I had just finished scrubbing the dust out of the air filter when I heard the quiet, rapid drumming of boots against the hallway floor. They quickly grew louder, and before I knew it, Lime turned abruptly through the doorway and stood at the other side of the room, her fiery stare piercing into mine.

"Okay, Cy, I'll need you to stay in the room this time. What's up with all of this?"

"Lime, I'm sorry," I pleaded. "It's not you. Everyone has been suspicious of one another. I'm sure you've noticed."

"I have. And I get that you're wary of me. But there's a difference between caution and downright paranoia. The fact that you don't feel safe around me to the point of physical avoidance makes me feel like I've done something wrong." She didn't sound angry like I expected her to be. Actually, to my horror, she looked about ready to cry. "We've known each other for almost six years now. Did all that mean nothing to you?"

"I don't mean anything personal by this," I said, desperately trying to sound as sincere as I felt. "I'm just trying to figure out who I can trust. I trust you with all my heart, but the impostor has taken over one of us, and they're blending in seamlessly."

"If you trust me, you sure as hell aren't showing it. When on this ship have I ever acted suspiciously to you?" Lime cried defensively, sounding increasingly upset. "I've been alone with you dozens of times. I could have killed you any one of those times! I defended you at the meeting, and for all I know, you could be preparing to stab me ."

"I understand that," I said back, trying not to lose my cool. "I'm sorry. We can do a few tasks together if you want—which ones do you have today?"

"We could work together, but you still won't trust me, will you?" Lime stared at me with a pained look in her eyes. To my dismay, she drew in a quivering breath and began blinking rapidly before turning to the door.

"Lime, stop," I begged. She didn't answer. Right before she was out of the room, I grabbed her shoulder and said one last time, "Wait!"

She spun around and snapped, "Get the hell away from me! I'm done with this. We'll talk later." With that, she immediately took off down the hallway.

I stood there for a minute, shocked. Damn. I never realized just how badly I was hurting her.

After the shock wore off, I began to make my way toward Communications to download today's data. Brown and Black, our respective mechanic and programmer, had gotten the cameras and some of the equipment in Admin working again. Everything else, however, was still down. We hadn't gotten so much as a signal from ground control since the radio malfunction.

Before I could get far, however, something caught my attention: the sound of a vent clattering shut down the hall behind me. I froze in horror. Those things are too small for a human to fit through. Is the impostor using the vents to get around?

It must be. But I don't know who it is. The others would be pissed if I called a meeting for no reason.

When I turned around, I saw nothing.

I backed away uneasily and hasted my steps into Communications. I had no proof as to who had vented—vented, heh, that's a fun term. I'd just make myself look suspicious if I called an emergency meeting without any rock solid evidence, as Black had called it, so I decided not to.

The thought chewed away at me as I plugged my tablet in and began the download. Downloading always takes forever, but this time it seemed to crawl by.

If this is a possible lead, they need to know.

They'll suspect me.

We could do something with the vents.

But the vents are important. We can't board them up.

I need to tell them.

I unplugged my tablet mid-download and headed to the cafeteria. Without more than a moment of hesitation, I flipped open the glass cover and slammed my hand down on the emergency meeting button. The lights on the ship flickered red. A blaring alarm sounded, so loud I had to fight the urge to cover my ears.

Green, Pink, Red, Purple, and Lime all hurried in at the same time from the same hallway, nearly sprinting. Yellow, Brown, and Black came in side by side from the opposite hallway.

"What the hell is it now, Cyan?" Pink groaned. I couldn't help but be frustrated by how pissed off she sounded by me simply calling a meeting.

"The impostor is using the vents," I said bluntly.

"That sounds like bullshit," Green hissed. "Those are far too small for anyone to fit through."

"How do you know that, Cyan?" Red said stoically. He didn't sound accusatory or confused, but was pressing me to answer in a way that made me nervous.

"I heard one closing. Like Green said, they're too small for any human to go through. And we've figured out that the impostor probably isn't human. I think we should screw them shut or something."

"Cyan," Green said quietly, "they're already screwed into the ground."

Shit.

"I know what I heard," I defended. "I heard Red open a vent once to clean it. That was the same sound."

"And now you're counter-accusing Red?" Brown countered. "That's pretty fucking suspicious, if you ask me."

"Calm down," Red said in a raised tone. "There is no need for quick accusations. Let Cyan finish."

This was a huge mistake.

"I'm sorry, Cy," Brown sighed, pressing her face into her hands. "This is all just so stressful."

"I was not accusing him. I said he was cleaning the vents, and that's what I compared the sound I heard to," I retorted.

"Cyan has been with me alone," Lime defended. She picked at her shirt, squirming a bit. "He's been with Yellow alone. He's been with Pink alone. And probably most of you. He could have attacked us at any of those times. Yellow and Cyan are safe."

"That's because you're friends," Pink pointed out. "Of course he isn't going to attack you two! And you said I was alone with them, so why the hell are you still saying I'm a suspect? You haven't been cleared by anyone!"

"Yes, those three are friends," Green said straightforwardly. "But if Cyan was truly the impostor, that wouldn't matter. The impostor has disguised themselves as one of our crewmates. Disguised, not replicated. Thoughts, relationships, and feelings would all be lost."

"Since when do we all think it's Cyan? Just because he called a meeting?" Purple defended.

"Honestly, Purple? I kinda think it's you," Black commented.

"What—why? What did I do?" Purple cried.

"Remember how you were alone with Brown when she was attacked?" Black said matter-of-factly.

"I was in the room next to hers, she can back me up! Why are you obsessing over this so much?"

"I know she didn't," Brown insisted.

"You said you were asleep with the lights off." Black held her gaze with Brown. The latter silently stared back for a moment before glancing down.

"I was," she said quietly.

Purple seemed crushed. She didn't say anything, but the pained look on her face told me everything.

"She makes a good point," Red said with a nod.

"And she claimed to be in Storage for a suspiciously long time last meeting," Yellow agreed.

"We're bringing that up again?" Purple cried, sounding distraught. "I told you, the trash chute had broken! I said that you could all check, but Red immediately shot me down. What if he was trying to make me look suspicious if it came up again?"

"I was only calling this meeting to bring up the vents—"

"Cyan, shut up," Pink snapped, cutting me off harshly. "We know. But now we're discussing evidence that has come up."

"What evidence?" Purple countered.

"Someone's getting defensive, huh?" Green almost sounded like he was taunting her.

"No!" Purple cried, tears pooling in her eyes. She turned to Brown. "You can defend me, right?" she pleaded.

Brown remained silent, looking like she was on the verge of crying as well.

"See? Even your—"

"Stop!" Lime shouted, her voice sounding choked. She dug at her side again, more agitated this time. "Cyan was right. This meeting—this was to bring attention to the vents. The vents, not—not to accuse someone."

"Why do you keep itching?" Purple asked Lime.

"I think something bit me," she hissed, picking at the bottom of her shirt.

"I don't think there's enough evidence to vote, but I'm positive there's something going on with Purple," Black said.

"I agree, Black." Red said coldly, glaring at the violet-suited crewmate.