As players embark on their journey through the Porrima solar system in Starfield, they’ll stumble upon an eerie and unresponsive spacecraft in a stationary orbit around Porrima 2. Under the mission banner of ‘First Contact’ and with an anxious settlement residing on the planet’s surface, the tantalizing question emerges: Could this enigmatic vessel signify the inaugural encounter with extraterrestrial life in Starfield? It’s a puzzle, one that players will unravel as they delve deeper into this captivating quest.
In the classic style of Bethesda’s RPGs, choices hold immense significance, and dialogue and actions stand at the forefront of what’s achievable. In the Starfield First Contact mission, players will be burdened with a momentous decision, one that could either preserve or endanger lives, all contingent upon the path they choose to tread.
Head To The Porrima System
Just a hop, skip, and a few solar systems to the right of Alpha Centauri, adventurers will stumble upon the Porrima system, home to the illustrious Porrima 2—a celestial gem renowned for its breathtaking vacation haven, Paradiso. As travelers relish the celestial views, an unexpected distress call breaks the tranquility, summoning them to the planet’s surface. It’s Chief of Security, Jiro Sugiyama, who beseeches their aid in unraveling a mysterious enigma haunting the residents.
Alternatively, intrepid explorers may opt to broadcast a hail to the enigmatic, unidentified vessel from their orbital vantage point. Yet, the abyss of silence reigns over their communication channels. Undeterred, they can venture close enough to the vessel, docking with it to initiate their independent investigation before engaging in a tête-à-tête with Security Chief Sugiyama.
Within the enigmatic confines of the spacecraft, explorers will discover not extraterrestrial beings, but rather fellow humans who have been charting the cosmos for two centuries. This spacefaring vessel, christened the ECS Constant, has borne witness to the cycles of life and death as its inhabitants journeyed in search of a new habitable world. However, their mission unfolded without the benefit of technological advancements, their voyage commencing way back in 2100. The passage of generations has transformed their vessel into a time capsule, and upon arrival, they’ve been greeted with the startling realization that their envisioned colony has already been settled.
Captain Brackenridge implores the player to descend to the settlement and negotiate with Paradiso’s CEO, Oliver Campbell. Brackenridge is determined to secure the planet for her people’s colonization and habitation. Yet, as a diplomat, the player faces the challenging task of balancing conflicting interests, realizing that not everyone may be content with the outcome. Thus, they should return to their ship and journey back to Porrima 2 to engage in negotiations with Oliver Campbell concerning the fate of the ECS Constant.
Once back on the planet’s surface, players are directed to make their way to the Paradiso Hotel, conveniently situated just forward and to the right of the landing bay. This grandiose establishment houses an elevator that will transport players to the Executive Floor—a crucial juncture for commencing their meeting with Mister Campbell. Of course, players should ensure they’ve received the necessary clearance from Keavy Andreas before proceeding.
As players enter the boardroom, they’re met by the board members, Balam and Salim. These astute individuals propose a rather intriguing notion: the orbiting colony could be integrated into Paradiso, but at a cost. The catch is that these newcomers would effectively become indentured servants, toiling to repay their debts in exchange for residency on the planet alongside the existing human inhabitants. It seems like a practical solution, offering jobs and shared land, but not everyone may embrace the prospect of corporate servitude.
The board members also float the idea of retrofitting the aging vessel with a cutting-edge Grav Drive, enabling the colonists to seek a new home in the boundless expanse of the galaxy. However, this venture could prove financially taxing.
Lastly, the CEO, Mister Campbell, proposes a more sinister course of action: the elimination of the colonists, implying a dire fate. This chilling suggestion dangles the possibility of simply obliterating the ship to permanently resolve the dilemma, although it’s undeniably the darkest option.
With these three stark choices laid before them, players are faced with the weighty decision of how to navigate the First Contact quest in Starfield.
Option 1: Buy A Grav Drive
The ethically sound and most morally just course of action is to procure a Grav Drive for the ECS Constant. Doing what’s right can sometimes come with a hefty price tag, but for those aspiring to be the heroes of their own narrative, Option 1 is the path to follow. It doesn’t involve the drastic measures of ship destruction or consigning fellow humans to a life of servitude under a corporate giant. Players can exit the hotel and engage in a conversation with Bennu St. James over at HopeTech, located in the Valo system on planet Polvo within Hopetown.
Considering that Grav Drives were not part of the technological landscape when the ECS Constant embarked on its cosmic odyssey, the retrofitting process is no small feat. Players are looking at a substantial expense of 40,000 Credits to equip the ECS Constant with a Grav Drive. Alternatively, for those with a persuasive touch, leveraging their Persuade skill can whittle down the cost to a still formidable 25,000 Credits. It’s a hefty sum, but that’s what true heroes are prepared to shoulder.
