Chapter Text
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Purple slammed a hand onto the cafeteria table, making both Green and Red jolt slightly as silence settled over the room. The two exchanged a brief glance before looking back at Purple, equally confused by the sudden outburst.
Purple studied them for a long moment, weighing what to say. Eventually, they let out a slow breath and sat down across from them. They were exhausted, but this conversation couldn’t wait any longer. There were plenty of things they needed to address after everything that had happened, though one stood above the rest.
“Okay, first off...” Purple began, choosing each word carefully. “We’re overlooking the obvious.”
Their visor swept slowly between the other two before settling in the middle.
“We still haven’t figured out which one of us is the alien.”
At the mention of the imposter, both Green and Red stiffened. Green quietly folded their hands together on the table while Red straightened in their seat.
Red was the first to speak.
“I dunno about you two, but I’m pretty sure, as the captain, I’m the most innocent person here.” They pointed between Green and Purple without much hesitation. “So... it’s gotta be one of you.”
Purple immediately smacked Red’s hand away.
“Uh, nuh uh.”
The two locked visors, neither willing to back down first.
“Objectively? You’re still the strongest suspect.” Purple shot back. “There’s way too much evidence stacked against you. Out of everyone left, you’re the most likely one responsible for all of this.”
Red recoiled in disbelief. “Excuse me!?”
They folded their arms with a huff before leaning across the table, clearly refusing to let that slide.
“And what makes you think you’re not the imposter, huh?” they challenged. “You’ve been leadin’ the charge this whole time, pinning everythin’ on me while ignorin’ everythin’ else.”
Trying to emphasize the point, Red slapped a hand onto the table.
“Ough...”
They immediately winced, quickly rubbing their palm as though hoping nobody noticed.
“...Well, what I mean is...” they muttered, clearing their throat as they tried to recover some dignity. “You’re actin’ real suspiciously for somebody who’s so convinced I’m the bad guy. Feels an awful lot like you’re just tryin’ to make Green think I’m the alien.”
“Because I genuinely think you’re the imposter,” Purple fired back without missing a beat. “Because that’s where the evidence points.”
Green had been quietly listening to the two accuse each other before deciding to step in once again. They glanced between them before raising a hand slightly, hoping to get a word in.
“Woah, let’s try to talk this out calmly.”
Their voice carried its usual gentle tone, though there was a hint of nervousness underneath.
Green needed to find some way to stop these two idiots from getting each other voted out. More importantly, they needed to stop either of them from turning the vote on Green.
As entertaining as it was to watch them hurl accusations back and forth, Green couldn’t let either of them get voted out. Their plan depended on keeping both of them around.
“We aren’t getting anywhere by accusing each other like this, and...”
“Shut up, Green.”
Red cut them off without hesitation, barely even looking in their direction.
“Can’t ya see me and Purple are discussin’ somethin’ important? Besides, Purple already said we gotta figure this out before we head to Polus.”
Green blinked, clearly caught off guard. Their raised hand slowly lowered as they forced an awkward smile, though the sting still slipped into their voice.
“...I’m part of this discussion too, you know.”
Purple’s attention immediately shifted toward them.
“Hold on...” they muttered, tapping a finger against the table as they thought. “Now that I think about it... isn’t it kinda weird we barely have anything against Green?”
Red looked over at the intern.
Now that Purple had pointed it out...
They were right.
The whole conversation had revolved around Red and Purple accusing each other while Green had barely come up at all.
“I mean, aside from this weird feeling I get around you...” Purple continued, narrowing their visor. “You’ve mostly just been sitting there quietly.”
Something about Green’s memory still bothered Purple. Green had eventually claimed to remember the conversation in O2, but Purple couldn’t shake the feeling that something had been off. Between the reactor meltdown and everything afterward, there hadn’t exactly been much time to question it.
Green laughed nervously, rubbing the back of their neck.
“Haha... you think it’s me?”
Their smile stayed in place, though inside they could already feel panic creeping in. They spread their hands in a small, uncertain shrug, trying to appear more confused than defensive.
Before Purple could say anything else, Red spoke up.
