Starfield:Companion - Barrett

	Talk with Barrett
Started by:	Wants to talk
Points to:	Barrett
Location(s):	None
ID:	Com_Companion_Barrett

 

Wants to Talk

While Barrett is a follower, he will from time to time ask to talk. These talks each have an opportunity to change his affinity.

For players with the Empath trait, choosing answers that he likes will temporarily improve your combat and persuasion. Instead of flirting, it is usually better to choose these answers. This will also increase affinity more quickly.

There are additional options depending on career, skills, and starborn status.

Key	Meaning
⏫︎	+50 affinity
▲	+25 affinity
▼	-15 affinity
⏬︎	-35 affinity
🗣︎	talk more, loop
X	to [END] scene
[QB###]	set quest flag ### before beginning
[QE###]	set quest flag ### after ending
[Q-###?]	quest flag ### is not set?
[Q+###?]	quest flag ### is set?
[-condition?]	condition is not set?
[+condition?]	condition is set?

Personal conversations

First conversation

To edit this section: Companion - Barrett/Story SG01 Ervin

Barrett:

• [MQ+207?]

"A while ago you helped me out when I was captured by the Crimson Fleet, and I just wanted to say thanks for having my back."

• [MQ-105?]

"I just wanted to say thanks for the daring rescue back there."

"I had plans for Matsura, of course, but I appreciate the back up."

• [MQ+105?] & [MQ-207?]

"I've been meaning to thank you for helping me with the Crimson Fleet before... "

"I could handle it myself, of course, but it's good working with a team."

...	Player	Response
	[+Starborn?] It's so good to see you again, my old friend.	Hey now. Who're you calling old? Anyway, I'm glad to be back safe and sound too. Trust me.
	You're welcome. Glad to help out a fellow Constellation member.	It's good to be part of a team, isn't it? To be part of something so much bigger than any one of us.
	[MQ+207?] No big deal. That was a while ago, anyway.	Well, it left a lasting impression on me, I suppose.
	[MQ-207?] It wasn't a big deal, don't worry about it.	Well, I was impressed.
	What would you have done without me?	I would have given them an exhaustive series of lectures on aneutronic fusion until they were either delirious or they became my new students. Obviously.
▼	Why don't you thank me with some credits?	I could, but it doesn't feel right. You're part of the family now, and we take care of each other.
🗣︎	Refresh my memory... Matsura?	You know. That Crimson Fleet pirate who held me captive for a bit a while ago. I just appreciated how you rescued me, that's all.

"So many things can go wrong out there... working with people you can trust is important."

--

"And that's why I've been in Constellation so long... it's good to have people who will help out when you're in a jam."

[BQS:110]

...	Player	Response
▲	[+Starborn?] [QB111] I trust Constellation. [QE55]	[MQ-204?] A reasonable approach. I hope one day you can trust me as well, it's been a pleasure, you know. [MQ+204?] & [MQ-301?] I'd sure hope so. If that's not true, I'd be worried. I'll see what I can do to earn your trust. [MQ+301?] The way you say that gives me déjà vu. Though I have been having odd dreams lately. Mostly about the Artifacts and Constellation and ice spiders, of course. Always ice spiders. Ugh. Glad to say Constellation is normally spider-free.
	[+Introvert?] [QB112] I don't like to depend on others, personally.	You know, I doubt many people like that.
	[QB113] I'm glad to be part of a team.	Just wait 'til we get matching shirts and start having official cookie days.
	[QB114] I put my trust in people, not organizations.	That's smart. Trust in things that are capable of trusting you.
🗣︎	Exactly how often do you get into jams, Barrett?	Exactly as often as I need to. Jams are just sticky successes, right? At first it seems annoying but it eventually washes off.

[Q+112?]	[BQS:120]	Trust None [Introvert]
...	Player	Response
	It's hard to trust.	That's fair. I can respect that. I hope I can earn your trust, but if not, well, I can still work with that.
	Good thing humans aren't some sort of colonial plant.	We're not connected physically, but we are socially. As humans, we depend on each other to survive. The Universe is vast... and cold, and endlessly dangerous. Even if you found a planet to settle on your own... someone helped you get there.
🗣︎	What do you mean?	[QB50] One time Ervin and I were on a biology expedition where he took thousands of samples from plant growths all over some moon. Turns out it was one giant organism in an endless cycle of self-consumption and regrowth. In a way, it was entirely self-reliant, I guess. But outside of strange colonial life, we all had some sort of help. Sometimes a little, sometimes a lot. Maybe that amount changes, too. I just mean that I think everybody depends on someone, sometimes. No shame in that.
🗣︎ ▼	[Q+50?] Who's Ervin?	[QB51] (?) Ervin Madani was my husband. He was also a brilliant biologist who joined Constellation a couple years before me... He's gone now... I remember his bright smiles when I returned from my trips... more brilliant than any star. [QE52]

[Q+113?]	[BQS:120]	Trust Teams
...	Player	Response
	Charming... but no thanks.	I'm guessing Gourmet Chunks days are out of the question then... Don't worry. I'm just joking. Constellation is so much more than that.
	I do like cookies.	They're one of humanity's greatest achievements: modern medicine, space travel, and cookies. Constellation is quite pro-cookie. Because, you see, we value human accomplishments.
🗣︎ ▲	Cookie days?	Sounds amazing, right? Reminds me of a time when I got stranded on a ship carrying tons of frozen foods when its engine and gravity system died in the middle of nowhere... The Captain allowed everybody to only eat the cookies since the meats were so expensive... but with no gravity, the cookies baked into weird little spheres. So naturally we floated around eating cookie globs for days... I'd say we gained quite a lot of weight, but as we were in space... ...we factually did not.

[Q+114?]	[BQS:120]	Trust Individuals
...	Player	Response
	I trust everyone until they prove me wrong.	You know... I like to be optimistic too. Sometimes people take advantage of it, but that's on them. Not me. I guess that's a reason why I feel comfortable in Constellation. Trust is foundational.
▲	Mutual trust. That's the key.	We're on the same wavelength here. Humans are so fragile in space. If you can't trust your crew and they can't trust you... well, nobody's coming home. That's why I'm still with Constellation all these years later... I trust them as individuals, and I trust them as a team.
	I don't trust anyone until they earn it.	Hmm. Well. Fair enough... Seems kind of lonely... but you're less vulnerable. Safer. That's not my style, but I can respect it. We have all sorts of folks in Constellation, after all.

