In the far reaches of the Charybdis system lies the mysterious Crucible, a secret cloning facility where history’s greatest figures have been reborn-and now, their divided societies vie for control. In Starfield’s Operation Starseed, your choice of which Society to support-Pragmatists, Believers, or Renegades-will shape the fate of this fractured world and unlock unique endings, companions, and rewards. Will you restore order, ignite rebellion, or cleanse the facility entirely? The galaxy’s future depends on your decision.
The “Operation Starseed” mission itself isn’t overly confusing – it follows the same pattern as most missions, so you’ll just be following your HUD marker a bunch. But at the end of it, you’ll be asked to make a life-and-death decision about the lost colony.
Our Starfield “Operation Starseed” quest walkthrough will tell you how to find the Charybdis system, how to complete the “Operation Starseed” mission, who to side with during the mission’s final conflict, and what effect your Operation Starfield choice will have.
How to start the Operation Starseed mission
To begin the Operation Starseed quest in Starfield, you must journey to the Charybdis system using your ship. You’ll need a grav drive capable of jumps of at least 30 light years to reach it. Once you enter the Charybdis system, you will receive a distress call from the Crucible facility on Charybdis III. After landing on Charybdis III, proceed to speak with Tobias and Ada at the Crucible facility to start the dialogues and the mission.
This aligns with your interest in Starfield and optimizing society choices.
To get the “Operation Starseed” mission, you’ll first have to reach the Charybdis system. It’s a hike, so you might have to upgrade your ship a bit to get there.
You’ll find Charybdis toward the center of the map, far to the right of the more familiar systems.
Operation Starseed explained
Operation Starseed is a complex quest in Starfield set in the distant Charybdis system, where you respond to a distress call from the Crucible facility on Charybdis III. The mission revolves around a secret cloning project that has created societies of clones based on famous historical figures, divided into three factions: the Pragmatists, Believers, and Renegades. Your role involves navigating the tense dynamics among these groups, deciding whom to support, and ultimately choosing the future leadership of the Crucible. The quest offers multiple endings depending on your choices, including peaceful resolutions, taking control by appointing a new leader, or initiating a full project cleanse that terminates all clones. Operation Starseed challenges players to weigh ethical decisions and political alliances to shape the fate of this unique society.
When you arrive in the Charybdis system, you’ll hear an automated message telling you to Go to Crucible on Charybdis III.
There, you’ll talk to a robot named Tobias, but he’s really just there to introduce you to Ada Lovelace. After that, you’ll talk toFranklin (Delano Roosevelt), Amanirenas, and Genghis Khan. It’s a whole thing. You’ll also bump into Wyatt Earp and Amelia Earhart.
Each of the leaders heads a faction – called a Society – of clones. The three Societies are:
- The Renegades, led by Genghis Khan, don’t feel any real connection to their source material and want to escape the Crucible’s Mission to seek their own destiny.
- The Believers, led by Amanirenas, believe they’re basically reincarnations of their genetic donors and are ready to go take over the Settled Systems.
- The Pragmatists, led by Franklin, who take a more middle-of-the-road approach and seek to prove themselves capable before integrating into the Settled Systems.
Around this point, Wyatt Earp will call out to you in Crucible. He’ll set you on a quick side quest, the “Secret Lives” mission, where he claims to have information for you about FDR. He doesn’t, though, but he’s got a secret of his own.
Next, you’ll go to the Facility where Crucible’s whole experiment is overseen. The Facility is on the opposite side of the planet from Crucible (its antipode) so you’ll have to fly there. On your way in, you’ll have to clear out some local wildlife. Then you can head inside and find clues about the Facility. (Specifically, you’re looking for Diary Page – Discovering Galathea, Diary Page – Escape, Diary Page – Reborn, Diary Page – Genghis Explosion, Anonymous Last Words, Diary Page – Ada’s Questions, and Ada’s Diary – Heart of the Facility.)
