A Legacy Forged is the ninth and final mission in Starfield's UC Vanguard questline and the follow-up to Hostile Intelligence. Regardless of your actions here, you will end up with Class A UC citizenship, which grants discounts in UC-controlled territory and a free house in New Atlantis. Additionally, the UC Vanguard questline ends here.

However, your decisions here will be game-altering in one way:

- Uncovering the truth about Vae Victis and telling Hadrian will seal Francois Sanon's fate.

- Lying and blaming Orlaise for the attacks on Tau Ceti and New Atlantis keeps Vae Victis alive. You can keep working with him on Preventive Action missions, which, while optional, are worth it.

From a practical standpoint, you don't need to read the rest of this walkthrough. Keeping Vae Victis alive means more Starfield lore, more EXP, and more loot. Don't expose his secret.

The rest of this walkthrough, emphasizes on Starfield lore, role-playing, moral matters, and the player's persective in all this. This is the second mission after Eye of the Storm, which may make you wonder who you are and what you believe in. Let's dive in!

- UC Vanguard mission 09 (Final)

- Planet: Jemison

- Rewards: 350 EXP, 14,000 Credits (Very Hard), and Class One UC Citizenship

Before going further, I would like to mention what we know about Vae Victis up to now (make sure to visit the UC Vanguard Orientation Hall to refresh your memory):

- The star of the Colony War in 2308, UC Xenoweapons, and the Destruction of Niira: The Colony War started in 2308 due to an authorized Freestar colonization of Vesta's Pride - a direct violation of the Narion Treaty. During the Colony War, which ended in 2311, the UC invaded the Freestar planet Niira and turned it into a forward operating base. Collective forces made repeated attempts to retake Niira. Vae Victis ordered the use of Xenoweapons on the battlefield while the Freestar Collective deployed Mechs, leading to the complete destruction of the planet. It's worth mentioning that the Red Devils had reached a phase where they were researching the use of Terrormorphs as Xenoweapons. The experiment failed, but the intent was there.

- The Battle of Cheyenne in 2311: Vae Victis ordered the attack against Freestar Collective's civilian ships in Cheyenne. I believe Vae Victis and the UC had the FC on checkmate here. That's why the FC armed the civilian ships and brought them to the frontline to attack the UC Navy in a desperate move to turn the tide of the Colony War. The United Colonies lost the war because both soldiers and commanders lost their "faith" and were unwilling to fight against civilians. If you go by the letter of the law, this is a war crime indeed. The Freestar Collective essentially won the terms of The Armistice, and Vae Victis accepted his fate to be tried for his war crimes, along with Commander Henry Durant and General Indira Rastogi.

- The bombing of Londinion's spaceport during the Colony War (exact date unknown): His third war crime was the bombing of the Londinion spaceport. Initially, we thought this was to limit the Terrormorph outbreak to Londinion. During "Hostile Intelligence," we uncovered the truth, though. Vae Victis' number one priority was to exterminate everyone who witnessed the effects of the Lazarus Plant on Heatleeches. The instant transformation indeed turned the leeches into an invisible weapon.

Player Perspective: UC Xenoweapons and Freestar Mechs seem equally devastating and dangerous, but using aliens as weapons feels "more wrong" compared to using AI "Gundams." The Battle of Cheyenne was a fiasco, but would we view it differently had the UC won? The civilian ships were actively firing against UC ships, so in my mind, this is more of a strategic mistake rather than a war crime.

Finally, it's hard to evaluate the bombing of Londinion's spaceport. There must have been other ways to kill everyone that knew about the Lazarus Plant's effects (and yes, I agree that eliminating was a necessary step), but it's hard to evaluate what would have happened had Londinion not been isolated. How many Heatleeches would escape Londinion, and would it be possible to move Lazarus Plants out of the planet? We know it's a fragile plant...

