Chapter 1
	It was far too early for this. The crew of the Skeld was up bright and early thanks to an unexpected cargo drop. Most of the crew was already up and about, getting things ready for the day. All thanks to the annoying chimes of the unmanned MIRA shuttle that’d flagged them down not an hour before. Brown had been assigned to help out in the kitchens and Tan had the lovely job of clearing a clog in the bathrooms. That only left Black and Gray to load up the new shipment. 
	Gray had no problems with the heavy shipment crates, tossing them around like they weighed nothing. Black couldn’t help but be impressed by the larger man’s strength. Black himself was quite a bit smaller than the other three ship-hands. Having been brought onto the Skeld for his general knowledge of space and his optimism. He usually didn’t help out with heavy lifting, but seeing as Tan and Brown were already busy. Black had insisted he help, despite his trepidation. 
	Orange had said he could help, but everyone knew that the man was getting on in years. He’d been complaining about his joints recently. He’d even started bugging Red about bringing in a coral crewmate to help out with the engineering tasks around the ship. So, Black was adamant that he pick up his self-perceived slack. 
	“MIRA never fails to fuck us over.” Gray grunted as he set another crate in place. The grav-cart was nearly overflowing with crates packed full of supplies. Some were nearly bursting with their contents. “Six in the fucking morning, and they decided to make us lift this shit.” He complained. Black chuckled quietly, busy setting up the next grav-cart. 
	Gray was tall, buff, and practically dripped with masculinity. Though he had a bit of a temper, he always seemed to have a kind word for Black. Black couldn’t help but admire him. His chiseled features were complimented by dark hair and slate colored eyes. Black, in comparison, was short and on the slightly chubby side of the scale. Curly black hair spilled onto his shoulder and framed his chubby face. His black eyes complimented his pale skin starkly. 
	“It could be worse.” Black chimed in as he attempted to lift a smaller crate onto his cart. Though heavy, Black was able to slide it onto the grav-cart with only a little trouble. Gray had already docked the first grav-card and ducked back into the shuttle to help load the second. 
	“Please, do tell.” Gray grumbled. 
	“Well, at least you aren’t the only one loading this stuff, right?” Black questioned. His dark eyes sparkled with an uncanny mirth despite the early hours. Grey shook his head with a rueful smile, grabbing another heavy crate as he did. 
	“Shrimp, I enjoy the company, but you were not built for this kinda work.” Gray replied. Black looked away in embarrassment, as he struggled to set another crate onto the cart. Gray sighed, looking to the ceiling and rubbing his neck. “Really, I enjoy the company, but why don’t you go make sure that the cargo is secure in the ship. I’ll keep loading here, and you can bring in the next grav-cart.” Gray said, giving Black an encouraging smile. 
	Black gave a stilted nod and mumbled his agreement before he slipped back onto the Skeld. He thought he heard Gray cursing quietly to himself, but decided to ignore it for now. The short man quickly made his way over to the grav-cart that Gray had filled up already. As he ensured that everything was in its proper places, there was a sudden jolt throughout the ship. Red’s voice suddenly boomed from the comms system.
	“Everyone had better hang on tight. We just hit some sort of energy pocket. Think it might be a solar storm of some kind. Shields are holding but it’s gonna get choppy.” Just as Red’s voice faded, the ship shook violently. The crates on the inside of the subtle had begun to topple from their places. Gray slipped out of the shuttle just before the dominoes had begun to fall. 
	“Shit, Gray are you ok?” Black called, struggling to hang on to the grav-cart’s handles. Gray gave a thumbs up, hanging tight to the trash shoot’s lever. 
	“I’m fine Squirt, stay put!” He shouted over the crashing noises from the shuttle. “Hope MIRA didn’t send us anything fragile!” The taller man tried to joke as they were jostled about. Black let himself chuckle. The lights began flickering throughout the ship, the only constant light coming from the shuttle. Orange’s voice suddenly came loud and clear from the comms.
	“Shit, the storm is messing with the power. I’m working on it, but it’s looking bad…” The older man’s voice was cut off by static as the ship lurched. The power cut out suddenly before emergency lights flooded the room. The grav-cart that Black had been clinging to lurched down as it lost power. He thought he heard Gray shout for him to move, but it was too late. Black looked up to see crates falling towards him. He fell back, shielding his head with his arms, before everything went dark. 

	Gray swore violently as the emergency lights flooded the room. Coating everything in a frightening red. He could do nothing from his position as the grav-cart Black had been holding on to suddenly lost power. The crates shifting dangerously.
	“Black! Get out of there!” He cried, but it was far too late. Gray watched in horror as the small human was buried under the heavy cargo. He knew just how heavy those crates were. He’d loaded them on himself. While they were nothing for his kind, to a human…
	Gray leapt into action, abandoning his flimsy disguise for the aid of his extra limbs. Tentacles spring from his form as he lifted the crates away and tossed them to the side. The lights flickered to life as he uncovered Black. There was blood, so much blood. His arms were twisted in unnatural ways, as was his leg. A large cut marred the pale human’s forehead, running down across his eye. 
	“Shit, shit shit!” Gray snarled from his elongated snout. He quickly moved the remaining crates away, shifting back into his human disguise. Activating his comms, he growled into them with urgency. “I need medical assistance now! Black was caught under the cargo when the power cut!” He heard White swear before confirming that she was on the way. He could sense Maroon and Pink trying to contact him, but he was too distracted. 
	He gently rested Black’s head on his lap, surveying his injuries, and keeping a trained ear on his breathing. Black’s heartbeat was faint, but it was there. That’s what he had to focus on. The violent shaking of the ship came to a halt as White, Purple, and Cyan rushed in with a gurney. White cursed violently as she knelt down and began feeling for Black’s pulse. 
	“Shit, it’s weak.” she said, turning to the others. “We need to get him to the med bay and get him prepped for surgery. He’ll need blood and fluids. Cyan, test his blood, ask around for a match, now!” White ordered, prompting Cyan to scoop up a sample of Blood and sprint from the cargo hold. 
	“I’ll help move him.” Gray said, his tone leaving no room for argument. White gave a curt nod in reply before she began counting down. At three they hefted Black’s slight form onto the waiting gurney. Instantly the bedding was stained red. They wasted no time, Purple and White running on either side of the gurney as they raced to the med bay. Gray not far behind them. As they passed through the cafeteria, Pink sprinted from the kitchen to follow them. They skid to a halt once there, White rushing to grab the tools she needed. 
	“I need you two out while we operate.” She said sternly to Gray and Pink, who had little time to argue before they were ushered through the door. Pink rounded on Gray, glaring. It was rather uncharacteristic for the usually gentle being.
	“What the hell happened.” He growled, teeth sharpening a bit.  Pink was a bit taller than Gray, and far bulkier. Though in place of obvious muscle was instead fat. Pink was large in many ways, and his glare was surprisingly imposing. Gray balked at the other Imposter, lost for words at the venom from his usually kind companion. Though when it came to black, all three of the aliens on board were prone to acting out of character. Gray cleared his throat and explained what happened. Pink took the explanation bravely, and only scolded him for implying that Black was weak. 
