Tiran Kandros is the leader of a de facto volunteer militia that has taken over station security on the Nexus. He is also in charge of the APEX Strike Teams that aim to secure Initiative interests throughout the Heleus Cluster, acting as mission control and dictating local objectives to agents in the field. Though technically a civilian, Kandros is counted amongst the Nexus leadership.
|
“Make no mistake — this is a one-way trip.” — Spoilers for Mass Effect: Andromeda follow. |
|
Background[]
In his screening interviews, Tiran Kandros states he is named after an ancestor who captured a dreadnought in the Krogan Rebellions, and he was expected to live up to the name. After beginning boot camp at the traditional age of fifteen, Kandros rose through the ranks and was assigned to Sagirus Eight, one of the Hierarchy's counter-terrorism divisions.
Persistent rumors on the Nexus claim that Kandros was sent to investigate the Andromeda Initiative when the Hierarchy became suspicious about its activities. Kandros refuses to comment on former operations, citing family pressures as the reason he later joined the Initiative.
Pathfinder Ryder can ask Kandros to elaborate more on his reasons for coming to Andromeda and he will reveal that he was born into a typical turian military family. However, his sister and cousin both pursued other careers, so many of his relatives were proud he continued their tradition of military service. However, Kandros also wanted his own adventure and was enamored by Jien Garson's gutsy dream. Thus he made the decision to join the Andromeda Initiative.
During the early days of the Nexus' arrival, Kandros left the station to act as protection detail for a prospecting team and was captured by the kett. He managed to lead several other captives in an escape and returned to the Nexus, eventually founding a volunteer militia to defend the station.
According to Kandros, amongst all those captured by the kett that day, Kandros was the only person who managed to free himself, secure a weapon and rescue everyone. After breaking everyone out and returning to the Nexus, all the Nexus personnel started looking at him like he was in charge and the militia grew from there.
|
“I have so many questions.” — Spoilers for Mass Effect: Discovery follow. |
|
Mass Effect: Discovery[]
Mass Effect: Discovery 1[]
Lieutenant Tiran Kandros survived a skirmish with geth and composed his field report 6-17 in its aftermath. His unit tracked a vanished supply transport to a supposedly uninhabited world, only to be ambushed by the waiting synthetics. Only Tiran made it out alive, which left him with survivor's guilt as well as curiosity regarding the Andromeda Initiative.
With his mother Admiral Ravis Kandros' authority, Tiran secured a meeting with high-ranking members of the Hierarchy and presented his findings. He showed them an inactive geth head, from which he discovered evidence that someone involved with the Initiative was tinkering with outlawed geth technology. He offered to go undercover and infiltrate the Initiative to get to the truth of the matter. The plan had some resistance from Commander Narkkin, who thought Tiran was pursuing the matter for personal advancement, though the Hierarchy had existing legitimate concerns about the Initiative. Tiran argued he can slip out undetected if he found nothing suspicious, but if he did find something it will allow the Hierarchy to decisively intervene preemptively.
Later, Tiran privately confided to Admiral Ravis he needed to prove he can strike out on his own without resorting to the family legacy. He admitted Narkkin wasn't wrong since the Kandros name presented many opportunities for him.
Reasoning he needed to strangle a threat at the source, Tiran headed directly to Earth, though he had to admit the planet looked nicer than he anticipated. He paid off some agitators to stage protests outside the Initiative headquarters and let himself get beaten up by angry protestors, correctly assuming someone would come out, help him, and take him in, circumventing the proper recruitment waitlists.
The person who chased the mob off of him, Luna Shanks, was the personal bodyguard of Initiative founder Jien Garson. Tiran claimed to be ex-military and looking for a job, which piqued Garson's interest. He concocted a cover story about being a dishonorably-discharged ex-convict who was imprisoned for domestic assault under the name Sanjin Vinnick, also anticipating Garson would pull up his file and discover these things. "Sanjin" met face to face with Garson and told her he saw the promo vids and was willing to do whatever it takes for a fresh start, so Garson gave him one.
Sanjin partnered up with Shanks and went to the Citadel to find Shio'Leth vas Novarra, the scientist who first discovered the Initiative's target worlds in the Andromeda galaxy. Since Shio disappeared while a flaw in his calculations threatened to undo the Initiative's very goals, Sanjin was tasked by Garson to see if the quarian went into hiding or has been abducted by the Initiative's enemies.
