something’s not right.

Am I cursed? Why would the Waves tie me to someone like her? Is this some kind of punishment—for turning my back on my people back on Asgarne?

“ Stop stressing out like that! ” Wingo scolds me. “ You don’t know the whole story yet. Don’t jump to conclusions. ”

I nod slightly, then turn back to Isaac. “So?” I ask, urging him to continue.

“Well, Ileana—that’s her name—had a younger lover. A guard who often helped her care for her sick sister. But two nights ago, she found out he was also having an affair… with her sister. She snapped. Killed them both. Then ran off into the forest.”

I stop in my tracks, staring at him, stunned.

“You’re telling me she killed her sister?”

“Yes. It’s a terrible tragedy. Completely incomprehensible. Like I said—she lost her mind. Love makes people do crazy things,” he concludes, shaking his head.

“ If you ask me, it’s bullshit, ” Wingo mutters.

“You always give it to me straight, whether I want it or not,” I reply. “ But yeah… I agree with you on this one. I just don’t believe she’d do something like that. I hope she wouldn’t.”

Isaac leads us through a large wooden archway. Beyond it stands a tall composite building—classic Confederation architecture.

As Isaac moves his hand toward the scanner to open the door, I stop him.

“Isaac? You said this woman killed two people… but where is she now?”

“No one knows. She ran when the governor caught her with a weapon. Took off into the wilderness—an area that’s still untamed.

With the nighttime temperatures out there, it’s unlikely she’ll survive.

Honestly, it might be for the best. Can you imagine what the governor would do if she were found?

The poor guy’s already a wreck. I can’t imagine how he’d handle having to decide the fate of the woman he loves. ”

My heart sinks. My Soulmate is out there, alone, in the wild. And she’s not trained for survival .

Wingo, who’s clearly picked up on my rising anxiety, speaks up in my mind.

“We’ll find her. ASAP!”

Following Isaac, I step into a fairly spacious room with a wide view of vibrant, colorful gardens. A woman in her forties sits at a console, which she quickly powers down the moment she sees me enter.

“You must be Pherebos,” she says, rising to her feet. “I’m Hilda, the governor’s assistant.”

She looks… composed. Her brown hair is pulled back into a tight bun at the nape of her neck, and her large, luminous blue eyes soften her otherwise sharp features.

“Pleased to meet you. I’m Pherebos,” I reply. “And this is Wingo—my partner in space exploration.”

“Yes, I read that,” she says, without even glancing at him. “What species is he?”

“Well, Wingo is… a Wingo,” I say, gesturing toward him. Not that she seems to care.

“ I don’t like her, ” Wingo mutters, clearly unimpressed by being ignored.

Rhoo… not this again.

“ I know you hate being invisible, but remember—it’s our secret weapon. ”

“ Still don’t like it. ”

“ Got it .”

“Hey, I see here you’re listed as some kind of envoy for Akifumi?” my conversation partner says, eyes still glued to her tablet.

“Sort of, yeah,” I reply casually .

“What do you mean by that?” she asks, finally looking up and meeting my gaze.

“He owed me a favor,” I say with a shrug. “So he assigned me this mission. I’ve been traveling the galaxy for the past four years, gathering intel and sharing what I find. I focus mostly on planets that are likely to be terraformed in the future.”

It’s the usual script. I make it clear I’m in contact with Akifumi—easy enough to verify. But I also frame myself as someone he might want to send far away to settle a debt. After all, who’d willingly take on the job of combing through every corner of the galaxy?

“I see. That’s… a noble task,” she says, though her tone suggests she thinks it sounds like a nightmare. “And what brings you to Jaga-18?”

“Just here to fix a few things and restock on non-perishables. I’m running low on dehydrated milk, powdered eggs, and a few other essentials. Not exactly easy to find a decent grocery store out here.”

“Of course! You’re welcome to stay as long as you need,” Hilda says warmly. “Just let Isaac know what you’re looking for, and he’ll make sure it’s delivered straight to your ship. Do you need anything else?”

