Chapter Text
Green was twiddling with one of their hoodie strings, holding back the urge to chew on the other. They were delighted to start their climb up the corporate ladder in order to become the captain they’ve always wanted to be, but the possible tasks they’d have to overcome made their stubby legs tremble. When Red and Purple engaged in a shouting match after the latter forcefully removed White from the ship controls, Green knew they were in for a ride (literally).
“-and that concludes our tour of The Skeld! I am more than pleased to have the both of you aboard!” Orange finished their welcome, slowly adjusting their visor towards a zoned-out Green.
“Oh!” The unpaid intern let out a startled yelp before beginning their series of claps, just as the contest winner finished theirs.
“You two can find your living quarters in the lower level, which is accessible via a trapdoor in the hallway connecting the upper engine and cafeteria! Oh–and Green? Since this is your first ever day with the MIRA family, your true work only starts tomorrow! In the meantime, I’ll be asking the both of you to join the rest of the crew for a MIRA-approved pizza party!” Orange’s visor appeared to light up, albeit forcefully.
Green’s face spelled out a frown as they dragged their feet with the others to the cafe. How could they zone out like that on their first day? They wanted to chase their dreams and make everyone back home proud. They had to be better than this…
An unpaid intern, a contest winner, and an HR employee walk into a cafeteria.
Orange, wanting to leave a lasting impression, immediately kidnapped White and brought them to a table where Red was sitting at. Green was now left to fend for themselves. Every table was occupied by at least a crewmate or two, so the unpaid intern had to choose who to sit with very carefully.
Sitting with Yellow and Brown seemed to be the obvious choice; the duo’s strong stance on workers’ rights would be like a pair of comfy boxers for Green’s unpaid ass. However, they seemed quite lovey-dovey from Green’s side. Were they married? Who knows? Green didn’t feel like third wheeling right now.
Green didn’t want to go after White and Orange. As an unpaid intern, it was crucial that they get to know the rest of the crew just as well as the two beans they had just spent an hour with first!
What about Purple who was by themselves at the punch station? Sure, approaching the anti-social security guard that tackled the contest winner and screamed at their beloved captain would be great to talk to! Maybe they would serve Green a punch in two different ways!
…
Lime was nowhere to be seen.
…
This left Green with the option of sitting at a table consisting of Cyan, Blue, and Black. It seemed like a no-brainer to sit with a kind-hearted hippie and the most attractive person they’ve ever seen, but the idea of being next to Black terrified them. The spiked choker, precise eyeliner, and threatening body language while wielding a metal pipe was unlike anything Green had ever laid their visor upon back home. Hell, their clothes were getting goosebumps.
But before Green could settle on sitting with the crewants on the floor, Cyan waved at them with a smile to come sit down.
If Green had to make a list ranking the most welcoming crewmates on The Skeld, Blue was at the top. The rest of the crew was tied for last.
“Hello, Green. It is among my deepest regrets that I failed to properly introduce myself when you were brought to the medical wing. I’m Blue, and I’ll be your doctor for the remainder of the trip. It’s a pleasure to have you on board with us.” The handsome physician reached out their hand towards Green.
“I-It’s… nice to meet you t-too, Doctor Blue.” Green grabbed Blue’s hand for a shake, completely fixated on the hot doctor’s well-groomed fur and perfectly firm grip.
“Please, you may call me Blue.” The doctor gently pulled away from the lengthy handshake to appear unoffended, pretending to ignore the faint swoon written on Green’s face.
“Namaste, Green, I’m picking up good vibrations from the waves of your aura! You’re giving the whole crew and the ship’s equipment excitations,” Cyan chimed in. “I feel that you’re going to—“
“That’s enough of the aura stuff, Cyan. They’re scared enough as it is,” Black interrupted. “Anyways… hey, Green. What brings you to working for MIRA?” The geologist planted their imaginary elbow on the table and rested their head on their hand.
Green briefly froze from the onslaught of introductions. They took a bite out of their pepperoni slice to unwind before responding, clumsily letting half of the cheese drop onto their plate in the process.
“I—uh… have always wanted to be a captain. I grew up on a worm farm in a pretty poor colony, so all the inhabitants had to gather every spare coin they had so I could be sent off to pursue my dreams! But now that I’m here on my own, I want to make everyone back home proud so their efforts weren’t in vain!”
Blue’s expression became more focused. “Green, I appreciate your determination, but I want you to listen closely. As long as this is something you’re absolutely sure about, you shouldn’t get the wrong idea that you’re on your own. It’s important to know that the crew on The Skeld would be more than happy to support you. Please don’t hesitate to ask for assistance. These are trying times.”
Cyan nodded along reassuringly, and so did Black… kinda.
The raver wasn’t exactly entranced by the idea of helping or being helped by some lowly bumpkin during their long hours of carrying and inspecting all of the Ore-Plus. After all, what good is a WORM farmer when it comes to investigating a brand-new spaceship fuel source under a microscope?
Cyan, on the other hand, was already submitting their first request.
“Green, would you like to help us reorganize the containers of Ore-Plus tomorrow? Their disorderly nature is throwing off the ship’s vibes!”
“Sure-y do!” Green replied.
Black’s visor creased. They were this close to flipping over the table, even bothering to scan their surroundings to see if Orange was watching… but of course they were. Now they just needed Green to break open all of the Ore-Plus with their clumsy fingers first thing tomorrow morning. Rumor has it, that catastrophe would make Black’s whole week!
With the exception of Blue, who insisted on catching up on paperwork instead of keeping their short-term memory intact, The Skeld prepared for bedtime.
Green, who already forgot how to access the lower level of The Skeld, cleverly followed the armless conga line going in the direction of the upper engine. Their visor widened at the sight of all the doors in the lower level, as if a killer alien jumped at their face. Their cabin was located at the very end of the hall, and it was also the smallest.
A bed that could only fit one crewmate, a state-of-the-Skeld closet, and just enough free space to serve as storage for their backpack. There was no bathroom. Nobody had their own, actually. Instead, there was a common bathroom right across from Green’s temporary residence with four showers and one (1) toilet. This all felt like an absolute luxury for the unpaid intern. Gone were the days of sharing a bedroom and crappy outhouse with thirty siblings and an army of worms.
All Green could do now was gently shut their visor and embrace the coziness of space…
…
Black hated everything. The tips of their fingers tightly gripped the edges of their pillow while they screamed into it.
First, they let some worm farmer with butterfingers on The Skeld, then they’re asked to help me carry some stuff? Damnit!
Green was the epitome of everything Black was against. Everything about them made Black grunt in their thoughts.
Their tendency to drop things.
Their overly plain attire.
Their primitive upbringing.
Their unfake smile.
Their sheer ambition.
Their adorable mannerisms.
…
Adorable?
It’s been a while since Black found anything adorable, not since they started to lose their passion for geology thanks to MIRA’s budget cuts in the science department. Even Cyan’s best efforts at being uplifting all felt illegitimate; their obsession with crystal stuff giving geologists a bad rep cancelled it out anyways. But this…
No. It can’t be.
Turns out, Black felt that Green’s naive presence was actually a breath of fresh air. They weren’t stupid or pretentious. They weren’t hiding something in oxygen or chasing “gremlins” in the vents. They were a whole crewmate about to be ruined by MIRA. Black felt that those innocent, grinning cheeks of Green’s could use some guidance in this messed up corporate world.
The edgy geologist figured their conflicting feelings would wear off in the morning…
But they didn’t.