[i]"Hello Commander Kruschov. I don't think introductions are in order, at least not yet anyway. Will you be joining us on the ground missions?"[/i]

Kruschov's blocky fingers grabbed his peaked cap and pulled it more snugly over his head. The turian beside him was very tall, like most of his kind, and the commander had to tilt his head to make eye contact. Kruschov considered offering a handshake, but he did not want to impose human customs upon an alien. He instead nodded toward the warrior and said, "You must be Operative Oravian. Welcome aboard." His tone was welcoming enough, though there was not even a trace of a smile on his incorruptibly stern face. He went straight to business. "Your previous military experience will be very useful to this ship, today and perhaps more so in the future. More on that later." He heard the mechanical [i]woosh[/i] of the elevator doors opening, revealing the rest of the squad. They surrounded the conference table wordlessly. Kruschov noticed their curious glances around the room. [i]This is the strangest sight I have ever seen,[/i] Kruschov thought, taking note of the assortment of species under his command. He did his best to summon up their names and the memorable information from their file. There was the volus sharpshooter, Tavis-Dev. Beside him stood Edwin Bellard, the ex-Alliance sole survivor. Beside Kruschov was Talus, a former member of the renowned Garrus Vakarian's Reaper task force. Lastly, there was Urdnot Glaive, described as the most benign krogan one would ever meet. Judging by the daunting size of his kind, the commander figured he would still be exceptionally lethal. After recalling these characteristics of the crew assembled around him, Kruschov wondered what their impression of him was.

He cleared his throat and leaned into his hands, which lied flat on the conference table. "Welcome aboard the [i]Unity[/i]," he said in his just-loud-enough, gravelly voice. His defined brow bone hung over his eyes like a bumper. His thin lips were taut under the architecture of his stony nose. "As you know, I am your commanding officer. You will get to know me and my ways soon enough, but right now we have a mission." He straightened up. His hands found each other behind his back. "I would have liked to hold sessions with you all before beginning an operation, but this war does not allow us that luxury. You all have very different backgrounds, but every one of you has been in numerous combat situations. Evidently, you all have survived." There was an emphatic pause. "Today will be no exception. Follow my command, never let your guard down, and fight hard. If you do those three things, we'll have a fighting chance. Don't, and you'll either get yourself killed or get someone else killed."

Finished with his introduction, Kruschov summoned up a holographic image over the conference table. It showed a rotating planet labeled "Benry." The commander zoomed into a specific continent on Benry. It was shaped like a triangle with the center point turned southward. He gestured toward a blinking icon on the map. "We are headed to the station where this colony's militia is based. Reapers have been moving into the system gradually. In preparation, all the colonists were evacuated-- except for the militia. They stayed behind to make sure everyone got out safely. They were supposed to leave today, but Reaper troops swooped in before they could." His omni-tool glowed around his forearm. He hit a few buttons to change the image being displayed. There was an array of hideous-looking creatures floating above the conference table. Each vaguely resembled a different species, "These are the enemies we will be facing. People have taken up calling this one the cannibal." He gestured toward one monster. It had many eyes, like a batarian, and a huge hump in its back. "Basic foot soldiers. The marauders, the turian-looking ones, are a step up. They coordinate the cannibals. Then, we have the ravagers. If you see one, take cover and stay down. They will lob powerful projectiles your way, usually in short bursts. Get hit by even one shot, and you'll most likely be dead."

The elevator hissed open. An asari walked with long strides toward the conference table. She held a datapad in one hand and saluted the team with the other. The commander looked expectantly toward her.

Sarnella didn't introduce herself; there would be time later. She took control of the display and provided the last bits of information available for the team. In a composed but accelerated voice, she began to relay her findings. "We've analyzed the atmosphere on Benry. Whatever gear you need to breathe in this ship will be enough for this planet. Our resident doctor has reviewed the most common plants and insects on the planet, analyzed their toxology, and compared it to each species' physiology. Physical contact with some plants and bites from certain bugs may cause minor irritation, but nothing serious. However..." The image of a peculiar plant came on. It had a short, wide black trunk. On top of it was an overwhelmingly large red bud. It was so plump it looked like it could burst. "The locals call this plant the "boom flower." Sudden physical contact will cause it to erupt, spraying a dense cloud of harmless but inconvenient brown gas in the air."

Kruschov's hand cradled his chin thoughtfully. "A potential tactical advantage," he surmised. Sarnella nodded.

"I'll take any questions or concerns now. Then we'll head to the armory to gear up."