“I mean...” They scratched at the side of their head thoughtfully. “As weird as it is, shouldn’t the lack of evidence kinda prove they might not be the killer?”
They gave a small shrug.
“Feels odd, sure, but we don’t really have anythin’ concrete against Green. Just... gut feelin’s.”
Green immediately nodded, perhaps a little too quickly.
“Yeah... I think voting me out over something like that would be pretty unreasonable.”
Purple let out a long sigh, leaning back in their chair before turning away from the table.
“...You’re right. We shouldn’t be making baseless accusations.” They hesitated, struggling to put the feeling into words. “I just thought...”
Purple fell silent, their fingers drumming once against the tabletop before they gave a small shake of their head.
“Never mind.”
As the conversation dissolved into an uneasy silence, Green resisted the urge to sigh.
Purple was really starting to get on their nerves.
As entertaining as it was watching them chase after the truth, they were getting dangerously close to catching it. Time and time again, Purple had proven themself to be one of the smartest people aboard the ship, more capable than almost everyone else.
The only exception had been Blue.
Green probably should’ve gotten rid of Purple when they had the chance.
They were becoming troublesome. The longer they stayed alive, the more likely they were to notice the cracks in Green’s little act.
Still...
It was amusing.
Purple kept circling the answer, only to get dragged away by another argument with Red. Every accusation, every glare, every pointless debate pushed them one step closer, then two steps back.
It was almost cute.
Without that rivalry clouding Purple’s judgment, Green might’ve already been caught.
Besides...
What was a hunt without something that could actually fight back?
Even if most of Purple’s suspicion stayed fixed on Red, Green couldn’t let them actually eject the captain.
Red was far too valuable to lose.
As captain, they still had authority, resources, and influence Green could use. They were irritating, certainly, but predictable. With the right push here and there, Red would walk exactly where Green wanted them to.
Straight to MIRA.
Purple, on the other hand, would’ve been the better person to eject. They were suspicious, difficult to manipulate, and just smart enough to become a real nuisance.
Unfortunately... That opportunity had already passed.
Now Green needed both of them alive.
If either of the remaining crewmates got ejected and failed to explode the way Orange had, the game would be over. There’d only be one suspect left.
Green wasn’t about to lose that easily.
“Now that we’re all settled down...” Green finally spoke after the silence had stretched on for a while, clearing their throat softly. They absentmindedly rubbed at their hand before glancing between the two. “Can I please say something?”
Red and Purple exchanged a look. After a brief pause, Purple leaned back slightly and gave a small shrug.
“Go ahead.”
“Alright, so...” Green fidgeted with the strings of their hoodie, avoiding their gazes. “I know this might sound absurd, but...”
They paused, as if reconsidering whether they should even say it. Their voice grew quieter.
“...What if... none of us is actually the imposter?”
The last few words came out almost as a squeak as they lowered their head, nervously tapping their fingertips together while waiting for one of them to respond.
The two stared at Green for a moment, as though they’d completely lost it.
Purple’s visor slowly narrowed.
“...What?”
For a second, they genuinely wondered if they’d heard that right.
No impostor?
They’d spent nearly the entire trip trying to figure out which one of them was the alien. Orange hadn’t been alone. They all knew that much. The oxygen sabotage after Orange’s death had proven that. So had the murders that followed. Green had been there through every bit of it alongside them.
So why were they talking as if none of it had ever happened?
For a brief moment, they couldn’t tell if Green was joking, trying to distract them, or genuinely believed what they were saying.
None of it made any sense.
They frowned, already lifting a hand to shoot the idea down.
Green immediately waved both of their hands in a panic.
“Look, I know it sounds ridiculous!” they blurted. “But just... hear me out, okay?”
Purple let out a quiet sigh, lowering their hand again. They leaned back in their chair, unconvinced, but willing to hear them out anyway. Red, meanwhile, tilted their head, their visor flicking between the two in confusion.
“...I don’t get it.”
They scratched at the side of their head. “If one of us isn’t the imposter... then who is?”
Green swallowed.
“That’s exactly it.” They clasped their hands together for a moment before glancing between the two. “One of us could be the imposter...”
Their voice faltered as they hesitated.
“...But voting right now is basically a fifty-fifty gamble. If we pick the wrong person...”
