Captured by the Yandere Space Pirates

"Hey! What are you two doing up there?" A brash shout cut through the control room's heavy stillness, jolting Syn from the fragile quiet of Vera's embrace.

Pako's voice boomed from below, sharp and irreverent, followed by the heavy thud of boots as she and Aster stormed in, their faces flushed from sleep and liquor.

The SOS signal Vera had triggered—a piercing wail that must've sliced through their drunken haze—had yanked them awake, propelling them here in a tangle of urgency and disarray.

"People died here—show some respect, woman!" Pako snapped, her tone biting as she planted her hands on her hips, her dark eyes sweeping the blood-streaked floor where two crewmates lay still, their bodies now shrouded in silence.

Aster loomed beside her, her blonde hair a wild cascade, her gaze narrowing as she took in the scene—shattered consoles, overturned chairs, the air thick with the metallic tang of death. "What the hell happened?"

Pako demanded, her voice softening into a mix of shock and curiosity as she tilted her head, her short bob swaying.

Syn straightened, stepping away from Vera as he waved them up the stairs to the bridge. "Come up—I'll explain," he called, his voice steady but hoarse, the weight of the fight still clinging to him like sweat.

Pako and Aster climbed swiftly, their boots clanging against the metal, while below, more pirates trickled in, drawn by the signal's echo. Their murmurs rose—a chorus of fear and confusion—as they gaped at the carnage, their faces paling under the harsh lights.

Aster took charge, her towering frame commanding the bridge as she turned to the gathering crowd, her voice cutting through the din with a soldier's bark.

"Listen up—shapeshifters hit us," she began, her words sharp and clear, detailing the ambush, the dead crewmates, the alien impostors now cuffed and subdued.

Syn stood beside her, his eyes drifting to the two shapeshifters slumped against the wall, their green skin glinting faintly under the flickering lights, their white pupils staring blankly.

Pako, meanwhile, guided Vera down the stairs, her arm slung around the captain's shoulders, steering her toward the medic bay with a gentleness that belied her earlier bluster.

"I guess there could be more," Syn murmured to Aster, his voice low as he leaned closer, his gaze flicking between the captives and the milling crew below. "Hidden among us."

The possibility hung heavy—a genuine threat, one Aster's sharp mind couldn't dismiss. Her jaw tightened, her eyes narrowing as she processed it, gears turning behind her stern facade.

Blackmail wouldn't work—shapeshifters were selfish, cold-blooded opportunists who'd let their kin die for a scrap of gain. They needed a smarter trap.

"What if I pair everyone up—make them ask personal questions only the real ones would know?" Aster suggested, her voice a quiet growl as she gripped the guardrail, her knuckles whitening against the metal.

Syn frowned, his mind sifting through her plan in seconds. "That won't work," he said, his tone measured but firm. "Two shapeshifters could just partner up, vouch for each other—prove they're 'clean' without breaking a sweat."

"Damn it!" Aster's fist slammed the guardrail, the clang reverberating through the room as her frustration flared, her blonde hair whipping with the motion. "Then what do we do?" She turned to him, her eyes blazing, desperation edging her voice.

"No—wait, don't tell me. I'll figure it out." She held up a hand, cutting him off, her resolve hardening. Syn's lips twitched, a small smile flickering across his face—years ago, he'd prodded her to think for herself, a lesson she'd dodged with childish stubbornness.

Now, here she was, grown, wrestling with strategy, her nails bitten ragged as she gnawed at them, lost in thought.

Below, the crew stirred—some hauling the dead away in somber silence, others dragging the cuffed shapeshifters to the prison hold, their chains scraping the floor.

The ship powered down, its hum fading to a low drone as Aster barked orders, her voice echoing through the comms: "Everyone to the assembly hall—no weapons. Move!"

The pirates obeyed, filing out in a tense shuffle, their footsteps a muted thunder as they gathered in the vast hall, a sea of wary faces under the stark lights.

Aster strode to the podium, her boots ringing against the platform, Syn at her side, a steady shadow as she faced the crowd. "Shall I check their eyes one by one?" she asked him, her voice low, her fingers tapping an anxious beat against the podium's edge as she scanned the rows below.

Syn shook his head, his tone dry. "That'd take hours—and spotting those white pupils isn't easy unless you're up close. Too much time, too much risk."

Aster huffed, her frustration bubbling over. "Then what—touch their eyes?" she snapped, her voice rising as she raked a hand through her hair, her patience fraying.

"Do you hear yourself?" Syn shot back, a mocking edge creeping into his voice as he arched a brow, his smirk faint but pointed. "You'd be clawing at faces all day."

She glared at him, her jaw clenching as she rubbed her forehead, her nails digging into her skin. "Fine—do you have a way?" she demanded, her tone sharp, almost daring him to step up after dismantling her ideas.

"I do," Syn replied, his voice calm, a quiet confidence threading through it as he leaned closer, his eyes glinting with a spark of strategy. "And you've actually made it easier by getting everyone here."

Aster groaned, pressing her palm to her brow as she slid aside, her frustration yielding to his lead. "Give me a hint—just a nudge," she muttered, her voice a grudging plea, her pride bending under the weight of necessity.

"Hmm…" Syn tilted his head, his gaze steady as he met hers, a teacher coaxing a reluctant student. "What do you know about shapeshifters?"

Aster straightened, her mind clicking into gear as she rattled off facts, her voice gaining strength. "They're from Thebe—supposed to be extinct after the planet went dark. Reptilian, like Earth's lizards—green skin, white eyes. Weak physically, but cunning as hell."

"And what are reptiles?" Syn pressed, his tone gentle but insistent, guiding her toward the spark he'd already seen.

"Poikilotherms…" Aster's voice trailed off, her eyes widening as the word hit her like a thunderbolt. Realization dawned, a eureka flare lighting her face as she jumped lightly behind the podium, her fists clenching with sudden, electric clarity.