Deep Cover is an important faction mission for the Crimson Fleet in Starfield that is also linked with the main campaign storyline in a few ways.
You become an informant for the UC Vanguard by committing crimes such as getting caught smuggling contraband. You can also get caught by the Crimson Fleet to speed up the process.
This guide includes all the details necessary to embark on your journey on the Deep Cover faction mission in Starfield.
As for the completion reward for the Starfield Deep Cover mission, you will get 8,300 Credits and 250 XP.
How to start the Deep Cover mission
You can unlock the Deep Cover mission in Starfield in three different ways.
The easiest way is to complete the first main story quest, where you head off in Captain Petrov’s Ship to retrieve the first artifact in Starfield.
When you return to the Lodge in New Atlantis, you will be hailed by the UC Vanguard for committing crimes. If you appear in an interrogation room with Commander Ikande, you’ve successfully activated the Deep Cover faction mission.
If you’ve moved past the first main story mission, don’t worry; commit some crimes and enter any UC-owned territory such as Jemison or Mars.
You’ll immediately be stopped by a UC ship patrolling the orbit. Agree to come along with them, and wait till you’re spawned in an interrogation room with Commander Ikande.
The last method to unlock the Deep Cover Faction quest is to join the UC Vanguard and complete the mission, Supra Et Ultra along with the Grunt Work mission.
Commander Tuala will call to brief you all about the ongoing War between the UC Vanguard and the Crimson Fleet. This will ultimately unlock the Deep Cover mission in Starfield.
How to complete Deep Cover in Starfield
Commander Ikande will enter and brief you on your background as you spawn into the Holding Cell. He will then give you a choice to help the UC Sydef or rot in prison with your bail increased.
If you join UC Vanguard, you’ll be met with Commander Ikande at the operations center.
Suppose you accept Commander Ikande’s proposal to become an informant for the UC Sydef. In that case, you’ll exit the interrogation room and be asked to meet with Commander Ikande at the operations center, where he will let you know all the protocols to follow while you head into this faction mission.
The Deep Cover mission tasks you to infiltrate a group of Crimson Fleet members by gaining their trust so that they let you in their Headquarters.
Commander Ikande wants you to enter their headquarters and find as much incriminating evidence as possible so the UC can pursue them.
You can ask Commander Ikande questions related to the faction mission. When he’s done briefing you, speak with Lieutenant Toft nearby, who’ll tell you about the Aurora contraband placed in your ship that you will use to gain the Crimson Fleet member’s trust. She will also inform you that whatever evidence you gather on the Crimson Fleet will be compensated.
Some users have reported that they cannot find Lieutenant Toft for this part of the Deep Cover quest. This causes them to get stuck in the ship. Ensure that the right objective is selected from the quest menu and it should work.
Speak with Saoirse Bowden in Cydonia
After being briefed, make your way to the Trade Authority Shop at the start of the City of Cydonia on Mars, where you’ll need to meet Saoirse.
She is an informant working for the UC Vanguard. She plays a big role in connecting you to a Crimson Fleet member in the Deep Cover mission of Starfield.
Speak with Saoirse and pay her 1000 Credits, as this will be a finder’s fee. So, she can let you in on a Crimson Fleet member nearby known as Adler Kemp.
Adler Kemp is located at the Broken Spear bar at the entrance of Cydonia. If you’re having trouble finding him follow the blue marker pointing at your next objective.
Once you’ve found Adler, speak with him about the Aurora you want to sell. He’ll reply by taking a sample of the Aurora and telling you he knows the Crimson Fleet.
Adler will help you sell this Aurora. However, only if you do a favor for him by collecting his debt from Karl Fielding, a miner.
Collect Karl Fielding’s debts
Leave the Broken Spear Bar and make your way to the Residential Quarters. You must head over to in Cydonia using the blue marker on your screen.
You will find Karl sitting on the right side of the Residential Quarters. There are a few methods through which you can complete this task.
- Persuade Him
- Pay his Debt
- Attack him
Adler advised you not to kill him. However, if you try to attack him, the other people in the room will start attacking you.
It is best to persuade him as he gets out of it scratch-free, and you can earn some points for your persuasion skills. If you’re in a hurry, you can pay his debt for 3000 Credits.
Return to Adler, where he’ll ask you about selling your drugs. Furthermore, he will agree to tell you the location of Crimson Fleet’s second-in-command, Naeva Mora.
Should you do Delivering Devils or Deep Cover in Starfield?
Before you embark on the Deep Cover quest in Starfield, the commander will ask you to do either Deep Cover or Delivering Devils. While his tone and the context make it seem like you can only do one mission or the other, in reality, you can do both. In fact, if you start with Deep Cover, the quest will end right where you start the Delivering Devils quest. While this seems like the most efficient route, you can choose whatever.
How to recover Starfield deep cover stolen items
During the Deep Cover mission, you will come to a point where you can lose all of your Deep Cover stolen items in Starfield. To cope with this issue, you can head to the New Atlantis security office or the Cydonia UC office, as your stolen items will be transported there after getting caught. However, do note that your stolen items will be found in a security office, depending on which solar system you were caught in.
What Happens if you refuse Commander Ikande’s offer?
During the initial phases of the quest, if you refuse to accept Commander Ikande’s offer, your journey to join the Crimson Fleet will become much tougher; you’ll have to locate them on your own. You’re left alone since the Crimson Fleet’s location isn’t explicitly stated. However, there is a way to circumvent this problem. Also, if you refuse the offer, you won’t be able to complete the quest any other way.
Make your way to Mars and start exploring the planet. Eventually, you’ll be approached by a random NPC who’ll invite you to meet with the Crimson Fleet at the Broken Spear. Make your way over there to continue your journey of joining the Crimson Fleet.
Starfield Deep Cover mission rewards
For completing Deep Cover in Starfield, you get the following rewards:
- 8,300 Credits
- 250 XP
- Burden of Proof side mission