The thought alone made them trail off. They lowered their gaze for a moment before shaking their head and pressing their fingertips together, trying to keep their composure.
“There’s evidence pointing at both of you,” Green continued, their words coming a little faster. “I honestly don’t know which one of you is the alien anymore, and...” They let out a shaky breath. “...I’m feeling really pressured right now.”
Purple pushed themself to their feet.
“What do you mean there’s evidence against me? It’s obviously Red!”
“Whoa, hold on.” Red raised a hand before Purple could keep going. “Let the unpaid intern finish.” They glanced over with a small shrug. “Besides... I kinda agree. You’re not exactly as innocent as ya keep sayin’ you are.”
Purple stared at them in disbelief.
“...Are you serious?”
They threw a hand into the air, completely dumbfounded.
“I’ve literally been trying to keep everyone ali—”
Before another argument could erupt, Green hurriedly leaned forward.
“Can we... please stay on topic?” they interrupted with an awkward, strained smile. “I promise this is going somewhere.”
Purple huffed, crossing their arms as they sat back down, dropping a hand onto the table with a sharp thud. “Fine,” they grumbled.
“But you better explain yourself, because right now you’re hardly making any sense.”
Green nodded, offering them a small, reassuring smile. “Of course.”
The smile faded into something more serious, though the nervousness never quite left their face. They clasped their hands together, taking a quiet breath before continuing.
“So... what I’m trying to say is that the impostor might not be any of us. And if that’s true, voting each other out would probably be the worst thing we could do if it turns out we’ve all been innocent this whole time.”
Purple and Red exchanged a look.
“What makes ya say that?” Red asked, scratching the side of their head before waving a hand vaguely through the air.
“I mean... Orange was, y’know...” They searched for the word. “...An alien. They killed Lime, probably everyone else too.” They gestured between the three of them.
“And they looked exactly like a crewmate. Doesn’t that make it reasonable to think another crewmate got infected too?”
Green gave a small nod. They’d been expecting that question.
“It does,” they admitted. “Which brings me to my next point.” They folded their hands together again, speaking slower this time to make sure neither of them missed it.
“Cyan’s journal.”
Red hummed under their breath while Purple stayed silent, their visor fixed on Green.
“If we’re assuming Cyan’s journal was accurate, then the parasites came from the ore. That means more than one of them could’ve hatched. One definitely found a host...” They paused for just a second. “...Orange.”
Green’s visor drifted toward one of the vents near the cafeteria wall.
“But what if the other one never did?” They raised a hand toward it. “What if it’s been hiding in the vents this whole time?”
Neither of them interrupted, so Green continued before they could.
“Think about Cyan. They died because something vented into Electrical.” Green pointed between the three of them as they carefully walked through each point. “When that happened, none of us could’ve done it. Me and Purple were together fixing O2, so I can vouch for them, and they can vouch for me. Red was in Admin doing exactly what they said they were going to do.”
"...Go on," Purple muttered.
Green adjusted their posture before raising another finger.
“And then there’s Brown. When they died, all three of us were together in cafeteria. None of us could’ve left, killed them, and come back without the others noticing.”
They gave a small shrug.
“So unless one of us can somehow be in two places at once... it doesn’t add up.”
Purple lowered their gaze, absentmindedly rubbing at their hand.
“...Huh.”
They hadn’t seriously considered that. Ever since Orange transformed, their focus had been on finding another alien hiding as a crewmate. The thought that one might be roaming the vents without a host had barely crossed their mind.
Red rubbed their chin, taking a little longer to work through it.
“...I think I get what you’re sayin’.”
Green nodded before continuing, not wanting either of them to drift back into arguing.
“There’s something else.” Their tone stayed calm, but there was a certainty behind each word that hadn’t been there earlier. “There’s only three of us left. If one of us really was the impostor, wouldn’t it make more sense for them to kill one of us the first chance they got, then finish off the last survivor?”
They spread their hands slightly.
“I don’t really see the point in waiting when they’ve already had plenty of opportunities to end it.”
The room grew quiet.
Red glanced toward Purple before looking back at Green.