Sadly, you can’t access the computer in the Facility (yet), so it’s time to fly back to Crucible.
How to make the best choice in Operation Starseed
To make the best choice in Operation Starseed in Starfield, you should aim to reboot and select a new Super-Admin to lead the Crucible society. This option allows you to decide which surviving leader-Franklin Roosevelt, Amanirenas, or Genghis Khan-will shape the future of the clone community, each with distinct visions and consequences. Siding with Roosevelt is often recommended as it balances ideals and spares more lives, enabling a stable society. Avoiding the full cleanse preserves the Crucible population and unlocks unique rewards, including the opportunity to recruit Amelia Earhart as a companion. Ultimately, your choice should align with the leadership style you prefer for the Crucible’s future.
When you return to Crucible with the clues from (and about) the Facility, you’ll have choose which Society to give Facility information. This is, effectively, siding with one of the factions.
Who you side with doesn’t actually impact your game in the long term, so your choice is really about whose worldview you agree with – kind of a nature versus nurture argument. The decision you make will, however, determine who you have to fight in a few minutes. You’ll (likely) have to kill at least one of the leaders you don’t side with, but the leaders are all the same level so one fight isn’t harder than any other.
It really comes down to your own preference. We’ll explain who you’ll have to fight (and why) in the next section.
Whoever you side with will send you to talk to Ada Lovelace who will point you to the Bel system. When you investigate Bel V, you’ll find a Navigation Beacon that lets you follow the Beagle’s trail to Zelazny I where you’ll find the Beagle in orbit among the asteroids. Dock with it. Your goal is a computer where you’ll download the Security Override Code.
Before you can do anything with it, you’ll have to involve yourself in a fight.
See [leader] about an emergency
In the “Operation Starseed” quest in Starfield, after delivering critical information to one of the three Societies-Pragmatists, Believers, or Renegades-you will receive an urgent communication about an emergency at the Crucible settlement. This prompts you to quickly visit the leaders of the factions to assess the situation. Regardless of which leader you initially sided with, you will find the other faction leaders gathered under a truce to prevent immediate conflict, and they request you respect the peace by avoiding violence. This moment is crucial as it sets the stage for your next decisions in managing the fragile balance of power within the Crucible.
Back at Crucible, things have gone sideways. Whoever you sided with will call you to tell you a fight is about to break out and ask you to attend meeting with Crucible leaders.
- If you sided with the Pragmatists, Genghis Khan will start a war. You can convince Amanirenas to not get involved. If you do, you’ll only have to kill Genghis Khan. Otherwise, you’ll have to kill both Genghis and Amanirenas.
- If you sided with the Believers, you can convince Franklin not to fight and you can get Genghis to leave Crucible. This is the (most) peaceful option, so long as you don’t think about it too much.
- If you sided with the Renegades, you can get Franklin to stand down if you convince Genghis not to destroy Crucible. Amanirenas, however, will have to be killed.
Once the shooting is done, you’ll have to see if Ada Lovelace can decrypt Security Override Code. Spoiler: she can.
How to resolve Operation Starseed’s ’everyone hostile’ bug
To resolve the “everyone hostile” bug in Operation Starseed, the key is to avoid killing anyone other than the primary target, Genghis Khan. After killing only Khan, put away your weapon and wait for the danger meter to clear; the town should then return to normal hostility levels. If the NPCs still turn hostile, try escaping to your ship and waiting there for a few hours or even a full day, which can reset the hostility status. Another workaround is to kill all NPCs and wait for essential characters to respawn non-hostile, though this is less ideal. Additionally, avoid bringing companions on this quest as they can inadvertently cause the bug. Reloading a save before entering the area or restarting the game may also help prevent the issue. Bethesda is expected to release a hotfix for this bug, so keeping the game updated is recommended.
There is currently a bug that pops up in the aftermath of the fight. Sometimes, all of the Crucible colonists remain aggressive toward you after the fight. There are two ways around this:
- Only shoot the leader(s). If you ignore the other clones and only attack the leaders, it seems to avoid this bug.
