Page 32 of Galactic Sentinels, Vol. 1 (Chronicles of Pherebos #1)

Pherebos.

This is it. The plan’s in place—well, everything except for the inevitable chaos that’s bound to hit the moment things go live.

Akifumi’s task force is expected to arrive in the sector within two days.

He’s promised to wait for my signal before launching the assault.

Their goal is to rescue as many slaves as possible, but we both know how these things go.

There’s always collateral damage. And Ileana? She’s not going to be one of them.

Wingo’s staying aboard the SIL to coordinate.

Turns out his idea wasn’t so far-fetched after all.

We’ve pre-programmed a series of actions into SILMAR that Wingo can trigger using his trunk—simple gestures, but enough to relay a signal from me to Akifumi.

Everything’s calibrated so he can act as a fully autonomous relay between the task force and me.

Staying connected—that’s going to be our biggest challenge. Our telepathic link only reaches about two hundred miles. We’ve got a plan to work around that, but we’re ready to adapt if things go sideways .

While Rick and Nick’s ship prepped the airlock for transfer, Wingo slipped into the sanitation module to hide. They’ve seen him before, sure—but I’m betting they’ve already forgotten. And there’s no way I’m risking Wingo ending up on a sales platform. He’s one of a kind.

“SILMAR, our guests are arriving. Stay in SILMAR mode, but don’t interfere while they’re here. Remember, to them, you’re just an older-gen AI.”

“Understood, Pherebos. I’ll deactivate for thirty minutes.”

I sling the bag over my shoulder—the one holding the ten forged Asgarnian daggers.

They’re convincing enough, I hope. On Vagantu, buyers are required to present their payment in advance for verification.

I don’t like it, but I don’t have a choice.

My survival—and Ileana’s—depends on how well I sell this lie.

After Noviosk’s call, I did some digging. Turns out Srebats can literallysmelllies. So I’ve been practicing telling the truth—just notallof it. It’s harder than it sounds when your entire presence is a fabrication and your weapons are glorified props.

“Hi Pherebos! Welcome aboard!”Rick greets me with that big, clueless grin.

“Thanks, Prick, Dick. Appreciate the warm welcome aboard your noble vessel.” I flash a smile. “Apparently, Noviosk trusts you more than he trusts me.”

“Rick and Nick,”he corrects automatically.

I probably should’ve held back, considering the stakes. But I couldn’t help myself. One more slip like that and I’ll need to watch it .

“What an honor!”Nick chimes in, puffing up.“What’ve you got there?”

“This is my payment for the auction. Don’t even think about touching it.”

“Relax! We’re in Vagantu airspace now. We follow the law here—no stealing from fellow thieves.”

“Oh, howadorable,” I reply, voice dripping with sarcasm.

“If it weren’t for that law, there’d be a war every day,”Rick explains.“So your stuff’s safe with us. But we’d love to take a peek!”

“Are those the weapons? Can we see them?”Nick presses, eyes gleaming.

“You’ll have to wait a few hours,” I say with a wide, teasing grin. “I’m saving the reveal for the big boss. In the meantime, why don’t you de-opacify the partition? I’d love to get my first look at the legendary Vagantu. She must be stunning if the fabulous Noviosk chose her as his base.”

The great thing about my two traveling companions is that they’re completely immune to sarcasm. My dry humor flies right over their heads every time—which, honestly, works in my favor.

They scramble to activate the de-opacification command, eager to please. A few seconds later, the entire front of the ship becomes transparent, revealing Vagantu in all its murky glory—a dark green sphere, veiled in thick clouds .

The wind shifts as we descend, and the main island finally comes into view—just a couple of miles out now. That’s where we’re headed.

“ Shall we take a closer look?”I ask, feigning curiosity.

“What do you mean? That’s where we’re going!”Nick replies, pointing straight at the main island.

“But… that ride was way too short. I barely got to enjoy the view! Come on, guys, we’ve got time to take the scenic route.”

“I don’t know if we can…”Nick starts, hesitating.

“Not long then!”Rick jumps in, already adjusting the course.“Just a quick detour toward that second island, then we’ll head back.”

I hide a grin. Poor Rick is so eager to impress, he doesn’t even realize he’s giving me exactly what I wanted.

The ship veers subtly toward the smaller, more isolated island. Almost immediately, their AI chimes in:

“Warning: entering restricted airspace.”

Perfect.

Nick quickly taps a few commands, correcting course back toward the main island—but not before shooting his brother a glare.

“Seriously, are there only two islands on this planet?”I ask, playing dumb.