“...That actually makes a lotta sense.” They rubbed their chin again. “I can’t honestly say that’s impossible.”
Purple didn’t answer immediately. Their fingers tapped once against the tabletop as they replayed Green’s reasoning from the beginning, searching for a hole in it. It sounded ridiculous at first, but every point seemed to fit together better than they’d expected.
Green let out the tiniest breath through their nose before finishing.
“So... I think the reason none of us has died yet is because we’ve stayed together. No one’s wandered off alone, which means whoever’s responsible hasn’t had an opportunity to strike.”
They looked between Red and Purple, their expression turning grave.
“If we vote someone out now and we’re wrong, we’ll only have two people left.” Their voice lowered. “At that point... we’d be handing the alien exactly what it wants.”
Purple stayed quiet for a moment, their fingers lightly tapping against their now folded arms.
“...I can see the logic in what you’re saying,” they admitted at last. “It actually makes a lot of sense.” They hesitated, searching for the right words. “But...”
Their visor narrowed ever so slightly.
“...You’re talking a lot differently than you usually do.”
Red blinked, tilting their head.
“Huh?”
Purple rubbed the back of their neck with a small sigh. “I don’t really know how to explain it...” Their gaze settled back on Green. “You’re usually kinda clueless. Not in a bad way, just... quieter. More nervous.”
They gestured vaguely with one hand. “But right now you’re laying everything out almost perfectly. It’s just...” They frowned, unable to shake the feeling. “...Really well thought out.”
Green had expected that.
They’d known dropping their usual naive, absent-minded act, even a little, would stand out. But if they wanted Red and Purple to actually consider what they were saying, they couldn’t afford to stumble over every other word.
They’d prepared for that possibility long before this meeting, coming up with a simple excuse in case anyone questioned the sudden change.
“Oh!” Green perked up before shrinking back just as quickly, pressing their fingertips together as they looked down. “Well...” they mumbled with an embarrassed laugh. “As the unpaid intern, I never really talked about my opinions much. I’m at the bottom of the ladder, so... I usually just keep my thoughts to myself.”
They glanced up for a brief moment before continuing.
“But... it’s only us now.” Their voice softened. “I thought maybe it was finally okay to say what I’ve been thinking this whole time. I really do believe none of us are the impostor.”
Their hands clasped together a little tighter.
“Even if we’ve all done things that look suspicious, I think there’s even more evidence that says otherwise. We all make mistakes, right?” Green looked between the two of them. “I just... don’t think any of us is truly responsible for everything that’s happened.”
Purple shifted in their seat.
Out of the corner of their visor, they noticed Red looking at them. Without thinking, they turned away and crossed their arms a little tighter.
Purple couldn’t forgive Red.
Not after everything that had happened.
Green took a slow breath, their hands lowering into their lap.
“...Sorry.” They offered a small, awkward smile. “I probably talked too much. I’ll... keep quiet more if that’s what you guys would rather have.”
Purple frowned almost immediately.
“No, don’t say that.” Their voice softened, just a little. “Unpaid intern or not, your opinion matters. You should be able to say what you’re thinking.”
Their grip on their hand tightened.
“...Don’t let someone higher up silence you.”
Red’s visor lowered.
They wanted to say something, anything, but the words never came. Their hand twitched faintly against the table before settling again.
They’d already ruined that chance.
Maybe Purple would never forgive them.
Green smiled softly, giving a quiet sniffle.
“Thanks, Purps.”
Purple smiled back, though it only lingered for a moment before their attention drifted elsewhere. They still weren’t fully convinced.
“There’s one part of your theory that still doesn’t sit right with me.”
Green tilted their head, curiosity replacing the seriousness from before.
“What is it?”
Purple unfolded their hands and rested one against the table, curling their fingers against the edge.
“The alien sabotaged O2 after Orange died.” Their visor narrowed thoughtfully. “That wasn’t random. It knew exactly what it was doing. It was smart about it.” They hesitated, searching for the words. “...So I don’t know if I buy the idea that it’s just... wandering around without a host.”
Green hummed, nodding as they listened.
“Mhm, I get what you’re saying.” They folded their hands together again. “But that could also mean the species itself is highly intelligent. Orange fooled all of us almost perfectly. None of us suspected them until it was too late.”
