Page 30 of Galactic Sentinels, Vol. 1 (Chronicles of Pherebos #1)

Pherebos.

I’ve been poring over the schematics SILMAR sent back ever since we entered Vagantu space. We’ve been trailing Rick and Nick’s ship, and for the past two days, we’ve been stuck waiting for access clearance.

‘’You’re thinking of swimming away from the main island?’’Wingo asks me, his voice echoing in my mind.

“Can you think of a better option?’’I shoot back.“That island’s crawling with life. If the auction’s happening anywhere, it’s there. We need to figure out how to get in. ”

‘’You’re probably right,’’ he concedes.

There are a few entry points, a few exits. But I need to know every inch of that site before we move. I hate going in blind. It’s reckless. And right now, I can’t afford to make a single mistake.

“Incoming message from Vagantu,”SILMAR announces.

So, this is it. The moment’s finally here.

I settle into my command chair and accept the call. A visual pops up on the right side of my screen—a Srebat, unmistakable with his long muzzle and dark fur.

“Greetings. I’m Noviosk, head of Vagantu,”he says.

The head of this whole trafficking operation. What an honor.

“Hey, Noviosk. I’m Pherebos.”

“I know who you are,”he replies without missing a beat.“You’re Asgarnian. The only one known to date.”

I stay silent. Let him make the next move. I’m not giving him more than I have to.

“I understand two of our associates took it upon themselves to escort you here,”he continues.“Frankly, I’m not thrilled. You haven’t proven yourself yet, and their judgment… isn’t exactly top-tier.”

"I don’t like this one, but at least he’s got a clear read on the two guys who brought us to him," Wingo comments.

“Yeah, I’m with you on that,” I reply. “I usually don’t trust Srebat. They’re cold and calculating—less so than the Penubians, I’ll give you that—but still.”

“How long have you been in the trade?”he asks, narrowing his eyes .

“Four years,” I say calmly. “Didn’t realize there was a minimum time requirement to get an invite.”

“What’s your angle, then?”

“I’m not into big ops,” I say with a shrug. “I track down old Confederation wrecks and strip them for parts. Nothing flashy, but it pays.”

“With your potential, why haven’t you branched out?”he asks, raising a brow—though it’s hard to tell under all that fur.

“It’s not laziness,” I say. “I just like to save my energy for the things that matter.”

“Hmm. A shame,”he says.“You could do a lot more with your unique Asgarnian status.”

He starts probing again—asking about my homeworld, my origins. I let him talk. I’m not biting. Let him wonder.

After a long silence—he’s probably sizing me up—he finally speaks again.

“What brings you here?”he asks.“And what do you have to buy or sell?”

“I’m just looking for some company,” I say, keeping my tone casual. “Hoping to find a woman… a Human, if possible. I want to choose for myself. I’ve got the cash.”

“And what do you have to offer?”he presses.“Let me be clear—ship parts won’t cut it here. Your usual tricks won’t work this time.”

“Looks like he’s already done his homework on you,” Wingo notes dryly .

I hesitate. ‘’I might have some of the latest Confed tech schematics.’’

It’s a gamble, but I’ve got a hunch.

“You think he knows who’s leaking those plans to the Coalition?” Wingo wonders aloud.

“I’m afraid I’m already in contact with someone who can supply me with that kind of material,”Noviosk replies, flashing a cold, predatory smile.“If you don’t have anything better, I’ll have to deny your request to access the auction.”

“I’ve also got Asgarnian weapons,” I add. “Double-bladed daggers.”

Even through his stoic demeanor, I see his eyes light up.

“You have Asgarnian weapons…”

“That’s what I said.”

“He’s definitely interested,” Wingo observes, wisely staying out of frame to avoid drawing attention from the traffickers.

Noviosk dives into a tablet and ignores me for a while. I’m not sure what to make of it. The conversation isn’t over, and no decision’s been made yet. But I can feel it in my gut—my Dedicated Soul is here. I have to go through with this sale.

