Beyond the Horizon.

Thane Krios.

Shepard, Grunt, and Mordin returned to the Normandy by nightfall, all exhausted. Samara was already on the ship and settled, Thane was the next crew member recruited. Kaidan heard the ship's engines warm up as it began to pull out of drydock from Illium, he wished he could've seen Liara again, but Shepard assured him they would be back again. 

"Edi," Kaidan calls from the lift as it makes its way up to the CIC, he did love how much faster this lift was compared to the one on the SR1. 

"Yes, Commander?" Edi answers, her small orb appears by the lift control panel.

"Do you know where Shepard is?" The lift doors hiss open, Kelly stands close by, she smiles and waves at him. She was one Cerberus operative he did like, she was charming and welcoming towards him. 

"He is with Mr Taylor and Sere Krios in the conference room," she answers. He curtly nods and makes his way there. 

Kaidan stood by the door, hearing Jacob make some quite rude remarks towards Thane, commenting on him being just a hired killer, nothing more. Thane's deep rumbling voice was calm and collected in his responses. He pushes the terminal open for the doors to open, and Thane instantly moves to the side, eyeing him closely. 

Kaidan had met Drell before, but seeing one in person was still shocking to him, they were rarely seen anywhere other than Kahje, their shared homeworld with the Hanar. "Ah, Kaidan," Shepard announces, smiling at him. "This is Thane Krios, our newest recruit. Thane, this is Commander Kaidan Alenko." 

The Drell inclined his head towards him, keeping a very stiff stance with his hands behind his back. Kaidan held a hand out towards him, "nice to meet you, Thane." 

Thane stared at his hand for a moment before accepting the handshake. "The pleasure is mine, Commander." 

"Please, call me Kaidan, Shepard is the Commander here," he lightly says. Thane pulled his hand back, nodding to the request. He turns towards Shepard before speaking.

"Where should I put my things? Some place dry would be preferred." Edi popped up in the middle of the table, getting all three men's attention.

"The Life support room tends to be more arid than the rest of the ship." Thane's joint brow ridge raised at the AI, taken aback slightly by her.

"Ah. An AI, my thanks." He bows to the entire room before politely moving around Kaidan to leave. Shepard looked over at a very defensive Jacob.

"He isn't what I expected in an assassin, he may surprise us," he explains. Jacob dropped his crossed arms, marching towards the door.

"Yeah and he may not," he gruthly says barging past Kaidan. The door shut leaving both men together. Shepard sighed heavily, rubbing the back of his neck.

"That guy," he whispers. Kaidan chuckled, walking over to him. 

"How are you doing?" Kaidan asks. Shepard yawned slightly, shrugging himself back awake.

"Tired, I need some sleep." Kaidan nods, happy to let Shepard leave to get some rest. He did want to talk, and get some info on Cerberus, but that would wait. He decided to go see what he could learn about their newest member.

---

Thane was unpacking his small hand luggage when the door opened. He instinctively grabbed his pistol, and Kaidan quickly threw his hands in the air. "I'm friendly," he jokes. Thane places the gun back down, turning back to his bag.

"I apologise, Kaidan. I am still getting used to a crew to work with." Kaidan stood by the door, wondering if he had chosen a bad time to talk.

"No worries, I just wanted to speak to you," he explains. Thane motions to the small table in the room, moving his bag from it to sit down. Kaidan sits across from him.