“Trials” by Nicolas Wilson was fist published in 2015 in The Alien Chronicles and I read it in The Future Chronicles – Special Edition.
This is a first contact story and is well done. A single warrior is sent to the most dangerous planet that mankind has yet encountered. If he can persuade the inhabitants to negotiate a treaty it will be a massive morale boost for the mission personnel. But they can’t be negotiated with, and fighting to the death with as many of the inhabitants as it takes to sway the vote is the only way forward.
I really liked this. There isn’t much to say about it except that it was a straightforward linear story, with a beginning, middle and end. Nothing clever, just a good story.