In the dusty reaches of Halcyon’s frontier, the ACS Free Market drifts silently-a forgotten relic loaded with secrets, danger, and moral dilemmas. In The Outer Worlds 2, “The Last Voyage of the ACS Free Market” sends you deep into corporate ruins where every choice shapes the fate of those left behind-and tests how much your conscience is really worth.
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How to complete ’The Last Voyage of the ACS Free Market’ in The Outer Worlds 2
To complete ’The Last Voyage of the ACS Free Market’ in The Outer Worlds 2, begin by investigating the derelict ship’s logs and scanning the surrounding area for clues. Carefully explore each section of the vessel to uncover hidden compartments and solve environmental puzzles. Pay close attention to any audio logs or terminal entries to piece together the ship’s final moments, then decide how to handle the conflicting factions involved to resolve the quest.
Although Archivist Stallworth asked you to search for clues, you don’t need to find every clue to complete the quest. However, you must acquire enough info to answer Stallworth’s three questions. One piece of info is enough to answer at least one question and complete “The Last Voyage of the ACS Free Market,” but you won’t obtain the full quest rewards.
That said, this only affects the amount of experience and money gained from this quest. There are no special quest rewards to miss out on. If you give Stallworth incomplete intel, she’ll award you with 465 bit cartridges, and if you answer every question correctly, you gain 1,387 bit cartridges (the exact amount may vary slightly depending on your level).
Here’s every piece of info you can possibly acquire in “The Last Voyage of the ACS Free Market” quest. Pick the ones that match your current abilities, such as the skills you’ve picked so far:
- Otto’s information: Engineering level 5 or the N-Ray Scanner gadget.
- Prospero’s information: Hacking level 3 or Lockpick level 5.
- Read the Sub Rosa archive: Hacking level 8 or the “Pickpocket” perk (obtainable as an early game perk) are handy, but not required.
- Search the ACS Free Market’s wreck: Engineering level 8 for one half of the info, and Sneak level 5 or the “Brawny” trait for the other half.
And here’s the info needed to answer Stallworth’s questions. Use the sources listed above to ensure you can answer every question:
- Question 1: Otto’s info, Prospero’s info, the Sub Rosa archive, or the ACS Free Market’s engine debris can provide an answer.
- Question 2: Prospero’s info or the ACS Free Market’s buried audio log can provide an answer.
- Question 3: Otto’s info or Sub Rosa’s archive can provide an answer.
To illustrate, Otto’s and Prospero’s info would be enough to claim the full quest reward for “The Last Voyage of the ACS Free Market.”
When you hand in the quest, avoid lying, saying “Uhh. not sure,” and saying “A lot of screaming and running around, probably?” as this will count as incomplete info.
How to acquire Otto’s information in The Outer Worlds 2
To acquire Otto’s information, head to the crew quarters on the ACS Free Market and locate Otto’s private terminal. You’ll need a mid-level Hack skill to access the encrypted logs, or you can find his terminal keycard on a nearby engineering console. Once inside, read the logs detailing Otto’s dealings and suspicions about the ship’s cargo manifest. Collect the data chip to progress the quest and unlock new dialogue options with key NPCs later in the mission.
To find Otto Riesling, walk west until you enter the circular area with all the shops. On your right hand, in a stall that says: “Oddments & Gubbin, Scrapyard Finery,” you’ll see Otto.
Ask Otto if he knows anything about the crash of the ACS Free Market. He’ll deny it, but there are two ways to obtain Otto’s information anyway:
- Engineering skill check: If you have Engineering level 5 or higher, use it to convince Otto.
- Solve Otto’s puzzle. You must find Otto’s secret room, then you must flick a bunch of switches in the correct order to access it.
How to solve Otto’s puzzle in the Free Market Station
To find Otto’s secret room, walk back toward your spaceship. On your right hand, you’ll see a sparkly rift. In front of that rift, on the right side, crawl through the hole in the wall.
Follow the path ahead, climb up the ladder, and you’ll see Otto’s switch puzzle. He’s posted a note next to the puzzle to confirm that his room is behind it, but you won’t find Otto’s puzzle solution in this note.