	As they argued, several other crewmates began to make their appearance. Maroon, their fellow imposter, was first on the scene. As tall as Pink, and with a strong presence. It was like staring at a brick wall. His face was cold, but Gray could feel the distress just under the surface. Red, Rose, Green, Orange, Brown, and Tan all rushed to the hall soon after him. Before Maroon could ask, the door suddenly slid open. Cyan stepped out with a clipboard at the ready. 
	“We have a problem.” Cyan began, flipping through the clipboard, “Black is O positive. We need someone else with O positive or O negative blood. We don’t have enough stored on board to save him.” He looked pointedly at everyone present. “Anyone?” He asked desperately. Gray shared a look with Maroon and Pink, a telepathic conversation taking place briefly. They didn’t hesitate. All three stepped forward. 
	“Great, come on.” Cyan said as he dragged them into med bay before slamming the door shut behind them. Gray felt his blood shift as he changed it to what was needed. They refused to look in the direction that Black was in, forced to hear the horrible sounds of White operating. Maroon turned to Gray as Cyan set up to take their blood. 
	“It isn’t your fault.” Maroon said, his stoic demeanor not giving an inch. Gray only gave a stilted nod as he turned away from the second officer. The three of them had been with the crew for a long time. They had become attached. Especially to Black. Gray couldn’t help but feel responsible, he’s the one who sent Black to check on the grav-cart after all. Pink leaned his large frame against Gray in what seemed to be an act of apology. Gray accepted the contact gratefully. 
	The procedure didn’t take long on their part. Their blood was taken, bandages were given, and they were ushered out of the med bay with orders to eat and rest. Black was still under the knife. There was nothing more they could do. 
	“Do you think it will work?” Pink asked as he led them into the kitchen. Bustling around to make them something quick to eat. Maroon sighed and shrugged, not verbally answering but letting thoughts through their link. Their blood was adaptive, it should work. The three of them ate quietly, worry eating away at them. Hoping desperately for news. 

	Black woke with a groan. Everything hurt. He peeked one eye open, blinking at the bright lights. He took stock of himself groggily. His left eye was bandaged along with most of his head. An oxygen mask was affixed to his face. Both of his arms and his right leg were in casts, raised up above the bed by slings. An IV of blood and saline ran to one of his arms. 
	“Ow…” He groaned weakly. Instantly Purple was at his side. They quickly checked his vitals and turned to him with a smile. 
	“Black, I’m glad you’re awake.” They said cheerfully. “You seem to be reacting to the transfusion well enough.” Purple sat back down in the chair they’d been occupying before Black had spoken. Black looked around, distantly recognizing the med bay. 
	“What happened?” He rasped. 
	“An accident in the cargo bay.” Purple said, “We ran into a spot of trouble and lost power. The contents of a grav-cart fell on you. Gray pulled you out.” Purple flipped through a chart, Black assumed it was his. “You should try to get some rest, we’ll talk more when you’re feeling better.” Purple smiled as they stood. They pulled the curtains around Black’s bed closed and left. 
	Black could feel the thrum of the engines, and the buzzing of the lights. It made his head ache. Black tried his best to relax into his cot. Closing his eyes and letting the sounds of the medical team puttering around lull him back to sleep. 
Chapter 2
	For two weeks he laid in medical, looking up at the ceiling. Yesterday White had finally let him rest his arms on the bed rather than in slings. Though his leg still had the honor of a hammock. At least his right arm was free to move now. And with the help of the remote, Black was even able to sit up. Black tried to settle his nerves as the lights continued to buzz quietly. Every time he thought too much about it they seemed to buzz all the more. He was shaken from his thoughts at the sound of the medical door whooshing open. He could hear White listing rules to someone as they made their way to Black’s bed. The curtain was drawn back gently to reveal the trio. 
	White was still prattling off restrictions and warnings not to exhaust her patient to Rose and Blue. Rose had her helmet off, pointedly chewing gum. It was clear she was just waiting for White to stop talking. Blue was listening intently to the medic’s instructions. Black was sure that she was making a mental list of everything that was said. He chuckled a bit to himself, hiding a wince at the twinge in his chest. 
	“And remember not to overwhelm him.” White finished, waiting for the pair to nod in acknowledgement before making her way back to her desk. Blue took a seat next to Black’s bed, shooting him a sympathetic look. 
	“How you feelin’ shrimp?” She teased. Her smile didn’t quite reach her eyes. Black grimaced, looking down at his bandaged body. When he spoke his voice was rough as gravel. 
	“Sore,” he rasped, “and groggy.” Black repositioned his head to look at Blue. “Was anyone else hurt?” He asked. Blue simply shook her head. Black let out a deep breath he hadn’t known he’d been holding. For two weeks White, Purple, and Cyan had staunchly refused to discuss the particulars of the accident with their patient. Purple claimed that it would be detrimental to his healing. Now that he had access to outside sources, Black took advantage. “How badly was the cargo damaged?” he asked. He instantly regretted the question when he saw Rose’s piercing gaze settle on him. 
	“Are you fucking serious?” Rose demanded, standing abruptly. “You can barely move and you’re worried about the cargo?” Rose paced back and forth ranting in Spanish for a good five minutes before rounding on him. “If you weren’t already in stitches…” Before she could finish her thought, Blue thankfully placed a gentle hand on Rose’s shoulder. 
	“Calm down,” She soothed, “asking about somewhat relevant topics is just a subconscious distraction method.” The taller woman let out a frustrated huff, brushing her dark hair out of her eyes. Her gaze was still internse, but it had lost some of its heat. Rose turned her head to look at Blue with a mildly annoyed expression. 
	“What did I say about using big words around me?” She asked. Blue sighed loudly, her visor staring straight up at the ceiling. 
	“That I have the group’s brain cell and big words hurt your head.” Blue deadpanned. Black couldn’t stop the surprised chuckle that escaped him, nor the pained wince from the sudden movement. Blue’s head snapped to look at him when she heard the sound. She walked over to the other side of the bed, inspecting the IV still connected to Black.
	“Speaking of the brain cell. Why hasn’t White administered more advanced aid to repair your limbs?” She asked, Black sighed as he rested his head on the pillow. 
	“The tech’s not working.” Black mumbled. Blue’s head tilted like a confused cat. 
	“I request clarification, Black.” Curiosity tinged her voice as she spoke. Black shifted to better see her. 
	“Based on what White said,” He began, pausing to clear his throat, “the nano tech interface keeps glitching and short circuiting. She said that she would get Orange to look into it.. For now it’s traditional medicine.” Black cleared his throat again as he settled back into a comfortable position. The pair hummed curiously before falling into comfortable conversation. Sharing information about their current projects and the repairs being made to the ship. 
	Rose had been rambling about a new guidance system for the external blasters she’d been working on when the door to medical whooshed open again. The trio glanced over to see Pink’s large form making his way into the medical wing. In his hands was a meal tray, still steaming hot. 