They glanced toward the vent for a brief second. “If the parasite is capable of that, I don't think it'd be unreasonable to assume it's smarter than we give it credit for."
Red rubbed the back of their head, looking between the two.
“I mean... yeah, maybe.” They shrugged. “Maybe the alien figured cutting off the oxygen was just the quickest way to kill us. What Green’s sayin’ makes sense.” Their hands hovered uncertainly before dropping back to their sides. “It’s not like we know enough about these things to assume they’re all mindless.”
Purple let out a slow sigh.
“...Alright.”
They still weren’t ready to fully believe it, but Green’s explanation held together better than they’d expected.
“Let’s say you’re right,” they said, looking at Green. “Let’s say none of us are the impostor.” They paused. “That still doesn’t change the fact there’s an alien roaming around this ship.”
Red gave a small shrug, trying to sound more confident than they felt. “Yeah... but that’s no biggie.”
Purple slowly turned toward them.
“...That’s your response?”
Their visor narrowed into an unimpressed stare.
Red shrank a little under the look. “I mean... y’know what I meant.”
“I wouldn’t say my theory’s guaranteed,” Green cut in before another argument could start, “but I do think it’s the most likely possibility. As long as we stay together, it shouldn’t have an opportunity to attack us.”
They hesitated for a moment before leaning forward slightly.
“And... I think I have a proposal.”
Green motioned for the other two to come closer. Curious, Red and Purple leaned across the table until the three of them had formed a small huddle.
“What if we lure the impostor out,” Green whispered, lowering their voice, “then lock it away? Or better yet...” Their eyes flicked toward the vents overhead. “...If it’s really hiding in there, we could block off every vent on the ship. Seal them as tightly as we can and keep it trapped until we reach Polus.”
Purple immediately shook their head.
“Too risky.”
They didn’t even need time to think about it.
“We’re going to Polus to get this ship repaired. We can’t have that thing running around while we’re docked.” Their expression hardened. “We need to get rid of it before that happens.”
Red nodded quickly.
“I agree.” They shivered at the thought. “I really don’t wanna stay on the same ship as that monster any longer than we have to. Besides...” They glanced toward the vent. “...Who’s to say it couldn’t just break through the seals? That thing’s huge.”
Green fell quiet, bringing a hand to their chin as they thought it over.
“...Hmm.”
A second later, their visor brightened.
“Oh!”
They leaned in again, lowering their voice into another whisper. Whatever they said this time was quiet enough that it never reached beyond the little circle they’d formed.
Red’s eyes widened.
Purple’s skeptical expression slowly eased.
By the time Green finished, both of them gave a small nod.
The three leaned back into their seats, each wearing a noticeably more determined look than before.
“...Before we get started,” Purple spoke up, “there’s one more thing that’s been bothering me.”
Purple clasped their hands together, their visor fixed on the other two.
“We still haven’t figured out what we’re gonna do with the alien eggs.” They paused, their voice hardening. “We have to do something about them. We can’t just leave those parasites on the ship after seeing what they’re capable of.”
Green met Purple’s gaze, their expression unreadable for the briefest moment before it softened again.
Of course Purple would bring that up.
Why wouldn’t they?
It was exactly the sort of thing Green expected from them.
Self-righteous to the very end.
Before Purple could continue, Red quickly raised a hand between them.
“Woah, woah...” They took a small step forward. “Get rid of the eggs? Y’know we can’t do that. We’ve already talked about this.”
Purple’s visor narrowed ever so slightly.
“Why not?” They gestured toward Storage. “Come on, Red. You seriously wanna keep those things around?”
Red let out a weary sigh, rubbing the back of their head.
“Look... I get it. I don’t wanna see those eggs hatch either.” They glanced toward the hallway leading to Storage before looking back at Purple. “But MIRA expects us to deliver ’em. That’s the whole reason we were sent here. Our mission was to bring the ores back to Industria.” Their body slumped. “We can’t just throw them away, even if we wanted to.”
Purple stepped closer, their hands tightening into fists at their sides.
