Starfield:Friends Like These

Quick Walkthrough

 * 1) Talk to Deputy MacIntyre.
 * 2) Get the Freestar Collective's Archive Code.
 * 3) (Optional) Convince Ambassador Radcliff to give you the code.
 * 4) (Optional) Blackmail Ambassador Radcliff.
 * 5) (Optional) Convince Cameron Long to help you break into Radcliff's living quarters.
 * 6) (Optional) Kill Radcliff and take her biometric key.
 * 7) Get House Va'ruun's Archive Code.
 * 8) Restore power to the Va'ruun Embassy.
 * 9) Find Ambassador Qasrik Bal'mor.
 * 10) (Optional) Convince Ambassador Bal'mor to give you his Archive Code.
 * 11) (Optional) Steal Ambassador Bal'mor's biometric key.
 * 12) (Optional) Kill Ambassador Bal'mor and take his biometric key.
 * 13) Return to MacIntyre.
 * 14) Retrieve the Terrormorph data from the Armistice Archives.
 * 15) Talk to Hadrian.
 * 16) Talk to MacIntyre.

Interstellar Affairs
Following the Terrormorph attack on New Atlantis, the UC Cabinet has unanimously agreed to allow Hadrian and Doctor Walker access to the Terrormorph research data in the Armistice Archives. Unfortunately, accessing the Archives requires unanimous approval not just from the UC, but from all three major interstellar governments. The other two Archive codes are in the possession of Ambassador Evangeline Radcliff, of the Freestar Collective, and Ambassador Qasrik Bal'mor, of House Va'ruun. President Abello has personally put you in charge of obtaining these archive codes, and directs you to Elisabeth MacIntyre, Chief Diplomat Soliman Yasin's deputy, to advise you on how to proceed.

MacIntyre has nothing but bad news. Radcliff is a Colony War veteran who despises the UC. Bal'mor has occasionally approved Archive access in the past, but the Va'ruun embassy was abandoned years ago, and Bal'mor is such a recluse that the UC is no longer sure he's even alive. MacIntyre informs you that the UC has placed a listening device in Radcliff's private quarters - if you can access that, you may be able to blackmail her. To assist you in getting inside, MacIntyre gives you a data slate with a potential weakness in Freestar Embassy security, and also directs you to an embittered embassy staffer, Cameron Long. She also gives you the key to a side entrance to the Va'ruun Embassy, and warns you that the alarms from the Terrormorph attack may have activated the automated security systems.

MacIntyre recommends visiting Radcliff first, but you can get the Archive Codes in either order.

The Veteran
The Freestar Collective embassy is visible from the MAST Tower, and the guards will allow you to take the elevator up to the floor with Radcliff's office. This is Freestar territory, and you will be considered trespassing if you enter any rooms except the conference room and Radcliff's office, so tread lightly. Radcliff is dressing down Long in her office - after you arrive, he will leave and head for the kitchen across the hall.

You have three options for getting Radcliff's Archive Code. The first is to convince her to give it to you willingly. This will not be easy - Radcliff is a veteran of the Colony War who had to fight UC xenoweapons, and has no intention of giving the UC access to that kind of technology again. You will need to pass a difficulty eight Speech Challenge, at which you will only have one shot. You can gain access to some special options in this challenge if Hadrian has told you that Terrormorphs can't be weaponized, if Bal'mor told you that "knowledge itself is never evil", and if you bring Sam Coe to the embassy with you. If you do succeed, Radcliff will agree to let you access the Archives, but only under a number of conditions - you must access the data yourself, you may only enter the Archives once, and Freestar monitors must oversee the research. You can return to MacIntyre to get the UC's official approval for these conditions, or you can simply agree and let Radcliff give you the code.