One obvious mistake for me is that while the Lazarus Plant's effect should have been kept a secret, the fact that Terrormorphs are grownup Heatleeches shouldn't have been concealed. An order of evacuation of the city and extermination of the Heatleeches would make sense, but are they easy to track down? The bombing of the spaceport and the elimination of the UC Marines could have happened after that, but would there be any leaks? Would it be possible to assemble an assassination team to take them out?

I want to clarify that prior to my conversation with Vae Victis, I had already decided his fate. I would let him live and continue working with him. As a Freestar Collective Settler, I want to know who the UC classifies as threats. While my decision didn't change after the conversation, my feelings about it definitely changed.

Where Does Vae Victis Stand in the Alignment System

I considered Vae Victis Neutral Evil prior to the conversation in Subsection Seven and an anti-villain.

I believe the courtroom scene from A Few Good Men between Jack Nicholson and Tom Cruise has a place in this post. That's how I viewed Vae Victis and people in positions of power. In most cases, there is a Lawful Good facade, but behind the scenes, you will find mostly Chaotic Good/Neutral/Evil behaviors.

There has been no facade with Vae Victis so far. We know who he is and he clearly knows who he is. He believes everything he does is for the United Colonies' sake.

Speak with Vae Victis in Subsection Seven

Once you speak to Vae Victis from the Comm Device, you can tell from the smirk on his face that you know. He will ask if you found what you were looking for in Londinion on Toliman 2.

First Dialogue Options Menu

Image Credit: Bethesda/BORDERPOLAR

What happens when you pick dialogue option #1:

- "Oh, we did. And a whole lot more."

- "Good news, then. So... what exactly are you doing here? Plenty still to be done in defeating the Terrormorphs, no?"

This option leads instantly to the Second Dialogue Options Menu.

What happens when you pick dialogue option #2:

- "Don't play dumb. We know you were behind the attacks on New Atlantis and Tau Ceti."

- "... now what in the heavens would make you claim something as ludicrous as that?"

This option leads instantly to the Third Dialogue Options Menu.

What happens when you pick dialogue option #3:

- "I don't know. Is there anything you want to tell me about your time in Londinion?"

- "I haven't been to Londinion in many years. Why? Is there some way I could be of assistance? Were you able to recover what you were looking for?"

This option leads back to the First Dialogue Options Menu.

Second Dialogue Options Menu

Image Credit: Bethesda/BORDERPOLAR

What happens if you pick option #1:

- "We found a recording - of you - discussing the use of Terrormorphs as a weapon."

- "... did you? Well... I don't know what you think you heard on this recording, but I sincerely hope you didn't come to the wrong conclusions. After all, given the Cabinet's current state of anxiety, they might... misinterpret such a discovery to mean I could've been involved in the attacks. Perhaps I can convince you to keep this among us?"

This option leads to the Fourth Dialogue Options Menu.

What happens if you pick option #2:

- "I know you're involved in attacking Tau Ceti and New Atlantis."

- "... now what in the heavens would make you claim something as ludicrous as that?"

This option leads to the Third Dialogue Options Menu.

What happens if you pick option #3:

- "You murdered UC citizens and you're going to pay for it. Now confess!"

- "... did you? I don't know what you think you heard on this recording, but I sincerely hope you didn't come to the wrong conclusions. After all, given the Cabinet's current state of anxiety, they might... misinterpret such a discovery to mean I could've been involved in the attacks. Perhaps I can convince you to keep this among us? "

This option leads to the Fourth Dialogue Options Menu.

Third Dialogue Options Menu

Image Credit: Bethesda/BORDERPOLAR

What happens if you choose the dialogue option #1:

- "We recovered a recording."An invisible weapon." You were talking about the Terrormorphs."

- "... did you? I don't know what you think you heard on this recording, but I sincerely hope you didn't come to the wrong conclusions. After all, given the Cabinet's current state of anxiety, they might... misinterpret such a discovery to mean I could've been involved in the attacks. Perhaps I can convince you to keep this among us?"

This option instantly leads to the Fourth Dialogue Options Menu.

What happens if you choose the dialogue option #2:

- "Because you're the only other person who knew that the Lazarus Plant could have been weaponized."