“I can’t believe you’re seriously considering keeping those eggs after everything that happened.” Their voice shook with disbelief. “People died because of those things! We need to get rid of them for everyone’s safety, not just ours.”
Red shook their head.
“Remember why everyone came here in the first place.” They pointed toward Storage again. “Our crew died trying to get those ores to Industria. That’s what this mission was always about.” Their voice grew quieter. “I... I don’t want all those sacrifices to end up meaning nothing.”
“MIRA’s done nothing but screw us over!” Purple fired back. “Do you seriously think they care about us?” They threw a hand into the air. “Are you really gonna keep licking their boots after everything they’ve put us through?”
Red flinched, their visor dipping for a second.
“Purps...” They rubbed at their visor, clearly struggling to answer. “I know how messed up it is.” They sighed. “But if we don’t bring those ores back, we’re done.”
They hesitated before forcing themselves to continue. “You already know how miserable it is. Hell, the only reason you even got this job was because I pulled strings to get you on this crew.” Their voice dropped. “If this mission goes sideways... all of us are out.”
Green quietly watched the argument bounce back and forth, their gaze shifting between the two before they finally spoke.
“If I may...”
The two turned toward them.
“...I think I’m gonna have to agree with Red.”
Well... of course they would. There was no chance Green was letting anyone throw the eggs away.
Honestly, they were relieved Red had taken this position first. Convincing them to keep the eggs would’ve been far more difficult, and pushing too hard would’ve only made Green look suspicious. If protecting the eggs meant siding with Red, then so be it.
Purple stared at them in disbelief.
“...Are you kidding me? Not you too, Green.”
Green looked away apologetically, their hands drooping.
“Look... I honestly do think we should get rid of the aliens.” Their fingers fidgeted with the edge of their hoodie. “I really do.”
They hesitated, taking a small breath before continuing.
“But... I can’t afford to lose this job.” Their voice softened. “My family spent everything they had just to send me here. I can’t throw away the opportunity they gave me.” They lowered their head. “...I’m sorry.”
Purple felt their heart sink.
They’d expected Red to say something like that.
Green?
Not so much.
Somehow, both of them had reached the same conclusion. Both of them were willing to keep those things aboard just because MIRA told them to.
“...Are you guys really gonna prioritize your jobs over countless other lives?” Purple asked quietly, though the anger behind their voice hadn’t faded.
Red and Green exchanged a brief glance.
Green swallowed before gently resting a hand on Purple’s shoulder.
“Look... we do care.” They spoke softly. “I wish there was an easier answer.” They sighed. “But our livelihoods are on the line too. MIRA sent us here knowing aliens existed, which means... they knew something like this could happen.” Their gaze lowered. “As awful as it is... I don’t think we have much of a choice.”
Red wanted to say something.
Anything.
Their hand twitched slightly, but after everything that had happened between them, the words refused to come. It seemed like nothing good ever came from working with MIRA.
Instead, they forced a weak smile.
“Look on the bright side?” they offered uncertainly. “Those eggs are being used as fuel anyway, right? They probably won’t even live long enough to hurt anybody.”
Purple looked away, their visor lowering toward the floor.
“...Yeah.” Their voice came out flat.
“As if knowing they’re burning living creatures for fuel is supposed to make me feel any better.”
Red clapped their hands together, eager to move the conversation along before it could spiral into another argument.
“Okaayy...” They looked between the other two, forcing a small, awkward smile. “Since the vote’s two to one, I guess the ore stays.” They pointed downward for emphasis before letting their hand fall back to their side.
Purple only stared at them, thoroughly unimpressed.
They slumped ever so slightly before lifting a hand to point at Red.
“Just know that if any of those things hatch and kill us...” Their voice hardened, each word coming out a little sharper. “...it’ll be your fault.”
Red instinctively shrank back a fraction, opening their mouth to respond, but Green quickly stepped between them, raising both hands.
“Then we should at least do what we can to keep them contained,” they suggested. “Maybe we could cover the eggs. The fabric in MedBay might work.” They fidgeted with the string of their hoodie as they explained. “If we wrap them up, they’re less likely to fall out of the ore and hatch. And... if one somehow does, the fabric might at least make it a little harder for it to get loose.”
