The high ones

"The High Ones" by Poul Anderson is a science fiction story about human colonists who land on a new planet called Novaya, thinking they're alone, but they soon run into the native Zolotoyans who have much more advanced technology, which kicks off a clash of cultures. The story follows Eben Holbrook, a nucleonics engineer, and his crew as they try to figure out how to survive on this new world. Things get tricky when they find mining operations and face off against the Zolotoyans, leading to issues of mutiny and tough choices. Holbrook's big realization about the Zolotoyans reveals the dangers of a society that is stuck in its ways. In the end, the colonists find a way to work together with the Zolotoyans, showing that humans are adaptable and resilient even in the face of the unknown.