Insidekick

A remote outpost on the alien world of Antaria is ruled by the Interworld Corporation’s local manager, a man who balances bureaucratic paperwork with the strange, ceremonial law of the native peoples. When the corporation learns that a new arrival, Albert Johnson, is a spy, the decision to eliminate him must pass through an elaborate ritual that even the Earth‑born officials find absurd. The locals, dressed in vivid robes, conduct their formalities with a solemn gravity that masks a ruthless efficiency.

Johnson, an unremarkable‑looking investigator, tries to navigate the hostile terrain while keeping his cover. As dusk settles over the Vaornia Arm, the forest’s night‑time predators stir, and a creature known only as a Zark emerges from the shadows. Its sudden appearance halts the deadly chase, leaving both the spy and his pursuers frozen with a mix of awe and terror.