They held their fingers a tiny distance apart, giving the smallest hopeful smile.
“Even if it’s only by a little.”
Purple considered it for a moment, their gaze drifting toward the hallway leading to Storage before they let out a quiet sigh.
“...Alright. I guess that could help.” They folded their hands together again. “Let’s just hope they don’t hatch that easily inside those rock shells.”
Green gave a small nod of approval, relieved that Purple hadn’t dismissed the idea outright.
Red let out a breath they hadn’t realized they’d been holding before clapping their hands together again, the sound echoing softly through the cafeteria.
“Alright, team!” they said, sounding a little more upbeat. “Let’s go catch that alien imposter... and cover up those eggs.”
The three of them gathered their usual weapons before setting off. Green took up their trusty mop, Purple grabbed the pizza peel, and Red tightened their grip around the wrench.
Splitting up would’ve been faster, but they’d already agreed it was far safer to stay together. Wandering off alone would only hand the alien an opportunity to strike. So they moved through the ship as a group, keeping close and watching each other’s blind spots whenever they rounded a corner.
Their first stop was MedBay.
Between the three of them, they pulled every spare sheet, blanket, and strip of fabric they could find from the cabinets, tying them together into one oversized cover large enough to drape over the crate in Storage. While two worked, the third stood watch at the doorway, visor fixed on the hallway before trading places every few moments. None of them were willing to give the alien even the smallest opening.
Once they finished, Green brushed the dust from their hoodie.
“Since this whole thing was my idea...” they said, trying to sound more confident than they felt. “I should be the bait. That’s what we planned.”
Red rested a hand on Green’s shoulder with an encouraging grin.
“I appreciate you volunteerin’ for this.” They gave them a reassuring pat. “Seriously, you’re the best unpaid intern a captain could ask for.”
Green laughed shyly, a faint blush creeping across their face as they rubbed the back of their neck.
“Aww... haha. It’s nothing.”
Purple stepped forward and gently took Green’s hand.
“Just... be careful, alright?” they said quietly. “We’ll be right behind you. You don’t have to fight it by yourself. If things go wrong, run. We’ll handle the rest.”
Green nodded, giving their hand a small squeeze before letting go.
“I will.”
Red adjusted their grip on the wrench and drew in a steadying breath.
“...Alright.” They looked toward the hallway leading to Storage. “Let’s get moving. If Green’s theory is right, that’s probably where the alien is.”
Together they made their way through the ship, every footstep sounding louder than usual.
When they reached Storage, Purple and Red slipped into cover behind a stack of cargo crates near the entrance, where they could watch the center of the room while Green continued forward alone, just as they’d planned. They deliberately left the mop behind to make themself appear defenseless.
As Green wandered farther into the room, they called out into the silence.
“H-Hello...? Impostor? If you’re here... we don’t wanna fight...”
Their voice carried just enough fear to sound believable.
The act almost made Green laugh.
After moving far enough that Red and Purple could no longer see them clearly, Green crouched beside one of the ore samples and quietly picked up a single egg.
Perfect.
Making sure their voice carried through the room, they kept talking while, hidden beneath it, the shell gave a quiet crack.
The tiny parasite writhed as it forced its way free.
Green’s expression twisted with disgust.
“...Ugh.”
Without hesitation, they flicked the hatchling across the room. It landed beside Cyan’s body and immediately burrowed inside, disappearing beneath the clothing almost instantly.
Behind cover, Purple frowned.
“...What’s taking so long?” they whispered, tightening their grip on the pizza peel. They glanced toward Red. “Are we really sure the alien isn’t one of us? I don’t even see...”
Their words caught in their throat.
From between the rows of ore samples at the far end of Storage, a figure stumbled into view.
Cyan.
Purple’s breath hitched as the body lurched forward in stiff, uneven steps, shambling toward Green.
For the briefest moment, they saw their friend. Before the recognition slipped away, leaving only the awful certainty that this wasn’t Cyan anymore, but something else wrapped in their skin.
Rage and grief twisted together inside Purple as their grip tightened around the handle.
“...That’s sick,” they whispered, their voice barely audible. “It’s actually using Cyan’s body...”
They looked toward Red. “We’re going.”