	“I trust you kept to the dietary requirements I sent you, Pink?” White called from where she was fiddling with the scanner equipment. Pink simply nodded as he made his way over to Black’s bed. Rose and Blue shifted out of the way to give the large man room. Rose’s expression was difficult to read, but Black could see a glimmer of mirth in her eyes. Pink ignored this, swinging the attached tray around to rest over Black’s lap. 
	Black smiled gratefully, pressing a button on his remote to move him to a sitting position. He did so at a snail’s pace, doing his best not to jostle his leg or his still bound left arm. As soon as he was settled in his new position, Pink gave him a curt nod before hastily retreating from the room. Despite still wearing his helmet, the large man seemed somewhat nervous as he left. Black happily and carefully began to indulge in the savory stew and fried bread that the larger man had brought him. 
	Rose was smirking.
	Black did his best to ignore her expression as he continued to slowly spoon the stew into his mouth. Pink truly had a gift, and not for the first time Black seriously wondered how such a talent hadn’t pursued a career as a chef instead of working on a cargo freighter. He pointedly did not look as blue removed her helmet to stare confused at the door. Instead he munched on another lovely piece of fried bread. 
	“Areeeeee we gonna talk about that?” Rose asked, “because what the fuck just happened?” Black simply continued to eat nonplussed. 
	“Ever since White cleared me for more than just an IV diet, Pink’s been bringing me food once a day.” Black calmly explained as he ate. Rose gaped at him, clearly affronted. Blue, meanwhile, hovered close to the bed staring intently at the meal tray. Black smiled as he offered her a piece of fried bread. Blue avoided her gaze but took it gently before beginning to nibble. He knew that Blue had a nasty habit of forgetting to eat. Her eyebrows disappeared into her raven curls. 
	“This is far better than anything Pink has prepared for the crew in several weeks.” She mumbled, intent on savoring her treat. Rose nearly shrieked. 
	“Seriously! Last night we had protean paste and celery stalks for dinner. It sucked.” Rose deadpanned, flopping back into the chair. Black simply smiled and continued to eat. He was more than certain that his friends were exaggerating, but arguing would get him nowhere. Besides, he had stew to eat. 
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	Blue and Rose weren’t able to stay after the food had been delivered. They were quickly ushered out by White. The head medical officer insisted that Black needed to eat and then rest. Rose protested, obviously, but was practically dragged out of medical by the ear. Rose continued to gripe as they made their way through the cafeteria. She could hear the faint sounds of Pink working in the kitchen. 
	As they entered Admin to work on their tasks for the day, they were surprised to find a small crowd gathered around the main table. Gray, Orange, and Maroon stood crowded around schematics of the ship. Once with bright yellow lines running throughout the floor plan. Before Rose could say anything, Blue suddenly spoke at her side. 
	“May I ask what it is you three are doing?” She inquired with a hint of suspicion in her tone. Orange, an older man with salt and pepper hair straightened up and held the plans out for Blue to take. 
	“Maroon here asked me to see about setting up some backup generators that can hold a charge to prevent any more spills.” The man explained as Blue took the plans. Rose peeked over her shoulder to see that it was a plan of the wiring throughout the ship. She glanced over at the trio.
	“Okay,” Rose began, “I get why Orange and Maroon are looking into it, but what the hell are you doin’ here Gray?” Admittedly, she could have been nicer about her questioning. However, Rose was feeling just a little bit on edge discussing the accident twice in one day. The muscular man bristled, beginning to shout something but he was cut off by their second officer. 
	“Gray is the most qualified consultant for determining where the generators should be placed. Out of all four ship hands, Gray spends the most time in the cargo bay.” Maroon calmly explained, one hand on Gray’s shoulder. Rose huffed, grumbling her agreement. She may have a bone to pick with her fellow hot-head, but she really couldn’t argue with the sound logic of Maroon.
	“I would like to volunteer my skills in diverting power from the reactor in a safe manner.” Blue said, passing the plans back to Orange. Rose shook her head fondly as Blue began to ramble about the external storage device prototypes she had been fiddling with. Maroon stepped in once more before it could become a full lecture. 
	“Your help would be appreciated.” Maroon said, glancing to Orange for confirmation. 
	“She can help as long as I’m in charge.” He groused. “Though this would be much smoother if we had a Coral on board…” Maroon punched the bridge of his nose in frustration. Rose couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped her as he responded in a long-suffering tone. 
	“For the last time, we simply don’t have room on board for another crewmate. We barely have enough room as it is.” Maroon droned. Gray chose then to chime in again. 
	“You forgetting that we had to convert a storage room into a dinky ass room for me, old man?” 
	“OLD MAN?!?”
	It was then that Rose decided she’d had enough. She carefully guided Blue from the room as the trio erupted into a shouting match. They would just do their other tasks first. 
	“Sooooooo, Black is amassing a harem.” Rose said. Blue hummed her agreement. “Pink, Gray, and Maroon are all down bad.” She continued, earning another hum of agreement from Blue. “We aren’t gonna say anything are we?” She asked. Blue cracked a smile for the first time in weeks, glancing mischievously at her companion.
	“Nope.”
Chapter 3
	Black was getting a little frustrated with the electrical shrieking coming from White’s scanner. It seemed White was of the same mind, making a frustrated groan before tossing the offending tool onto another cot. As it landed, the offending tool sparked violently. 
	“And that’s scanner number three.” White sighs in defeat. “You know what? No more scanners.” She huffed in barely concealed outrage as she briskly made her way to the many cabinets lining the walls. She returned with an armful of disinfectant spray, cleaning wipes, gloves, and bandages. Still muttering to herself, White began removing the bandages on his torso and arms. With practiced precision, she wiped them clean of drying blood, sprayed the now mostly closed cuts and gases with disinfectant, and had Black re-wrapped in under five minutes flat. 
	“There, that’s better.” She groused, removing her gloves with a snap. You’re healing well enough. You leg will be out of the cast in a few more weeks. As long as you don’t strain your arms too much I’d be willing to let you leave Medical in a few days time.” Black’s eyes lit up at the prospect of being in his own room again. 
	“Please! Yes, I’ll be extra careful!” Black exclaimed, earning him an unimpressed look in return. White typed a few things out on her personal pad, never once looking away from her patient. Black fidgeted under her glare. 
	“You’re just lucky that your arms weren’t as badly damaged as your leg” She huffed. “We’ll remove the cast on your wrist tomorrow, then the next day you’re free to go. With regular check up as a condition.” Her glare was absolutely deadly as she leaned in close. “If I can’t wind of you straining yourself while you’re still healing, I will strap you to this cot for a month.” 
	The lights in medical flickered dramatically, casting her frightening expression in ominous shadows. Black audibly gulped before frantically nodding his understanding. After a tense few minutes, White finally backed off. She walked briskly over to her desk and flopped into the seat, furiously typing away. Black sagged in relief against the cot, the lights seeming to snap back into perfect working order. Part of Black wondered if she’d timed that with the impending power failure. They’d been so much more frequent since Orange and Blue had started work on the backup generators. 
