The Normandy picked me up with my blue, furry package in-tow. I kind of smiled at him and he gave me back a very fake but toothy grin back. Those black eyes completely covered by a falsehood that just emanated off of him.

The shuttle bay doors closed and I let go of the fur-ball who began to run rampant around the shuttle bay like a rabid mouse. Not the way a dog moved at all. More like a spider or a speedy, evil koala. It seemed to inspect everything and it even began to chew on some equipment. One of the Cerberus personnel down in the shuttle bay just pointed at the thing in sheer shock and said a little aghast, "What is that thing?!"

"A dog, I think."

"Sir, I…" The blue, little monster began to crawl right towards him and the guy shutdown like the thing had given him the stair of death. I looked down and all it did was cock its head to the left and then to the right. Not really trying to scare the guy but just studying him. Something about this little, blue ball of fluff gave him the shakes. I didn't see it but maybe I should have. Maybe I had just fought so many creepy, ghastly, scary, and disturbing things in my life that now; even the most macabre didn't effect me. Or he could have just been afraid of blue, fluffy alien creatures.

Bending down, I pointed my finger at the dog-like being and said, "Now, you don't go getting into trouble. You hear?"

Another one of those oddly, clearly pronounced, "Bark."

Just nodding my head, I made my way back up to my quarters. I made a reliving sound as I sat on my bed. I contemplated what I was doing. Going to another human colony. I knew where it was but still. They might not be there. So many human colonies getting hit by collectors. I didn't hold out much hope. Looking up towards the ceiling I began, "Joker?"

His voice came back relaxing as ever. "Yes commander?"

"Set a course for Patton's Progress."

"You got it commander."

I went back to brooding. Thinking if Patton's Progress had been ransacked or not. If it was, then what would I do? I certainly couldn't keep the little guy. Maybe I could. He didn't seem to be too much of a problem.

That was when I heard Chambers on the Com. "Commander, Jack is a little upset about our new 'guest'."

"I'm on my way."

I took the elevator and went down to engineering. All the way down to Jack's self made quarters. The red light doused me as I came in and Jack sprung up at me with a grunt. "Sheppard! Look at this!" She said, shoving one of her boots at me. It had this clear slime dripping right off of it and it even had a big bite out of it. These boots were combat grade. No dog could have bit through the thin, metal lining. What did I bring aboard my ship?!

I couldn't help but cock my head at the bitten attire and say comically, "Gee Jack, I didn't figure Sergeant Gardner's cooking was that bad!"

She threw the boot over her shoulder leaving a trail of slime over her shoulder and just pointed her finger at me, "Don't patronize me Shepard! You know exactly who did this! I tell you what, the next time I see the little, blue, fu…" She stopped herself with a look from me, "Fur ball, I'm going to show him something else blue and destructive. Because I'll shove a biotic pulse right up his…"

"Take it easy Jack. I'll find him, just tell me where he is?"

"I don't know. Last I saw, I shot at him and he took off upstairs. You better hope Grunt or Zaeed don't seem him. Between the two, one'll shoot him to a cheese-grater and the other'll eat'em."

Looking at the ground for a second, she was right! I went to race back upstairs when Jack stopped me with, "Damnedest thing too Shepard. It was crawling on the ceiling. I though it would use the ladder but it took the longer route. If that was a dog, it's the weirdest dog I've ever seen!"

All I could do was say back, "I don't think it's a dog, Jack."

Racing to starboard cargo, I went in expecting the worst. There was Zaeed, just standing there and I looked around. I looked at him and asked, "You didn't happen to see a blue dog run past, did you?"

He retracted his neck back from me asking, "You sure that virus on Omega didn't have any lingering effects on you?"

I shook my head, "Mordin cleared me."

"So is this some kind of code for something?"

"Never mind Zaeed!"

As I raced out of starboard cargo, he shouted back at me, "Hey, I can't wait forever about Vido!"

Just hitting the side of the door frame I said, still heading for portside, "Right on it!"

Nearly flying through portside cargo's door, I saw Grunt with the blue dog in hand. He had him raised above his head with his mouth wide open. He looked over at me with enthusiasm in his voice, "Shepard! I didn't expect you to bring me back a snack from going to your homeworld."

"Grunt, he's not a foodstuff."

