Navigating the United Colonies faction storyline in Starfield brings players face-to-face with complex political intrigue, covert operations, and challenging moral decisions. Among the most pivotal assignments in this questline is The Devils You Know, a mission that tasks players with gathering vital intelligence on the Terromorph threat. Understanding where to go, how to handle key character encounters, and what outcomes your decisions yield ensures you maximize your standing and rewards throughout this storyline.
Starting the Mission and Key Locations
To begin The Devils You Know, players must report to the MAST District in New Atlantis on planet Jemison. After speaking with Hadrian Sanon and Commander Tuala, you will receive clearance to access Sub-Level 7, a classified section within the MAST building. This hidden location holds Vae Victis, the former UC admiral whose fate was kept secret from the public after the Colony War.
Following your initial conversation with Vae Victis, the quest directs you off-planet to track down Reginald Orlease, a former researcher with critical knowledge. This phase requires grav-jumping to the Wolf System and docking at The Den to gather information. From there, you will navigate toward the Etherea Ruins, an asteroid cluster where Orlease's ship, the Warlock, is hidden in deep space.
Confronting Reginald Orlease and Quest Choices
Upon reaching the Etherea Ruins, you must disable or destroy the Warlock to retrieve Orlease's research data. When engaged in ship combat, players can either blast the vessel out of the sky or carefully target its engines to board directly. If you manage to board, Orlease refuses to be taken alive and takes his own life, leaving you to inspect his body for the required evidence.
Players following daily gaming news and strategy updates often note that the primary decision in this quest involves how you handle the recovered evidence. You can present the evidence directly to Vae Victis as requested or attempt to question the ethics of his continued involvement in UC affairs. While your dialogue choices reveal deeper backstory details, delivering the evidence is mandatory to progress the broader Vanguard faction narrative.
Rewards and Long-Term Quest Impact
Completing The Devils You Know yields standard United Colonies quest rewards, including a substantial payout of credits and narrative progression toward the next faction chapter. Successfully retrieving the research data grants access to War Relics, the subsequent mission in the Vanguard campaign. In addition, completing this task earns faction reputation points and opens up deeper dialogue options with Hadrian Sanon.
Beyond immediate credit payouts, the quest lays crucial groundwork for deciding Vae Victis's ultimate fate later in the game. Keeping his secret intact allows you to unlock special assassination bounties after finishing the main UC storyline. Balancing your immediate moral choices against long-term faction rewards makes this quest a cornerstone of Starfield's political narrative.