[-Starborn?]

• [MQ-201?]

"I'm glad you joined Constellation."

• [MQ+201?] & [MQ-207?]

"Your work with Constellation has been impressive. Truly impressive."

• [MQ+207?] & [MQ-301?]

"Constellation has its ups and downs. It can be hard... Trust me, I know."

"When times are tough, sometimes it's important to reflect on our accomplishments."

"What you're doing here with us is remarkable. Truly. Constellation is brighter because of you."

• [MQ+301?]

"Captain, I cannot even begin to fathom what Constellation would be like without you."

--

[+Starborn?]

• [MQ-301?] & [Unity < 3?]

"Sometimes it feels like you've always been a part of Constellation. I can't explain why."

• [MQ-301?] & [Unity ≥ 3?]

"It's hard to imagine Constellation without you anymore."

• [MQ+301?] & [Unity < 3?]

"I don't know how any of this could have happened here with Constellation without you."

• [MQ+301?] & [Unity ≥ 3?]

"Watching you turn Constellation into what it is today has been... truly stunning."

"You walked into our little organization like you've been here forever..."

"And now... look at us."

...	Player	Response
	Thank you, Barrett.	Just figured I'd mention it since we haven't had much time to chat before.
	I don't know what to say.	Neither do I. Yet I muster forth.
	[Flirt] You've certainly made my time in Constellation very enjoyable.	Well, I try to be welcoming to everybody who joins--Oh. Oh, um... exactly how enjoyable? Wait, no! Don't tell me. Not right now anyway... just. Let me keep going.
🗣︎	[QB56] How long have you been in Constellation anyway?	A long time. We should talk about it someday. I'd need to get some tea going for that chat, though.

"You know, being a member of Constellation has given me a lot of opportunities and a fair bit of stress, I'll admit."

--

"It's hard to imagine just who I'd be had I never joined up."

--

"I would have never done so many things, met so many people. It's mind boggling how different I would be."

"And I never would have met Ervin or lost him, I suppose...."

...	Player	Response
	[+Starborn?] Maybe things turned out differently in another universe.	[MQ+204?] Yeah... I've thought about it. It's kind of comforting but it doesn't seem real, either. It's a nice thought, though. [MQ-204?] Sure, sure. I've heard the theories. It just doesn't really provide comfort to me.
	It's impossible to know what could have happened.	That's right. We can't know the consequences of the choices we never made and anything beyond that is imagination alone. But for the choices we made... it feels just a bit closer, doesn't it?
	Everybody's lost somebody. It's part of life.	Statistically that's certainly accurate, so it's not that much of a comfort.
	I hope I'm not stirring up any bad memories for you, Barrett.	It's not you, Captain. It's just been on my mind... I can't say why.
🗣︎ ▼	[Q-50?] Who's Ervin?	[QB50] Ervin Madani was my husband. He was also a brilliant biologist who joined Constellation a couple years before me... He's gone now... I remember his bright smiles when I returned from my trips... more brilliant than any star.
🗣︎ ▼	[Q+50?] & [Q-51?] What happened to Ervin?	[QB51] The war happened. He was caught in the cross-fire between the UC and the Freestar Collective. It was right after he finished a job on Gagarin... some terrible job, I don't remember...
🗣︎ ▼ (?)	[Q+50?] & [Q-52?] What was Ervin like?	[QB52] That's kind of you to ask. People used to say that we were polar opposites. He was quiet and shy, they said. But that wasn't true. He was just that way around everyone else.

"Ervin's been gone for over twenty years. Strange how memories can pop up when you least expect it."

[QE51]

...	Player	Response
▲	[Q+52?] [QB121] I'd love to hear you tell me a good memory of Ervin.	Hmm. All right... let's see. He was a biologist, specialized in botany. He loved plants. For years he carried one with us on trips like it was our pet. He even named it. Heh. I haven't thought about that in a while...
	[QB122] Sorry, Barrett. I don't know what to say.	Yeah, don't worry. Logically I know I should be over it, but I'm not. And it's gotten worse lately. I've ignored my feelings about Ervin's death since it happened. It's time for me to confront it.
▲	[QB121] If you want to talk about it, I'm here for you.	I've been giving myself nothing but space -- and time -- for years! But maybe it's time for me to really think about it.
🗣︎	Why do you think it's suddenly back in your thoughts?	Well, I'm enjoying my time adventuring with you and it reminds me of Ervin in a way. We has so many adventures together and then it suddenly stopped. Maybe part of my mind is trying to remind me of that.

[BQS:130]

• [Q+121?]

"Maybe I'll take you up on that offer later on, Captain... I need some time to think about things."

--

"I'm just fortunate that Constellation has been a supporting home for me since Ervin died."

"I mean, where else would I get to dodge space pirates and discover new planets?"

--

[_END]

"On that note... I think I'd do well to distract myself with a little adventure for a bit."

[QE190]

---

Second conversation

To edit this section: Companion - Barrett/Story SG02 Case

Barrett:

"I've been thinking a lot about my early days in Constellation lately..."

--

"Got me pretty nostalgic and I started digging in some old things, just sort of reminiscing."

--

"I found some of Ervin's last messages to me and thought I'd listen to them again to hear his voice."

...	Player	Response
	[+Starborn?] I assume Ervin's messages had a secret message.	You know... that sounds silly, but listen.
	I hope that was a comfort.	It was surreal, honestly.
	That sounds depressing.	I guess I didn't think of it that way, but yes, it was sad. It was also comforting though.
🗣︎	Were these previously unread messages?	No, I apparently read at least a few of these. I just don't remember... it was a difficult time.
🗣︎	Whoa, wait. What are you talking about?	Oh, sorry. I got ahead of myself there. Remember a bit ago we were talking about Constellation? I've just been thinking about it since. And Ervin, my husband, used to be in Constellation way back when. So my mind jumped to thinking about him. So I was listening to these old messages to hear his voice.

"So, most of the messages were everyday things. Lots of excitedly written news about biodiversity and plant life."

"But one thing stood out."

"In one of his messages he mentioned this job that he took at a mine shortly before he died. "

"He said something terrible was happening there but the message was garbled after that."