After obtaining a lead Sanjin accompanied Shanks to the flophouses of the Lower Wards, commenting how the people up top did a good job of hiding the misery there. The pair were too late since they found Shio's hovel a blasted ruin with several destroyed LOKI Mechs. Sanjin found an encrypted datapad among the wreckage, prompting him to seek out the Migrant Fleet for help unlocking it.
Mass Effect: Discovery 2[]
Tiran and Shanks found surveillance footage of Shio leaving the Citadel, apparently escaping whoever's pursuing him. Tiran's mother found the Novarra's last known location in return. Tiran was determined to use the quarian to unravel the Initiative even if the Hierarchy was beginning to have second thoughts about the mission.
"Sanjin" explained to a curious Shanks that he was using encrypted channels to talk to his mother since it afforded the military contacts who tracked the Novarra for them some caution. A quarian found them both in the outskirts of the Novarra's mining operation and took them to the offices of Captain Jakin, who then told them Shio's background. The quarians weren't willing to open the datapad, earning Sanjin's ire, though Shanks opted to restrain him and to look for alternatives.
A commotion outside grabbed their attention: a biotic salarian was wrecking the place looking for Viegle, the quarian who found Sanjin and Shanks. Sanjin wanted to know why, but Jakin's office was destroyed before they could find out. Sanjin now realized this salarian was the one chasing after Shio, and was ordered by Shanks to take Viegle to their ship and leave. Sanjin wanted to stick together deeming it a tactically smarter play, though Shanks had other ideas and prepared for a biotic showdown.
Upon seeing Shanks plummet off a cliff, Sanjin instructed Viegle to run for the ship and doubled back to help Shanks get back up. However, the biotic salarian managed to torture Shio's location out of Viegle and was already in pursuit when Sanjin and Shanks reached him. Viegle was Shio's husband, so as he lay dying he told Sanjin and Shanks Shio was going to Omega. Sanjin handed him the datapad, realizing it was for him.
Mass Effect: Discovery 3[]
During the next mission briefing with Admiral Ravis Tiran learned about Agent Zeta, the powerful salarian biotic they encountered. Due to this the Hierarchy elected to abort the mission and recall Tiran, but he refused as he was on the verge of discovering something. He needed to see this through, even at the cost of going rogue.
"Sanjin" donned a hood upon landing on Omega, claiming he was just being cautious when Shanks asked. Two batarians hassled both of them for "docking fees" but were waved off by Nyreen Kandros, Tiran's cousin. "Sanjin" messaged ahead and hoped to meet with her without getting his partner's attention, but Nyreen unwittingly blew his cover in front of Shanks. The cousins restrained her, then went to Aria T'Loak before explaining the kerfuffle.
Tiran was biotically strangled by Aria, who thought he was a saboteur. He truthfully told Aria his purpose on Omega, though beyond that the Pirate Queen had no further interest in him. Afterward he attempted to justify to Nyreen why he infiltrated the Initiative, that a project of that scale had a nefarious side to it. Nyreen reminded him they used to be idealistic, constantly looking for ways to break free from the "family curse" when they were kids. She suggested he could join the Initiative for real, but Tiran still had a mission to see through.
After coming clean to Shanks, Tiran told her he was invested in retrieving Shio despite the Hierarchy's wishes. She thought, however, that this might be the first time Garson had been wrong in trusting a person. Tiran wanted to prove otherwise, and admitted the Initiative's ambition and scale scared him.
Tiran and Shanks stocked up on weapons, teaming up with Nyreen's forces to fight Agent Zeta, who had cornered Shio. Nyreen doubted they'd need so much firepower against one salarian, but Tiran warned her it might not even be enough. The cousins devised a distraction while Shanks swooped in to save the quarian. Shanks was injured in the process though Tiran managed to chase Zeta off with M-4 Shuriken fire.
Shio wanted to go after Zeta and stop him, forcing Tiran to chaperone. Nyreen heard they were going to stop a salarian biotic going to a geth enclave, so she jokingly bade Tiran it was nice knowing him. For his part, Tiran told her he was still thinking over their discussion earlier and had no plans to die just yet.
In the aftermath, Tiran's mother told him he was declared AWOL and accused of gross dereliction of duty. Despite this Tiran still wished to follow through, hoping the cost was worth it.