The only way to see the clue to Otto’s puzzle is to use the N-Ray Scanner gadget. Unfortunately, if you decided to visit Free Market Station before clearing a good chunk of the Golden Ridge content, you won’t have this gadget yet. If that’s the case, there are two ways to proceed:
- If you’d like to solve Otto’s puzzle yourself, you’ll need to grab the N-Ray Scanner gadget, which can be found in the N-Ray Range during the “On the Trail of the Traitor” main quest on Golden Ridge. We recommend completing the “On the Trail of the Traitor” switch puzzle and the “Discrete Mathematics” side quest before you head back. Be warned that it may take about half an hour to obtain the gadget if you speedrun the quest and possibly hours if you take it slow.
- If you’d like to solve Otto’s puzzle now, we’ll show the solution below, starting with a hint.
To solve Otto’s Free Market puzzle, you must connect the three lights on the right side of the switches with the ones next to the doorway. If you use the N-Ray Scanner, you’ll see the wire connections between the switches. Start from the right, then follow the cables to the left to establish a connection, and repeat that process two times.
Whether you’ve got the N-Ray Scanner or not, flick the switches in the order shown in the image below to solve Otto’s puzzle in The Outer Worlds 2:
The door to Otto’s room will open, allowing you to read his journal and (optionally) grab some loot – surely Otto won’t mind. Return to Otto and use the info from his journal to say: “I read your journal, and what happened to you.” Just continue the conversation to acquire Otto’s information.
How to acquire Prospero’s information in The Outer Worlds 2
To acquire Prospero’s information in The Outer Worlds 2 during the quest “The Last Voyage of the ACS Free Market,” players need to explore key locations tied to the ACS Free Market’s past. Investigate Prospéro’s ship logs, terminals, and any environmental clues in the designated areas. Engage with NPCs who have connections to the ship or the colony to gather intel. Accessing data terminals often requires solving puzzles or hacking skills, so be prepared with the right tools and perks to unlock detailed records about Prospero’s fate and history.
To find Prospero Paolo, enter The Second Choice bar in the circular area with all the shops (on the left as you enter). Inside the bar, turn right to find Prospero.
Offer to help Prospero, then head outside to buy Iceberg Aged Whiskey from Chef de Mecanique on the opposite side of the market. Since you’re not Prospero, the robot will refuse to sell the whiskey. You have two options:
- Hack Chef de Mecanique: Requires Hacking level 3.
- Steal the whiskey: Sneak behind Chef de Mecanique and open the safe. You’ll need Lockpick level 5 and one mag-pick.
Bring the whiskey to Prospero and he’ll tell you what he knows.
Read the Sub Rosa archive in The Outer Worlds 2
In The Outer Worlds 2, reading the Sub Rosa archive is essential for uncovering hidden details during ‘The Last Voyage of the ACS Free Market’ quest. The archive contains vital logs and records that shed light on the ship’s mysterious fate. To access it, players must locate the archive terminal aboard the Free Market and interact with it, piecing together clues that enrich the storyline and guide their next steps in the adventure.
To find Sub Rosa’s information storage, go to The Second Choice bar in the circular area with all the shops (on the left as you enter). Enter the bathroom and crawl through the vent.
You can acquire Sub Rosa’s secret intel from the terminal next to the sleeping cutthroat in one of three ways:
- Hack the terminal: Requires Hacking level 8 and a bypass shunt.
- Pickpocket the cutthroat: Use the “Pickpocket” perk to obtain the terminal’s password.
- Kill the Sub Rosa Cutthroat: He’ll fight back, but nobody will hear or see this crime. Make sure to loot the password from the body.
Whichever method you choose, be sure to read every file on the computer to acquire the Sub Rosa headquarters intel – it concerns an insurance policy on the ACS Free Market.
Search the ACS Free Market’s wreck in The Outer Worlds 2
In The Outer Worlds 2, locating the wreck of the ACS Free Market is a crucial step in progressing through the mission. Players must explore hazardous areas, solve environmental challenges, and carefully scan for clues to uncover its resting place. This search not only advances the quest but also reveals vital story details and valuable loot hidden within the shipwreck.
To find the remains of the ACS Free Market, walk back toward your ship until you see a rift anomaly on your right. Crawl through the hole in the wall on the right, but instead of taking the ladder to Otto’s room, inspect the grounds.
