Ka'hairal Balak

Balak is the leader of the batarian terrorist group in the first downloadable mission for Mass Effect, Bring Down the Sky. Unlike the other batarians, who only planned to make a quick slave grab, Balak is on a mission to crash Asteroid X57 into the human colony of Terra Nova.

Balak hates humans because they claimed territory and resources that he believes should have belonged to the batarians during the early stages of humanity's major expansion into the Skyllian Verge. He sees his actions as reprisal for the Skyllian Blitz on Elysium.

Balak is voiced by Fred Tatasciore.

During the mission, Balak sends his forces after Commander Shepard to prevent the fusion torches being shut down, while Balak hunts for the hiding engineers in the main facility. When he finds Kate Bowman, he demands to know who is attacking his people; when Kate refuses to answer, Balak kills her brother and sends Charn to find Shepard.

When the Commander launches an assault on the main facility, Shepard confronts Balak, who has planted a bomb in the offices where the hostages are being held. Balak talks angrily about the thwarted Skyllian Blitz (if Shepard is a War Hero, Balak holds Shepard personally responsible for the Blitz's failure) and about Torfan (if Shepard is Ruthless, Balak accuses Shepard of murdering batarians).

Shepard has a choice to make: either attack Balak to ensure his death, or release him, in order to save the hostages, including Kate Bowman. Judging by Balak's reaction when Shepard asks him who is in charge of the batarian's terrorist actions, it is likely that Balak, as well as other batarian terrorist groups, answer to a higher authority.