I glance out the window. Beyond the gardens and residential buildings, I see the edge of the forest—lush, dense, and untamed. That’s where Ileana is hiding. I feel it.

“To be honest, I don’t need much,” I reply. “Wingo and I are used to being on our own. We tend to avoid crowds. What we really need is wilderness. If it’s not too much trouble, I’d like to move my ship to a secluded clearing. That way, Wingo can stretch his legs while I work on repairs.”

“ And maybe, just maybe, we can quietly begin our search for the girl. ”

“Oh, I get it!” Hilda nods. “You’re free to set up anywhere outside the residential zones. Your… uh… companion can hunt, though there aren’t many species here. Mostly birds and insects.”

“ Rhoo, insects! ” Wingo exclaims. “ My trunk is watering already! Finally, something alive to eat! ”

I smile. Insects and berries for him, wild fruit for me. It’ll be perfect.

“Thank you,” I say sincerely.

“Are you sure you won’t join us this evening?” she asks. “The Governor’s out of town on a personal matter, but I’m sure he’d be thrilled to meet you.”

“I appreciate the offer, but like I said—I’d rather find a quiet spot with Wingo. I don’t plan to stay long.”

“What a shame,” she sighs. Then turns to Isaac. “Make sure our guest gets everything he needs.”

Hilda and I step outside—and wouldn’t you know it, we run right into the governor.

“Hey, Henri, you’re back!” Hilda says brightly. “Let me introduce you to Pherebos, an emissary of Akifumi, just passing through Jaga-18 for a few days.”

“Hello!” he says, turning to me. That face… those eyes. Something about you feels familiar. “Have we met before? ”

“Yeah,” I reply. “I stopped by briefly at the celebration for your appointment as governor. I think it was on BN-30.”

“BN-35,” he corrects instantly. “I was still an administrator back then, before I got assigned here. I remember speaking with you—briefly.”

“Right. I just dropped in to grab some fruit before heading out again.”

“Pherebos was just telling me how much he prefers solitude to crowds,” Hilda adds. “He even turned down my invitation to join us tonight.”

Henri’s expression shifts. His face falls, just slightly—like something inside him deflates.

“Well, to be honest, the mood at tonight’s buffet won’t be very festive,” he says. “The boy’s right—he’s better off alone than surrounded by mourners. We just lost two respected members of our community… including my partner’s sister. I’m not really in the mood for conversation.”

“ Lies! ” Wingo says sharply in my mind. “ He’s not grieving. He feels fine. ”

“You sure about that?” I ask silently.

“ I’m telling you—this guy isn’t who he says he is. ”

I take his warning seriously.I’ll keep an eye on him.

As I’m about to leave, Hilda gives me a final reminder.

“Pherebos, don’t forget to pass through the checkpoint again before you leave! We always log who enters and exits the colony.”

“Of course,” I reply with a nod .

I give them both a polite farewell and head back toward the SIL, accompanied by Wingo and Isaac—who’s already busy compiling a list of the supplies I requested.

The delivery and loading go surprisingly fast, which I’m more than happy about. The sooner we’re ready, the sooner I can start looking for Ileana.

Once we’re back on board and the usual system checks are complete, I turn to Wingo.

“So… any idea how we’re supposed to find a young woman on the run, on a planet we barely know?

Well, if she left two days ago, she can’t have gone far—especially if she’s not used to surviving in the wild.

That limits our search radius to maybe fifty kilometers, tops. But how do we actually find her?”

“Easy,” Wingo says. “ Just ask your Wingo!”

“Isn’t that what I just did?”

“Ah, right! What I meant was—ask me where she is. And maybe explain why we’re suddenly chasing after a girl you claimed not to remember.”

“Stop nitpicking and just tell me how to find her!”

“ Follow the link!” he says confidently, pointing his trunk toward a slightly mountainous area about twelve miles away.