Before departure, Maximus repeatedly instructed: All personnel must keep the secrets of the tribe strictly, and they must not disclose to outsiders even the fact that they are from the Nix Tribe!
Onomabatis led the team along the path the rebel army had taken to the mountains years ago, arriving at the Eastern Adriatic Coast.
He chose Pula on the Istria Peninsula as his base, as it had previously been an important place for fencing stolen goods during his time as a pirate. He was familiar with the area, which made conducting business easier.
Apart from buying slaves, Onomabatis was tasked with another vital mission—gathering intelligence about Rome.
Previously, Maximus had entrusted Karsipengpas with this task, but Pompey's eradication of the pirates had severed this channel of external information.
This was one of the key reasons Maximus had agreed to Onomabatis' request.