...	Player	Response
	[+Starborn?] He sent you an encrypted message, but you know that.	Aw, did I give it away somehow? It was my voice, right? I sounded too giddy... too dramatic? Oh well, that's precisely correct.
▲	[+Cyber Runner?] Sounds like an outdated form of encryption, likely from the before the Colony War.	Precisely. And as a tech person, you also know that style of encryption was prone to error and rarely used outside of academia.
	Interstellar communication isn't always reliable.	True, but this was different. I recognized this pattern from the war. A portion of the message was encrypted.
	I hope there's a point to this story.	Just wait, listen. The point is that I found an encrypted message where one shouldn't be.
🗣︎	Are you seriously worried about something from twenty years ago?	Kind of. I mean, it depends, right? If it's something that's still happening today then I care.

[BQS:210]

"Well, Vasco helped me decipher it."

"Turns out the message was from Ervin and he was begging me to help him."

"The message was short but his voice was pained... he was so upset."

...	Player	Response
	Let's get the time machine.	I know this is probably long done. But I heard his voice. I can't just... not look into it.
▲	That must have been difficult to hear, Barrett.	Yes. Hearing his voice in so much pain was very difficult... I wish I had noticed this message when he sent it.
🗣︎	What was the message?	He said they were going to destroy his life if he didn't leave the planet now. Then he asked me to help clear his name... said they had a case against him. He sounded so upset.
🗣︎	He was injured?	No, he was frustrated and angry. He said they were going to destroy his name.

"So, in this message Ervin said he was being framed."

"He said they'll do it again... he asked if Constellation could send more help."

...	Player	Response
	This recording is twenty years old.	It is but I was thinking about it and well, it's still wrong... right? So, I figure hey... I can do some sort of a remote investigation here. See what I can find out. There's got to be a paper trail, right?
	Ervin is dead. We can't help him.	I understand that, trust me. But I still want to know what happened. He mentioned a court case, so there's a paper trail.
🗣︎	Who is "they"?	His former employers at some job he took before he died. I think it was a mining company...
🗣︎	Framed for what?	Not exactly sure, but he mentioned a court case... so I think there's a paper trail.
🗣︎	You didn't notice this encrypted message before?	No, I just thought it was garbled. I just wasn't paying attention... I don't know.

"Now, I happen to have a trustworthy contact who knows a bit about law and owes me a favor."

--

"I'd need to pay in advance in case there are any access fees or bribes."

...	Player	Response
	[+Starborn?] [QB211] If they're quiet, we'll send over coordinates to an empty mine later.	Fair offer. I'll assume you have a plan to acquire those coordinates down the road.
	[+Leadership?] | [Q+111?] | [Q+113?] [QB212] Constellation can pay for it.	That makes sense. Ervin was one of us, after all.
	[Pay <Global=NPCDemandMoney_Medium> Credits] [QB213] This should be enough.	That works. I'll tell them to go ahead with the investigation.
	[< NPCDemandMoney_Medium?] We can't afford to pay for extras.	[Q+121?] [QB214] I'll pay it, Captain. Maybe I can convince Constellation to let me expense it later. [or] [QB215] Don't worry about it. Like I said, they owe me.
🗣︎	What is your contact going to do for us?	He knows how to navigate archived and redacted legal documents, so he'll look for anything to do with Ervin on Gagarin. If those documents are protected, he might have to pay to access them. Might need to grease some palms, too.

[BQS:220]

"You know, hearing Ervin's voice again made me want to help him even though I know I can't. Does that make any sense?"

...	Player	Response
	[QB222] No, it doesn't make sense. Ervin is gone.	You're right. It is what it is. But being able to find out answers... maybe even right some wrongs. That could mean a lot.
▲	[QB221] If Ervin was that upset then it must still be important.	I appreciate that. It's going to be hard to get to sleep tonight after all this, but the fact that I'm doing something about it might be enough to help.
	[QB221] [Flirt] Everything makes sense when you say it.	Huh. Can't say I've had that effect on anyone before.
🗣︎	Do you think this will help him?	No. I know I can't. I just don't want whoever hurt him to get away with it... if that's what happened.

• [Q+230?]

"Hopefully poking around in old records doesn't catch the attention of Hephaestus."

--

"Well, anyway. I'll let you know if my contact finds anything."

[QE290]

---

Third conversation

To edit this section: Companion - Barrett/Story SG03 Details

Barrett:

"Hey, so I'm really enjoying our time together. Thought you should know."

"It's been a long time since I worked with someone so closely. I didn't realize how much I missed it."

"And you haven't stopped me from looking into this stuff with Ervin, either. So... thank you."

...	Player	Response
	If it matters to you, it matters to me.	[Q+211?] | [Q+212?] | [Q+213?] See, that's what makes you a good Captain in my book. You're supportive. [Q+214?] | [Q+215?] I appreciate that. Last time we talked, you seemed a bit less enthusiastic... but I was throwing a lot at you.
	I probably shouldn't have encouraged you.	Well, that's what people do. Sometimes it's a pat on the back, other times it's a kick in the pants. I think this time it was a little of both.
	Don't worry. I wasn't doing anything important anyway.	I know we're not fighting pirates or rescuing settlers from certain doom, but it matters to me. So thank you for indulging me, I suppose.
	[Flirt] I'm here for you. Whatever you need.	Thank you. It means a lot to know someone that you... well, care about, feels the same.
🗣︎	Why would I stop you?	Well, there is a school of thought that you shouldn't go chasing ghosts. And they're probably right! Ghosts are spooky! But maybe this isn't that kind of chase. And Ervin's case is far from dead.

"On that note, I do have some news about Ervin's case."

--

[BQS:310]

"So, I wanted to let you know that I heard back from my contact, and I think you'll want to hear this."

--

"They sent me a copy of some public records... it's interesting."

--

• [Q+211?]

"Don't worry, they used an employee's passcode to access the data so nobody noticed."

--

"There was a claim filed against Ervin accusing him of damaging their investments."

"Looks like Ervin didn't even enter a plea."

...	Player	Response
	No plea makes him seem guilty.	He wasn't even on the planet for the duration of the trial. I think they scared him off.
	I don't understand how Ervin could be guilty of that.	Well... if it was Ervin, I do want to understand that. Because I just can't believe it.
🗣︎	Who brought the case to court?	The Hephaestus Mining Corporation... and they also won the case.
🗣︎	What was the settlement?	Some of Ervin's paychecks were seized as well as any assets that weren't under joint ownership.

