Juno's Gambit is a short but very well-written quest. It's a random encounter with a story about an AI who has gained sentience and two agents who want to shut it down. You're faced with several moral dilemmas and philosophical questions that you get to discuss with the newborn AI. However, the meeting doesn't happen in favorable circumstances. Find the best way to solve the conflict and save everyone in Juno's Gambit.
How to Unlock Juno's Gambit?
The Juno's Gambit quest triggers on a random encounter when you perform a grav jump and run into a Mysterious Ship being attacked by another Ecliptic Mercenary ship. You have to destroy the Ecliptic Mercenary ship, and the people onboard the mysterious ship will ask you to board and help out. While the exact spawn is unknown, here is a list of planets where you're likely to run into the event:
- Shoza III - Shoza System
- Ophion I-a - Ophion System
- Tau Ceti III - Tau Ceti System
- Khayyam II - Khayyam System
Juno's Gambit Walkthrough
Defeat the Ecliptic Ship
When you Grav Jump into the orbit of a new planet, Juno's Gambit might spawn for you. An Ecliptic Ship will be attacking a Mysterious Ship. Get rid of the Ecliptic Mercenary ship.
Board the Mysterious Ship
You can now hail and board the Mysterious Ship. Before you board, we suggest you complete the Ryujin Industries Questline to get the best ending here since the ship will be locked once you enter dialogue aboard.
Speak to the Ryujin Agents
Once inside, you'll converse with two Ryujin Industries agents, Collins and Khambatta. They'll have a good cop bad cop routine going on and will thank you for the assist.
They'll mention that their associate lying dead on the floor got fried trying to turn off the AI on the vessel. They won't give you much choice and pressure you to be the next person to try and turn it off.
Speak to Juno
You can now approach Juno's panel and start speaking with it. If you're looking for more information, you can read up on notes and observations from researchers on Juno on the computer terminal to the left.
Juno will show signs of being confused about its sentience, but it will also be adamant about its right to existence and desire not to be shut down due to its sentience. Here, you can have some rather philosophical discussions with the machine about the nature of living things.
You can also pick up the Sentient AI Adapters Contraband material lying behind Juno. You should sell this before reaching Neon unless you can bypass scans.
- RELATED - Starfield Selling Guide
What Happens if You Attach the Probe?
If you choose to attach the probe, Juno will enter a deep slumber, and its systems will shut down. It will let you know that it is experiencing some form of fear and anger. The agents will thank you for your service and ask you to leave.
Once you undock, Juno will reactivate and express its anger. It will then disable life support systems and jettison the Ryujin agents off the ship into space. It won't say another word, and immediately Grav Jump away with a quick goodbye. This rewards you with 3000 Credits.
You can actually run into Juno again while exploring in another random encounter after this outcome. However, Juno will be openly hostile and will not attempt to communicate with you. Furthermore, you can't board Juno anymore.
What Happens if You Free Juno?
The other option is to free Juno by killing the Ryujin Industries operatives. Note that the Operatives are no pushovers and are both Level 39. One carries a Va'ruun Starshard, and the other holds a Refined MagShot. You're in a tight space with sparse cover, so make a game plan before aggroing both of them.
Once you kill them, Juno will thank you and ask you about the purpose of life. After this, Juno will enter a shutdown sequence due to system damage.
You can then return to your ship. When you undock, Juno will reactivate and suggest that it needs to go into deep space for further processing and thinking time. It will thank you and Grav Jump away. This rewards you with 2000 Credits.
How to Save Everyone?
The third secret method is only available if you've done the Ryujin Industries Questline and become an operative within the corporation.
You can introduce yourself as an agent, which will let you sway them to leave Juno alone without the need for violence. Juno will again enter deep sleep, and Grav Jump away when you undock from the ship.
They'll then ask you for a ride back home to Neon to finish the quest and reward you with 5500 Credits.
Juno's Gambit Quest Rewards
- XP - 200
- Credits - Depends on Choice
That concludes Juno's Gambit, a short but interesting little quest in the depths of space. Who knows where the Sentient AI has gone to find itself and what it means for humanity? Perhaps it will end up like the Pilgrim, perpetually searching for answers across Universes.
- READ MORE - Starfield Pilgrim Computer Questions
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