Starstation RE939 is one of the encounters you can run into on your own or with the guidance of Ricardo Bosch after a scripted event in New Atlantis. House Va'ruun attacked a United Colonies Starstation. While this may seem random and display incompetent administration, there may be a more sinister truth behind the House Va'ruun attack. Today, we'll take a look at the fall of Starstation RE939.
Purpose of Starstation RE939
Starstation RE939 is located in the orbit of Voss, a moon of Olivas in Alpha Centauri. The primary purpose of Starstation RE939 was scientific research, specifically on various flora and fauna. This purpose is evident through the various creatures and plants stored aboard the ship and placed in operating rooms and dissection tables. You can find two different alien species in captivity and a dissection chamber with what appears to be a çorpse.
There are also several faunas on board, and it's possible that one of these was responsible for the downfall of Starstation RE939. As for research, they had been up to some valuable and other bizarre research. For example, you can find entries for research on cancer treatment and one on how long someone can survive digestion in the stomach of a carnivorous creature.
Ultimately, the research was headed and led by Dr. Ricardo Bosch, who is considered a brilliant researcher and an expert in this field. This is unrelated, but you can also find two Harvested Organ Contraband materials onboard. One inside Lab 02 and another next to the creature tank on the upper floor.
Helena Chambers' Changes
Helena Chambers was appointed administrator of Starstation RE939 in 2330. She was an MBA graduate from MAST, and her appointment was controversial due to her non-scientific background.
She didn't really help her case through her hardline and cutthroat work policies. She implemented the S.P.E.C.T.E.R (Supervise, Provide, Engender, Correct, Train, Expect, Repeat) Management System, which was a ruthless method of administration.
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One of these changes included changing the United Colonies' mandated evacuation policy. Helena Chambers' changes to the evacuation protocol ensured that the VIP and senior management personnel would get priority in an emergency. Many members raised concerns about this, but the policy was enacted.
Little did she know, this would come to haunt her and cost several dozen lives.
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The House Va'ruun Attack
When you travel to Starstation RE939, you'll encounter several Va'ruun fanatics and zealots around the station. This is because they suddenly attacked Starstation RE939 out of nowhere. The new evacuation plan backfired, and nobody would have been able to escape if it weren't for the bravery of Ricardo Bosch, who led several members of the crew to safety, stayed behind to lead them, and piloted a ship back to New Atlantis. Meanwhile, Helena Chambers immediately fled to safety, prioritizing her own life, a breach of the United Colonies evacuation policy.
While the exact motivation for the Va'ruun attack isn't confirmed, some hints suggest a connection in a few of the emails. This is evident in the forums discussing the Xenodigestion research, with many wondering why they're even working on this. The one responsible for this research is Dr Baines, who supposedly came in contact with a psychoactive Flora and had been dreaming of being devoured by a snake. This could very well refer to The Great Serpent that House Va'ruun fervently worships. In fact, the fall of the Va'ruun embassy in New Atlantis was also due to a plant called the 'Venom Tree' with psychoactive properties that led to fanaticism.
House Va'ruun's method of contact or communication with The Great Serpent may be due to this plant. This discovery leads to more questions than answers. However, it's now a serious possibility that either Dr Baines contacted and invited the Va'ruun forces or they arrived at the station looking for the plant.
Aftermath
During a scripted event, you'll run into the survivors from Starstation RE939 in New Atlantis. Here you'll meet the survivors, Ricardo Bosch, Helena Chambers, and Bobby Katz. Ricardo Bosch is treated as a hero, and you can later meet him in the weapons research department of the MAST building and get tasked with retrieving his research slate from Starstation RE939.
Meanwhile, Helena Chambers is reprimanded strictly, and her privileges and authority are stripped away due to how she handled the situation by prioritizing her own life. She can later be seen working as an employee at the local Terrabrew in New Atlantis, where she mostly grumbles about the management.
Bobby was confused and described the situation as being attacked by "people yelling about serpents and stuff." Bobby's parents are considered deceased, but he believes they got away on another space shuttle. He's later united with them when their shuttle arrives.
You can find Bosch's Slate on the lower floor of the research labs in Lab 1, next to a computer. Collect it and return it to him.
That's all you need to know about the fall of Starstation RE939 and how it happened. This event gives us even more questions about House Va'ruun, and hopefully, Bethesda will answer them in future DLC.
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