Send the one you plan to save, Ashley or Kaidan, since they are your only two options. The person you send holds the AA Tower with the salarians, and rescuing them from there is the easier fight at the end of the mission.
If you have not decided who to save, send whichever one your squad needs less, because they are out of your party for the rest of Virmire. Who you send in Mass Effect Legendary Edition also has no effect on whether Captain Kirrahe survives. That comes down to one optional objective, covered below.
When the Choice Comes Up
It happens at the salarian camp, after you have dealt with Wrex. Talk to Kirrahe in the middle shelter and he lays out the plan: his salarians will assault Saren’s base while you attack from another direction. He needs someone to coordinate his teams, and both Ashley and Kaidan volunteer.
Garrus, Tali, Liara, and Wrex cannot be sent. After you choose, listen to Kirrahe’s speech, pick your squad from whoever is left, and head to the base.
What Your Pick Changes
| You send | Your squad for the base | Where each one ends up |
|---|---|---|
| Ashley | Ashley is out. Kaidan can join you | Ashley at the AA Tower, Kaidan with the bomb |
| Kaidan | Kaidan is out. Ashley can join you | Kaidan at the AA Tower, Ashley with the bomb |
That is the whole effect. You can still save either one, since the final choice is about where you go and you decided who stands there. It changes nothing in Mass Effect 2 or 3 by itself. What matters later is who you save, not who you sent.
Which One to Send
Two things point in different directions, so here is how we would weigh them.
If you already know who you will save, send them. The rescue plays out differently depending on where you go:
- Going to the AA Tower: You take an elevator up into a firefight where the geth, including Destroyers and Shock Troopers, are caught between your squad and your companion’s salarians. You have help.
- Going back to the bomb: You cross the Breeding Trench on your own against snipers, a Geth Destroyer, a Geth Prime, and a Geth Juggernaut.
Saren shows up after either fight. The AA Tower is the easier route, which is why we would send the person we want to keep.
If you have not decided, send the one your squad can spare. A Soldier Shepard gets more from keeping Kaidan’s tech and biotics, so send Ashley. A tech or biotic Shepard gets more from keeping Ashley’s firepower, so send Kaidan. If you do not use either in your squad, it makes no practical difference.
Before you leave camp, take your best gear off both of them. Anything equipped on the one who dies is lost.
How to Keep Kirrahe Alive
The person you send does not decide Kirrahe’s fate. One objective does: the geth flyers at the Refueling Platform during Base Approach.
| Optional objective | Morality | Effect on Kirrahe |
|---|---|---|
| Destroy the geth flyers at the Refueling Platform, then the fuel tank | Paragon +8 | He survives |
| Disrupt the Triangulation Tower at the Communications Tower | Paragon +2 | None |
| Destroy the Satellite Uplink on the roof | Paragon +2 | None |
| Security consoles: send enemies toward Kirrahe, or leave them for yourself | Renegade +9, or Paragon +8 | None |
You get confirmation over the radio. If you destroyed the flyers, Kirrahe thanks your team and is alive at the end. If you skipped them, Ashley or Kaidan reports that he is dead.
The security consoles look like they should matter, since one option sends enemies at his team, but they do not change the result.
What Kirrahe’s Survival Changes
| Game | Kirrahe alive | Kirrahe dead |
|---|---|---|
| Mass Effect 1 | Commander Rentola on the Normandy sells the Serrice Council and Sirta Foundation licenses | Those licenses come from other merchants |
| Mass Effect 2 | He does not appear in person, and Mordin’s dialogue reflects it | No change you would notice |
| Mass Effect 3, Priority: Sur’Kesh | He appears on this mission | Lieutenant Tolan takes his place |
| Mass Effect 3 war assets | Major Kirrahe, about 20 points | Salarian Special Tasks Group, 35 points, if you speak with Tolan |
The points slightly favor his death, but keeping him alive matters elsewhere. He is one of two characters, along with Thane, who can protect the salarian councilor in Mass Effect 3, and that feeds into our Council guide’s war asset math. His own asset also needs him to live through Mass Effect 3, which takes a living Thane you have spoken to on the Citadel. We would always destroy the flyers.
Wrex comes before this choice in the same mission, and our guide on how to save Wrex covers what you need before you land.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who should you send with the salarians on Virmire? Whichever of Ashley or Kaidan you plan to save, since the AA Tower rescue is the easier route. If you have not decided, send the one your squad needs less.
Can you send Garrus, Tali, Liara, or Wrex with Kirrahe? No. The choice is only between Ashley and Kaidan.
Does the person you send die? Only if you choose not to go to the AA Tower at the end. One of Ashley and Kaidan dies either way, and the one you send is just the one standing there.
Does who you send affect whether Kirrahe lives? No. Kirrahe survives only if you destroy the geth flyers at the Refueling Platform during Base Approach.
Can you take the other one in your squad? Yes. The one you do not send is available for your squad through the base, up until they split off to deal with the bomb.
Does this choice carry over to the sequels? Not directly. Only the survivor and Kirrahe’s fate carry over, and our guide to what carries over between games explains how.