	The door to medical opened suddenly, causing Black to glance over. Gray strode in, a grin on his face. He strode over to Black’s cot, scraped a chair along the ground, and plunked down with a heavy sigh. Black was surprised to see him. Gray had staunchly been avoiding medical since the accident. Black found it a little strange seeing as he’d pulled him from the pile of crates and volunteered for the transfusion. 
	“Hey there Shrimp, how ya feelin’?” Gray asked, his voice a bit strained. Black gave a weak smile in return, repeating what White had told him. Gray only kept up the smile a moment longer before sighing towards the ceiling. “Listen squirt, I’m sorry.” He choked out. Black’s eyes widened in shock.
	“Sorry? What for?” He asked. Gray seemed even more uncomfortable.
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	Black’s head rang with the sudden headache, his hand flying to his eyes. Gray startled, his larger hand finding purchase on Black’s shoulder. Black shook the static from his thoughts, willing the stabbing behind his eyes into submission. 
	“You ok Squirt?” Gray asked in surprised concern. Black gave a shaky nod, rubbing the last of the ache away. 
	“M’fine,” Black choked out, “been having micro headaches since the accident.” Black looked back to Gray, the taller man’s eyes full of concern. “Sorry, what were you saying?” Gray cleared his throat roughly.
	“Right,” he replied, “I just. I’m sorry for what I said. You know, before the accident.” Gray muttered. Black couldn't help the light chuckle that escaped him. 
	“Is that all? Honestly I haven’t given it a thought.” Black replied easily. “Besides, You’ve done more than enough to make up for telling the truth.” Black reached up to pat the hand on his shoulder. “You even volunteered for the transfusion.” Gray’s eyes widened comically. Black snorted at the expression, unable to help himself. “You look like a lost puppy.” He managed between giggles. After a few minutes, Black finally managed to calm himself down, with the help of another of White’s scathing looks. 
	“How did you know that?” Gray asked, something strange in his voice. Black was ready to answer, but his mind came up blank. How did he know that? He knew without a shadow of a doubt that Gray, Maroon, and Pink had all volunteered to give blood so Black could have a transfusion. But he couldn’t say how exactly he could have known that. 
	“I’m, I’m not really sure.” Black confessed. “Maybe I overheard something while I was still out of it?” He theorized. Gray nodded, still looking very confused. Gray gave a comforting squeeze to Black’s shoulder as he rose from his seat.
“Yeah Squirt, maybe.” Gray said, “You try to get a little rest, I gotta get back to it.” Gray closed the curtains around Black’s cot, sending him a reassuring look before stepping away. Black settled back into his cot, pressing a button on his remote to level out the mattress. He closed his eyes and let himself drift off. 
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	Gray took less than a minute to yank White and Purple out into the hall. As the door to medical closed behind them he whirled to face the pair. Both looked rather unimpressed. 
	“Did one of you tell him that I donated blood?” He demanded, his grip on his disguise becoming a little harder to hold onto. White’s glare could have curdled milk. 
	“I would never betray doctor patient confidentiality.” The older woman snarled. The imposter was startled at the venom in her voice. She rivaled the healers back on Polus. She only calmed a bit when Purple stepped between them. 
	“What she means is that we didn’t tell him, nor would we without express permission from the donors.” Purple said evenly. They removed their helmet to reveal their metallic purple eyes. They always startled the imposter every time he saw them. Gray settled himself, looking at the floor as if searching for answers there. 
	“Then how the fuck does he know?” He muttered. Purple cleared their throat as they stepped forward. 
	“Your species possesses a form of genetic memory, correct?” they posited. Gray was taken aback at their bluntness, but nodded nonetheless. “My father told me stories about where my sire came from. But he never told me any details.” Purple looked directly into Gray’s eyes, searching for trust of some kind. They must have found it. “Despite this, I know that he came from Polus. And that he met my father there.” 
	While the imposters knew what Purple was, they’d never directly approached the half-breed about their nature. Still, with the revelation that a half-human still possessed the sight. White spoke in a thoughtful tone.
	“Is it possible that Black has somehow inherited some of your genetic memory?” She asked. Her eyes flicked around as if calculating something in real time. “Come to think of it, I’ve gone through three scanners as of today trying to get readings on him.” Gray looks at her in alarm. 
	“Shit, that…” Gray was at a loss. He’d never heard of anything like that. Not even in half-breeds. It looked like Purple was coming to a similar conclusion. “Fuck, ok. I’ll talk to the others. See if they’ve heard of anything like this. I sure as fuck haven’t.” Gray said with finality. “Let me know if anything changes.” He said, storming away from the pair. This would either be interesting, or very bad. 
Chapter 4
	“Remember, two pills in the morning and two pills before bed. They’ll help with lingering pain and to prevent infection.” White informed him yet again as she continued to pack up a small bag of medication. Cyan and Purple had been dodging her as the head of medical prepared to release her patient. Black simply nodded amicably as she rambled. He had already heard the instructions on his medication and bedrest several times. He also knew that she’d included written instructions in the bag. In Black’s opinion, White was being paranoid. 
	Though, without the extra guidance from the malfunctioning medical equipment, he supposed he could put up with it. Nine times out of ten, whenever a medical scanner or electric thermometer was brought over they would glitch out and refuse to work. Black was starting to get suspicious, but really there were no grounds for it. He could think of no reason at all that the medical staff would pretend that their equipment was on the fritz. Besides, with how White was still double checking everything, it was simply an asinine notion. They’d even insisted on Black using a wheelchair for the time being to help him get back to normal. 
	“White, I think I’ve got it.” Black finally sighed as she began her checks again. “Besides, Blue and Rose already said they’d check in on me. And Pink is going to be bringing me meals when I can’t get to the cafeteria.” Black reasoned. White nodded in response, possibly more to herself than Black. She seemed to be going over everything in her head. Black wheeled himself over to pat her knee, before swiping the bag and attempting to race out of medical and to freedom. Sadly, he was stopped by a wall of dark red and muscle. 
	“Oof! Black? What are you doing?” Maroon questioned, steding the smaller man and himself as they collided. 
	“Trying to escape!” Cyan choked out through his cackles. Black looked back to see him doubled over with his helmet off. Purple looked on disapprovingly as White approached. 
	She was angry.
	“Seriously? One hour into having permission to leave medical and you can’t even wait for an escort before zooming away?” She began her lecture. Black groaned, letting his head fall against the back of the chair. 
	“Whiiiiite, please!” Black moaned, “I just want to go back to my room.” White paused, took a breath, and levelled Black with a glare that could wither flowers. Black didn’t drop his puppy dog eyes, earning more giggles from Cyan. After a few minutes, white sighed in defeat. 
	“Fine, fine. But Maroon and Gray will be escorting you back.” She said with finality. Black glanced back up at maroon and the now present Gray standing behind him. 
