Codex Entry: Salarians

The Salarians are a warm-blooded amphibious species from the Milky Way planet of Sur'Kesh. Naturally fast metabolisms mean that Salarians live intense but short lives of less than forty years. Their quick intellect and photographic memory make them gifted scientists and engineers, and the Salarian Union is renowned for its technological advances as well as its secrecy and intelligence-gathering.

Tension between the Salarians and the Krogan has lingered for centuries. Salarian scientists were responsible for creating the genophage that devastated the krogan population and ended the Krogan Rebellions.

Almost 90 per cent of the salarian species is male. Political power is centered in 'Dalatrasses', rare salarian females who negotiate the fertilization of eggs and the strategic alliances that result. Many salarian females chose to join the Andromeda Initiative as civilians, a significant break in salarian tradition.

Codex Entry: Salarians, Culture

In the Milky Way, the Salarian Union is dominated by the rare salarian females known as 'Dalatrasses', who negotiate the complex web of salarian politics on behalf of the regions they govern. Salarians belong to vast clans, whose interrelation and current political status must be painstakingly tracked. Clans are divided into concentric circles of relatives: those closest are in the first circle, which may be up to 100 members, and circles increase exponentially outward. This is considered confusing by other organic species, though it is mathematically straightforward.

Salarians do not have a concept of romantic love. The fertilization of eggs is a political act, since the lineage of any resulting females has a strong impact on society, and only occurs after months or even years of negotiations.

Multiple salarian females opted to join the Andromeda Initiative as civilians. Renegotiations of a dozen political dynasties in the Salarian Union were ongoing when it departed.

Chapter I – Slinth

"You don't get it better anywhere else, Slinth.", the angara merchant countered.

The Salarian didn't like these homegrown aliens. Kadara had miraculous mountains, beautiful valleys, poisonous water – and these hillbillies. They reminded him of Asari, but with two genders instead of one. Normally they had narrow waists and broad shoulders, but this fellow on the other side of the stall was quite fat thanks to his diet.

"I would, but not as cheap.", Slinth replied, looking at the fruits displayed to him – not even one was looking fresh. Some were even exuding with putrefaction.

The heads of the Angara were full of tentacles, like the Asari, but theirs were thicker and at the side instead at the back of the head – and they even reached the shoulders. Their faces reminded Slinth always of felines, without the whiskers, but with the cat-like eyes – although their sclera was black instead of white and their irises were always deep blue.

The merchant snorted. "So do you buy it or not?", he asked, sounding annoyed.

Normally the skin color of Angara was various shades of blue or mauve and sometimes even green or tan, but the stall-owner's skin was so dirty, it could be anything. His clothes didn't look better and his teeth spoke of Broth-consumption – not food, but a local drug, which dyed the teeth brown.

Slinth's stomach growled. "Do I have a choice?", he replied, looking at a green fruit, which had the healthiest color, before pointing with a finger at it, "I take this one."

The Angara grabbed it and handed it over to him. "That comes to 500 Credits.", he said, while the salarian grabbed the fruit.

Obviously extortion, but still cheaper than other food sellers – Slinth paid the price. He took the fruit and turned around immediately, leaving the merchant behind. He took a bite of the fruit and thanked the Stars that he was so hungry – otherwise he would throw up. He went throughout the small market in this part of Kadara Port, where other stall owners sold their food. Due to the poisonous water cultivation of food was quite a challenge and most of it was imported from somewhere else – already only this increased the prices tremendously. But there were still the gangs consisting out of Outcasts from the Nexus as well like Angara and other Aliens found in the Heleus Cluster – except for the Kett, the mutual enemy of almost everybody, each race was represented. Their rivalries forced the prices for food to increase even higher.

Kelly has promised to stop this…the brown salarian remembered with anger, while leaving the market area. He passed few other pedestrians, while moving quickly throughout the confusing network called infrastructure in Kadara Port. He didn't need to take the elevators or doors, which were controlled by Kelly's people, and reached his home right after having finished eaten the fruit.

It was a hole, more or less hidden from most angles, but close to some generators and due to that warm enough to live there. And it wasn't empty, like Slinth had hoped – some familiar faces greeted him, when he approached the hole, which was covered only by a blanket. "Long time no see.", the human, armed and suited in armor, said with a grin. He had shaven his air to hide the grey in it, like Slinth knew.

"I said it once and I will tell you again, Cortez…", Slinth began with annoyance in his voice, "I am not working for Kelly anymore."

"We believe you.", the dark-blue Angara replied, as dressed and armed like Cortez, "Who wants to live in such a shithole voluntarily, needs to bear a big grudge." He was standing within the hole, beside the box Slinth was using as a table and he kicked a bucket full with trash away. He has inspected the salarian's home obviously.

"When I want to hear the opinion of a degenerated hillbilly, I ask you next time Nejik.", Slinth snorted back.

Anger flared upon the Angara's face and he wanted to step closer already, when a hand stopped him. "As suicidal as ever, what Slinth?", the almost dark-skinned Turian, whose hand this was, asked, "And we hoped you have learned something from your last meeting with Kelly."

Slinth snorted and crossed his arms. "Still as blind as a mole, that's Reimus Zakra for you.", he vented his rage, before looking at the human, "So what does Kelly want?"

"Nothing we know about.", Cortez replied, shrugging, "We don't work for her anymore either."

The salarian blinked several times. Oh…that's interesting…he thought, before saying out aloud: "So…what do YOU want from me?"

The three armed people bandied looks. "We got a job offer.", Cortez was continuing to be the spokesman, "And we'll need a Hacker for it."

"Although we hoped you kept your armor suit…", Nejik interfered, looking still annoyed, "We didn't expect to see you in these…rags."

The Salarian didn't need to look down, to know that he looked like a beggar. "You need to be an expert of that.", Slinth responded, grinning evilly, "Your people's design.", the Angara started to growl, when the salarian looked at the human already, "My suit is stored away in a safe place. So how much do you get for this job?"

"In total 50.000 Credits.", Cortez replied, while Reimus held his friend once again, "We can divide it by four."

"Always the math-whizz.", Slinth replied, putting a hand at his chin, "But it sounds promising. How do you know that your employer doesn't shit you?", like you're trying with me right now, "Who is he…or she?"

"You'll meet her soon enough.", Cortez replied, "She is trustworthy enough, I vouch for her. So are you in?"

The Salarian grinned, while putting down his arms. Being able to get away from this shithole, while screwing you three at the same time? "Obviously.", he replied aloud, "So when do we start?"

"Mass Effect Andromeda", all copyrights reserved for Bioware and Electronic Arts

But the changes are mine.

Author's comment:

And with this chapter I introduce another character of my own – hope you'll like Slinth ^^

With this upload chapter one is officially over – I hope you liked it, want to review it and were not disappointed. I don't know when Chapter II will come – if chapter II will come – but probably not before Christmas. Have other priorities right now – hope you understand.