Disclaimer: I do not own Mass Effect. Mass Effect is copyrighted to the Bioware Corporation and Microsoft game studios

Coincidence…or not?

The SSV Normandy was running smoothly. The Alliance ship was sailing at cruising speed through the Hades Gamma Cluster. Most of the systems had been explored as the flight was little more than a formality. The pilot, better known informally as Joker, had been on dozens of these and found little more than barren planets.

Suddenly, the radar began to blip. At first, Joker swore he was imaging things. But sure enough, on the radar, a red blip had appeared.

"Unidentified Vessel, this is Brigadier General Jeff Monroe speaking. Please identify yourself."

The other side of the channel had no response, let alone static.

"Unidentified Vessel, please respond."

Still, the channel remained silent.

"Unidentified Vessel, failure to respond will result in hostile action; this is your last warning."

Then the pilot noticed something. The blips began to get faster and faster. That's not right. Nothing's that fast, unless…

"Normandy, this is Joker. We have Reaper activity. I repeat, we have Reaper activity."

The alarm blared through out as the Navigator rushed through the cockpit.

"What's this about?"

"Sir, this Vessel is traveling at high speeds and it's heading towards us." The Navigator looked at the radar as the red blip came closer to the center.

"Are we near a mass relay?" Navigator Presley asked.

"No, not even close. This thing isn't FTL; but it's fast." There the shuttle doors opened to find the Commanding officer on deck.

"Joker, this better not be a stunt." He said as he rushed in.

"Commander, believe me, this is my last idea of a joke." The Commander eyed the radar.

"Is the radar broken, this thing is even faster than us!"

"No sir."

The Commander put his hand on his ear.

"This is Commander Shepard to Normandy. I want Williams, Tali, Garrus, Wrex and Liara on deck, on the double!"

"This better be good." The Krogan rushed into the elevator with the Turian, the Quarian and the Gunnery Chief. The Asari doctor made it first to the cockpit as she stared at the radar.

"Is it a Reaper ship?"

"Where else have you seen anything move that fast, other than Wrex when he hears the words, 'killing Geth'?"

"I heard that." The rest of the crew followed in as they peered at the radar. The blips were starting to fill in what little gaps of silence there were.

"It's probably hostile," the Turian commented. "Commander, we should fire when we have the chance."

"But what if it isn't hostile?" The Asari doctor responded. "Perhaps the communications simply failed."

"And no static?" The Gunnery Chief said. "In your dreams, T'soni."

"Shepard, give the command!" The Krogan barked.

"But we don't even know if it's dangerous!" The Quarian said through her speaker.

"Orders, Commander?" The ship held its breath in silence.

"Make sure kinetic barriers are 100 and keep your hand on the trigger. Don't fire until I give the word"

"Aye, aye sir."

The blips were getting faster and faster until the signal became a single tone.

"We have visual contact!" The crew looked out the window and dropped its jaw in unison.

A man in a red shirt, blue suspenders was not floating but flying pass the window. He had a black curly mustache and his red cap wore a simple 'M'. The man cheered and waved as it passed the window. The man passed for not more than a second. The crew wasn't able to talk until after a minute.

"Should I report this to the Council, Commander?"

"Why bother? They're just going to tell me what I already know."

"And that is…"

"I need to take a Shore leave." The Commander said as he rubbed his eyes and stepped out of the cockpit. The rest of the crew followed except for the Krogan.

"I wish I were him."

"You say something, Wrex?" The Pilot responded.

"Uh…Nothing."

Disclaimer: I also do not own Mario or any of its properties. Mario is a copyrighted icon of Nintendo Entertainment.