Closing his mouth slightly, Grunt looked at the small, blue puffball. The blue dog looked back at him and began snarling at him. Grunt looked back at me with slight hurt in his eyes saying, "Come on Shepard, he looks like a furry pyjack. Which makes him look tastier than most pyjacks."

I rolled my eyes, "Grunt no."

"Just a taste." He suddenly popped the blue guy into his mouth and began to chew. I tried to stop him but it was too late. He chewed and chewed but he just smiled and said, "Interesting taste." He said as his mouth was still full.

I stopped for a moment. Between his gnashing teeth, I could see the little guy was still alive and not only that, not one hair seemed to be out of place. Any creature from Earth that size would have been crushed in the jaws of a krogan. Not this little thing though.

Grunt then said, "I think its like that bubblegum stuff I've heard of."

"No, he should be dead by now."

"Really?" Grunt began to chew harder but all that seemed to do was squish out some blue fur and flesh between his teeth. He actually looked like a lizard who was chewing on a tough piece of blue bubblegum. He then tried to swallow him whole and that was where the real trouble started.

Suddenly, Grunt fell to his knees and clasped his hands to his mouth. He roared through muffled means and then spit out the blue dog.

It was drenched in Grunt's saliva but recuperated and hissed at Grunt like a four-legged snake. It made a strange sound that sound almost like words, "Nina nana questa!" He then took off faster than I could track him.

Grunt got back up quickly and said to me, "Shepard, I've eaten some nasty stuff but never anything that bit back. That thing nearly bit my tongue off! Makes me all the more hungry."

I looked back at him and said angrily, "Serves you right! I told you he wasn't food! Now, enough of that Grunt. Stay here until I can find the little brute."

"Oh good, then I can eat him."

"No!" Yelling at Grunt. I shouldn't have but he was getting on my nerves.

Exiting portside cargo, I looked around and then saw him scamper into engineering. I raced over and looked all around for him but couldn't find him. I passed by Tali and she tried to flag me down, "Sheppard, did you see…"

"Yeah, blue dog, on it!"

"Actually I was going to say a blue pyjack but alright."

Passing by engineers Kenneth and Gabby, Ken said as I raced by, "Commander, those FBA Couplings, did you…"

Hurrying I said, "No, not yet!"

Just before I exited, he said to me, "Did you…"

"Later!"

I exited engineering but I could still hear the two engineers and Tali. Kenneth was the first to say, "That was weird. Tali, you know what that was about?"

"Shepard has always been a person of objectives. I'm sure we'll know later."

Abby then said to Kenneth, "Hey, work first."

Reaching the elevator, I saw the little, blue fuzz-ball on the elevator. He was standing up on two legs and it looked natural to him. He then extended his right arm and waved goodbye at me with a large smile on his face. That was when I saw the elevator doors close. I ran up to them and tried in vain to get them back open.

I waited for the elevator to drop him off and then I saw it come back down to me. Almost racing right into the back wall of the elevator, I wondered which part of the ship he was on now. I had an AI, might as well use it. "EDI, where is the little troublemaker."

Her robotic but seductive tone came into my ears, "Making trouble in the cockpit."

"Oh great!"

"The destination of the Normandy is locked commander, he will not be able too…"

"EDI?"

"Automatic controls switched to manual."

The elevator came up to CIC where I ran out of the opening elevator doors. Jacob came out of the armory with an Avenger rifle and asked, "Anything I can do?"

"Yeah, get me Mordin!"

"Why?!"

"Because I want him to dissect are new pilot!"

Charging into the cockpit, I saw Joker held up by the small blue dog. His entire body held overhead by just two arms of the being. It also seemed to have two more below those ready for anything.

Looking at the little blue monster, I felt Jacob run up next to my back with his Avenger rifle and Mordin on the other side of me with one of his medical instruments. Mordin just leaned in and said to himself, "Hmm, fascinating. Product of genetic engineering. Clearly a master hand at construction. No signs of DNA or RNA mutation, not intentional, no re-write in programmed food consumption, ter…"

I had to interrupt him otherwise I probably wouldn't get to the bottom of this, "Mordin, just tell me what in the world this things is."

Mordin, in classic fashion said, "Impossible to determine without further examination." Looking at me he then asked, "Mind if I use virtual enhancement saw with laser omni-blades? Good for genetic atom displacement."