- "That's... quite the claim, Captain. I hate to think what would happen if such a... patently untrue statement reached the ears of the Cabinet. Perhaps I can convince you to keep this among us?"

This option instantly leads to the Fourth Dialogue Options Menu.

What happens if you choose the dialogue option #3:

- "Should've aimed better when you bombed Londinion. We found evidence there tying you to the attacks."

- "That's... quite the claim, Captain. I hate to think what would happen if such a... patently untrue statement reached the ears of the Cabinet. Perhaps I can convince you to keep this among us?"

This option instantly leads to the Fourth Dialogue Options Menu.

Fourth Dialogue Options Menu

Image Credit: Bethesda/BORDERPOLAR

What happens if you pick the dialogue option #1:

- "No more lies! Confess or I turn in what I found!"

- "You know, you're far more clever than I expected. You want to hear the wards, then? I did it. The Terrormorph attacks on Tau Ceti. New Atlantis. My doing. Years of coordination between my associate and I, figuring out how to deploy the Lazarus Plant's pollen outside of Londinion. Learning to synthesize it. Use it as a weapon. Now, being as clever as you are, I'm sure you have thoughts on why I might do such a thing?"

This dialogue option leads you to the Fifth Dialogue Options Menu.

What happens if you pick the dialogue option #2:

- "Sorry. I'm telling the Cabinet what we learned. Consider this your chance to clean."

- "You know, you're far more clever than I expected. You want to hear the wards, then? I did it. The Terrormorph attacks on Tau Ceti. New Atlantis. My doing. Years of coordination between my associate and I, figuring out how to deploy the Lazarus Plant's pollen outside of Londinion. Learning to synthesize it. Use it as a weapon. Now, being as clever as you are, I'm sure you have thoughts on why I might do such a thing?"

This dialogue option leads you to the Fifth Dialogue Options Menu.

What happens if you pick the dialogue option #3:

- "I've got no plans to tell anyone. I just want to know the truth."

- "You want to hear the wards, then? I did it. The Terrormorph attacks on Tau Ceti. New Atlantis. My doing. Years of coordination between my associate and I, figuring out how to deploy the Lazarus Plant's pollen outside of Londinion. Learning to synthesize it. Use it as a weapon. Now, being as clever as you are, I'm sure you have thoughts on why I might do such a thing?"

This dialogue option leads you to the Fifth Dialogue Options Menu.

What happens if you pick the dialogue option #4:

- "So, you really don't know anything about the attacks? Is that what you're claiming?"

- "Of course. Do I look like I'm in any position to do what you're describing? So I'd very much appreciate your agreement to not share what you found. We wouldn't want to make anyone else jumping to conclusions, now would we?"

This dialogue option leads you back to the Fourth Dialogue Options Menu.

Fifth Dialogue Options Menu

Image Credit: Bethesda/BORDERPOLAR

What happens if you pick the dialogue option #1:

- "Because you're a mad man and a murderer and you live to sow death."

- "Hmph... Hardly. The attacks... were a correction. When I discovered the plant, I did consider handing over what I'd found. But we were at war, and I couldn't risk information that dangerous falling into the wrong hands. So I ordered the bombing of the Londinion spaceport, fixing two problems at once - halting the spread of the city's Terrormorph outbreak... And sealing away knowledge of the plant's potential."

This dialogue option leads you to the Sixth Dialogue Options Menu.

What happens if you pick the dialogue option #2:

- "No better way to show the UC what a deadly weapon they have in the Lazarus plan than to use it."

- "Hmm. Not a bad thought, but no. The attacks... were a correction. When I discovered the plant, I did consider handing over what I'd found. But we were at war, and I couldn't risk information that dangerous falling into the wrong hands. So I ordered the bombing of the Londinion spaceport, fixing two problems at once - halting the spread of the city's Terrormorph outbreak... And sealing away knowledge of the plant's potential."

This dialogue option leads you to the Sixth Dialogue Options Menu.

