Page 64 of Galactic Sentinels: Vol. 1
The other one steps forward, injector pen in hand.
I barely feel the sting in my neck before everything goes black.
Part Three
Chapter 17.
Pherebos.
I'm losing patience. It’s been over a week since Ileana vanished—taking off in Akifumi’s single-seater like a ghost in the night.
We’ve managed to track her path, but we’re still lagging behind my mentor’s much faster ship. I keep asking myself: what could’ve pushed her to such an extreme? Things felt right between us. I thought we were finally in sync. So why did she run? Why run from me? I’m her Dedicated Soul… aren’t I?
Akifumi thinks she might’ve killed her sister and her lover, then bolted the first chance she got. I haven’t told him she already tried to escape with SIL once before. I couldn’t bring myself to say it.
I’m clinging to what I believe, and Wingo’s with me.She didn’t do it.I know. I feel it too.
I take a deep breath and tap the console as we begin docking. SIL finally aligns with Akifumi’s single-seater, which has been drifting in space, motionless.
‘’My scanner isn’t picking up any signs of life on board,’’ SILMAR reports flatly.
My chest tightens. If my Dedicated Soul has died… I won’t be far behind. I need to make arrangements for Wingo—fast. I won’t let my old friend suffer because of my end.
‘’I still don’t see your link,’’Wingo confirms sadly.
The three of us stand in silence as SILMAR locks the airlock between our ship and Akifumi’s. When the communication hatch finally opens, I step through first, dreading what I might find. The cold inside hits me like a punch.
The single-seater’s AI is offline. I tell SILMAR to reboot it.
While I wait, I scan the cabin. It’s empty. The bunk’s unfolded but untouched. The only place left is the hygiene pod—its door sealed shut.
After a tense few minutes, SILMAR restores the ship’s systems. The door controls come back online. I rush to the rear, desperate to find her. Akifumi stays behind, questioning the console about what happened before the shutdown.
But there’s no sign of her.
I’m devastated. I walk over to Akifumi, trying to keep it together, and start pressing him for answers.
He explains that the ship was hit by an initial electromagnetic discharge that damaged its shielding. The AI kicked into emergency backup mode—standard protocol. But then, everything just… stopped. Probably a second EM pulse.
‘’Smugglers?’’I ask, recognizing the tactic. ‘’It’s an old trick.’’
‘’All signs point to it,’’he confirms. ‘’The last coordinates logged during the attack are several parsecs from here. They must’ve knocked out the AI, then towed the ship in stealth mode—waiting for the cold and oxygen deprivation to do their work. Once enough time passed, they docked and came to collect whatever was left.’’
‘’Ileana,’’I whisper, my voice cracking under the weight of dread.
‘’Ileana,’’ Akifumi echoes, grim.
My mind spirals. What would traffickers want with a young human woman? I don’t need to imagine fifty scenarios. Just one is enough—and it’s horrifying. I glance at my mentor. He’s already reached the same conclusion.
An hour later, I leave Akifumi behind in his now-functional single-seater and set off again with Wingo. Our destination: the nearest slave market.
I run final checks as SIL descends toward CS-8. It’s been a while since I passed through this Coalition splinter base, but it’s still one of the biggest hubs in the twelfth southern parsec. If anyone knows where the next auction is happening, it’s here. Akifumi’s intel was too vague—we need something solid.
I’m not my usual calm, detached self. They’ve taken my Dedicated Soul. That alone is enough to shake me to the core. And I still don’t understand why she ran from me in the first place.
Since then, I’ve been chasing her trail, feeling anxious and bitter. Not even Wingo—my loyal companion—can lift my spirits.
As soon as we land, I activate SIL’s security protocols and head straight for the bar at the far end of the dock.
