Page 31 of Galactic Sentinels: Vol 2
“Brothers of Srebat,” I begin, “we’ve become an unstoppable force in this quadrant. Our name inspires fear. Our holds overflow with rare cargo. Our armories brim with weapons. But more importantly, we’ve earned the respect and fear of all who know us. And now, I reveal our next objective.”
They listen, rapt.
“The Eastern quadrant is under the rule of Xhor. I haven’t met him yet—but his reputation is clear. Cruel—not a flaw in itself—but also cunning. Which means he can’t be trusted. People fear him, yes—but mostly they fear his unpredictability. We Srebats are different. We believe in Truth. We want others to fear us because they know exactly what it’ll cost to cross us.”
I tap the display showing the quadrant’s map. I pull up Zor’s last known coordinates—Xhor’s right hand.
“We’re going to take his base. Zorath. According to our intel, he doesn’t see this coming. And once he’s gone, Xhor will have no choice but to acknowledge me as someone who matters. That’s how we move into the upper circles of power. Zorath is our next conquest.”
I turn to Korrak—stern, relentless, and loyal. He replaced Donusk after he died on a mission. He’s been at my side ever since.
“Korrak, prepare the troops. We leave at dawn.”
He nods and gets to work. I trust him completely.
Later, I retreat to my cabin to refine our strategy. Zorath is fortified, but we have surprise on our side. We’ll strike fast and hard. No mercy.
Coalition leaders grow arrogant. They fear only the Confederation—that bleeding-heart organization that preaches everything we reject.
Empathy. What a joke.
Empathy makes you weak. It opens you up. It burdens you with other people’s pain. In a universe where survival is war, why take on someone else’s struggle? Compassion paralyzes decision-making and clouds self-interest.
I chose to focus on myself. On strength. On progress. And that’s what made me free.
The Intergalactic Confederation is vast and powerful. Even I steer clear of them. Not worth the fight—not yet. They catalog, explore, and protect… leaving the weak untouched. Nonsense.
But they’re not my concern. Not now. My plan is to take over the Coalition. One step at a time.
Zor first. Then Xhor—when the time is right.
I study the base schematics, perfecting the operation. We’ll be flawless.
At dawn, with a steaming cup of bronik from Srebat in my hand, I meet the men in the cargo bay. They gear up. They’re focused. I remind them of the mission’s stakes, though they already know.
We land silently on Zorath’s dock. Two guards approach. They’re dead before they can ask a single question.
Pathetic.
Our troops deploy instantly, taking position. I give the signal. The strike begins. We move like clockwork, sweeping through the base. In no time, Zorath is ashes. And yes, we salvage everything of value. We’re not fools.
Back in my cabin, I consider how to handle Xhor. I won’t challenge him yet. Better to make him think I’ve peaked. That I’m content with this latest conquest. Let him trust me. Let him show me his hand.
Once I know every secret of this quadrant—then I’ll take his place.
But I’ll wait.
And I’ll be ready.
9-Samantha
I’m clinging to my routine like a fragile shield against the pain.
Never in my life did I imagine losing my mother.
One day, she’s there—so full of life, determined to show me the hidden secrets of Gekkaria’s plants, so much I still had to learn from her.
The next, she’s gone. Ripped away from me by a sudden, brutal heart attack.