The second option is to blackmail Radcliff - there is a UC listening device in her living quarters with evidence implicating her in a plot to murder Elias Cartwright, the mayor of Akila City, in order to open up a seat on the Council of Governors. Unfortunately, Radcliff's living quarters are outside the parts of the embassy you're allowed to access. If you read the data slate MacIntyre gave you, it will reveal that there is an entrance to the embassy's maintenance shafts in the conference room - these shafts are unguarded and will take you straight to Radcliff's quarters, but are blocked by several Expert-level locks. Alternatively, you can attempt to turn Long against his overbearing boss. While Long hates Radcliff, he's reluctant to break the law. A Diplomat can easily convince him to help. Otherwise, you will need to either lie to him about how much support the UC is willing to offer, or give him an bribe. However you gain access, you can find the listening device concealed in a plant pot. Confront Radcliff and you will be able to blackmail her into giving you the Archive Code, as well as some credits and her unique Rattler.

Finally, if all else fails, you can take the code by force. Obtain Radcliff's biometric key, either by pickpocketing it or looting it from her corpse, and access the Archive Code Machine in the room behind her office.

The Believer
The House Va'ruun embassy is locked down and has been abandoned for years. Ambassador Bal'mor did not leave with the rest of the embassy staff, and there are life signs coming from within, but the UC has no way of knowing whether the ambassador is even still alive. You'll need to access the embassy from a side door, accessible from a corridor next to the GalBank. The side door opens up into the embassy lobby, which is dominated by a massive tree from Va'ruun'kai. Take the elevators down into the embassy proper.

Here, you will find that the embassy is overgrown with plants and the roots of the tree upstairs. The power is out, and blue spores limit your vision. You will need to restore power to the embassy by throwing three power switches. Malfunctioning intercomes throughout the embassy will try to guide you towards each switch. Besides the difficult environment, the embassy is also protected by automated security turrets and robots - many of these are powered down because of the blackout, but will reactivate once you flip a nearby switch. Others are still active. All will attack you on sight. There are hackable computer terminals placed throughout the embassy, of increasing difficulty, which will allow you to deactivate or subvert various robots and turrets.

Once power is restored, the intercoms will attempt to guide you down to the embassy basement, which is now accessible. The main room of the basement is patrolled by two robots, which you will have to destroy. Once you do, Ambassador Bal'mor will emerge from his quarters and ask to speak to you.

Bal'mor is grateful for your help in dealing with the power outage, as well as for defending the city from the Terrormorph attacks. He is willing to give you access to the Terrormorph data, but only on the condition that it be used exclusively for a good cause. If you agree to his terms, he will hand over his Archive Code. If not, you will have to take his biometric key - either by pickpocketing it or looting it from his corpse - and use the Archive Code Machine yourself.

Civis UC Sum
Once you have both Archive Codes, return to MacIntyre, who will give you the UC's Archive Code. With all three codes, you can now access the Armistice Archives. They are located next to the Freestar Embassy, across the plaza from the MAST Tower. Take the elevator down, head pass the guards, and report to the UC monitoring station. The monitors will instruct you to insert the Archive Codes. Do so, and the entrance to the vault will open. Head inside and retrieve the Terrormorph research data from vault 18, at the far end of the room. Once you return to the elevator, the entrance to the vault will be sealed behind you.

Return to MacIntyre with the data - you will find her talking to Hadrian. Hand the data over to Hadrian, who will immediately depart for Mars to set up a research lab in the Red Devils HQ with Doctor Walker. Once Hadrian has left, MacIntyre will ask you to follow her. Do so and she will lead you to the roof of the MAST Tower.

MacIntyrre will swear you in as a UC citizen. You will be awarded a disbursement, discounts at all UC stores, and the right to purchase property in New Atlantis. MacIntyre also informs you that an important UC official has asked to meet with you, by name. She refuses to tell you who this individual is, or how they know your name - their very existence is highly classified, and MacIntyre insists that you swear to secrecy. Once you do, she gives you authorization to take the MAST elevator to Subsection Seven.