All is well in the Northern Galaxy

Ch. 1: Three Mistakes

(Also, Green is the Only Competent Person on This Godforsaken Ship)

   Blue sat with the others nervously as a broadcast from Mira HQ came in. Captain appeared on the screen of the small television and cleared his throat as we leaned in curiously.

   "As you all know, you are being sent to fix an abandoned ship that holds useful cargo; The Skeild." He started.
   The crew all gave a sharp nod in unison.
   "Ah, well, we seem to have run into a problem. There is one creature among you that wishes to stop that. We know this creature is a parasitic alien, and if you are to complete your mission to fix the Skeild, you must find it and shoot it out of the airlock as soon as possible."

   Blue suddenly got a horrible feeling. He was having a little problem and it was timed up with this news a little too well for his comfort.

   "For now we will assume it wants to kill you!" Captain continued.
   The crew gasped, all ten of them casting worried glances towards each other.
   "You must use your wit! Your cunning! Use evidence! Figure out who this imposter is and eject them! Our scanners will tell when this imposter is off the ship, but we can't tell exactly who it is. Listen to each other, watch the cameras, and above all else; fix that ship."
   The screen went black as Captain ended the announcement.

   White looked as if she was about to say something, but stopped when Pink spoke up.
   "We still have twelve hours until we reach The Skeild, um, maybe we can figure out who the imposter is in that time?"
   "Wait," Green said "we can't just accuse people randomly. Like Commander said, this is not a game. We won't get anything from randomly throwing accusations. Let's really think about this. Get a good rest and we'll figure this out on the ship where we can actually get information. This will be a tough mission."
   His mini crewmate looks up worried. This was supposed to be an easy, safe mission for the kid.
   Yellow suddenly stands up and starts frantically pacing "What if we get killed in our sleep? What if the imposter causes trouble with this transport ship? What if Commander has more information? What if-"
   "Shhhhhhhhhut up, idiot," groans Red "lock the door and you will be just fine."
   "But-"
   "No, no, no," Green intercepts. "Red has a point"
   "I do?"
   Green shoots him a dirty look and continues. "If Commander calls, we will hear the ring. Just go. Think about it. Maybe the imposter will give up and leave now that we know that it is on the ship?"
  The crew nodded and headed to their private quarters, staying far away from each other.

   Ten and a half hours until they reach The Skeild.
Blue couldn't sleep. He couldn't imagine any of the other crewmates to be an imposter. Red perhaps. He was very rude and it seemed he didn't quite know how to act. Green possibly. He seemed very- maybe too confident. But he had his kid with him. That doesn't seem like something an alien would do.
   As Blue pondered this, his arm started twitching uncontrollably. It flailed around and searched for something to grab. Blue very quickly pinned it down and after a few minutes he regained control of the rebellious limb. A sharp burning in his stomach appeared and he swallowed down bile.
  This had happened a few times this month and it worried him. At least twice a day now, it's getting worse. But something stopped him from telling the others.
   The aching and burning faded and his muscles relaxed. Finally drifting off into sleep, a nagging thought was discarded to the back of Blue's mind.
   That was his first mistake.

[time skip]

   Blue woke with a start, feeling a sharp pain in his side. He rolled over, trying to ignore it and checks the clock.
   Nine hours until they reach The Skeild.
   He groans, trying to fall back asleep, but just as he was drifting off, he felt something move in the area of the pain. Blue shifts, thinking maybe Purple's dog had somehow gotten into his room, but what he saw was much worse.
   A small black tentacle, maybe six inches long was poking out through his skin. It was greenish around the base where it met flesh. Blue froze, his breathing quickened as he carefully grabbed his tool pack and took out a hunting knife. He pricked the thing hoping it was just a leech or something, but to his horror, it hurt. He winced in pain and fear as black goop leaked from the cut and the strange appendage retracted back into his body. The poor human scrambled up and pressed his body on the far wall from his cot, away from the knife and puddle of goop. He checked his side, where the tentacle had ripped his shirt. All that was there was a sickly grey-green patch.
   Blue's mind raced, instantly jumping to the conclusion that it was some kind of parasitic alien. Why didn't he think of this sooner? When could he have been infected? They were only supposed to take their suits off when in their quarters, and while showering to stop things like this from happening. Blue held back tears and poked at the patch. Nothing happened.
   He sulked back towards his cot and collapsed as a sudden wave of fatigue washed over him. He didn't even have enough time before passing out to make it to the pile of scratchy blankets.