A/N: guys, guys, I did it! I finally have inspiration for the next chapter! And it's going to be nice and long, since you guys have waited so long! I hope you're all still with me.

It would seem that Cyan's troubles were only just beginning. No matter how hard they tried, they couldn't seem to get a single crewmate alone. They were all working together, in groups of two, and would not separate.

They acted fairly normal, greeting them politely, and asking them if they needed any help completing their tasks. "We know you're a veteran and all, but seeing as long-distance travel doesn't happen as often, we thought we'd ask," Blue had said with a friendly smile.

There was, however, one detail that got them thinking. Every so often, when they'd come across a duo, they'd get this odd, dear-in-the-headlights look about them, as if they were caught doing something they shouldn't.

Do they suspect me already? Do they know? But the impostor quickly shoved that thought out of their mind. The only way the crew could possibly know for certain they were an impostor is if Red had told them, and there was no way that would've happened. Red was a coward, but they wouldn't betray their species like that, not after being so determined to become a true impostor. And even if they had, the humans would never allow them to remain. The moment an impostor was revealed, they were voted out, and that was that.

They were just being paranoid and irrational. Cyan had spent far too much time around Red, and their anxiety had rubbed off on the older impostor. Well, not anymore.

So Cyan shut this line of thinking down completely, and decided that a short break could do them good. Maybe if they took some time to just exist for a moment and grab a snack from the cafeteria, they would be calm enough to navigate the situation properly. If anything else, I can always eat up all their food so they'll starve, they thought with a snort. But what a horrid, drawn out endeavor that would be. I can just imagine the wining, mostly from the yellow one.

Cyan was thankful the room was empty when they arrived there. They had already had enough of this crew for a lifetime, so much so that resorting to a critical sabotage was looking more appealing by the second. With a world-weary sigh, the impostor swung open the refrigerator door, only to be greeted by a rather pathetic sight. They hissed out a short curse at the nearly barren shelves. For the love of—did none of those idiots bother restocking supplies at the spaceport?

Luckily, they had thought ahead and brought a bit of food of their own. They grabbed a slab of meat wrapped in foil and plopped it unceremoniously into the microwave.

As the impostor stood there, letting the low hum of the microwave cleanse their brain, they began thinking back on what had brought them into this insufferable predicament. Not just Commander Gray or Red, even before that.

Cyan didn't like to think about the past. Mostly because the only thing they could remember were the less pleasant things. Impostor society was really odd when it came to what it expected of its members. Cyan remembered not so much the person themself, but the way the sight of the little green youngling's blood intrigued them when it oozed from the newly created cut in their rubbery flesh. The shock and pain in their eyes… cyan hadn't intended to injure them, it was only a play-fight. But the moment they'd seen it, they immediately wanted more.

But Cyan was far from a mindless killing machine, oh, no. They were intelligent, patient (although that was really being tested right now.) They found pleasure and thrill not just in the hunt, but in the hard work and planning it took to see it to completion. And they knew the hardship and frustration would all be worth it when they saw this to its gruesome, bloody end.

That should be all that mattered. So why couldn't they stop thinking about the past. Of how when many of their peers were reluctant to kill at first, they'd always leaped at the chance? When other children were disgusted by the blood balloons, Cyan relished in the bloodbath? Their eagerness to stalk and kill was praised by their instructors, and they were always at the top of their class. But the others seemed to have to learn to love the carnage, never embracing it from the get go.

Maybe that's why I spent so much time hanging around Red, they mused. They were an even bigger outcast than I ever was, and having us so close together distracted our peers from my abnormalities, and their resentment of them. Or perhaps they just reminded me of a puny human with their weakness, and a part of me wanted to eliminate them. Who knows at this point?

One thing was for sure, their instructors definitely paired them up so often, hoping Cyan could fix Red, shape them and mold them into a ruthless impostor, like themself. And they tried, really they did. But at this point, they were pretty sure it was a lost cause. There was nothing that could be done to change Red, just like nothing would ever truly satisfy Cyan's lust for blood.

Bzzzzzzzzzt! Bzzzzzzzzzt! Red jumped when the loud buzzing noise cut through their thoughts. This time, they swore loudly.

They had forgotten that metal can't be put in a microwave, and had heated their snack with the foil still wrapped around it. And of course, Red and that stupid yellow crewmate had to pick that exact momentto arrive on the scene.

"What the—oh, holy crap!" It was difficult to tell if Yellow was laughing, or gagging at the stench of electrified meat and metal.]

"Again?" Red asks. They had a look in their eyes that had always driven the other impostor mad, a wide-eyed confused stare that made it clear their brain could not comprehend the situation they had found themself in.

"This has happened before?" Cyan asks as they stopped the microwave and opened the door. This time, Yellow definitely gagged at the smell, but Cyan actually didn't mind that much. Red seemed similarly unfazed.