After a few moments, the Vagantu chief looks up, his expression tight and suspicious.

“It says here you were kidnapped on Asgarne. That you killed your captor and took his ship nearly four years ago. Impressive—taking down your abductor and stepping into his place, even within our organization. But it also says you’ve been claiming not to know where your home planet is.

So tell me—how’d you end up with Asgarnian weapons? ”

I keep my voice calm. “Simple. I found it recently. No idea how I stumbled across it. But that’s how it goes sometimes.”

Noviosk suddenly bolts upright, eyes gleaming.“So you’ve got the coordinates to Asgarne?”

“Look at this junk dealer,” Wingo mutters. “He’s practically drooling at the thought of being the first to strip a new world.”

“That’s not happening,” I snap back. “I’d die before I betray my own.”

I glance at Noviosk and casually brush off my sleeve. The balance of power has shifted. I’ve got something he wants—badly. More than just the weapons I brought for trade.

“The price for access to the sale will be Asgarne’s coordinates,”he declares, trying to sound commanding.

I can’t help but laugh.

“You’re out of your mind if you think I’d hand those over for a seat at your auction. I’m not even sure your market has what I’m looking for.”

Noviosk stiffens, his eyes flashing with anger. Is he actually drooling? Wow. Did I hit a nerve?

“Are you turning down my offer?”he asks, clearly offended.

“Hey, Noviosk, I followed those two clowns who promised me a sweet deal. No one said I’d have to negotiate with a Coalition boss or pay a premium just to browse. So let’s drop it. No woman is worth that price. I’ll go my own way. Too bad for the va—”

“Enough!”he barks, suddenly looking like he swallowed a lemon.

“I’ll send you the full list of women for sale.

You’ll come to Vagantu aboard Rick and Nick’s ship.

I don’t want your vessel anywhere near here.

If you win the auction for the female you choose, you’ll pay me with Asgarne’s coordinates—and the sellers with your Asgarnian weapons.

You’ll leave with the brothers. They’ll drop you back at your ship.

That’s the deal. I strongly suggest you find a girl you like,”he adds, voice low and threatening.

“It’s a deal,” I say, ending this twisted conversation before it gets any worse.

Dejected, I slump back in my chair. This is going to be a tight game. And I’d better be right—Ileana has to be here.

A small proboscis gently nudges under my hand, lifting it just enough for a soft scratch between the ears.

“Don’t worry, Pherebos. We’ll find her,” my four-legged friend says, trying to comfort me.

“Still no link?”I ask, my voice flat.

“No more than an hour ago. No more than yesterday. We’re too far from the surface—and from where we think the auction’s happening.”

“Damn it. This isn’t looking good. And now he wants me to go to Vagantu without the SIL.”

“That’s not so bad,” Wingo says, puffing up a little. “I’ll stay on board. They don’t know I’m here, and they have no idea what I’m capable of. I’ll stay and handle the rescue op! ”

I stare at him, completely baffled.

“Wingo… you know your communication skills are limited, right? How exactly are you going to help me?”

“Let’s just pretend you didn’t say that,” he snaps, clearly offended.

“Incoming file,”SILMAR announces, cutting through the tension.

I rush to the console. Noviosk’s file has arrived.

A list of nearly two hundred beings for sale fills the screen.

I immediately filter to Human females . They’re ranked by value—and no surprise—Ileana is at the top.

My chest tightens. My head burns with rage.

In the photo, she’s tied up, arms raised above her head, completely exposed.

My Dedicated Soul—pale, ashamed—has her eyes lowered.

A Penubian stands beside her, whispering something in her ear with a twisted grin.

Whatever he’s saying, it’s upsetting her.

She looks up at the camera, her beautiful gray eyes filled with pain. Tears streak down her cheeks.

I memorize the Penubian’s face. I won’t forget it. And if I get the chance, he’s going to pay for what he’s done to her.

“She’s alive,” Wingo says gently. “She looks unharmed. Don’t worry—we’ll get her out.”