Red swallowed hard before giving a firm nod.
Green turned toward the approaching figure, pretending to freeze in place.
“H-Heyyy, Cyan...” they called, forcing a nervous laugh. “Haha... been a while, huh? How’ve you and Black been?”
The corpse stopped.
Its visor slowly slid free, revealing the blood that ran down their face in thin, dark trails.
A wet tearing sound echoed through Storage as Cyan’s chest peeled open, revealing the parasite’s enormous maw. Its tongue lashed forward with terrifying speed.
Green threw themself aside just in time.
The tongue cracked against the floor where they’d been standing, leaving a sticky trail behind. Green rolled onto their side, sprang back to their feet, and bolted across the open storage bay, diving behind a crate whenever the creature’s tongue lashed their way.
They could’ve escaped much more cleanly.
Instead, they stumbled on purpose, letting every dodge look just frantic enough to keep the act believable.
That was the signal.
Purple and Red burst from hiding.
Green deliberately caught their foot on the corner of a crate and hit the floor with a grunt. The parasite instantly pounced.
“Green!”
Purple rushed forward and swung the pizza peel with both hands.
CLANG!
The blow knocked the creature off course, sending it skidding across the floor. Purple immediately grabbed Green’s hand and hauled them back to their feet while Red tossed the mop over.
Green caught it without breaking stride.
The three charged together.
Purple drove the parasite back with another heavy swing while Red hammered at its side with the wrench. The moment its jaws opened, Green rammed the end of the mop straight into its mouth, forcing it open as it thrashed and snapped uselessly around the handle.
Outnumbered, it barely had a chance to fight back.
Purple hurried behind it, wrapping strips of MedBay bandages around its body, pulling them tighter with every loop until the creature’s movements grew slower and more desperate. Green leaned their weight against the mop, keeping its jaws pinned open.
“Now!” they shouted.
Red was already waiting by the trash chute, the hatch thrown open by the time Purple and Green dragged the bound creature across the metal floor toward them. Its claws scraped uselessly against the plating, unable to find purchase.
With one final shove, they forced it to the edge of the chute. Red planted both feet and delivered a solid captain’s kick.
The parasite tumbled into the chute.
Red slammed the hatch shut and immediately hit the eject button.
A heavy thud echoed through the ship, followed by the familiar launch.
For a moment, none of them moved.
Then, almost all at once, the three collapsed onto the floor, breathing hard as the last of the adrenaline drained away.
The ship had finally gone quiet. For the first time in what felt like forever...
The nightmare was over.
Or so they thought.
Green had successfully convinced them they’d finally gotten rid of the last impostor. The first stage of their plan had come to an end.
Now...
It was time for the next phase.
With the alien apparently gone, Red and Purple would finally stop tearing each other apart with endless accusations. They could focus on reaching Polus and repairing the ship, exactly as Green had intended.
A quiet smile spread across the trio’s faces, the tension in the room seeming just a little lighter.
After everything they’d been through, it was hard to believe they were still standing.
It was a bittersweet victory.
Everyone else was gone, taken one by one because of everything that had happened aboard the Skeld. Red and Purple couldn’t help wondering if things might’ve ended differently had they realized the truth sooner. Maybe... just maybe... the others would’ve still been alive.
Green’s smile lingered for an entirely different reason.
They scooted a little closer before wrapping both of them in a hug, their visor glistening with what looked like tears.
“...We did it.”
Red and Purple hugged them back without hesitation, exhaustion melting away for just a moment.
“...We did,” they replied together.
After a quiet moment, the three let go and climbed back to their feet, brushing the dust off themselves after the struggle.
Red adjusted the wrench at their side before offering Purple a small, tired smile.
“So...” they said, letting out a slow breath. “Time to head to Polus now that everything’s finally sorted out?”
Purple hesitated.
For just a second, they found themself returning the smile.
“...Yeah,” they admitted. “But not quite yet.”
They turned toward the crate of ore, lifting a hand toward it.
“We’ve still gotta deal with those Ore Plus eggs.”
Red and Green followed their gaze, the three of them quietly staring at the crate for a brief moment. The silence settled over them once more.
Then, together, they started to move toward it.