Page 76 of Galactic Sentinels: Vol. 1
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.”
