6 Push 'em off.

Altair searched his mind for a way to avoid his inevitable torture and death at the hands of the Avari leadership. He had lost their Corvite and had no way to get it back but he had to push that to the recess of his mind while he dealt with the problem at hand.

Altair and his men spent the entire night getting all the members of his crew up from the ravine that the ship fell into and across the rocky landscape to the grassy plains on the other side. The crew originally numbered 512 but only 250 survived the trip to the ground of the new planet. A few had died along the way and a couple more tumbled down the side of the mountain. Lev had nearly soiled himself when an antimatter torpedo disengaged from its tube and tumbled into the abyss underneath the ship that was perched between the walls of the ravine.

By sunrise, they had all reached a clearing on the grassy plains at the foot of the mountain which was dotted with strange plants and animals. The signs were good that they might be able to survive there. First the rain clouds, then the oxygen-based atmosphere, then the ground and now fertile land.

The survivors had gathered together to form an encampment. Altair followed closely by Lev walked into the centre. The air was filled with the stench of vomit from the Xoloti, a bunch of exotic insect-like species that made up the mining team.

"Maybe it's some kind of reaction to the micro-organisms on this alien planet," Fiona, the ship's medic said as she handed out canisters of purified air salvaged from the ship's emergency supply.

"Have you seen this before?" Altair asked.

"I have not but an alien planet is an alien planet," Fiona replied.

"We need to send an exploratory team," Hugo said. "I saw a beach at the bottom of that ridge."

"We don't need an exploratory team," Altair said. "We're not staying long."

"Good call," Hugo said snidely.

Hugo was a pureblooded Avari that served as the liaison for some of the highest-ranking military leaders to be closer to power as well as the decision-makers while Altair made his name as a capable ship captain. He knew how to play the game of dirty politics well and he had found a lot of success in doing it. He outranked Altair but he didn't have command of the ship so had to follow orders just like the crew of the Lady Luck.

"You should've tried to jump into hyperspace the moment we saw enemy cruisers!" Hugo said.

"You will address him as Captain, boy," Lev said.

"Call me boy one more time," Hugo replied as he moved menacingly closer to square up with Lev who touched the grip of his blaster. Hugo saw this motion, interpreted it as threatening and in a split second snapped up his rapier whipped it across the old navigator's chest.

He drew blood.

The older man bent over as his tunic became soaked and the light left his eyes.

Altair was appalled.

"No! He was our navigator!" Altair screamed as his most loyal crew member lay gutted.

"The navigator attacked first," Hugo said as he sheathe his rapier.

Captain Altair shot him a menacing glance.

"Does it matter?" He replied. "Who will read the star charts?"

"I will get us home," Hugo said.

Altair got close enough to confirm that indeed the navigator was dead. Hugo stood defiantly. He was shaking a little. Not from fear that Altair could sense but from something sinister. His pupils were dilated and his breathing was rapid and irregular. Altair also noticed the faces of the pure-blooded Avari that surrounded them.

"You'll have to," Altair replied. "This has done no good, we've lost a good man. We must wait here until it's safe enough to return to the ship"

Hugo straightened, emboldened by the presence of his fellow Avari. "When will it be safe enough for you? A week? A month?" Hugo asked.

"We will go when I say," Altair said.

Just then, Fyodor stepped into the fray. He observed the converging masses with curiosity. He'd missed all the fun.

"Captain," Fyodor said while looking at the angry Avari faces all around.

"Not the best time, Fyodor" Altair replied.

"Then you'll want to hear this as soon as possible," Fyodor insisted.

Altair sighed deeply and used his right hand to cover the eyes of his fallen comrade, needlessly killed by a treacherous Avari.

"Add him to the pyre," Altair instructed as a hesitant crowd gave him room to exit.

Altair and Fyodor strode away from the Avari until they were so far away it was impossible to eavesdrop.

"Captain," Fyodor said with a toothy grin. "We have three options here. We get these people off-world in whatever will take them or we take shelter while they murder themselves."

"What's the third option," Altair replied.

"There isn't one," Fyodor said.

Altair sighed deeply because he knew the brute was right. Altair had known him since his time under Admiral Nimitz. The admiral thought that he was gifted with weapons and munitions but he was too reckless. He wasn't wrong but Altair saw the hidden value in a man with no regard for starship politics but with eyes only for the job he was given. Fyodor had no ambition other than the job of killing things and blowing things up. Also, the big man had several kilos on the entire crew, making him extremely valuable if the situation ever called for that.

Altair glanced back across the plain to see Hugo glaring at him unabashed.

"I don't understand these people," He said. "They would rather kill each other than cooperate with me."

"You just have to align your goals with theirs," Fyodor responded. "You have to remind them that there's something after this. Forge a path, and anyone who won't follow…"

"Push 'em off?" Altair offered.

Altair grinned. It really wasn't his style. Most ship captains ruled through fear and power alone but he preferred a softer touch, opting instead for words and comradery instead but he knew the brute was right. Fyodor smiled coyly in return as he excused himself.

Things got much worse at night. Many peopled died of hypothermia as the temperature dropped precipitously. The night was blighted by a bitter cold that hinted at a slightly arctic climate. Alot of the injured crew members succumbed to their injuries as a result or maybe it was from the fact that their medical supplies were vanishingly small. Later, the crew were set upon by stealthy carnivores that tore large chunks out of the sleeping sentries. It took a dozen sleep-deprived Avari to subdue the animals. Whatever hope Altair had in the planet being habitable and teeming with life seemed to dissipate with this. He couldn't forget the sight of the dragon that crashed into them on their descent and shattered their ships' viewport.