“I think so,”Rick replies.“If you’re hoping for a bar crawl tonight, forget it. The rest are just tiny rocks or bare stone. ”

“Wow… show me!” I say, leaning forward with exaggerated excitement. “I’m dying to see what passes for nightlife around here.”

“Yeah, look over there. Flat desert island. Not a tree, not a blade of grass, only water,” Rick says, pointing to a barely visible strip of land just above the waterline. “And next to it, that little peak sticking out—but it’s not really usable.”

I spot the peak easily. It’s just prominent enough to serve as a visual marker. The flat island beside it… that’s the one. It’s low, discreet, and just big enough to hide the SIL while we board or escape. They’re close together, and there’s nothing else nearby that’s more accessible.

I scan the area, mentally locking in the landmarks.

“They’re not exactly spoiled for options, are they?” I ask, keeping my tone light. “Why haven’t they built anything out over the water?”

“I think they tried,” Nick says. “But the sea creatures destroyed the foundations right away.”

“Creatures?” I ask, instantly alert.

I’ve been considering a water escape, but I still don’t know what’s down there. And I’d really like to avoid any surprises.

“Yeah, I dunno. They gave up on it. No one’s eager to go swimming around here.”

Unfortunately, I can imagine why. Just the thought of diving into unknown waters makes my skin crawl. The nightmares, the phobia—it’s all still there, buried but alive. Ever since I left Asgarne, the ocean’s been a source of dread. And now I might have to dive right into it.

But I’m out of options. If things go south, the sea might be our only way out. And right now, it’s looking riskier by the minute.

The ship finally flies over the main island. It’s bigger than I expected. To the left, there’s a massive esplanade where small ships are landing in neat rows. To the right, a low structure—maybe one or two levels high—sprawls across the terrain.

Rick lands where instructed and powers down the engines.

That’s it. I’m in. From this point on, I need to be razor-sharp. No mistakes.

“Wingo?”

As expected, no response. Our link’s out of range. I’m on my own now.

Time to hide my intentions—and play the part.

I follow my two companions at a relaxed pace, a smile plastered on my face like I’ve got nothing to hide.

At the entrance to the complex, we stop at a guard post. Two armed guards—definitely Human—are checking everyone in.

One of them eyes the large bag slung over my shoulder.“What’s in there?”

“Asgarnian weapons,” I reply smoothly. “Payment for the sale. Ten of them. I’d prefer to keep them with me.”

“That’s not allowed. No one enters with weapons. ”

“Butyouhave one. And your boyfriend does too,” I say, grinning.

“We’re Vagantu’s guards,”he snaps, straightening up.“We’re in charge of security. You’re not.”

“It was agreed with Noviosk…” I say, letting my voice trail off, just lazy enough to sound annoyed but not confrontational.

The two guards exchange a look. One of them steps away to verify my claim.

A few minutes later, he returns—more respectful now.

“Are you the Asgarnian… Pherebos?”

“The very same,” I say with a smirk. “In fact, I’d say I’mtheAsgarnian. Unless you’ve met another one lately?”

“Noviosk is expecting all three of you,”the guard confirms.“He’s asked me to escort you to a private sales room. But he’s also confirmed—you’ll need to hand over your weapons.”

Just as I expected.

I hand over the bag without protest, already shifting my focus to what’s coming next. Noviosk is going to test me—no doubt about it. And I’m going to see Ileana again. I have no idea how she’ll react. I just hope she doesn’t blow my cover.

As we follow the guards down a corridor toward the private room, Rick and Nick are practically bouncing with excitement.

“Look at that, Nick! A private sales room! We’re going straight to the big boss! ”

“Yeah, it’s an honor!”his brother replies, wide-eyed.

I keep my expression neutral, but inside, I’m already calculating every possible outcome.

This is it. Showtime.

We’re finally shown into a large, oval room with high ceilings and a cold, calculated elegance.

At the center stands a small, round dais—maybe a meter across—bathed in overhead spotlights.

It’s positioned directly in front of a massive bay window overlooking the sea.

The whole setup screamsluxury, like it’s waiting to showcase a priceless jewel.

But the jewel isn’t here yet.

Across from the dais sits a large, empty armchair—clearly reserved for someone important. A few simpler seats flank it, already occupied by a Penubian and a Human. The guard gestures for me to take a seat and motions for Rick and Nick to stand behind me.

I catch the wince on their faces. Not quite the VIP treatment they were expecting. Their status here isn’t what they thought it was.

A few minutes pass. The room fills. Six buyers in total.

Then Noviosk enters, and the room falls silent.