"Anyway. This mining corporation, Hephaestus, sued Ervin claiming he irreparably damaged their mine."

"They said he killed the apex predators in the area around the mine, which led to herd creatures overeating the grasses."

"That caused the soils to release too many gasses too fast, which cost Hephaestus a ton of money."

...	Player	Response
▲	[+Geology?] It's unlikely that disrupting the ecosystem would affect gas extraction so quickly.	Thank you! So... is this a cover up? If so, of what and why did it involve Ervin?
	Seems plausible.	The explanation is sound, but why would Ervin do that? He wouldn't.
	That seems hard to prove.	It looks like they considered him a no-show and ruled against him.
🗣︎	Killing apex predators led to all that?	They claimed the creature he killed was a critical hive species that caused a cascade effect when they were killed off. Ervin killed the equivalent of a queen bee and the whole hive collapsed, basically.

"So, anyway, according to the court documents there was a witness for the defense."

--

"Who was a no-show, too. Then Hephaestus won by default."

"They tried to take his apartment but because it's in my name too, they couldn't..."

...	Player	Response
	Sounds like the case is closed.	That doesn't mean we can't do anything about it. And if nothing else, I just want to know more about what happened to Ervin.
▲	Hey, free apartment.	Kinda. I had a mountain of back taxes to pay. And utilities... and repairs. Ugh! It would've been better for my pockets had I just donated it to the city, but I'm glad I didn't. There may be clues there about his case.
🗣︎	Did you know about the apartment before this?	I didn't know he bought it. Must have been a better deal than renting for the time he was here.
🗣︎	Why didn't the witness show up?	They withdrew their testimony the morning of the trial, said they had a "sincere change of heart."
🗣︎	Is your contact still available for work?	Yes, they plan to stay in the same system for a while.

"So, here's what I was thinking. I can persuade my contact to keep digging a little bit more."

"I don't want to press our luck, so I'll just ask them to follow up on one thing."

--

[BQS:330]

"So, should I tell them to investigate the company more or look into the witness instead?"

...	Player	Response
	[+Negotiation?] Offer to owe them a favor if they investigate both.	[QB331] I don't generally like owing favors but in this case it might be worth it. [QE332]
	[Pay <Global=NPCDemandMoney_Large> Credits] Pay your smuggler contact to investigate both.	[QB331] For that much money, they'll do it. [QE332]
	Investigate the company some more.	[QB331] Knowing why this corporation did this to Ervin is more likely to lead to answers.
	Investigate the witness instead.	[QB332] Might as well, right? I suspect they threatened him and that's why he didn't testify, but it would be good to know.
🗣︎	What do you want to find out with the witness?	I wonder what his real reason was for retracting his testimony. Did he report anything to security?
🗣︎	What can we find out by investigating the company?	I just want to know why they picked Ervin? Why did they set him up?

"You know, this investigation is time consuming but it's also pretty cathartic."

--

"Who knows? Maybe if we solve this case, it'll mean a better future for Gagarin."

""But that's thinking too far ahead. Anyway, Captain, thanks for checking in with me."

[QE350]

---

Fourth conversation

To edit this section: Companion - Barrett/Story SG04 Investigation

Barrett:

"You know, I needed this. Exploring the galaxy with you by day, investigating the mysterious legal woes of my long dead spouse by night..."

...	Player	Response
	I'm glad to see your sense of humor is back.	Vasco never appreciated my humor that much.
	We're not on a strict day night schedule.	That sounds like something Vasco would say.
	[Flirt] I love adventure and mystery, but a little romance is nice too.	You know, I couldn't agree more.
🗣︎	What else were you hoping for?	Hey, I'm not complaining! Honestly these have been some of the best days of my life in a long time. I mean that.

"Hmm. I was just remembering how I'd pour my heart out to Vasco... so many times."

"I told him all about Ervin. He showed me a chart of how sad I should expect to feel."

...	Player	Response
▲	I'm sure Vasco was a reliable co-pilot.	We got to point B many times just fine. Top notch co-pilot, would recommend him to anybody.
▼	Vasco is just a simple robot.	He's not so simple, actually. He wanted me to work on a social ritual algorithm with him, believe it or not.
🗣︎	He had a sadness by time chart?	He was really hoping the visual presentation would help. It did not.
🗣︎	You talked to Vasco about Ervin?	Why not? Trust me, I've talked to way less sentient humans before. Vasco's just fine for most conversations.
🗣︎	Did you travel with anyone else other than Vasco?	Sure, folks from the Lodge, folks from my past. I've got friends when and where I need them. But traveling with you has been different... we're more of a team. It feels stronger.

[BQS:410]

"Anyway, I'm glad you here right now because we have things to discuss about Ervin's case."

--

"I heard back from my contact."

--

"They looked into Hephaestus Mining Corporation. Looks like they paid off the judge."

--

• [Q+331?]

"And that's not all! My contact really came through for us."

--

• [Q+331?] & [Q+332?]

"Turns out, the witness was threatened until he withdrew his testimony."

--

• [Q+332?]

"And thanks to our contact, we now have the receipts. "

...	Player	Response
	[+Gangster?] That's not nearly enough for the court to convict. Trust me.	This is why I always leave the legal stuff up to Walter. I think we're going to need a security expert to get more usable information.
	We need more evidence.	I tend to agree. It's interesting... but not enough to take it to a lawyer yet.
	We should hire a lawyer now.	I'm glad you're confident already... I'm not, though. I'm worried we don't have enough evidence to go up against a massive corporation like that.
🗣︎	[Q+332?] What's the proof the witness was threatened?	My contact has an audio log with the identity of the speaker verified, timestamped, everything.
🗣︎	[Q+331?] What's the proof Hephaestus paid the judge?	Bank transactions. A precise amount was transferred to the judge only the day before the ruling.
🗣︎	Do you have the actual evidence with you?	No, my contact does for now. I trust them. We worked together a long time ago. And it depends on what I want to do with all the proof, if anything.

[BQS:420]

"So I know a Cyber Runner who has accessed corporate archives before."

"They can dig into the classified archives before we go to a lawyer."

--

"We can pay extra for them to use less legal methods to obtain information, but that adds risk."