Mass Effect: Discovery 4[]
En route to the Kholas Array Tiran composed his field report 9-22 recapping what happened to him thus far, from the moment his unit answered a distress call that resulted in a geth ambush to shepherding a quarian to a geth array, in order to make sense of the puzzle before him. Shio deliberately deserted the Initiative, though with Tiran's help he wanted to make amends by returning to Kholas to correct the data he gave the organization.
The job wasn't easy since Agent Zeta was already there, and Shio needed an access port 10 meters behind the salarian currently battling a lot of geth. Tiran sighed and promised to provide cover, unwilling to stay aboard the array longer than they need to be.
Hoping he wasn't making a mistake, Tiran teamed up with Agent Zeta against the geth. Tiran tried to play on Zeta's sympathies by calling out the salarian's real name and claiming he can't protect Shio by himself. He did not expect to become exhilarated by the turn of events, but he forgot Zeta's unstable and on the verge of biotic meltdown.
Tiran and Shio ran for their shuttle while Zeta opted to stay behind zapping as many geth as he can. Tiran mused he would have died serving the Hierarchy to uphold the family name, but with the hopes and goals of so many people on the line he wanted to live. He wanted to see the unknown and have his own adventure.
Tiran came out of the affair with a minor arm injury, and was court-martialed upon returning to the Hierarchy. Having pled guilty, he was dishonorably discharged, though he had chosen to sign up with the Initiative for real. He volunteered for duty aboard the Nexus, ahead of the rest of the arks to get everything ready. Admiral Ravis wanted him to remain as a civilian contractor, but he was convinced he can do the most good with the Initiative. This was his chance to write a whole new book on the Kandros legacy instead of just a chapter. Having bid his mother goodbye, Tiran returned to Earth, visited Shanks in the hospital, and personally received Garson's thanks.
On Tiran's final field report, he noted his investigation was over. There were still unanswered questions about the Initiative's benefactors, though he was won over by Garson's charisma and decided to trust her intentions. He eagerly anticipated finding out what's waiting on the other side after 600 years of stasis.
|
“Same shit. Different galaxy.” — Spoilers for Mass Effect Andromeda: Nexus Uprising follow. |
|
Mass Effect Andromeda: Nexus Uprising[]
Kandros' stasis pod is located right beside Security Director Sloane Kelly's. During the initial collision between the Nexus and the Scourge, he had revived inside the pod but was unable to get out on his own, forcing Sloane to pry it open and save him. Afterward, he obeys Sloane's order to do the same to the other people stuck in their pods. Later, he passes by her while helping a human slumped against his shoulder.
Initially unaware of how he awakened to scenes of chaos aboard the Nexus, Tiran asks Sloane what happened after the more pressing issues have been dealt with. Since she had no idea as well, he decides to help her find out. A short while after discovering life support's offline, he obeys Sloane's instruction to shepherd the other awakened personnel and passengers to Colonial Affairs' hangar to take advantage of the shuttles' life support systems (and for a handy escape if things turn worse).
Unfortunately, Tiran reports back that most of the ships were destroyed and the Pathfinder explorers took the brunt of it, forcing his group of eight to seek refuge inside a shuttle in hangar two. He leaves the asari Talini in charge there and goes to check on the krogan pods under orders from Sloane.
Once Sloane and Nakmor Kesh secured the comms, Kandros is tasked by the Security Director to assemble a team led by Talini to stand guard over vulnerable supply rooms. When priorities shift to repairing the damaged Nexus, Tiran takes charge of the various security duties while Sloane tries to get some sleep.
Later, Tiran is tasked to retrieve the access logs from Priote Falarn and Foster Addison. The former forged the latter's authorization to revive 10 of his friends, resulting in Tiran and his 5 workmates suiting up in Elanus Risk Control Services gear before facing Falarn's group, which has taken hostages. His mandibles tip up in approval when Sloane takes charge, causing her to muse how turians have a thing for women who call the shots. After disseminating the intel from his modified Kuwashii Visor, Tiran executes his role in the agreed-upon plan of engagement to the best of his ability. He reports two casualties in the aftermath of the skirmish.
When the other Nexus leaders decide to use the working shuttles to scout for resources, Kandros' security team is deployed by Addison to help evict the people who have been using them for temporary shelter. After asking what was that about, Tiran also inquires if Sloane is aware of this. Addison claiming she didn't have any objections is enough to dispel his doubts, and he also volunteers for the job citing his past as a counter-terrorism agent as proof of competency.
