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“I’m telling you guys, it’s fuckin’ Lime!”
Blue looked up from her lap where her hands were neatly folded. Her gaze fell upon Purple, who was jabbing an accusatory finger at the crewmate to her right.
“What the fu- I was with Blue the entire time, man.” Lime said, and Blue nodded along with him. He wasn’t lying, she knew that.
“Bullshit.” Purple spat. “But, okay then , where were you, Black?”
Another argument was brewing, Blue could tell, so she sat back in her seat and tuned out the yelling, keeping an ear open in case her color was mentioned.
When did this mission all go wrong?
She remembered the first day everyone was on the ship, twelve people in total, and it was crowded.
She took the time to greet the rest of the crew and match members' pronouns to suit colors, because of politeness. She also took note of the others personalities and comfort zones; who liked to high five people, who liked their personal space, etcetera etcetera.
She didn’t have to, she wasn’t obligated to, but she wanted to. She’s done this on every mission she’s ever been on. Out of respect.
Respect. Something that some of the other crewmates of this particular mission didn’t seem to have.
Since day one, since the mission was reviewed by the captain, respect seemed to be on the back burner for a few, Blue had noticed.
When rumors of an impostor started circulating the ship, Blue was, of course, on edge, as was everyone. Accusations and suspicions were spread and settled, and a buddy system was put to use.
The buddy system didn’t last long, however, after a few crewmates went on to claim that their buddy had attempted to murder them. These claims lacked evidence, such as other witnesses, which stirred a lot of doubt. After that, buddies were optional, and your only other option was to fend for yourself.
It wasn’t long after this that the rumors became a reality.
The first to go was Cyan, who had been found in Medbay. His corpse was found slumped over near the test tubes, the timer going off indicating that the samples were ready to be filed. During the meeting, Pink claimed that Red had been following her around, to which they did not deny. They were in the middle of apologizing and saying that they were on their way to their other task when a chorus of beeps had sounded, signaling that most of the crew had voted. With no way to reverse or recount the votes, and White having to stick to the policies and regulations as their captain, Red was the second to go.
Only a few days later, White found Orange in Navigations, which led to a heated debate across the table. Lime had kept himself close to Blue that day, giving alibis and evidence if someone tried to bring Blue, Black or himself into it.
That meeting went nowhere, and the majority skipped. However, a few days after that, Green was found in Electrical, which somehow ended up leading to Pink getting voted out.
In her ejection pod, she confessed that she over-exaggerated about how close and how long Red was following her. Not one word later, she was gone.
Then it was Yellow who was next to be found, her body residing near the Reactor. Her death hit Blue pretty hard, as she had gotten pretty close to her - sharing stickers that Yellow had snuck onto the ship, sharing hopes and dreams, talking about the stars. Lime offered as much support as he could, and he and Black stuck around her more often.
Yellow’s death led to White getting ejected, much to the captain’s dismay, and a few days later, Brown had died. That day was today, her corpse zipped up in a bodybag awaiting disposal down the hall.
“Lime, listen! Black was nowhere near you two! You have no idea where they were! Don’t lie to me, I’m not hearing it!”
Purple was behind most of the accusations on the ship. Why he wasn’t voted out way earlier, Blue doesn’t know.
“I can have a general idea where they are, you know. They told me they had card swipe in Admin, that’s where I assumed they’d be.”
“Still, isn’t it a bit suspicious?! Brown dies in Storage, and Black is supposedly in Admin? Where the fuck were you two?”
“ I told you , Blue and I were in Upper Engine, on our way to Lower Engine. You would have seen us on cams and outside the door, if you were even watching.”
Purple seems to short circuit at that point, flipping Lime a small, rude gesture before quickly turning to Blue.
“Blue, I know you’re a good kid,” Purple says, and Blue can tell that Lime is glaring at him from under his visor. “But can you please talk? You haven’t said a word, and that’s pretty suspicious.”
Blue squinted at Purple, though he obviously couldn’t see that.
“First of all, I’m not a kid . Second of all, the only one who’s suspicious right now is you .”
Lime was there for her from the very beginning. He was nice to her, he always had her back in meetings after another body turned up, and she trusted him. Black was also a trustworthy figure to Blue, being Lime’s friend and all. She trusted them both, especially after what happened to Yellow.
Lime was the first to shield her during arguments and hostile meetings, and Black was the first to step in if anything became physical, especially if Blue was involved.
Purple moved to jab a finger at Blue’s chest, and Black swatted it away from her, case in point. Purple ignored that, instead leaning forward with his hands planted on the table.