"Actually, I kind of do Mordin." Not knowing ninety percent of what he had just asked.

"Sheppard, this thing is definitely a product of genetic experimentation and whoever did it - they were very good at it."

I turned my attention back to the small, blue-furred creature. "Please, put him down."

Joker, not really helping the situation, "Yeah. You want a bone? Does blue doggy want a bone? How about a biscuit?"

"Joker!" I said trying to get him to be quiet. You think after all this time knowing him though, I would realize that that's almost an effort in futility as he continued, "Listen - pup - I know a place where we can get that blue lifted right out of you, okay? I mean, you could be styling in convertible red, or like lighting purple! Maybe pretty princess pink and all the girl dogs be like, 'Oh…"

"Joker!" I said really not wanting him to delve any further into whatever sick scenario he was going into. Turning my attention back to the genetic experiment, "He is the pilot. He also has Vrolik Syndrome. Do you know what that means?"

The new addition to the ship sort of lowered Joker's body. Not to the ground but just to study him making this inquisitive look. One of care and concern. I saw it in those dark, doll eyes of his. Care was there. I was concerned about Joker and apparently so was this thing. It was like it didn't want to hurt Joker, just get him out of the way.

"That's were any sudden movements and his bones can snap. You'll literally break him! Please, don't do that." My voice was as sincere as I could make it because honestly, I was sincerely worried.

The small, blue nuisance gently put Joker down and then quickly scurried out of the cockpit. Me, Mordin, and Jacob all went to Joker. EDI was the first to ask, "Jeff, are you alright?"

Joker responded with a shaken up, "Surprisingly yeah."

Mordin was quick with his examination being the brilliant doctor he was, "Hmmm, no fractures, no breaks, all joints and bones in absolute alignment with one another. Strange."

Jacob then asked for me, "Why is that strange?"

"Dealing with a genetically engineered new breed of animal is usually a very," He took a long inhale, "messy experience."

"And you know this how?"

Mordin just made a slight twitch with his brow and a sly, innocent smile slid across his face.

I thought about inquiring further but my better judgment stopped me because it scarred me remembering what Dr. Mordin's specialty was. I just hoped Jacob's senses would do the same.

I looked at Mordin, "Stay with him." Pointing at Joker.

Jacob and Mordin both agreed to stay with him. I charged out of the cockpit and got into the elevator. The doors closed and I asked EDI, "Where is he now EDI?"

"The gun battery."

"Oh perfect. If Grunt isn't trying to eat him, I know Garrus is going to try and shoot him!"

Charging out of the elevator I saw Miranda out of her office with this confused look on her face, "Shepard, did you know that there is a blue dog…"

"I know Miranda!" Racing by her.

I raced into the gun battery and Garrus was there pointing a Calfax hand cannon right at my face. Quickly, he raised up the weapon seeing it was me, saying apologetically, "Sorry Shepard, I thought you were something else."

"Let me guess, a blue-furred pyjack?"

"How did you know?"

Turning away from Garrus, I had to find the troublemaker. I had no idea where he was now. Before I left though, Garrus asked, "You need any help Shepard? You know how much that little blue demon messed up my calibrations?"

"I'll bet it was a lot."

"Shepard, if you do find him, I will be the first one in line to mess him up as much as he messed up my calibrations!"

I caught a clue to where the little guy had gone and under my breath, I said to Garrus so he couldn't hear me, "Maybe I won't have to wait to talk to you anymore. How much calibrating could those cannons need for god sakes?!"

I saw some oil from the gun leading to the starboard observation deck. I raced in and like usual, I saw Samara sitting Indian-style on the floor. I heard from her, "Ah Shepard, it is good to see you."

I walked in cautiously and then looked over seeing the little blue menace sitting right next to her. He was sitting just like her with all four of his arms outward like hers. She then said to me, "I have met the new crew member. Stitch is a very bright soul to me. I am glad to have him aboard."

I cocked my brow, "Stitch?"

The blue alien turned his head and said in a very plain voice to me, "My name Stitch."

My eyes got wide with shock. Retracting my neck in surprise.

Samara then turned her head, standing up, saying to me with a small smile, "I believe that the rest of the crew should be made aware of our new guest's abilities."

I took a long exhale and I said, "I think you're right."

Samara and me both looked at Stitch as I said, "EDI - get everybody into the com room. We have something to discuss."