...	Player	Response
▲	[+Cyber Runner?] [QB421] Tell them to use the backup system to retrieve the data, it has less security.	Oh, good call. I'll relay that to them. Reputation is pretty important for people who work with smugglers.
▲	[Pay <Global=NPCDemandMoney_Large> Credits] Do it.	[Q+121?] & [Q+221?] [QB421] I appreciate that, Captain, but I'll take care of any fines or bribes that come up from this. You have always been so supportive of me during this process... let me take care of this part. [or] [QB425] I'll cover any costs for bribes or fines that go over that amount.
	Let's not press our luck.	[QB422] That's definitely wise, and absolutely why I'm glad I asked you. I think I can do some digging in public records on my own, so I might. That's much safer.
🗣︎	What happens if we're caught?	I don't know. I guess that's a good question for a lawyer.

[BQS:430]

"Depending on what they find out, it might be time to talk to a lawyer. I'll see if I can find one."

--

• [-TrueGlobal?]
  "When all this is over, I think I might sleep for a week."
• [+Barrett_Q02?]
  "Whew. Taking on Hephaestus isn't going to be easy. And I say this as someone with actual superpowers."
  "Why couldn't I have gotten something more useful, like the art of cross-examination? Might've come in handy at the trial."
• [or]
  "Whew. Taking on Hephaestus isn't going to be easy. And I say this as someone who's fought the Crimson Fleet."
  "Maybe I should study up on the art of cross-examination. Might come in handy at the trial."

...	Player	Response
_END	I think that's the lawyer's job. Let's focus on gathering evidence.	That's solid advice. Know your actual limitations, and not the ones granted to you by a mysterious superpower.
▲	I think you'd make a great lawyer.	Objection, your honor! I think our lawyer in Gagarin is the right choice.
_END	[Flirt] I think you'll need a nice long massage to de-stress.	Massages are nice for relieving stress, sure, but... Have you ever jumped around in an atmosphere full of human-sized colorful bubbles in ultra low gravity? It's bouncy chaos. Wait... oh, you meant like... you and me... uh, right. Gotcha. I knew that. Sure, massages would be perfect... *ahem* My, oh my.
🗣︎	Do you have any other dead loved ones with mysteries to solve?	Well, my long lost cousin had this farmstead that was taken over by pirates. I'm just kidding. But no, probably not.

...	Player	Response
	Overruled.	Ha! Hoisted by my own petard! I better get to studying my legalese...
	Sustained.	And I win! Wait, does that mean I'm a good lawyer? I caught myself in a paradox it seems.
	Don't worry, I wasn't being serious.	Whew, that's a relief. I'm a physicist. Court rooms are not my natural habitat.

[_END]

"Anyway, let's go adventure while we wait on the Cyber Runner to get back to us."

[QE490]

---

Fifth conversation

To edit this section: Companion - Barrett/Story SG05 PreQuest

Barrett:

"You know... traveling with you has been more than just good old-fashioned fun. It's been well, therapeutic."

...	Player	Response
	[+Empath?] I'm glad you felt comfortable talking to me about it.	The fact is, you've had my back countless times already and without you... I'd be exploring some random world alone, not realizing how much that bothered me.
	You don't get that sort of feedback everyday.	Well, just ask. Anyway. Thanks for the support, Captain.
_CHOICE01 (?)	I'm mainly interested in Ervin's legal issues.	That's fair, and honestly, that's the part that I actually need help with the most.
_CHOICE01 (?)	I should get paid for these therapy sessions.	Hey now, I do believe I gave you a very nice ship.
🗣︎	How has it been therapeutic for you?	Well, I buried my pain about Ervin for so long that I needed a nudge and a different perspective.
🗣︎	Was this really weighing on your mind so much?	I know, it didn't seem like it, right? Well. I was hiding it... hiding it from everyone, including myself. I can see now how much it was affecting me. I know now that clearing Ervin's name would set me free from the grief.

_CHOICE01

...	Player	Response
▲	We make a great team, Barrett.	[Q+111?] A while ago, you said you trust Constellation same as me. I think that's what makes us strong. [Q+112?] It wasn't all that long ago when you told me that you only trusted yourself, so I'm honored to hear you say that. [Q+114?] You used to not be so fond of teams, as I recall. Something about trusting individuals... right? I guess a good team is a team where you trust everyone individually, so it checks out. [or] That's just a fact.
	Don't get used to it.	Fair. We never know what the universe is going to throw at us next.
	[Flirt] I'm very supportive.	So am I. *Ahem* I mean -- I will keep that in mind.
🗣︎	Weren't you adventuring with Vasco for a while?	Yeah, of course. Vasco is a fantastic co-pilot. He doesn't sleep, he reacts quickly... He's a fascinating friend.

[BQS:510]

"Which brings me back to that plan I mentioned earlier. I think I know how to move forward now, but I'm going to need your help."

--

"My contact sent a gift."

...	Player	Response
	[Q+425?] A gift that we paid for...	We only paid for my contact's uncommon expertise, technically.
	Tell me they found some real evidence.	Seems real to me.
🗣︎	Your Cyber Runner contact?	Yep. My friend from Neon who has helped me out more times than I deserve.
🗣︎	Were they detected?	Nope. They were confident about not being detected, but not like... too confident. (unused) They weren't sure. (unused) They were detected, but they paid off the right people with the money we gave them. (unused) They were detected and we lost the connection before the data was acquired.

"So, they found an insurance settlement. Ervin's employers got paid as compensation for sabotage."

...	Player	Response
	Sounds fishy.	It seems that the mining company got a huge payout after they won the case against Ervin. We have the settlement paperwork from their insurance. Tons of money.
	Insurance seems pretty standard in cases like this.	For accidents, sure. But the grounds for this was sabotage, and that has to be proven in court. It's a whole nother ball of wax. And this ball was huge. We're talking enough credits to fill a small moon, so there's definitely a motive.
🗣︎	How much money are we talking about?	They claimed they had to ditch the whole mine and all the equipment inside and construct a new mine with new equipment. They were reimbursed for all of it.

• [Q+421?] | [Q+425?]

"Oh, also, the Cyber Runner had to move on to other work but sent me a passcode to some computer system..."

"I'm not sure what it goes to yet, though. We can just hold onto it until we figure it out."

"But anyway... we have enough to move forward."

--

"The missing piece here is proving that Ervin was framed."

--

[BQS:520]

• [Gagarin Settlement Dialogue+250?]
  "Remember Ellie Yankton on Gagarin? She was Ervin's lawyer back in the day, so she already knows the case in and out."
  "And it just so happens, she said she'd be glad to look over our evidence."
• [or]
  "So I discovered that Ervin's original lawyer still practices law, and she'll look over everything we've found."