	C̵̸̵̶̵̶̸̶̵̸̶̨̠͗̀͑́̊͝Ö̵̷̶̶̷̶̶̶̵̵̡́̌̏̌͜͝N̵̷̵̸̵̶̵̷̹͑͂̚͠c̸̵̶̵̸̴̶̸̴̷̴̵̷͎̯̣̖̐̌̓͛̐̈Ḙ̵̷̶̷̵̶̴̵̴̻̰́͜͠r̶̸̸̸̴̵̵̸̴̴̼͕͙̆̍̀͜N̵̵̵̴̷̫̉ ̸̶̵̷̴̸̴̶̵̶̸̸̣̜͕̍̒̆̒̓̓a̷̵̵̴̸̵̵̷̸̷͈̝̤͙̘̋̊m̸̵̴̴̵̸̴̶̸̴̶̴̴̵̡̬̣̗̳̹̈́̄̅́̌ų̴̶̵̷̶̸̸̸̶̸̴̷̥̪̺͉̯̂͒͝S̷̷̷̷̵̵̷̴̵̵̯̻̲̦͋͊̋E̷̴̶̸̵̶̶̸̷̸̷̷̷̵̷̟̜̖̘̬̿͂̐͌̈́͠ͅm̵̷̷̸̴̸̵̷̸̶͍̮̗̍̌͒̚È̷̷̸̸̸̵̶̦͊̔N̴̵̶̷̶̶̝͒̇T̸̸̸̸̵̷̸̴̸̶̷̷̷̴̵̨͔̹̙͚͎͂͌́͋̄͝ ̷̵̷̶̵̵̷̴̵̷̴̩̯͔͐̂̈́̽̾Ằ̶̶̴̴̴̷̶̬̚d̶̵̴̵̶̵̴̪̱͕͝O̸̴̴̸̸̷̷̸͈̗͌̅̓R̵̶̶̷̴̷̵̵̡̛̯͒͘ā̷̵̶̷̴̵̸̶̷̸̠͍̫̤͓̇T̵̶̷̷̷̷̷̵̷͓̮͇̼͋̅ȉ̴̵̷̸̸̵̸̴͓̗̄͊o̴̸̸̷̸̷̶̴̴̴̢̦̞̦̝̫͊ṉ̸̴̸̵̵̵̷̵̸̵̴̴̷̸̤̺̲̜̀̌̓̽͐͆
	Another micro headache made Black wince slightly, but he was getting better at handling them. Though the presence of them certainly gave him pause. He nodded his consent to White, allowing Maroon to step around him and grab hold of the handlebars of his chair. 
	“Good, and make sure to follow my instructions.” White said, just as the door to medical closed behind the trio. Gray chuckled, brushing a hand against Black’s shoulder. 
	“How many times did she grill ya?” He asked. Black grimaced. 
	“Maybe nineteen?” He shrugged. Gray snorted behind his visor. Maroon simply sighed. 
	“She’s just worried. We all were.” His warm voice somehow calmed Gray down and sent waves of comfort through Black. The trio settled into a comfortable silence as they entered the cafeteria and headed to the elevator up to crew quarters. Black’s room was blissfully close to the elevator. The door opened to reveal it just as he’d left it. Bed eclipsed by plushies from every stop in the galaxy they’d been to. Dinky string lights that barely worked hung from the ceiling. Gray cleared a spot on the bed for Black while Maroon wheeled him into the room. 
	“Now, I know you’re eager to be out of Medical.” Maroon began as he assisted Black in transferring to his heavenly soft bed. “However, I and Red expect you to rest as much as you possibly can.” Blankets, freshly washed, were draped over the smaller man by Gray as Black settled back into the pillows. “Your duties will be restricted and monitored until we can be certain that you’re improving.” He finished. Black nodded, grimacing as Gray ruffled his hair.He sent a glance back at the smaller man as he left.
	c̸̴̷̸̷̸̵̸̵̵̴̸̶̣̓Ō̷̷̴̶̷̴̷̴̷̷̸̵̷̵̴̴̶̸̸̖̠̑ṅ̸̸̶̵̸̵̸̷̶̶̵̸̷̷̶̵͇̭C̸̶̷̸̸̷̵̸̸̷̸̴̵̷̴̸̱̗̓e̶̶̵̶̵̶̵̴̸̶̶̶̶̵̷̵̵̴̸̢̥̽̅R̵̵̷̷̷̵̷̷̸̷̵̴̷̸̸̷̻̓̎N̸̶̷̴̶̵̷̴̶̷̷̴̶̸̵̴̴̵̸̟̲͒̄ ̸̸̴̸̸̸̵̶̵̷̵̵̵̵̷̵͉̬͌G̸̶̶̷̴̴̷̷̷̷̶̴̶̵̷̵̵̷̶̹͔̑̈u̴̶̸̸̷̶̷̴̴̶̸̸̶̴̴̷̷̸̸̖̺̅͑ī̴̸̶̸̵̸̵̵̸̸̶̴̴̶̷̴̸̶̴̝̻̽l̴̵̶̸̸̶̴̸̶̸̴̵̸̊ͅt̴̸̸̵̸̶̸̵̷̷̵̶̸̬̀ ̸̷̷̸̷̶̷̸̷̶̵̷̸̸̷̴̱͌͋C̷̸̸̵̴̸̵̶̸̴̴̴̶̆ͅO̶̵̷̶̸̶̶̸̸̶̷̴̸̵̵̴̶̵̵̲̜͆͛n̵̵̸̶̶̶̶̷̸̴̷̶̸̵̸̶̫̝̓C̶̷̴̵̴̵̸̵̷̵̷̶̶̵̵̴̝̥͗e̸̶̸̴̸̷̷̶̶̶̶̴̵̵̸̷̦̓̓Ŕ̵̴̵̶̸̸̴̶̶̶̶̵̸̡Ǹ̸̶̵̷̷̸̷̶̶̶̸̵̸̷̷̸̶̷̴̻̭͛ ̶̶̸̵̴̸̷̸̷̶̴̷̸̣͘ğ̷̸̷̶̷̷̸̵̶̷̸̸̸̘Ų̸̷̸̵̷̷̶̵̸̸̵̵̴̸̵̴̵̸̶̞́̔ì̷̸̷̸̵̷̷̶̷̵̴̵̶̤l̵̴̴̴̸̵̷̵̵̶̷̶̴̶̶̴̮͎͛T̸̵̵̸̴̸̴̴̷̶̸̴̶̵̷̵͕̆̊ ̴̷̵̴̷̷̷̵̴̴̷̵̶̶̴̶̭͐͝g̵̷̶̵̵̷̵̶̴̶̶̶̷̷̶̸̷̸̷̬̱͑̕Ű̵̴̴̶̷̷̴̵̴̸̶̴̴̷̸̴̷̴̵̻̗͗I̶̷̴̶̸̷̸̴̵̸̴̶̷̶̴̷̳̐̈́L̴̵̶̷̶̸̷̵̶̸̴̶̸̴̷̵͕̈̊T̶̸̷̶̸̴̸̴̷̵̸̸̵̴̷̷̶̶̶̤̱͆͋ ̸̵̶̸̶̴̸̶̴̷̵̴̵̵̷̷͇̭̄G̴̴̶̸̸̶̴̵̶̸̴̸̸̵̴̴͈͎̍Ṵ̴̵̸̷̶̷̷̶̵̸̶̴̷̷̸̶̶̷̸̟͛̈́i̶̵̷̶̶̴̶̶̶̸̴̴̶̵̷̷̶̷̴͔͉͊̂l̴̷̶̷̷̴̶̵̸̷̴̶̸̴̶̸̶̷̶͎̤̓͑t̵̷̷̷̶̶̴̵̶̸̵̷̵̴̷̶̼̰̎ g̵u̶I̷L̷T̸
	Black winced again as the sudden headache raced through him. Pain seared behind his eyes like hot pokers. Black’s hand flew up to cover his eyes as Maroon steadied him. 