Returning to Porrima 2’s orbit, players can board the ECS Constant and make their way to the Engineering bay to consult with the Chief Engineer, Amin Kazemi, about integrating the Grav Drive. Players can assist in prepping the ship for this transformative upgrade by executing the following steps:
- Reroute power from the Port Turbopump to the Auxiliary Cryogenic Radiator.
- Adjust the Plasma Run-Off Inhibitor to 5%.
- Decouple the Magnetic Flange Pipe Enclosures from the Auxiliary Module Assembly.
These tasks are relatively straightforward and involve using the terminals in the Engineering bay. It’s crucial to perform these steps accurately to avoid potential disasters like fires. With the retrofit completed, players can deliver the good news to Captain Brackenridge. As a reward, players will receive a collection of Antique Earth artifacts that hold substantial value when traded with the right vendor.
Option 2: Settlement Deal – Indentured Servants
Opting for this solution will indeed place the colonists in a precarious position, as they’ll effectively become indentured servants, beholden to Paradiso and its CEO for their sustenance, shelter, and a semblance of reintegration into human society. It’s a stark and somewhat heart-wrenching choice to impose upon these weary travelers who’ve endured centuries in space, embarking on an arduous journey only to find themselves consigned to labor for individuals they’ve never crossed paths with.
While it may seem like the apparent and peaceful resolution, players must embark on a resource-gathering expedition to secure the following materials before proceeding with the assimilation of these new citizens into the resort city:
- Fiber: 40 units
- Sealant: 20 units
- Iron: 80 units
- Lithium: 10 units
This solution won’t garner much enthusiasm from the colonists, and even the ECS Constant’s crew may harbor reservations about the prospects at hand. Nonetheless, players can muster these resources, although it may entail a considerable grinding effort. Yet, it ultimately results in surrendering the lives of these intrepid spacefarers to a life of perpetual servitude, or until the Paradiso Group deems their services no longer necessary. Regrettably, in the realm of Starfield, there appears to be no viable path for the ECS Constant to settle on Porrima 2 without embracing this option—a fate that hardly befits these weary travelers.
Option 3: Overload The Reactor And Blow Up The Ship
Oliver, with a cold calculation, suggests a sinister solution to the predicament—overloading the ship’s aging systems until it self-destructs. In this grim scenario, there would be no more colonists to contend with, and the Paradiso board members would be free from their financial headaches. It’s a choice that’s sure to draw vehement protests from followers and companions, but for those embracing a darker path, it’s an option worth pursuing.
To execute this malevolent plan, players must return to their spacecraft and initiate the nefarious sequence. First, they’ll need to dock and board the ECS Constant, making their way to the Engineering room. On the left, they’ll discover the Reactor Computer, which requires a key. The Pickpocket skill is a necessity here, as players will attempt to stealthily pilfer the key from the Chief Engineer, Amin Kazemi, who should be in the same room as the terminal. Alternatively, for those who care little for stealth, they can resort to a more ruthless approach by eliminating Kazemi, looting the key from his lifeless body, and proceeding to the Reactor Terminal to initiate the Reactor Overdrive function.
Next, players should navigate to the captain’s bridge and employ advanced Lockpicking skills to hack into the Captain’s Terminal. Once inside, they can use the terminal to confirm the self-destruct request on the Urgent Actions screen. At this point, there’s no turning back unless players revert to a save file. They can choose to confront the ship’s defenders or make a mad dash to undock and escape.
The consequences of blowing up the ship in the First Contact quest are dire. The ECS Constant’s crew meets a tragic end, and the ship is reduced to ashes, obliterating the history it contained and the dreams of the men, women, and children who merely sought a place to call home. Crew members are unsurprisingly unimpressed by this horrific turn of events.
Upon returning to Oliver, he reacts with a mixture of amazement and satisfaction, offering players a sum of 6,500 Credits and unrestricted access to the resort. However, those who attempt to extort double the payment are met with mockery, leading to a complete refusal to provide any additional rewards.
With the First Contact mission successfully resolved through the first option of acquiring a Grav Drive, players open up an intriguing opportunity to reconnect with the ECS Constant in the vast galaxy. To embark on this quest, they can track the ship’s location from their Activity mission log, searching for the entry titled ‘Location of the ECS Constant.’ Given the ECS Constant’s ceaseless journey among the stars, players may need to skip across several solar systems to catch up with it. It’s important to equip the best Grav Drive available, capable of traversing at least 22 light-years, for efficient travel.
Navigating through the cosmos, players will eventually come across the ship perpetually exploring new and uncharted worlds. The scene may strike an eerie chord, akin to the isolation felt within a Fallout Vault, with its inhabitants confined to the confines of their vessel, unaware of the vast expanse beyond. Should players manage to locate the ECS Constant in Starfield once more, they may uncover new missions or adventures awaiting them, a testament to the endless voyage in pursuit of the perfect home.