...	Player	Response
▲	Let's go talk to this lawyer then, Detective.	Oh, Detective. I like the sound of that.
_CHOICE04	I don't want to get dragged to court.	Yeah, nobody does. But I'm hoping a lawyer can handle that part for us anyway. We're more like the detectives in this case. I wonder if I can find you a store that sells deerstalker hats. Unless, of course, you wanted to be the faithful sidekick this time?
🗣︎	Can we trust this lawyer?	Yes, I believe so. Every case she's worked on has been in the interest of regular everyday people. She doesn't seem to be in this for the money. I mean heck, she said she wouldn't charge us. For the initial consultation anyway...
🗣︎	What's her reason for helping us?	Ervin's case was her first case, she said. She always hated how it ended... And she's now got two decades of experience behind her for a rematch, too.

"If I'm the Detective, does that make you my trustworthy and sensible partner with a heart of gold?"

[_CHOICE04]

...	Player	Response
	[QB521] Obviously yes.	Hmm. Well, I can work with that. Detective Barrett at your service.
	[QB522] We're both Detectives.	[QB521] Damn right we are!
	No, definitely not.	We're more of the explorer type anyway, right? We don't need titles.
🗣︎	What are you talking about?	I swear it was a cliché in old detective novels. You have the hard boiled detective who's seen it all and the optimistic assistant who wants to save the world.

"Anyway, we should take everything to the lawyer and see what she says."

"Maybe she reviews it and decides we have no case... or we need more evidence, I don't know."

--

"If we don't have a case I can probably let it go... but I have to try."

...	Player	Response
	[QB550] Let's go talk to that lawyer then, Barrett.	[+Gagarin?] Since we're already on Gagarin this should be pretty straightforward. [or] Fantastic! I knew I could count on you. You're as reliable as an atomic clock. I've sent a list of everything we've found so far to the lawyer on Gagarin.
🗣︎	Can we send her all the evidence?	Yes, I've already arranged for my contact to drop off the evidence at her office.
🗣︎	Did you ever hear more about Ervin's apartment?	Oh, yep. I've got a keycard for it...but I don't know what condition it's in. It's been twenty years, but I got the ventilation and power turned on so I think it's safe? [QE525]

"You know... I actually feel optimistic about this."

--

• [Q+521?]^(?)

"Lead the way, Detective."

• [Q+521?]^(?)

"Lead the way, Captain."

[QE540]

---

Event conversations

Temple conversation

To edit this section: Companion - Barrett/QuestEvent MQ104A

Barrett:

"So.. you gotta fill me in on what happened at the Temple. What happened? What did you see?"^(?)

...	Player	Response
▲	[+Starborn?] Over time its purpose will become apparent. You'll see.	You should mysteriously wave your hand around when you talk like that. Really helps make it weirder.
▲	It was unlike anything I've ever experienced... so strange.	Well, it sounds like we need more data to me.
▲	It was like old ruins. I'm not an archaeologist, I don't know.	Hmm.. noticeable weathering on the rock surfaces could be due to extreme erosion which differs per planet of course. So we can't exactly correlate age with that, but it is an interesting observation.
▼	It was a religious experience. It truly was a Temple.	I don't even know what that's supposed to mean.
(?)	You've never found these things before, Barrett oh great explorer?	I've seen a lot, but I'm just one person. There are more worlds out there than I could ever physically visit.

"Then what happened? I heard you did some stuff and then you... changed."^(?)

...	Player	Response
	I did not change but my perception of the universe did.	Uh huh. Hold up a second.
▲	I got a power. I'm awesome now.	Okay. Good. I like the positivity here, keep that up.
	The details don't matter much. I went in and got a power. No big deal.	It kind of seems like a big deal to me, but okay.
	I'm still me. I'm just a little different now.	By different you mean you have magical super powers? Sure, "different" is technically applicable as a descriptor but it wouldn't be my first choice.

"You encountered advanced technology that altered your biology in a way that results in... "

"In what? Super powers?"

...	Player	Response
	[+Starborn?] The details of the experience will become more clear with time.	There's that weird look in your eyes again... You get all distant and cryptic sometimes. Wonder if that's part of your power too.
	Basically, yeah.	Fair enough. Maybe we can run some tests later.
	I've been calling it my "power" but maybe it's more of a medical condition. I don't know.	Interesting... maybe we should get someone to check you out. Just in case.
	Jealous right? I would be if I were you.	I don't know. It changed you in some way that we don't fully understand. I like the unknown when it comes to exploring... not when it comes to my body. But yeah, I mean it is really neat. I just hope it stays neat and nothing you know, not neat.
🗣︎	Does it matter what we call them?	I could call it "that weird thing that you can do" but it seems like a mouthful.

...	Starborn-only phases skipped

"Anyway, thanks for filling me in on the Temple and your Power."

"I wonder if we can find any more traces of whoever built them."

"It just opens up a world of questions... it's so exciting!"

---

Starborn conversation

To edit this section: Companion - Barrett/QuestEvent MQ106

Barrett:

"I have to talk about the Starborn. Do you have a second? You do, right?"

...	Player	Response
	[+Starborn?] This is going to be an awkward conversation.	I know, I know. We don't have a lot of information right now. But even going with just what we know... this is remarkable... it's mind-boggling. It's huge!
▲	I want to talk about it too.	Right? How could we not talk about it for the rest of our lives?!
	I'm still in shock.	I already evaluated us for hallucinations or other types of chemical filters and I found nothing.
	I don't see what the big deal is.	Come on. Captain, I know you aren't that insecure so stop joking around. It's okay to admit it was kind of a big deal!
🗣︎	What did you think about it?	It... Was. Awesome!

"It could be the dawn of a new era of humanity!"

"Or it could be an elaborate prank or any number of other mundane explanations..."

