This mission has you either joining the Crimson Fleet, or being coerced by SysDef to infiltrate the Crimson Fleet. There are actually some option with both starting this mission and progressing through it, which sets the pace for how the rest of the faction missions will be handled. So before you start, you might want to ask yourself if you want to be a pirate or a double agent.
There are two ways to begin this mission and join the Crimson Fleet:
Do the first two mission in the UC Vanguard quest line
Get arrested
We’ll cover both options below.
Joining the UC Vanguard
If you plan on playing the UC Vanguard missions before handling the Crimson Fleet missions, or if you’re playing as a more upstanding citizen, then this path might interest you more. You will have to complete both the Supra Et Ultra and the Grunt Work faction missions first, then at the end of the second mission, you’ll be given the option to talk with Commander Ikande (Image 1), which starts this mission.
Image 1
Skip down to ‘Speak to Commander Ikande in the Operations Center’ if you joined through the UC Vanguard.
Getting Arrested
The quicker (and more mischievous) route is to simply get arrested while in United Colonies’ space (Image 2). For convenience’s sake, we would recommend heading over to Cydonia (the city) on Mars because this is the planet where the mission will be taking place. You can easily get arrested there for shoplifting or bringing in contraband through the orbital scan.
Image 2 – Getting arrested by UC Security
Undergo the Interrogation
After being arrested, you’ll be brought to the SysDef ship, The Vigilance, for an interrogation. You’ll listen to some dialogue, then Commander Ikande will arrive and ask if you want to work undercover for them and spy on the Crimson Fleet (Image 3).
Image 3 – You can accept or refuse his offer
Refusing the Offer / Seek Out the Crimson Fleet
If you refuse to spy for SysDef, then from here on out, you will be aligned with the Crimson Fleet, without a possibility of siding with SysDef or spying as a double agent. If you were originally arrested, then you will be sent to jail like you would when normally arrested. Upon getting out, wait in a chair for 48 hours, then go to the Trade Authority in Cydonia.
Image 4 – You can join the Crimson Fleet without SysDef
There is a man on the ramp outside the store named Sebastian Lynne (Image 4). He will give you a note with a Crimson Fleet associate to contact. The missions will be the same as they would be spying for SysDef, except you won’t be reporting to Commander Ikande and gathering evidence.
The choice is yours, but we don’t recommend this route because you will miss out on credits and gear from SysDef (and you can always double-cross them later). However, if you want to play as an unconditional space pirate, then this route is probably best.
If you chose this route, then skip to the quest step, Speak to Adler Kemp.
Speak to Commander Ikande in the Operations Center
If you accepted the offer or joined through the Vanguard, you’ll meet Commander Ikande up on the bridge of the ship. The op he gives you is to bring some illegal cargo to a buyer in Cydonia. The idea is this’ll gain you favor, and you’ll be asked to join the Crimson Fleet.
There is one funny dialogue option where you say, “And this is me shooting my way off this prison ship!â” (Image 5). And you can do just that; it will basically play out like you refused his offer (see above). All the other dialogue options will have you being sent to speak to his second in command.
Image 5 – If you choose this option, then be ready to run.
Speak to Lieutenant Toft
After speaking with the Commander, and verifying your loyalty to SysDef, you need to speak with Toft. There are reports of this part being bugged, so if you can’t talk to her or find her, then just reload an earlier save. The Lieutenant will give you your secondary objective, which is gathering evidence (Image 6).
Image 6 – Basically, you’ll be rewarded for snitching
This is its own mission, and you will have to complete it while you are playing through the Crimson Fleet faction missions. You will not only be paid for each piece of evidence, but if you find enough, she will give you the Momento Mori unique pistol towards the end, so long as you end up siding with SysDef.
Another ramification of procuring evidence is that some evidence will incarcerate certain pirates. This will make the final mission, Legacy’s End, easier or harder depending on whom you side with. Due to the final mission having a difficult space combat section, you will likely not want to gather evidence if you’re siding with the Crimson Fleet.
Proceed to Cydonia
Now that you’re done speaking with Toft, the airlock to your ship should be unlocked. Head down the elevator, undock your ship, and land in Cydonia on Mars to continue the mission (Image 7).
Image 7
Speak to Saoirse Bowden
You can find Saoirse at the Trade Authority in Cydonia. When you first enter the city from the star port, just meander down the ramp and the Trade Authority will be on your right (Image 8). Saoirse will only help you if you pay her 1000 credits despite your attempt at intimidating her – hopefully you have it on hand (Image 9). She’ll tell you of an associate that can help you unload your illegal cargo.
Image 8Image 9
Speak to Adler Kemp
The associate is named Adler, and he is just a short walk back up the ramp towards Cydonia’s entrance to the Broken Spear bar (Image 10). He is a prickly guy that offers to help you, but says you need to do something first: collect a payment from a debtor named Karl Fielding (Image 11).
Image 10Image 11
Recover Carl Fielding’s Debt
Carl will be in the residential sector of Cydonia. One of the entrances to this sector is just across the hall from the Trade Authority. Follow your quest marker until you find him sitting by a crate (Image 12), then ask him about his debt. You have three options when speaking to him:
Offer to pay his debt
Persuade him to pay his debt
Attack him
Image 12
If you fail in the persuasion, then you will want to just pay the 3000 credits to cover his debt. Attacking him instantly makes the guards hostile, and you’ll have to fight your way out of Cydonia, then pay to have your bounty removed. The juice isn’t worth the squeeze, as they say.
Return to Adler Kemp
Back at the Broken Spear, Adler will congratulate you on your bullying antics and say that he will set up a meeting with you and Crimson Fleet (Image 13). If you are undercover, he will also inform you that he moved your illegal cargo and give you the money for it (11300 credits). Before you leave, you will want to grab the evidence on the desk behind him to bring to Lieutenant Toft for Burden of Proof (Image 14).
Image 13Image 14
When you’re done talking, the mission will end, and you’ll be given a new mission, Rook Meets King.
The rest of this faction’s guides will be from the perspective of someone who is playing as a double agent, because that will cover everything that a dedicated pirate will encounter and everything else.
Kelson is a spud head from out west. He is most happy when holding a milky tea with too much honey and playing a sprawling role playing game or reading a fantasy novel. His video game tastes vary but his main genres are looter shooters, RPGs, and real time strategy games.
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