Kill or Spare Austin Rake in Starfield: The Impact on Rook Meets King Mission and Beyond

Embarking on the UC Vanguard faction quests in Starfield brings you to a critical decision point in the Rook Meets King mission. As you progress deeper into the missions, you will reach a moral crossroad where you must choose whether to eliminate the target, Austin Rake, or spare him. The UC faction wants you to find a way to spare him, but the Crimson Fleet has other plans. The question is, which side should you align yourself with in this pivotal moment?

Spare or Kill Austin Rake: The Moral Dilemma in Starfield’s Rook Meets King Mission

Once you have completed the Deep Cover mission, Adler Kemp in Cydonia, the city on Mars, will assign you the Rook Meets King mission. In this mission, your objective is to gain the trust of the Crimson Fleet and prove your loyalty.

Your first task is to win over Naeva, a member of the Crimson Fleet, who will guide you to their headquarters, known as The Key. However, Commander Ikande has explicitly instructed you to abstain from taking any lives in your pursuit of joining the fleet.

Upon meeting Naeva, she asks you to handle Austin Rake, a former member of the Crimson Fleet, who is currently on the Ragana ship. Here, you have two choices: negotiate with the ship’s crew or resort to violent means. The decision you make will have significant consequences.

Sparing Austin Rake in Starfield

Your mission parameters stipulate that you must avoid falling into the ways of the Crimson Fleet. To honor this, choose to communicate with the Ragana’s commander and explain the situation without resorting to violence. While engaging in dialogue, ensure that you steer clear of any [Attack] options and instead opt for the “The Fleet wants Rake dead, but I want to resolve this without violence” choice.

Experience the thrilling world of Starfield with its captivating storyline and intriguing choices. In this immersive game, the decisions you make will have significant consequences for the characters involved. One such choice revolves around Dmitri and Rake.

When faced with a critical situation, your actions can shape the outcome. By impressing Dmitri with your choices, you can earn his trust and save lives. He’ll propose a plan to provide cover for Rake, ensuring his survival even if he faces imprisonment. Moreover, Dmitri will provide you with fabricated evidence for the Fleet, making them believe that you have taken care of everyone involved.

Commander Ikande acknowledges your handling of the situation without any casualties and praises your skills. As a result, you can safely return to Naeva, who will guide you on the path to discovering The Key. The best part is, choosing this route has no negative consequences, allowing you to continue working for both factions smoothly.

An Alternative Approach: Killing Austin

If you decide to take a more aggressive approach and eliminate Austin in Starfield, you have options. As mentioned earlier, you can swiftly blast the Ragana as soon as you spot it. Alternatively, you can engage in a deceptive negotiation and surprise the enemy with a sudden attack. For an added twist, you can even convince Dmitri to turn against Austin, making him the sole target. This requires higher levels of Persuasion, but the outcome is quite amusing. However, if you choose to eliminate Austin, you can unleash your full force and eliminate everyone onboard.

Are you looking for the best strategy to maximize your loot in the game? Well, I have an interesting proposition for you. While some may frown upon this choice, looting the crew members, especially Dmitri, can yield some incredibly powerful items such as the Mark I Spacesuit and the Mark I Pack. These rare items are usually difficult to come by early on in the game, making them a valuable asset for your journey.

Of course, there is the moral dilemma of taking such actions. The Commander might raise his voice and criticize your decision to murder innocents in cold blood. However, fear not, as there are minimal consequences for your actions. You can still proceed with your mission without any major setbacks, aside from a few disapproving comments and a guard expressing his desire to avenge his fallen friend aboard the Ragana.

All factors considered, I would recommend taking down Rake to acquire the valuable loot. Rest assured that you won’t miss out on any important quests later in the game, so you can proceed guilt-free. Nevertheless, the final decision ultimately rests on your shoulders. Choose the path that aligns with your morality and playstyle.

Let’s take a closer look at the impressive stats of these coveted items (without factoring in mods):

• Physical: 120
• Energy: 136
• Electromagnetic: 128
• Thermal: 20
• Airborne: 0
• Corrosive: 30
• Radiation: 10

• Physical: 66
• Energy: 64
• Electromagnetic: 68
• Thermal: 20
• Airborne: 5
• Corrosive: 5
• Radiation: 0

If the suit piques your interest but you prefer not to dirty your hands with the UC, worry not! You can obtain this remarkable suit at another location early on in the game.