Tiran is assigned to the shuttle Boundless, also designated Scout 8, and accompanies Scout 7 on a reconnaissance mission to Eos. He disappears with the Boundless after declaring Eos uninhabitable and discovering an anomaly, leaving Scout 7 to limp back to the Nexus alone to deliver the news. His loss hits Sloane hard, and every so often in subsequent crises she wishes the best first officer she never had was still there to help her out.
Mass Effect: Andromeda[]
Tiran first encounters Pathfinder Ryder in the darkened Common Area shortly after the latter boards the Nexus. He briefs them on the dire situation of the station. He gives them a summary of the Scourge, the Nexus uprising, the Nexus being low on resources and successes, and how the Hyperion was the first ark they've encountered. He escorts Ryder to the other Nexus leaders so they can confer on a plan to save the Andromeda Initiative.
Should the Pathfinder request for the militia's aid, Tiran grants them authorization to dispatch his APEX Strike teams. He appreciates it if Ryder expresses concern for his people's safety, though he assures the Pathfinder APEX can handle themselves. Tiran says they're good for outpost protection, holding key positions, and distracting kett if the Pathfinder inquires about APEX's use. He holds office near Operations in the Nexus security/militia area.
After the Moshae's rescue, knowledge about exaltation becomes widespread. Tiran inquires about it. If the exaltation facility was destroyed, Tiran's assured the kett aren't taking prisoners anymore.
After the discoveries and reveals aboard the Khi Tasira space station become known among the Nexus populace, Tiran finds it difficult to wrap his head around the fact that the angara were also made by the Remnant's creators. He's impressed by Khi Tasira's defenses and has sent people there to investigate, deeming anything that has kett running scared worth looking into.
Tiran later participates in the battle for Meridian and can be heard on the comms coordinating the Pathfinder's various allies as they fend off the kett forces while Ryder confronts the Archon. Afterward, back at Operations he tells Ryder APEX is planning a tribute for them. He tells Ryder they better hope it's a new victory cocktail and not a filthy marching song, as APEX also doesn't do statues.
First Murderer[]
Tiran thinks the perception of Nilken Rensus shooting a fellow colonist, whether deliberate or accidental, was a contributing factor to the Nexus Uprising. The accused only had his word claiming it wasn't on purpose, there was a witness, and there's incriminating audio that Tiran can authorize Ryder to hear. The Pathfinder wants to know what actually happened but as far as Tiran is concerned, the case is closed.
If Nilken is exiled, Tiran reveals his wife also went with him. He warns Ryder they'll have a tough life out in the wild.
Sleeping Dragons[]
When Ryder talks to Kandros about protesters in Hydroponics, he reins in the other leaders of the Nexus for a meeting. If Prodromos is a research outpost and Ryder suggests settling the protesters and their families there, Tiran warns sending soldiers there would cause trouble. To end the protest, Tiran recommends a squad to clear out the civilians, with gunpoint threats if it comes to it, as he deems it better than losing Hydroponics or the entire station. Since they're all pioneers, Tiran deems the protesters tough enough to escalate into violent revolt.
If Ryder sides with the protesters, Tiran comments they'll all be tightening their belts. Later he confirms it when he says APEX teams have their rations cut, and voices disapproval at how everyone now thinks protesting is how to get things done.
If Ryder sides with the leadership, Tiran recommends their participation to ensure an orderly dispersal. Afterward, he thanks Ryder for understanding as he just wants to keep everyone alive, and hopes the protesters will eventually understand as well. He doesn't want to think about it any further than he has to, and prompts Ryder if they still need something from him.
Krogan Betrayal[]
Ryder has been investigating William Spender's role in the Nexus Uprising based on Nakmor Drack's claims. As he wasn't aboard the station during the mutiny, Tiran is surprised at learning Spender's possible complicity. He has noted a few discrepancies in the logs he looked through, and lets the Pathfinder access the security archives for further analysis.
Lost But Not Forgotten[]
Tiran shows some concern in finding out the fate of his species ark the Natanus. He's relieved once Ryder finds the time to rescue its passengers, and resolves to make the best of their original Pathfinder's loss and ark's near-destruction.