	“Another micro headache?” He questioned. Black nodded as the pain began to fade. “Get some rest.” Maroon rumbled. He too slipped out just behind Gray. Black was alone, for the first time in weeks he was completely alone. The fairy lights flickered above him. Black suddenly wished he’d thought to ask one of his escorts to shut them off. They’d make it hard to fall asleep. As he glared at them annoyed, their flickering became erratic. A dull throbbing made itself known in Black’s temples. 
	Black reeled back in shock as suddenly the lights wined and went out. He was plunged into absolute darkness. His eyes slowly adjusted to the dim blinking of his personal console, and the buttons by his bedside. Labels for the window shutters  and ac stood out starkly against the blackness. Now he needed to make sure that there wasn’t an issue with the fuse. Lovely. Black cursed quietly, now wishing for more light to see. He felt around blindly for his chair when the throbbing returned. 
	Black groaned and collapsed back into bed, the throbbing blinding his vision. Or was it lights? Or the darkness? Then there were the sounds surrounding him. Suffocating him in beeps, groans, hums, and buzzes. The noises slowly muffled back to their normal volumes. His eyes fluttered against the fading pain before coming into focus again. The lights were simply too bright to look at and…
	The lights. They were on. 
	Not just his fairy lights, but every light in the room, down to his desk lamp. His console had powered up and left idle on the startup screen. The window shutter had opened to reveal the stars. The air conditioning was on full blast, humming loudly and cooling the room. A glance at his bedside revealed his uncharged tablet on and glitching wildly. Black gaped, breathing ragged. 
	“No way…”
Chapter 5
	Gray was concerned, to say the least. He could practically feel his anxieties clawing their way out of him. Black’s release from medical and finishing up their latest supply drop had delayed the conversation he needed to have with the other imposters. That was no longer the case. Gray practically dragged his partners into the vents. Their meeting area was a large ventilation junction underneath the cafeteria. Here they let their true forms take hold. 
	Gray unfolded into spiraling tentacles, seemingly endless in their number. His entire upper body covered in them, only broken up by his upper mouth and his trio of large yellow eyes. His midsection separated by his abdominal mouth just above digitigrade legs. All leading to a remarkably long and thick tail. Pink bulged out, his limbs splitting. Two long sluglike antennae rose from above his two smaller eyes as his central eye opened. His huge belly split into a toothy grin. By the end of his transformation he looked like a cross between a slug and a centaur. Finally, Maroon’s torso thinned and elongated. Extra limbs sprouting from his sides. A single horn growing from his brow, framed by two long and wispy tendrils His abdominal mout being smaller and more precise. Two of his upper limbs ended in wicked blades. His form finalized with digitigrade legs and a muscular tail. 
	Now why have you pulled us here, Beloved? Pink began, resting a huge claw on Gray’s twitching ankle. The largest of the three slipped easily into their native tongue. To the outside observer, it sounded like the creaks and groans of the ship settling accompanied by the occasional spark. Gray took a steadying breath, his tentacles trembling.
	It is possible that we have made an error. He began. At Pink and Maroon’s prompting he continued. There is a possibility that Black could develop our traits. Gray admitted. He was strained, and the pair could sense it, drawing closer to their dependent one. A razor clawed hand combed through the mess of tendrils as Maroon spoke. 
	Fear not little one, he began, if this is so, I will take responsibility as greater. He soothed, smiling as Gray leaned into his touch. Pink’s gargantuan paws came forward to cup Gray’s trembling face. 
	What makes you think this, Beloved? He asked, leaning forward to nuzzle Gray’s forehead. Gray wrapped his tentacles around the hands of his partners as they soothed him. 
	He knew who his donors were, yet White and Purple swore they said nothing. He said.
	Genetic memories? Maroon asked. Gray nodded and continued.
	Purple confirmed that they have memories of their Sire’s home. Pink and Maroon perked up in surprise at the revelation. They had their suspicions, but for Purple to outright confirm it. They were pleased. Pink made a mental note to prepare cupcakes to celebrate the occasion. Gray did not notice as he continued his report. White also mentioned many of the scanners malfunctioning when used on Black. That drew the pair’s attention back to the situation at hand. Maroon contemplated as he continued to pet Gray’s tendrils. 
	We shall need to keep a closer eye on our intended. Maroon muttered, half to himself. He turned to look at Pink, who was cradling a distressed Gray against his chest. We knew the accident would delay things, but we may need to place out pursuit of Black on hold until we can be certain of his health. Maroon finished. Both of his partners nodded their agreement. Gray pulling back from Pink’s embrace. 
	What shall we do now, Greater? Gray asked. Maroon looked back into the tunnels of the vents as he responded. 
	I will inform Red of the situation. We must keep our benefactor in the loop. Maroon stated with finality. Pink released an alien laugh, which sounded like the scraping of metal and the buzzing of the overhead lights. What is it, Dear One? Maroon asked. 
	Nearly half the ship knows of us. Pink chuckled. At this rate we shall be known by all. Gray’s eyes widened, his breathing hitched. Pink regretted his words. Remembering the last ship Gray had been on before coming to the Skeld. The smallest of them’s countless tentacles began to twitch and wring as panic played out in his eyes. Maroon stepped in, Gathering Gray up in his many arms and shushing him. 
	Calm, Beloved, calm. All is well here. He crooned, smoothing out Gray’s rippling form. We are liked by the Captain, and by the medic. We are liked by the hybrid and the biologist. Even the fighter knows of us and worries. You are safe. Maroon purred as he nuzzled Gray’s neck. 
	And if that bridge arrives, we shall cross it together, Pink supplied, closing the greyling between them in an embrace. Soon enough Gray calmed and the three separated to attend to their newfound duties. Pink to prepare a celebratory treat. Gray to calm himself in Maroon’s quarters. Maroon to inform the other admins of what may be transpiring in Black’s body. Though they insisted on comforting him, Maroon and Pink were also worried. So many things could go wrong. But they would face them, together. As they always had. 
Chapter 7
		Black could admit that practicing possibly supernatural powers while recovering from nearly dying was probably not a great idea. This, however, did not stop him from doing just that. He sat on the edge of his bed, careful not to jostle his cast. His computer was off on the other side of his cabin. A black mirror reflecting his bandaged form. He focused his thoughts on the monitor. At first it was difficult to feel, but eventually Black could almost see a thread of energy connecting him to the computer. For a split second Black could see the reflection’s eyes flicker with amber light. Then the monitor powered on to reveal his desktop screen. 
