They’re bureaucrats.

Rick, a tall, thin man with spiky white hair, stands in front of a large, swirling blue portal, his right hand extended toward it as if manipulating the energy within. In the foreground, a shorter man with brown hair and a yellow shirt watches with wide, anxious eyes, his expression shifting from concern to fear as Rick's hand hovers over the portal. The scene takes place inside a dimly lit, metallic room with curved walls and glowing green accents, suggesting a high-tech laboratory or spaceship interior.