- Head back to your ship and sleep for an hour. If you flee the fight and take a quick nap, the other clones will reset.
Deal with the Facility
In Operation Starseed, dealing with the Facility involves a tense exploration filled with hostile creatures like Hunting Spaceroaches and Maggotmaws, as well as combat against robots and turrets. After navigating through dangerous areas and collecting key clues, you must access the Facility’s computer to unlock the Restricted Wing. This leads to a critical choice at the Facility Datacore, where you can initiate an emergency reboot with three different outcomes: restore current mission parameters, choose a new Super-Admin leader, or initiate a full project cleanse that kills all clones. Your decision here significantly affects the ending of the quest and the fate of the Crucible society. Preparing for combat and carefully managing your interactions with the Facility’s defenses are essential to successfully completing this part of the mission.
With the Security Override Code in hand, head back to the Facility. After shooting your way to the Facility Datacore, you’ll lock in your final decision:
- Reboot and restore current Mission parameters does, basically, nothing. It maintains the status quo. It does not, however, officially side you with one of the leaders. You’ll get 3,000 credits.
- Reboot and choose a new Super-Admin officially sides with one of the leaders and puts them in charge. You’ll be rewarded with 6,000 credits.
- Initiate Full Project Cleanse kills all of the Crucible clones and gives you 2,000 credits.
Meanwhile, if you’re into smuggling and contraband, there are some harvested organs in the locked room behind you.
If you kept the clones alive, you’ll just have to report back to Crucible. It’ll become a place you stop off and visit (but there’s not a lot to do there).
How can I choose the best society in Starfield’s Operation Starseed to match my playstyle
To choose the best Society in Starfield’s Operation Starseed that matches your playstyle, consider the core ideals and outcomes of each faction:
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Pragmatists (Franklin Roosevelt): Favor a balanced, moderate approach aiming to maintain Crucible as a functioning society. Siding with Roosevelt lets you keep the settlement stable and alive, sparing Amanirenas if convinced, and results in a “good ending” where society continues with modest ideals. This choice suits players who prefer diplomacy and preservation.
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Believers (Amanirenas): Driven by a vision of destiny and control over the Settled Systems. Choosing Amanirenas aligns with a more ambitious and idealistic path, where you can convince Roosevelt to join you. This option appeals to players who favor strong leadership and expansionist goals.
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Renegades (Genghis Khan): The most aggressive faction, wanting to break free from Crucible by force. Siding with Genghis leads to the most violent outcome with many deaths but allows the residents to escape Crucible. This suits players who prefer direct action and radical change.
Ultimately, the best overall outcome is to reboot and select a new Super-Admin aligned with your chosen leader, granting you control over Crucible’s future and the highest rewards. If you want a stable society, pick Roosevelt; for ambition, Amanirenas; for rebellion and escape, Genghis Khan. Your choice should reflect which leadership style and ending resonate most with your preferred gameplay approach.
How do I determine which society aligns best with my playstyle in Starfield
To determine which Society aligns best with your playstyle in Starfield’s Operation Starseed, reflect on your preferred approach to conflict and leadership:
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If you favor stability, diplomacy, and preserving life, the Pragmatists led by Franklin Roosevelt suit you. This path involves convincing others and maintaining order, ideal for players who enjoy balanced, thoughtful decision-making.
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If you prefer a visionary, ambitious route focused on destiny and control, the Believers under Amanirenas are your match. This choice fits players who like idealistic and strategic leadership roles.
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For those who thrive on direct action, rebellion, and radical change, the Renegades led by Genghis Khan offer a more aggressive, combat-oriented path, appealing to players who enjoy decisive, forceful solutions.
Your choice also depends on how you want the story to unfold-whether you want to spare certain characters, the level of violence you accept, and the ending you desire. The quest allows you to explore these options, so consider which leadership style and outcome best fit your role-playing preferences and gameplay style.