	Black released a heaving sigh as he released his hold. A dull throbbing making itself known behind his eyes. A moment later the pain subsided. Black straightened up once more, focusing again on the computer. He had practiced turning things off and on but this would be a first. He focused his intention, just as he had before. This time, on the browser icon in the corner of the screen. The throbbing returned as his bedside lamp began to flicker slightly. Black would not be distracted. He could hear the blood rushing in his ears. The buzzing of the lights above him seemed louder and louder as every second ticked by. Black was nearly knocked backwards by the sudden surge of energy that came from him. It took him a moment to recover, but when he had he looked back to the computer. 
	The browser window was open. 
	“Yes!” Black shouted, fistpumping the air with glee. Then he was hit with the blowback. The throbbing behind his eyes became a true ache and his stomach suddenly turned. He steadied himself on the bed as a wave of dizziness washed over him. “Ooof,” Black muttered through pursed lips, “too much too fast.” He concluded as he shifted to lie back in his bed, using both hands to lift his cast. He reached over to turn on the air conditioner to full blast. Black thought about shutting off the light, but he currently didn’t have the energy to get up and turn off the computer. In the end he tried to relax as best he could.
	He was startled awake by a knock at the door. He looked around groggily to see that the monitor had gone into sleep mode and the ac was still blowing. The room was frightfully cold, but Black wasn’t bothered by the chill. He hadn’t even realized he’d dozed off. Another knock drew his attention back to the moment. He called out an acknowledgement and the door opened to reveal Blue and Rose. Black smiled as they entered his space.
	“Hey guys, what have I missed?” Black asked. 
	“Oh not much,” Rose said as she looked around the room, “Tan got drunk and started dancing on a table again.” Black nodded, expecting something along those lines. “Orange has been working with Maroon and Gray to set up a backup generator.” She tacked on as she leaned against the desk. Black felt an odd, warm feeling bubble up in his chest. Blue sat primly in the desk chair, her gaze squarely on Black. 
	“Maroon wants to prevent a repeat performance.” She supplied. Black nodded in understanding. It made perfect sense to set up extra security around the power systems. Maroon was simply doing his job, and Gray was probably still guilty about what he said before the accident. That warm fuzzy feeling was just a coincidence. 
	“Right, I suppose you’re helping manage the power?” Black asked. Blue simply nodded, her visor masking any emotion. 
	“More importantly,” Blue said, “how are you feeling?” Black took a moment to consider the question. How was he feeling? Terrified, confused, but those were better left for a different conversation. He wasn’t in nearly as much pain as before. Fatigue was a near constant as his body worked to heal. Not to mention his appetite. Pink had taken to bringing him triple portions of whatever meat dish he’d prepared that day. Overall…
	“I’m getting better I think.” Black eventually said. Blue nodded her head in a way that he’d come to recognize as relief. Rose sighed as she removed her helmet and pinned Black with a stare. 
	“Yeah, that’s great. I’m more concerned with you bein’ cooped up in here for so long!” She exclaimed. Rose walked over and plopped herself down on the floor by his bed. “You keepin’ sane?” Black chuckled and nodded. 
	“For the most part, I think…” He replied. “Besides, Pink delivers food to me and Gray or Maroon checks on me at least once a day. So that helps.” Black smiled to himself as he thought of the trio. He wondered to himself when they’d started feeling so welcoming to him. “Anyways I’ll be able to wander around a little soon if I keep resting. Plus I’ll…” What Black meant to say was cut short as another micro headache came upon him like a wave. Crashing over his senses mercilessly. He was vaguely aware of Blue and Rose shouting in surprise and of the lights flickering madly. After a minute or two the pain faded. The lights returned to normal, and Black was accosted by his friends. 
	“The fuck was that!?” Rose yelled.
	“Black, are you alright?” Blue said, leaning by the bed with a hand on his shoulder. Black shook his head to clear it of the strange buzzing. Once he’d settled that he nodded an affirmative. “Now, would you like to explain what just happened?” She inquired. Black hesitated, glancing between Blue and Rose. Rose was staring at him wide eyed. Black took a deep breath. These were his best friends, if anyone would understand. They would. 
	“Things have been…strange since the accident.” Black started. “I can… feel the lights and the electricity in the wires. When my head hurts things go haywire. Sometimes I just kind of know what people are feeling.” He looked at them to gauge their responses. Rose was giving him the kind of smile that Black had come to dread. Before he or Blue could stop her. 
	“What am I feeling right now?” She demanded. Her grin was absolutely feral. Black sighed and rubbed his temples. 
	“It doesn’t always work.” He sighed. Rose let out a scoff, which was answered with a quick smack on the arm from Blue. They ignored her complaints as Blue focused on Black. “There’s also this.” Black said. He turned to look at the air conditioning unit, still blasting out cold air. The lights in the room flickered slightly, causing Rose to curse again. Just as he willed it to happen, the unit switched itself off. Black slumped back into the pillows as the throbbing subsided. 
	“Bullshit.” Rose said. “This has gotta be a joke.” She exclaimed, turning to Blue. Blue seemed to be contemplating something. She removed her helmet, revealing her startling blue eyes and deep black hair. That silenced Rose instantly. 
	“Does it work on any device?” She asked, her eyes staring him down intently. Black nodded. “Then let’s test it.” She rose from her kneeling position and rounded on Rose. “Set your blaster on the desk.” She commanded.
	“What?” 
	“Your blaster runs on battery packs, if he can make it power on, then this is real.” Blue explained. Rose and Black exchanged a look as she took out her blaster. She ensured that the power was off and the safety was on before setting it down on Black’s desk right in front of his computer. She backed away from it, glancing between Black and the blaster. Black sat up on the bed and focused with all his might. He fairly heard his friends gasp as he caught the glint of light in his reflection. Then, with a chirp and a whir, the blaster lit up. Black felt the pressure release as the hum of the blaster filled the room. 
	“Holy shit.” Rose muttered. Black nodded, understanding the absolute insanity of the moment. Blue looked absolutely starstruck as she processed this new information. 
	“Ok,” Blue said, “We’re going to help you figure this out.” She turned to Rose for confirmation. Rose, still somewhat stunned, shook off her awe and gave him a slightly shaky smirk. She quickly snatched up her blaster, switching it off and putting it back in its holster. 
	“Yeah. We’ll get to the bottom of this.” Rose said. Black let out a sigh of relief, slumping back into the pillows. 
	“Ok,” Blue said, settling back into the chair. “Start from the beginning.” Black did his best to recall everything, every strange instance and every time something had malfunctioned around him. It took longer than he’d expected to get it all out, but once he had it felt as if a crushing weight had been lifted from him. 
	“For now, it seems like we need to get an idea of your limitations and how to control whatever this is.” Blue said decisively. Black smiled at her gratefully. “Do you think whatever caused this may have been due to what MIRA was having us ship?” Black shook his head.
	“No, I checked the manifest and it was mostly just metal and some food cubes.” Black responded.
