After realizing that the Cantel alien's team was nothing more than a disorganized group with little to offer in terms of reliable information, Stark sighed in frustration. Most of what they had shared was gossip and secondhand knowledge, but one critical detail emerged: the exact location of the temple. With this information, there was no need to waste more time following their aimless march.
Activating his suit's thrusters, Stark shot into the air, leaving the group far behind. The HUD in his helmet displayed a clear path toward the temple, and he adjusted his flight trajectory accordingly. The barren landscape below zipped by, the dull grays and browns of the planet blurring into a monotonous backdrop. Despite the emptiness, Stark remained on alert. This wasn't the kind of place where one could afford to let their guard down.
About halfway to the temple, an alert flashed on the edge of his HUD. A cluster of intelligent life signs appeared on the radar, not far from his current position. The group was small—just seven or eight individuals—but their tight formation and deliberate movement piqued Stark's interest. Unlike the larger, disorganized team he'd left behind, this group moved with caution and purpose, sticking to a winding, less-traveled path.
"This could be interesting," Stark muttered to himself. Changing course, he descended toward the group. It didn't take long for his sensors to give him a clearer picture of the team, and what he saw made him pause.
The group consisted entirely of Cantel aliens. Their distinctive white, hunched bodies, eyeless faces, and rows of razor-sharp teeth were unmistakable. Stark immediately recognized their species as the same one that had visited Earth's Polar Star in the past. The Cantel had long been associated with secrecy and subterfuge, and their presence here wasn't a coincidence.
The Shenyin Legion's leader, Stark's ultimate target, was said to be connected to the Cantel. This group might hold valuable information about the leader's whereabouts—or even the secrets of the temple itself. Still, Stark knew better than to assume they'd give anything up willingly. The Cantel weren't amateurs; if they'd survived this long in the chaotic star realms, it was because they knew how to guard their secrets.
What struck Stark as particularly odd was how careful this group was being. They avoided major routes, stuck to shadows, and moved with an almost paranoid level of stealth. Their behavior only deepened his suspicion that they were hiding something. If not for his suit's advanced sensors, Stark might never have detected them.
Switching his suit to stealth mode, Stark's red-and-gold armor shifted into a sleek, black design. The nanomaterials adapted seamlessly to the environment, rendering him nearly invisible. Silently, he followed the group from a safe distance, watching their movements and waiting for the right moment to strike.
When the opportunity presented itself, Stark repeated his earlier tactic. He swooped down silently and grabbed the last alien in line, lifting it into the air with a burst from his thrusters. The Cantel alien let out a guttural shriek, flailing wildly as they ascended over 2,000 meters in seconds.
"Relax," Stark said, his voice amplified through the helmet. "I'm not here to hurt you—unless you make me. I just need some answers. Now, we can do this the easy way, or—"
Before he could finish, the alien's body convulsed violently. Its jaw opened and snapped shut repeatedly, emitting sharp, unintelligible sounds. Then, with a final shudder, its limbs stiffened, and it went limp.
Stark frowned, holding the lifeless alien at arm's length. "Wait… did it just kill itself?"
His scanners confirmed what he already suspected: the alien was dead. The suddenness of it caught Stark off guard, but it also raised more questions. Why would the alien resort to suicide so quickly? What kind of information were they protecting that was worth dying for?
"This isn't normal," Stark muttered, lowering his altitude slightly. "Whatever they're hiding must be big."
Realizing that straightforward interrogation wasn't going to work, Stark decided to change tactics. He descended toward the rest of the group, dropping the dead alien's body before it could be noticed. Landing just out of sight, he deactivated stealth mode and activated the suit's holographic camouflage.
The nanomaterials of the armor shifted and restructured, transforming Stark's appearance into an exact replica of the Cantel alien he had just interrogated. Every detail—from its hunched posture to the sharp rows of teeth—was replicated perfectly.
Joining the back of the group, Stark adjusted his movements to mimic the Cantel's awkward gait. So far, the disguise held, and the group didn't seem to notice anything unusual.
As they moved, Stark tried to engage the aliens in conversation. He dropped subtle questions, hoping to extract information without drawing suspicion. However, the Cantel were maddeningly uncooperative. Their responses were limited to short, vague noises—little more than grunts and clicks.
"Hmm."
"Ah."
"Mm-hmm."
It was like trying to have a conversation with a group of teenagers who couldn't be bothered to answer. Stark's frustration grew, but he maintained his cover, waiting for an opening.
Finally, the leader of the group turned to face him. Its featureless face tilted slightly, and its sharp-toothed mouth opened. "Are there any supplies left? Bring me some."
Stark's HUD translated the word "supplies" with an asterisk, indicating that no exact equivalent existed in human language. Still, it was clear the leader expected him to produce something.
"Uh… supplies," Stark repeated, stalling for time. "Right… sorry, I can't find them right now. Maybe they got lost along the way."
The leader paused for a moment, then gave a curt nod. "Hmm."
Stark exhaled in relief as the leader turned away. But just as Stark thought he was safe, the leader spun around again. Its arm shot out like a spring, claws extended, aiming straight for Stark's face.
The claws struck with impressive force, but they stopped just short of Stark's helmet. Blue ripples spread across the air where the claws had struck, the energy field of Stark's armor preventing any damage.
The leader recoiled, its shriek of frustration echoing across the barren landscape.
The holographic disguise rippled and dissolved as Stark deactivated it. The black stealth armor shifted back into its classic red-and-gold form, gleaming under the faint light of the planet's sky.
"Look," Stark said, his voice calm but firm. "I didn't want it to come to this. We're all civilized beings—or at least, I am. But you had to ruin it by attacking me."
The Cantel aliens let out a collective roar and charged at him.
Stark raised his left palm, a beam of energy bursting forth and striking one of the aliens. The force sent it flying backward, colliding with two of its companions.
Another alien lunged at his leg, but Stark activated his thrusters, propelling his knee upward. The impact cracked the alien's jaw, sending it tumbling through the air.
To his right, another alien reached for his arm. Stark deflected the attack with a casual swipe, following up with an elbow strike powered by his thruster. The blow landed with a resounding crack, instantly incapacitating the alien.
The remaining aliens hesitated, glancing nervously at their fallen comrades. Even the leader seemed to reconsider as it took a cautious step back.
But before Stark could make another move, the Cantel leader let out a guttural scream. The sound echoed across the barren terrain as every remaining alien collapsed to the ground, their bodies stiff and lifeless.
"They killed themselves," Stark muttered, his voice filled with disbelief. "Again."
His scanners confirmed that all the aliens were dead. Whatever they had been protecting, they were willing to die for it rather than let it fall into enemy hands.
Stark sighed, shaking his head as he surveyed the scene. "Why does everyone in this galaxy have a self-destruct button? I'm starting to take it personally."
Activating his thrusters, Stark took to the air once more. The still bodies of the Cantel aliens lay scattered below, a grim reminder of the high stakes surrounding the temple.
"If they're this desperate to keep their secrets," Stark said to himself, "then whatever's at that temple must be worth it."
With a smirk, he adjusted course and flew toward the temple, ready to uncover the truth.