“How do I know you’re not an impostor, Blue?” Purple demanded.
“How do I know you’re not an impostor?” Blue retorted.
“Because it’s not me! I’ve been taking the lead on investigations while you all sat and did nothing!”
“Did nothing? What about keeping this ship running? Running around trying to manage the tasks of a twelve person crew while only having three people?” Blue’s voice raises as she jumps out of her seat, leaning across the table towards Purple, who in turn shrinks back a bit.
“You just sit on your ass all day and watch us do the dirty work while claiming you’re helping!”
“I am!”
Blue slams her hands on the table. “BULLSHIT!”
She rants on. “Lime, Black and I work hard all day and night on this stupid ship, while you do nothing to help! I’m fucking tired! I’ve got bags under my eyes from not getting enough sleep due to overworking while you get your full eight hours and more! I’m pretty sure I passed out on Lime a couple times thanks to your lazy ass!”
Blue jabs her own finger into Purple’s chest. “So don’t pull this ‘sus’ shit, Purple! ‘Getting people killed - a lunatic is what you are!”
Purple makes no comeback, just for a moment, a small victory to be sure. A moment of silence uninterrupted by Purple. But it doesn’t last.
He turns his head a bit, a glance at the other crewmates in their presence, and utters a single sentence that serves to cement his fate.
“You fuckin’ hear this shit?”
Two beeps ring out, coming from the tablets in Lime and Black’s hands, prompting Purple to glance down at his own as a third beep sounds from Blue’s.
Hesitantly, Purple hits Blue’s icon on the voting screen, and the results make a dreaded chill race up his back and arms.
Three votes for Purple, one for Blue.
Two hands suddenly grip one arm and hoist him out of his seat as a second pair grabs his other arm.
Purple struggles, a string of curses fall from his mouth in the process. He tries to knee and elbow Lime and Black, but it’s a bit hard to land a hit when both arms are restrained and his feet aren’t touching the floor.
“IT’S BLUE!” he screams, over and over. “IT’S BLUE! IT’S GOTTA BE BLUE!”
Blue follows the three, heading to a nearby panel to prepare an ejection pod.
“IT’S BLUE, YOU ASSHOLES!! YOU’RE DUMB AS SHIT! I DIDN’T DO ANYTHING!”
“That’s what we’ve been saying.” Black said bluntly, tilting their head slightly to avoid one of Purple’s swinging arms.
Blue heads to the group as a pod sets into place, the equipment hissing as the panel door eases open.
“BLUE-!” Purple screams, and an arm wraps around his head unnaturally like a gag, and Purple’s eyes widen as he realizes what is happening.
“Holy shit, dude, I had to. He wouldn’t stop screaming!” Lime says, totally uncaring about blowing his cover to the two humans in the room.
“Lime, uncover his mouth please?” Blue asks, her eyes on his arm that now no doubt outed him.
Lime hesitates, and obliges, retracting and restoring the tight grip he had before when restraining Purple with Black.
“Blue!” Purple yells, his voice strained from all of the yelling and screaming he’s done over the past few weeks. “You knew ! Either you’re an impostor too, or you knew !”
“Honestly,” Blue states bluntly. “I just figured out that he’s an impostor just now too. And I assume Black is too by association.”
Black simply hums, and stretches one of their own arms before reaffirming their grip on Purple, confirming Blue’s hunch. Purple, however, is outraged.
“AND YOU’RE JUST OKAY WITH THAT?!”
Blue shrugs, “I mean, they never hurt me. Hell, they protected me . They just protected me from you ! You’re supposed to be of my kind, but all you did was hurt me and the others. Quite carelessly, may I add.”
“So if that makes me okay with them being impostors,” she tilts her head. “So be it. They’re nicer than you, anyway.”
Blue gives a quick nod, and Lime and Black toss him in the pod. As Purple regains his mobility in the small pod, a sharp hiss and click is heard, meaning the door is sealed and ready to eject. Purple presses himself against the window of the door, pounding on the glass and watching helplessly as Blue’s hand hovers over a big red button.
“BLUE!” He screams, his voice crackling as though his voice box were being torn. “You- You’re a fucking traitor! ”
Blue pauses, as though considering the implications.
“I can live with that.”
Blue’s hand hits the button, and Purple’s desperate screams are cut short by the hissing and decoupling of the pod as it departs from the ship into the unknown.
Purple was not An Impostor.
2 Impostors remain.