Mads Tao didn't see the Galen Kaiser on the loading dock so he made his way on to the Normandy. The ship was buzzing with activity. The ship crew calibrating sensors and the communications array and you could feel the hum of the FTL drive in the floor of the ship. He bushed passed the crewman on the CIC and found the elevator. First he made his way down to the cargo deck and armory where noticed several lockers against the hull, one has his name engraved on the small tag. He blacked his gear inside and locker when he heard a voice
"Greetings Mads Tao" an atrificial voice greeted him.
"Ah, ship's AI" Mads like most salarians was happy to have a AI on board. Useful technology with unparalleled cyberware fare capabilities, among many other useful traits.
"You may call me SADI."
"Could you tell me the location of the commanding officer?"
"Galen Kaiser is in his quarters on Deck 1. He has Just finishing a meeting with Major Moore."
"SADI could you inform him I am bringing a briefing on Skal'kuls"
"Certainly." And the autonomous voice disapeared from the cabin. As Mads turned and made his way back to the elevator and hit the command for Deck 1.
I'll put the next part right here because I'm on my phone and still ms hour away from my house.
Galen was busy putting his personal items in a locker that sat on the port side of the room when SADI informed him that Mads was on his way. "Thank you SADI." He pulled out his crimson painted Mattock slow firing assault rifle and secured it into a black gun cabinet.
"Sir we're ready t'go on y'order. In yer own time." Came the major's voice over the intercom. Galen could see past he false respectful attitude but let it slide. He figured he had done enough to piss off his second in command.
"Already gave the order major, we should be lifting off..." Galen was cut off by a shutter as the ship's pilot began to take off. "Right now. You see I'm not as useless as you thought." He said with a chuckle. "Oh and major, about earlier." Galen paused. "Sorry about that, I assure you that when it matters I won't let the crew down." He surprised himself when the words were out of his mouth. However he did mean them.
Half way up the lift he heard the Major and Kaiser over the loud speaker. 'This is going to be an interesting assignment,' he thought to himself he felt the ship leave the dock. The elevator opened and Mads walked out toward the captains and the door opened as he approached.
Galen was arraigning things in the cabin, Mads approached him and offered him the data pad. "Captain, here is the info I could find on Skal'kus, small garden world located on the fringes of salarian space. Unremarkable agriculture/aquaculture center and small off world mining operation on several of the planets moons. Took shore leave there once. STG base located on small isolated chain of islands. My team dropped Krogan bio samples there once. Research team lead by a Dr. Egan Larus, geneticists."
"What about the military presence? Any nasty surprises we should be worried about?" Galen quickly replied as he turned and accepted the Salarian's datapad. There were paragraphs of information on the planet itself but hardly any on the defenses. "This doctor, what kind of genetics does he work on?"
"STG black ops operation, no direct communication with Command. Generally means these groups are well armed however that's relatively speaking. As for Larus information is... limited. Graduated top of his clas from university at Aegor, graduating thesis Cross Species Genetic Modification. Records indicate that he works in a lab at the university-assuming this is misdirection. Sir, I checked with Salarian Union Military, Recent reports on Krogan blockade... Worrying to say the least. All Krogan vessels built after genophage, 5 cruisers 1 carrier. Have you delt with Krogan before?"
Galen took a minute to process the information. Basically they only knew about the Krogan. It wasn't anything he didn't already know, the Salarian doctor was interesting however.
"Yeah, I've got history with the Krogan. Whether that's a good or a bad thing depends on who's in charge of that blockade." Galen walked back over to his desk where he set his bottle down and took a drink. He almost offered Mads a drink and then remembered the difference in amino acids. "In you opinion, do you think there's anything we don't know about down there?"
"Anything could be going on down there, sir. But STG is working on the genophage that's something that needs to be protected, Krogan dangerous, unpredictable. I'm not saying it needs to be used, but," he paused " comforting to have a contingency plan."
Galen looked at Mads for awhile after he said that. Salarians had always defended the Genophage, most would have flat out said they should use it. While Mads wasn't so ruthless, Galen figured he would use it given the chance. "No, I don't think that's something to defend at all. Our mission is to end the blockade and they left it up to me to decide how to do it." Galen paused to take another drink. "Given the chance I would destroy it, hell we don't even know if this is a legitimate STG operation. Dr. Larus could be a terrorist for all we know."
"Sir, five minutes out from the relay." SADI's voice came over the intercom.
"Mads, we are going into the unknown. We have to assume hostilities from both the Krogan and the Salarians."
"I don't know this Laurus if you don't trust him I could understand, but I do know STG good men, holding the line. And with Krogan always assume hostilities. A healthy Krogan female can clutch 1000 eggs in a year, then live over a 1000 years. Do the math Captain."
"You may be right, but we won't know until we get there." Galen took another look at the data pad and rubbed his head. "You are dismissed Mads."
"I'll be on the bridge at the communications station if you need me," and with that Mads made his way to the CIC.