You will find two parts of the wreckage that can possibly reveal some info: a buried audio log, and a piece of engine debris. Here’s how to extract info from each wreckage:
- Buried audio log: Extract the log with Sneak level 5 or rip it out if you have the “Brawny” trait, and listen to the recording.
- Engine debris: Inspect it with Engineering level 8.
Should you spare or kill Archivist Stallworth?
Archivist Stallworth’s fate determines not only the moral direction of your character but also the outcome of the quest. Sparing Stallworth preserves valuable knowledge and opens new dialogue options with factions interested in her research, potentially leading to more rewards. Killing her, on the other hand, removes a potential rival and satisfies more ruthless or pragmatic characters, but it can close off future quests and diminish your reputation with certain allies. The choice reflects whether you value information and diplomacy or control and finality.
At the end of “The Last Voyage of the ACS Free Market,” you have the option to ask Archivist Stallworth: “So what did you conclude from what I gave you?” Doing so will reveal her true reasons for gathering info on the ACS Free Market and present you with additional choices.
Here’s what happens depending on your response:
- Pass a level 3 Sneak check: You receive 150 additional bit cartridges.
- Pass a level 3 Speech check: Gain 3 reputation with the Order. You must choose “Wait, what? I thought you were compiling a historical report!” to unlock this skill check.
- Approve of Stallworth’s method: Gain 1 reputation with the Order. Pick “Keeping every option open to further the war effort? I like it,” or “I can’t say I appreciate it, but I at least understand your reasoning.”
- Kill Archivist Stallworth: She won’t put up a fight, but every nearby guard will attack you. There doesn’t seem to be a benefit to killing Stallworth other than destroying your reputation with the Sub Rosa faction, so this isn’t recommended.
- Anything else: Nothing happens.
Where to find all five clues for the ACS Free Market quest
To find all five clues for “The Last Voyage of the ACS Free Market” quest in The Outer Worlds 2, investigate these key locations in Free Market Station:
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The Second Choice Saloon:
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Speak to Prospero Paolo. He will share information if you bring him an expensive bottle of Iceberg Aged Whiskey.
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Get the whiskey either by passing a Hack level 3 check on the bar robot Chef de Mechanique or by sneaking behind the bar and picking the safe lock (Lockpick level 5).
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Otto Riesling’s Shop (Oddments and Gubbin):
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Talk to Otto, who initially withholds information.
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Persuade him with an Engineering skill check (level 5), or
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Solve Otto’s 11-switch lock puzzle behind the ACS Free Market sign to open his secret room and read his Soot-Smeared Journal.
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You need the N-Ray Scanner gadget (acquired during the Discrete Mathematics main quest) to see the correct switch sequence:
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Lock 1: 3, 2, 5, 8
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Lock 2: 7, 6, 1
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Lock 3: 11, 10, 9, 4
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Sub Rosa Headquarters (basement of The Second Choice):
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Enter through the bathroom vent to avoid a locked door.
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Hack level 8 is required to access the terminal, or pickpocket the password from a sleeping guard inside.
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Read messages on the terminal for clues about the ACS Free Market.
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Wreckage Area near the Rift Anomaly:
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Crouch through a hole beside the rift to access this area.
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Collect:
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Buried Audio Log (requires Brawny trait or Sneak level 5)
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Engine Debris (requires Engineering skill level 8)
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Additional Clues in the Bazaar and Around Free Market Station:
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Explore for minor clues and talk to residents for more information.
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Gathering these five pieces of evidence allows you to complete the quest by returning to Archivist Stallworth, providing full answers to her questions.
This guide covers how to obtain each clue requiring various combinations of skills such as Hack, Lockpick, Engineering, Sneak, and certain traits, along with solving Otto’s puzzle using the N-Ray Scanner.
Where is Archivist Stallworth located in the Free Market station
Archivist Stallworth is located near the Landing Pad at Free Market Station. Specifically, she can be found on the path leading into the main bazaar area, southwest of your ship, where she is often seen alongside Guard Seybold. This spot is about halfway between your ship and the shopping district, near the ACS Free Market sign where you first hear them arguing. Approaching her here will allow you to start the quest “The Last Voyage of the ACS Free Market” and later return to report your findings.
