Members of the Normandy crew crowded at a single table, closely watching the action. Two champions faced off, and the competition was fierce.

James Vega smiled looked at his crewmate sitting at his side. He leaned forward and asked, "You what that food looks like?"

Garrus Vakarian lowered his fork, and turned toward his hulking crewmate. "Do your worst, Vega."

"It looks like a pile of gas bags that were crushed by the Mako, that's what."

Garrus shook his head and took a bite. He looked levelly at Vega. "Delicious," he said. "Your turn."

Vega wrinkled his nose at the smell of the food in front of him. He stabbed it with his fork, and hesitated for a moment.

"You probably shouldn't eat that," said Garrus, with a grin. "I don't even know what it is, but it smells like varren breath."

Vega fought against the fury that protested in his stomach. "Take one for the team, soldier," he said out loud, and took a bite. The smell was even worse than he thought it would be. He forced himself to smile, and looked at his turian friend. "Your turn, Garrus."

Garrus looked at his plate. This was the part that he'd been dreading, some shredded brown meat covered with a yellow substance. Was it cheese? Something related to cheese? He probed it with his fork. "This must be what evil smells like," said Garrus. "Only a human could invent this." It was the sight of this food that bothered him most. To look at it, it had to be one of the least appetizing foods ever made.

Vega said, "Wrex tried to eat some of that, and he spat it right out."

The thought of something that Wrex couldn't eat was almost too much.

"Wrex…Wrex…Wrex…," said Vega. "That fork looks really heavy, Garrus…" He was already beginning to raise his hands slightly, expecting victory.

Garrus saw the gesture, and frowned. "Not so fast, Vega. I didn't put it down yet." He defiantly lifted his fork, and looked at the pile of food again. Then he shoved it into his mouth, and began to chew quickly.

Vega leaned back in his chair, and dropped his hands on the table with a thud. He said, "Ah, dammit. So close."

The turian hesitated, and stopped chewing. "Actually…"

Vega began to nod. "Yeah, I know," he said. "Tastes better than it looks, doesn't it? Wrex actually loves it. Me too."

Garrus began to smile, and chew with more vigor. "Actually…" he said, "I think I'll have more of this!"

Normandy crew members on both sides of Garrus and Vega burst out laughing. Vega leaned back and looked toward the ceiling, rolled his eyes, and tossed his hands in the air.

Nearby, mess sergeant Gardner said, "At least somebody likes the Philly cheesesteak I make."