...	Player	Response
▲	[+Starborn?] We need more information before we start guessing about what they are.	Spoken like a true scientist. I agree.
▲	It's definitely aliens.	They were definitely unusual but aliens seem so inhuman, obviously... I just have so many questions.
▲	Time travelers, for sure.	I didn't detect any localized time distortion which isn't required for that hypothesis but--- Oh. Yeah. Joking. I knew that. Geez.
▲	I bet it's just a super advanced ship from one of the factions.	That's a smart hypothesis. Makes sense, but... we have no observations to really back that up. Yet. Although, now that you mention it, I do remember a drunk conversation with a marine.... He swore up and down he was part of an elite crew on some top secret ship out there. But this is all anecdotal.
🗣︎	[ Companion - Andreja+1000?] Maybe it's Andreja's family?	It's fair... we don't know much about her, but they called themselves Starborn. Doesn't sound that House Va'ruuny to me. But it did sound a little mean, you know? She's unusual by our standards but our standards only matter to us.

"We just need more data."

"There has to be a way to draw them out and figure out where they're coming from."

...	Player	Response
	[+Starborn?] When the Starborn wish to be studied, I am certain a Starborn will reveal themselves to you.	To me, huh? You're not interested in getting this great revelation? I take your point though. We don't have a lot of control over the situation.
	We know they wanted the Artifact. That has to be significant.	It's one of our few facts about them. It seemed very important to them, too.
	We need to let them know that we mean them no harm.	Well, we definitely got off on the wrong foot so that's going to be hard to explain.
	They didn't seem friendly.	We don't know why they wanted the Artifact. They could have agreeable intentions.
	I'm sure they'll be happy to do an interview next time.	We're going to need a way to find them again or lure them.

"This could be a turning point for humanity, you know..."

"Or it could be just the emergence of a powerful new faction, or some sort of elite military tech."

"Or a gazillionaire with nothing else to do."

"All we know is that they wanted that Artifact. Badly."

...	Player	Response
	[+Starborn?] The motives behind the Starborn would make no sense to you.	Right... it would make no sense to any of us, I'm sure. Though they don't seem that bizarrely different at first glance, but we should continue to make observations.
	We need to know what their motives are.	Agreed. That is going to require more observations... more encounters with them.
	The Starborn seem like fancy thieves and that's all.	Yeah, that's how they appear right now. Maybe we can use that to our advantage though.
	[Flirt] All I know is that I want you, badly.	First of all... Nice. Secondly, I think we ought to focus on, you know, this potential milestone for our entire species. But uh... I am pretty bad at multi-tasking, so... we'll have to return to the first item later.
🗣︎	Does it matter why they wanted it?	It's possible we've misinterpreted their actions or that they were under duress. We should remain cautious with them but I think we should leave the door open to communication.

"And who knows? Maybe we'll never see them again."

---

Bugs

• Introverts asking about Ervin have [QB51] and [QE52] set. This breaks the later phase where these responses are given, preventing this player from learning information for other quest scenes. (details)
• Dislikes "What was Ervin like?" while responding "That's kind of you to ask." This is incongruous, should be "likes". Others also make no sense as dislikes. (details)
• Jump to _CHOICE01 does nothing, as that is already the next phase. (Likely menu pulldown click error.) Should be loop on same phase as usual matching the other prompts. Two bugs!
  • This issue has been addressed by version 1.0.7 of the Unofficial Starfield Patch; partly fixed. (details)
• Wrong test [Q+521?] on "Lead the way, Detective." Should be 522; they're both detectives. Also, the following test is wrong, as it is for naming Detective Barrett. This is Barrett talking to the Captain, so no detective test is needed here. Two bugs!
  • This bug is fixed by version 1.0.7 of the Unofficial Starfield Patch. (details)
• MQ104A When Barrett was present at the initial Temple encounter, and has already given a like (Player returns from the Temple. Companion was there as well. Player is super excited that it gave them powers.): the words "fill me in" and "I heard you did" make no sense. Two bugs! Could be voice edits to "So.. What happened at the Temple." and "Then what happened? You... changed."

Companion Affinity

There are multiple affinity events that can happen during this mission.

Affinity	Stage	Andreja	Barrett	Sam Coe	Sarah Morgan
⏫︎ Loves (+50 Affinity) ▲ Likes (+25 Affinity) ▼ Dislikes (-15 Affinity) ⏬︎ Hates (-35 Affinity)
BARRETT ONLY		--	▼	--	--
BARRETT ONLY		--	▼	--	--
BARRETT ONLY		--	▲	--	--
BARRETT ONLY		--	▲	--	--
BARRETT ONLY		--	▼	--	--
BARRETT ONLY		--	▲	--	--
BARRETT ONLY		--	▲	--	--
BARRETT ONLY		--	▼	--	--
BARRETT ONLY		--	▲	--	--
BARRETT ONLY		--	▲	--	--
BARRETT ONLY		--	▲	--	--
BARRETT ONLY		--	▲	--	--
BARRETT ONLY		--	▲	--	--
BARRETT ONLY		--	▲	--	--
BARRETT ONLY		--	▲	--	--
BARRETT ONLY		--	▼	--	--
BARRETT ONLY		--	▲	--	--
BARRETT ONLY		--	▼	--	--
BARRETT ONLY		--	▼	--	--
BARRETT ONLY		--	▲	--	--
BARRETT ONLY		--	▲	--	--
BARRETT ONLY		--	▼	--	--
BARRETT ONLY		--	▲	--	--
BARRETT ONLY		--	▲	--	--
BARRETT ONLY		--	▲	--	--
BARRETT ONLY		--	▲	--	--
BARRETT ONLY		--	▲	--	--
BARRETT ONLY		--	▲	--	--
BARRETT ONLY		--	▲	--	--
Affinity Event for use in dialogue responses to respond to something the player says.		--	▲	--	--
BARRETT ONLY		--	▲	--	--
BARRETT ONLY		--	▼	--	--
BARRETT ONLY		--	▲	--	--
BARRETT ONLY		--	▲	--	--
BARRETT ONLY		--	▲	--	--
BARRETT ONLY		--	▲	--	--
BARRETT ONLY		--	▲	--	--

