nearby is a small but sustainable civilisation of humanoids who live between a river and a grounded spaceship called the "starliner". they came to the planet, alzarius, from terradon and much of the focus of society is on repairing their craft to make it navigable. it is an oligarchy ruled by three self-selecting senior colonists known as deciders, who ensure the smooth running and order of their adopted world and lay particular store on technical ability. one of the brightest of the younger colonists is adric, who bears a badge of mathematical excellence in recognition of his computational skills. however, his brother varsh has rejected the regimented society of the starliner and leads a band of rebels called outlers, who steal harvested riverfruit and other foods to survive.