	“What I don’t get,” Rose spoke up from where she was leaning, “Why have you only been able to feel things from Pink, Maroon, and Gray?” All three of them were stumped by that. Until Black remembered something, something that he hadn’t even thought to include in his long explanation. 
	“Well, I know they were the donors for my transfusion.” Black said, “But, if I’m being honest I don’t know how I know that.” Blue seemed to be mulling over a thought as Rose ginned her feral grin. 
	“My friends, I do believe we have a clue.” 
Chapter 8
	It was finally time. Black was finally feeling well enough to leave his room. He’d managed to pin down most of the triggers for his micro headaches, and learned some meditation techniques from Rose to manage his newfound powers. With a tentative sense of confidence, Black slowly but surely readied himself to see the rest of the crew. A quick shower and change of clothes later, he was settled in his wheelchair. He made it two feet from his door when Gray seemed to materialize from nowhere. Black wanted to be annoyed at the obvious motherhenning, but he couldn’t find it in himself to keep up the facade. 
	“Hey Gray.” He said casually as he continued to wheel to the elevator. Gray hummed out a greeting, obviously still half asleep. “What are you doing up? Isn’t it your day off?” Black asked curiously as they loaded into the elevator.
	“Heard you movin’ around.” Gray muttered, “makin’s sure you get where you’re goin’.” Black was stunned into silence for a moment. Not only at the half-conscious admission, but at the gentle thoughts that glided to him. 
	C̸͓̿Ȏ̴͍N̴̼̆C̶̩̓E̸̡͋r̴̨̾n̷̎͜ ̷̙̓g̵̼̋U̴̙͊í̶̮l̶̛͍Ť̵̝ ̵̳̽g̵̨̏U̷̹̇ȉ̴͇l̸̙͌t̷̜͆ ̶̻̔A̶̳͘F̸͉͛F̸͍̽É̴̙c̶̭̆T̵i̷o̷N̷ ̷c̶O̶n̷C̶erN gUilt Concern
	No flickering lights, no sudden pain, and even the odd static that seemed to blanket what he sensed was fading. Guilt, and concern. Gray still felt guilty for what had happened. Black desperately wanted to reassure him that it wasn’t his fault. He hadn’t caused the accident. But he knew he could never really explain his reasons. Besides, a tiny biter part of him that looked down as his damaged legs whispered things that he would rather not think about his friend. His friend who, despite looking dead on his feet, had gotten up and decided to accompany him just to make sure he got there. His friend who even now was unable to escape the bitter guilt he felt for the situation. 
	Black could feel the awkward aura settle over them as they rode the elevator. Soon enough, though it felt much longer to him, the doors opened and he quickly wheeled out and into the corridor. Gray followed dutifully behind him. It took them less than a minute to reach the cafeteria, where nearly the entire crew was gathered, eating their fill. Rose spotted them first, waving them over to her table. Around the table sat Blue, Brown, Tan, and surprisingly, Maroon. Black waved, and gestured for the food line. Before he would wheel that way, he heard Pink shouting for him to go relax. Black shrugged and wheeled over to settle in the open spot between Rose and an empty seat that Gray took. The entire time he could hear Gray’s quiet chuckles. 
	“Glad to see you out and about! How you feelin’?”Pink asked, patting his shoulder. Black shrugged, looking over at his friend and returning her gentle smile. 
	“Improving.” He responded, “White says that more than likely I’ll be able to go without the chair periodically, but until they figure something out with the equipment they won’t be able to tell if there’s damage they can further fix.” His voice fell a bit as he thought about the prospect of never really being able to escape the chair again. There was a clatter as Tan dropped his fork, which was halfway to his open mouth. Tan and Brown lacked their helmets at the moment, revealing two handsome looking men, both with dark hair. Tan’s green eyes were fixed on Black, while Brown’s dark ones were focused on cleaning up his partner’s mess. 
	“You mean this might be permanent?” Tan asked, his normally strong voice reduced to a squeak. Black returned his look with a sad nod. 
	ConcERn woRRY fEar GUiLT fEaR AFFECTIon worrY GUilT fEar coNcerN GUilt guILT AFfEctIon coNcERn
	The influx of emotions almost made Black flinch, Thankfully, he kept his composure as Tan began babbling half finished apologies. He was going so fast that Black, or more accurately nobody at the table, could keep up. Eventually, Brown was able to calm him down enough to be understood. 
	“Black, I am so so sorry,” He said, “If you hadn’t had to cover for me while I was on cleaning duty, none of this would have happened!” Tan looked two words away from sobbing. Black really wasn’t sure what to think. Logic told him that Tan couldn’t have possibly known that the power would fail, or that he’d be so close to the cargo, or that they would have such bad turbulence, or even that Black would be the one filling in for him. However… The lights above them were flickering ever so slightly. The sounds of the ship settling seemed to become more pronounced. Black winced as emotions crashed into him again. 
cOnCeRn raGE CaLm sOOTHe REaSOn CoNCERn CAre feaR ConCERn gUILT GUIlt Guilt Guilt Concern
Interesting…
	“It’s fine.” Black managed to force out. The lights’ flickering slowly evened out. The wave of emotions seemed to quiet in his mind. “You couldn’t have known.” Black said. He could feel Maroon’s eyes on him from across the table. The faint taste of concern and intrigue still on his tongue. Maroon’s voice cut through the awkward air like a knife. 
	“Black, are you alright?” He said. That same concern that had assaulted his senses thick in the second officer’s voice. Black spared a quick glance to Rose and Blue, who were smirking at him from behind their food. No help to be found there. Black meekly nodded before jumping in surprise as a large hand ruffled his hair. Completely breaking the tension. Black looked up to see Pink leaning over his chair to deposit a lunch tray in front of him. 
	“Leave him be, Maroon.” Pink chuckled. Black quickly focused his attention on the tray, trying to ignore the sniggering from his right. His face was warm. The tray was piled high with sausage, boiled eggs, rice, fried tofu strips, cubed steak still red in the middle, a small bowl of edamame, and even a few drumsticks. Some of these were from Pink’s private stores, he was certain of that. 	
	Hunger hit him like a truck. Before he knew it he was digging into the vast array of food before him. He barely noticed pink patting his head before walking away. He barely noticed the amused chuckles from Gray and Maroon. He certainly didn’t notice the look of dawning realization and amused glances Brown and Tan were giving the four of them. What does end up catching his attention is the sound of Maroon getting up from the table. A brief wave of emotions cascading over Black as he did. 
Amusement affection humor concern nervous resolve
	“Eat up, you’ll need your strength.” Maroon said with a chuckle. “I have somewhere to be. Gray, make sure he gets back to his room to rest. The rest of you…” Maroon’s visor swept over the quartet all shooting him knowing glances. “Behave…” He mumbled before making his way towards admin. It was only then that Black noticed he hadn’t had a tray. Neither did Gray for that matter. His thoughts were quickly taken up by the growling of his stomach as he went back to his meal. 
	Though he didn’t notice it, everyone else at the table heard the happy sounding trill that left his throat as he continued to eat.