The Winged Men of Orcon: A Complete Novelette

A scientist awakens handcuffed aboard a wrecked spacecraft on a hostile, remote planet and finds several crewmates dead or injured. He quickly frees himself, inspects the wreck, and learns he was abducted to apply his specialized knowledge against a mysterious local threat. Among the survivors is a determined navigating officer who admits arranging his kidnapping, creating tension as they assess missing crew and hostile conditions. The narrative follows their struggle to survive, uncover the planet's peculiar hazards, and weigh duty against the scientist's attachment to his laboratory work.