Abandonment

Crew member Nathan Abbot discovers his expendability.

The order for evacuation wasn't issued until the threat was nearly on top of them. The space ports were crowded and loud dance music was inexplicably playing by someone who much more enjoyed personal apocalypses than Nathan. He didn't want to be a part of this mass exodus from Huyt. Intel should have been able to alert him to the situation days before the siege began. But of course, that was Starway Enterprises for you. The local news station had warned that multiple ships had been shot down trying to leave orbit. There was a small area, or gap of space that was not yet cordoned off by the attackers, and that was the area being used to get the most important and those with the most money off the planet.
The whole ordeal very much reminded Nathan of a famous evacuation nearly 200 years ago on the ex-planet of Schiick. The planet was primarily inhabited by an unintelligent alien species, Schii, named after their home planet and the only discernable sound they were able to make. Schiick was a dusty volcanic planet, with the only sources of food and water being buried deep underneath the volcanic ash. That's where the Schii got their names from, the slurping, vacuuming sound made when a Schii used it's snout to burrow under the ash. Whatever, that's unimportant. Long story short a massive volcano erupted and caused an imbalance in the planets internal climate and core, and, soon, the planet became too hot to inhabit. The Schii, along with a few human missionaries, burned to a slow, crispy death, save the few with enough money to get an express one way flight the hell out of there.
Huyt was Schiick 2.0, and the natives were about to be exterminated. Despite the gravity of the situation, Nathan felt a smile creep across his lips. Surviving was the most fun he'd had in weeks. He wasn't completely alone, however. Sarah Swanson, the owner and rich kid entrepreneur behind Starway Enterprises had contacted him minutes after the announcement was made that the Chix, an emerging alien race, was attacking Huyt. The Chix had already left their mark on several outskirt colonies, completely devastating every planet they touched, exterminating anything that moved. Sarah had promised a personal evacuation ship to Nathan, saying that it would arrive as quickly as possible. The smart thing to do would've meant leaving Nathan to fend for himself. Sarah was a rich kid though, not yet accustomed to the cutthroat world of mercenaries. He had to give her credit for trying though.
Rumor had it that Sarah was the daughter of a wealthy businessman and owner of a huge worldwide mining corporation. The father had wanted for her to follow in his footsteps, but she had wanted to make her own way in life. So he had provided her with enough money to start her own thing, and, that's how Starway came into being. It was a small team at best. After buying ships, weapons, equipment, armor, rations, legal rights, and an old world bobble head to be stationed in the cockpit of Lady Luck, the orginizations home ship, Sarah barely had funds to hire any actual mercs. In the end she settled upon five rookies. Himself, Nathan Abbot, Nick Hook, Ellen North, William Crowe, and the Lady Luck's pilot, Roland. Just Roland. Roland wasn't the pilot's real name, but as “Roland” was an alien, his real name was basically impossible to pronounce with the human tongue.

So now his life was in the hands of Alien who may or may not be on his way to Nathan's rescue. The thought was so bittersweet to Nathan, almost too much so. He could only blame himself though, for he was dumb enough to take orders from a little rich brat. The thoughts steamed and rolled about in his brain, beating at the sides and causing him a severe headache. The fluids in his stomach had suddenly become viscous and now waved about like a storming sea. His com flashed and a shaking hand answered.

“Evacuation has been cancelled. It's too hot for Roland. Await further orders” Sarah's voice had never been so clear. Nathan dropped the com, then picked it back up, rolling it about in his hands before finally pocketing it. The steaming thoughts in his head began to boil. He turned and faced a young woman who was advertising last flight out of the planet. It was risky, but what choice did he have. Nathan turned and focused 24 years of good lucks upon her.
“Is there any room available?” He asked. Nathan was a nice man, a calm man, fair and just. He had just been abandoned. He felt as though he could sign his resignation letter with Starway Enterprises blood.
“We've got one seat” she said carefully “but we have to leave now”.