Mission Stages

Companion - Barrett (Com_Companion_Barrett)
Stage	Finishes Mission	Mission Entry
0		(--- Debug ---)
1		(* DEBUG: start first scene.)
2		(*STARTUP: Add Bonus Affinity)
3		(Frontier Destroyed - Like)
5		(--- Trial Outcomes ---)
6		(* VERDICT: Ervin's name is cleared. (A))
7		(* VERDICT: Hephaestus is guilty. (B))
8		(* VERDICT: Helgi's name is cleared. (C))
9		(Listened to Ervin's slate)
10		(* END: Corrupt Judge is in jail. (D))
11		(* END: Ellie will hire Helgi.)
12		(* BONUS: Gave Apartment to Ellie)
13		(* BONUS: Gave Apartment to Helgi)
14		(* Extra: Paid Helgi's debt (gang))
15		(* Extra: Paid Helgi's debt (Clint))
16		(Barrett Personal Quest Followup Done)
19		(Cash reward)
20		(--- Trial Flags ---)
23		(* REWARD: Normal)
24		(* REWARD: High)
25		(* PENALTY: Cyber Runner was Detected)
30		(--- Evidence ---)
31		(* INFO: Hephaestus paid off the Judge. (SG04))
32		(* INFO: Witness withdrew evidence. (SG04))
33		(* INFO: Contact sent Ellie the Foundry Passcode. (SG04))
35		(NGPlus_Convo)
49		(--- Topic Unlocks ---)
50		(* UNLOCK: Top Level -- Ervin Topic)
51		(* Topic Unlocked: Ervin's Death)
52		(* Topic Unlocked: Ervin's Personality)
55		(* UNLOCK: Top Level -- Constellation Topic)
56		(* Topic Unlocked: Joined)
60		(Set Barrett's quest stage)
69		(Barrett quest end)
99		(--- Scenes ---)
100		(SG01 Scene Started)
110		(Checkpoint: Intro (SG01))
111		(* CHOICE: Trust Constellation. (Starborn))
112		(* CHOICE: Trust No One. (Introvert))
113		(* CHOICE: Trust Teams.)
114		(* CHOICE: Trust Individuals.)
120		(Checkpoint: Midway (SG01))
121		(* CHOICE: Encouraged Barrett to talk about Ervin.)
122		(* CHOICE: Encouraged Barrett to move on.)
130		(Checkpoint: End (SG01))
190		(SG01 Scene Ended)
200		(SG02 Scene Started)
205		(Barrett quest)
207		(MQ207 checkpoint)
208		(Barrett power quest start)
210		(Checkpoint: Intro (SG02))
211		(* CHOICE: Player promised coordinates to mine as reward.)
212		(* CHOICE: Constellation pays the contact.)
213		(* CHOICE: Player pays the contact.)
214		(* CHOICE: Barrett pays the contact.)
215		(* CHOICE: Nobody paid the contact.)
216		(* PAID: Player pays the contact. (SG04))
220		(Checkpoint: Midway (SG02))
221		(* CHOICE: "Ervin matters.")
222		(* CHOICE: "Ervin is gone.")
230		(Checkpoint: End (SG02))
290		(SG02 Scene Ended)
300		(SG03 Scene Started)
310		(Checkpoint: Intro (SG03))
320		(Checkpoint: Midway (SG03))
330		(Checkpoint: End (SG03))
331		(* CHOICE: Investigate Hephaestus (SG03))
332		(* CHOICE: Investigate Witness (SG03))
350		(SG03 Scene)
390		(SG03 Scene Ended)
400		(SG04 Scene Started)
410		(Checkpoint: Intro (SG04))
420		(Checkpoint: Midway (SG04))
421		(* CHOICE: illegal route approved. (SG04))
422		(* CHOICE: Legal route only. (SG04))
425		(* PAID: Paid Cyber Runner. (SG04))
430		(Checkpoint: End (SG04))
431		(* CHOICE: Pressured Barrett to get Power. (SG04))
450		(Cooldown expired)
490		(SG04 Scene Ended)
500		(SG05 Scene Started)
510		(Checkpoint: Intro (SG05))
515		(* RISK: Assess Cyber Runner risks for detection.)
520		(Checkpoint: Midway (SG05))
521		(* CHOICE: Use Detective for Barrett. (SG05))
522		(* CHOICE: Use Detective for Player. (SG05))
525		(* CHOICE: Ervin's Apartment Known. (SG05))
530		(Checkpoint: End (SG05))
540		(SG05 Scene Ended)
550		(Personal Quest Started)
560		(Personal Quest Ended)
600		(SG06 Scene Started)
610		(Checkpoint: Intro (SG06))
620		(Checkpoint: Midway (SG06))
630		(Checkpoint: End (SG06))
690		(SG06 Scene Ended)
700		(SG07 Scene Progress)
710		(Checkpoint: Intro (SG07))
720		(Checkpoint: Midway (SG07))
730		(Checkpoint: End (SG07))
731		(* CHOICE: Friendship Option Selected.)
732		(* CHOICE: Romance Option Selected.)
733		(* CHOICE: Romance Option Started)
740		(SG07 Scene Ended)
750		(Romance Decision Made)
800		(SG08 Scene Progress)
810		(Checkpoint: Intro (SG08))
811		(* CHOICE: Player interested in Commitment.)
812		(* CHOICE: Starborn optional checkpoint.)
815		(Player postponed commitment)
820		(Checkpoint: Midway (SG08))
821		(* CHOICE: Player has cold feet. (SG08))
830		(Checkpoint: End (SG08))
831		(* CHOICE: Vasco will officiate. (SG08))
832		(* CHOICE: Ellie will officiate. (SG08))
833		(* CHOICE: Player suggested Ellie as an officiant. (SG08))
840		(SG08 Scene Ended)
900		(Commitment Quest Started)
950		(Commitment BREAKUP)
1000		(Commitment Quest Done)
5000		(Anger Scene - Speech Challenge Success)
5010		(Anger Scene - Speech Challenge Fail)

• The following empty mission stages were omitted from the table: 98, 199, 299, 399, 499, 549, 599, 699, 749, 799, 849, 2000, 9999, 10000.

Notes

• Any text displayed in angle brackets (e.g., <Alias=LocationHold>) is dynamically set by the Radiant Mission system, and will be filled in with the appropriate word(s) when seen in game.
• Not all entries may appear in your log; which entries appear and which entries do not depends on the manner in which the mission is done.
• Stages are not always in order of progress. This is usually the case with missions that have multiple possible outcomes or missions where certain tasks may be done in any order. Some stages may therefore repeat objectives seen in other stages.
• If an entry is marked as "Finishes Mission" it means the mission disappears from the Active Mission list, but you may still receive new entries for that mission.
• On the PC, it is possible to use the console to advance through the mission by entering setstage Com_Companion_Barrett stage, where stage is the number of the stage you wish to complete. It is not possible to un-complete (i.e. go back) mission stages, but it is possible to clear all stages of the mission using resetquest Com_Companion_Barrett.

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