In Starfield, you are constantly given hard choices to make that alter the course of the story and your relationship with the factions involved. You have to make one such decision during the end of the ‘Eye of the Storm’ quest, which is the penultimate quest in Starfield’s main questline. Here, you must either side with UC Sysdef or the Crimson Fleet.
Choosing either has dire consequences for the story moving forward. In this guide, we’ll be going over what both choices entail from a main story standpoint as well as from a faction standpoint. Additionally, we’ll also discuss the consequences of each choice and what, in our opinion is the best choice to make.
UC Sysdef or Crimson Fleet in Starfield
The UC Sysdef and Crimson Fleet have had years of bad blood and conflict which has ultimately led you to make this decision. The decision to side with either comes towards the end of the quest.
Once you’ve safely recovered Kryx’s Legacy from the ship and you’re back on your own ship., you’ll have the choice to either side with UC SysDef or Crimson Fleet by giving either one of the two the object by jumping to their respective locations. Choose where you jump wisely as this decision will have long-lasting impacts and cannot be undone.
Choosing UC SysDef explained
Choosing either side starts the next mission; ‘Legacy’s End’. If you side with UC SysDef then you’ll return to the UC Vigilance where you’ll talk to Commander Ikande. He’ll be pleased with your decision.
Following this, you’ll immediately launch an attack on the Crimson Fleet. First, you’ll take out their defensive batteries, to make them vulnerable followed by an attack on the Crimson Fleet and their ships and people.
After this, you’ll board the Key where you’ll come face to face with Delgado, the leader of the Crimson Fleet. Here, you will have the option to either kill him or spare him so he can turn himself in. Once you return to Commander Ikande, the mission will end. For siding with UC Sysdef, you’ll get the following rewards;
- SysDef Formal Uniform
- 250,000 Credits
- Access to UC Vigilance
- Access to Delgado’s gear (if you killed him)
- Access to UC SysDef mission log
- Positive companion Affinity
Siding with the UC Sysdef also has some dire consequences as far as your relationship with the Crimson Fleet is concerned.
Firstly, you’ll lose access to the Key. The Key is a prime place to sell stolen goods and losing this option can make selling contraband extremely hard. The Crimson fleet will be hostile towards you.
Additionally, Mathis leaves your crew and you will no longer have access to Crimson Fleet missions. You will, however, have the approval of companions like Sarah and Andreja.
Choosing the Crimson Fleet explained
Siding with the Crimson Fleet also starts the ‘Legacy’s End’ mission but it plays out much differently. Instead of you attacking Crimson Fleet, the UC SysDef starts attacking you.
First, you’ll need to secure the three defensive batteries you would otherwise take out if you sided with UC SysDef. Once you’ve done this, you’ll engage in a full-on battle with the United Colonies where you have to disable the UC Vigilance. This part is quite tough so make sure you take your time. Once you’ve successfully disabled the UG Vigilance you’ll board the ship.
Next, you’ll make your way through the ship, going through the command center to locate Commander Ikande. When you confront him, he’ll let you know that he’s initiated a self-destruct sequence that will destroy the UG Vigilance and everyone on board.
Here you can persuade him to stop the self-destruct sequence, or you can fight him. Fighting him is the tougher option as a bunch of robots come to his aid. Return to the Key once you’ve dealt with Ikande to get the following rewards:
- 250,000 Credits
- Access to the Key
- Access to Crimson Fleet mission log
- Negative companion Affinity
Like with the first choice, choosing to go with the Crimson Fleet also has dire consequences going forward. Firstly, the United Colonies will become hostile towards you and since they’re the biggest faction in the game this can prove to be quite challenging. Next, you’ll lose access to the UG Vigilance and all vendors that come with it, and finally, you’ll align yourself with the ‘evil’ faction.
The best choice between Crimson Fleet and UC SysDef in Starfield
Starfield strongly encourages roleplaying and player-led choices, as such there is no wrong or right answer between what’s the better choice between the Crimson Fleet and the UC SysDef. Siding with either faction gives you 250,000 credits with only minor cosmetic rewards being the main difference.
A case can be made for both, with the Key giving you access to some of the best vendors in the game while siding with the UC Sysdef makes you a part of the strongest faction in the game. Your companions may be upset with you if you choose the Crimson Fleet but you can quickly earn their trust back.
While we do recommend siding with UC SysDef considering the potential for cosmetic rewards with that choice, the Crimson Fleet is an equally viable choice. Feel free to choose any faction that suits your fancy or simply based on if you’re playing the game as a good guy or a bad guy.