I let the emotion wash over me for a moment. Then I pull myself together.

I need a plan. I need to think. And I need to get us all out of here—alive .

First, I start organizing my thoughts. I list all the confirmed data, then the assumptions, and finally the possible options—with estimated success rates.

“Just like that!” Wingo says.

I glance at him, puzzled. I haven’t said a word in minutes.

“Your aura was all over the place—pain, confusion. Then it settled. Got structured. That’s how we’ll make it through this. We just need to stay sharp and make the right calls.”

“Okay, then help me recap what we know.”

Wingo nods. “Ileana’s on Vagantu. That’s confirmed.”

‘’Yeah, but where exactly? That big island we flagged earlier? Or somewhere else?’’I ask.‘’SILMAR, run another scan. Try to give us a population density estimate by zone’’

‘’Here’s the map!’’she replies.‘’You’ve already identified the main island—there are over two thousand people there, but I can’t be more precise.

There are also a few isolated islets, about five to six miles out.

I can’t detect the ones that are just a few inches below the surface.

Much farther out, around 185 miles away, there’s a small island with about fifty people clustered together.

The rest of the planet is just scattered islets and open water. ’’

I study the map, trying to think like Noviosk. What would someone like him set up to manage both slave trafficking and secret dealings with a Confederation traitor?

Then it hits me—something Noviosk said earlier.

“Wingo, if you were one of the top smugglers in the sector, dealing with both slave traders and a traitor leaking tech plans, would you host both operations in the same place?”

“Absolutely not. Too risky. What if the traitor got recognized?”

“Exactly. But if you felt untouchable, you’d keep them close—just nottooclose. A few hundred miles would seem more than enough to keep everything under control from a distance. The big island’s probably where the slaves, sellers, buyers, and guards are.”

“And the smaller island with fifty people?” Wingo continues. “That’s where he meets the traitor.”

“Right. Noviosk’s private base. His guards, his staff. And the traitor. He turned down my offer for tech plans, said he already had a supplier. Besides me, only a Confederation officer could provide that kind of intel.”

“Makes sense,” Wingo agrees. “But we’ve got a problem. We can’t handle Ileana’s rescue and the traitor investigation at the same time.”

“I know,” I say quietly. “But we might not have a choice. SILMAR, could you show me the list of slaves again?” I ask. “Maybe their origins will give us some clues.”

For the next twenty minutes, Wingo and I scroll through the files—page after page of people who lost everything just for being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

“Look at that!” Wingo points to the screen. “Looks like several colonists arrived in one batch. All from BN-35, headed for—”

“Jaga-18!” I cut in. “You got it, Wingo. That convoy vanished mid-transfer three weeks ago… and now th ey’re here. Too bad the sellers are only listed by number. No names.”

“Wait, wait—look further down. Same thing happened to a convoy going from BN-35 to Jaga-16. Someone on BN-35 knows about this traffic.”

“Or we’re dealing with two people—one on Jaga-16, one on Jaga-18. Either way, someone high up is in on the transfers. And it’s not even the same seller ID for both.”

“Ah-ha! Admit it—you’d love it if the governor of Jaga-18, the one who framed Ileana, turned out to be the guy we’ve been chasing for months. The one leaking tech plans to the Coalition.”

“Obviously. We already know Henri’s bad news. My suspicions have been on him for a while. The Intergalactic Confederation is supposed to be made up of good people—peacekeepers, following the Polarian legacy. Finding a traitor in the middle of that? It’s disgusting. I just hope he’s the exception.”

“Didn’t Akifumi mention some old Terran sage? ‘Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely,’ right?”

“Doesn’t make it any less sad,” I mutter.

“I’ll try to reach Akifumi. If he’s heard the rumors about this slave sale, he’s probably already got a task force on standby.

We just need to send him the coordinates now that we have them.

I’ll ask him to hold off until I’ve got Ileana out.

And I’ll let him know our two missions are about to converge. ”

“Then let’s get to work!” Wingo says, his tone sharp and ready.