"Yup." And of course, the girl didn't sound any less cheerful despite her disgust. "Red did it."

"Hey!"

"Of course they did," Cyan replied, sighing heavily. Actually, no one else was here besides themself, Red and Yellow. This would be the perfect time to strike. Cyan begins getting into range.

"Ack!" And promptly rams into Red, who had moved into their path for some inexplicable reason. "What are you doing?"

"Uh— ooh, lemme see it," the other impostor stammered.

"See what?"

"The food. The meat, let's see the damage. I-I'm surprised the microwave's not broken at this point."

"MIRA appliances are tough," Yellow explains. "MIRA doesn't wanna replace them often, so they're built to last."

Alright, so they don't want Cyan to kill her? Disappointing, but fine. Red can do it themself, and actually be useful for once. They give them a look, but Red either doesn't notice, or doesn't comprehend the meaning. Typical.

"Do you still want it?"

"What?" This time it was cyan who was uncomprehending.

"The meat. Do you still want it?"

Cyan is about to respond, when a vibration from their pocket diverts their attention. It was their iMira. At first, they snort, believing it to be yet another message from an enamored fan, and can barely suppress their shock when they realized the true author of the text.

Commander Gray: Find a place where you will not be overheard, and call me as soon as possible. I have something of utmost importance to discuss with you.

Cy666: Understood.

They left the cafeteria so quickly that they didn't notice Yellow's bemused glance, or Red, devouring their snack with their second mouth, not even bothering to hide it.

"Why'd you do that?" Yellow hissed. She couldn't, for the life of her, understand why her vent buddy was being so careless.

"They didn't see me."

"They very easily could have, and what would you have said?"

Red sighs. Yellow can tell by the look in their eyes that they knew the crewmate was right. "It's just… well, I don't want to go back to the way things were?"

"What do you mean?"

Red comes closer, speaking barely above a whisper. "Sneaking around. Lying. Hiding what I am. It was exhausting, and stressful, and letting myself be, well, myself felt so freeing. I don't want to go back to the way it was before." Red sighs. "But, I know that was careless. It was stupid. If my instructors knew, I'd never hear the end of it."

A wave of understanding hits Yellow. Of course, Red didn't like all this secrecy. She remembered how much happier they seemed after their secret was out, how much less anxious and paranoid. Being allowed to be themself really had done them good. And now, they had to push it all back inside.

Yellow felt guilty. She wished she hadn't suggested this plan. She saw the way Cyan looked at her. It was like nothing she'd ever seen in the eyes of a humanoid before. The cold, hungry stare of a predator.

Cyan wanted to kill her. They wanted all of them dead. This plan, as fun as it was most of the time, was incredibly dangerous and risky. There were so many ways it could go wrong.

Red seemed to read her mind. They took her hand, and gave it a squeeze. "It's not your fault."

"I was the one who suggested it," she insisted.

"And I went along with it. I know cyan. And I think this is the best bet we have to get out of this alive. Well, all of us except Cyan… which I don't quite know how to feel about that."

"What was your guys' relationship like anyway, if you don't mind me asking?"

"I don't mind. It was… strange. Cyan and I were partnered up a lot, and even roommates and dormmates."

"Oh my god, you were roommates. … Sorry."

Red snorts despite themself. "But I can't be sure if they actually wanted to help me, or our teachers put them up to it. They might have hoped Cyan's naturally aggressive nature would rub off on me. Well, so much for that."

Yellow tried for a smile. "Well, I, for one, am glad it didn't work."

Red soon does the same, though it's smaller. "Yeah, me too."

Too fast. "Ugh!"

Too slow. "Come on!"

"Do you need some help?" Purple asks. She had never seen Blue this angry before and was becoming concerned.

"If you think you can do better," Blue snapped, but Purple could tell they were just mad and didn't mean it in an insulting way.

Purple gingerly takes Blue's card and heads over to swipe it. "Yellow taught me how to do this. It's very difficult to master, but once you figure it out, it becomes easy."

Blue gapes when Purple gets the card successfully swiped on her first try. "That's… incredible!"

Purple giggles. "You'll get it someday."

But they both sober quickly, returning to the task at hand. "Any news on Cyan?" Blue asks warily.

"White and Green are watching the map at all times, and Red and Yellow are distracting them while they get the remaining tasks for the day finished."

"Thank god there's not that many; could you imagine dealing with this and a normal-sized task list?"

"To be fair, many crews have done it successfully," the medic points out.

"Not without casualties," blue responds.

"True. We're very lucky to have Red with us."

Blue laughs. "Sorry, sorry. It's just i betcha no one in the history of MIRA has ever said they were lucky to have an impostor among them. Well, not knowingly anyway."

Purple can't help but let out a small chuckle of their own. "This is a strange situation, I know. But, it's better this way. Now that our tasks are finished, I think it could be a good idea to check the cameras and door logs."

Blue punches the air. "Right behind ya, Purp!"