At the end of the Absolute Power Crimson Fleet quest in Starfield, you are presented with a difficult choice – should you blame yourself, Estelle, or Benjamin Bayu?
After stealing the Comspike in the Crimson Fleet faction mission, The Best There Is, you must head to Neon City for your next assignment.
This mission, Absolute Power, tasks you with stealing some technology from Generdyne that enables you to use the Comspike.
At the end of Absolute Power, the corrupt administrator of Neon, Benjamin Bayu, confronts you. He demands to know who is profiting off of the virus you planted in his organization – and this is where you have to make a decision.
You can choose to either lie and blame it on his brother Breyson Bayu, choose another lie by blaming yourself, or tell the truth and say that the Crimson Fleet’s Estelle Vincent put you up to it.
Below, we’re going to go over the outcomes of each choice and whether or not it affects the mission rewards.
Starfield Absolute Power – Should You Choose to Blame Breyson, Estelle, or Yourself for the Virus?
You are free to choose to blame either Breyson Bayu, Estelle Vincent, or yourself for the virus in the Absolute Power quest in Starfield. Whatever you choose, you will receive the same rewards, though it will result in different outcomes that will impact certain characters.
If you have a companion with you, your choice can also affect their affinity levels.
Whoever you choose, the rewards are the same:
- 12,400 credits
- 350 XP
Despite gaining the same rewards regardless, your choice for the Absolute Power quest has a direct impact on the fate of certain characters, as well as how your companion views you.
What Happens if You Blame Yourself for the Virus in Absolute Power?
If you lie and blame yourself for the virus, Benjamin Bayu will put a bounty on your head, forcing you to leave the city.
He says he will plant evidence that links you to a murder in Neon. This leads to Bounty Hunters tacking you down until you clear your name at a Self-Service Bounty Clearance board.
Here are the outcomes of choosing to blame yourself for the virus in Absolute Power:
- Benjamin Bayu will put a large bounty on your head
- If you are with a companion, they will like this option and your affinity with them increases
- Estelle Vincent and Breyson Bayu will live
What Happens if You Blame Breyson Bayu for the Virus in Absolute Power?
If you lie and blame Breyson Bayu for the virus, Benjamin Bayu implies that he will kill his brother, allowing you to leave freely without any consequences.
He says that he will quickly ‘deal with’ his brother and you won’t see him again after this.
Here are the outcomes of choosing to blame Breyson Bayu for the virus in Absolute Power:
- Benjamin Bayu implies that he will arrange for his brother, Breyson Bayu, to be murdered
- If you are with a companion, they will dislike this option and your affinity with them decreases
- Estelle Vincent lives, but Breyson Bayu dies
What Happens if You Blame Estelle Vincent for the Virus in Absolute Power?
If you tell the truth and blame Estelle Vincent for the virus, Benjamin Bayu suggests that he will kill her, allowing you to leave freely without any consequences.
He promises to ‘deal with’ Estelle, heavily suggesting arranging her murder.
Here are the outcomes of choosing to blame Estelle Vincent for the virus in Absolute Power:
- Benjamin Bayu suggests that he will murder Estelle Vincent
- If you are with a companion, they will like that you are telling the truth and your affinity with them increases
- Breyson Bayu lives, but Estelle Vincent dies
- If you are siding with UC Sysdef, this works out for them as it removes another key member from the Crimson Fleet
If you’re looking for the most moral option, we suggest taking the blame for the virus yourself and dealing with the consequences, as no one is murdered if you choose this path.