What happens if you pick the dialogue option #3:

- "To work something on that long... this seems personal."

- "You couldn't be more right. The attacks... were a correction. When I discovered the plant, I did consider handing over what I'd found. But we were at war, and I couldn't risk information that dangerous falling into the wrong hands. So I ordered the bombing of the Londinion spaceport, fixing two problems at once - halting the spread of the city's Terrormorph outbreak... And sealing away knowledge of the plant's potential."

This dialogue option leads you to the Sixth Dialogue Options Menu.

What happens if you pick the dialogue option #4:

- "Associate? Who have you been working with?"

- "All in due time. First, I want to see if you're truley as astute as you appear. Whey would someone like me go through all this trouble?"

This dialogue option leads you back to the Fifth Dialogue Options Menu.

Sixth Dialogue Options Menu

Image Credit: Bethesda/BORDERPOLAR

What happens if you pick the dialogue option #1:

- "Please. No secret is so dangerous that you can justify condemning so many lives."

- "Easy to say now. But at the time, I didn't know the Lazarus Plant couldn't be plucked from the ground and used to cause even more death. I wasn't going to allow another dangerous variable be added to an already catastrophic war. But then, as the war ended - my trial, my execution - I made a decision. After all, I'd given everything for the Colonies, my life as I knew it included. And what did I get in return? Was there any effort by the UC to protect my legacy? My daughter's legacy? No. We were sacrificed when all we did was server. So I kept what I'd learned and arranged the attacks to set things right again. My daughter, she becomes a hero. I become a trusted advisor, having found Kaiser, the research team... And cement my new position of influence when I hand the name of the person responsible for the attack on New Atlantis: The dear departed Doctor Reginald Orlaise. The associate who aided me all these years... and who I always slated to take the fall. What luck he was stopped dead before he could hurt anyone else. His decades on the run brought to an end by another unlikely hero - you."

This dialogue option leads you to the Seventh Dialogue Options Menu.

What happens if you pick the dialogue option #2:

- "You just said it took you years to use the plant outside Londinion. You killed them for nothing!"

- "Simple to say now. But with the outbreak raging from a barely understood source, the moment demanded quick action. So I did what was required. I removed a dangerous variable from an already catastrophic war. But then, as the war ended - my trial, my execution - I made a decision. After all, I'd given everything for the Colonies, my life as I knew it included. And what did I get in return? Was there any effort by the UC to protect my legacy? My daughter's legacy? No. We were sacrificed when all we did was server. So I kept what I'd learned and arranged the attacks to set things right again. My daughter, she becomes a hero. I become a trusted advisor, having found Kaiser, the research team... And cement my new position of influence when I hand the name of the person responsible for the attack on New Atlantis: The dear departed Doctor Reginald Orlase. The associate who aided me all these years... and who I always slated to take the fall. What luck he was stopped dead before he could hurt anyone else. His decades on the run brought to an end by another unlikely hero - you."

This dialogue option leads you to the Seventh Dialogue Options Menu.

What happens if you pick the dialogue option #3:

- "That information should have been handed over. Secured to keep it from ever being used."

- "It's easy to judge now. In that moment, I wasn't about to add another dangerous variable to an already catastrophic war. But then, as the war ended - my trial, my execution - I made a decision. After all, I'd given everything for the Colonies, my life as I knew it included. And what did I get in return? Was there any effort by the UC to protect my legacy? My daughter's legacy? No. We were sacrificed when all we did was server. So I kept what I'd learned and arranged the attacks to set things right again. My daughter, she becomes a hero. I become a trusted advisor, having found Kaiser, the research team... And cement my new position of influence when I hand the name of the person responsible for the attack on New Atlantis: The dear departed Doctor Reginald Orlase. The associate who aided me all these years... and who I always slated to take the fall. What luck he was stopped dead before he could hurt anyone else. His decades on the run brought to an end by another unlikely hero - you."

This dialogue option leads you to the Seventh Dialogue Options Menu.

What happens if you pick the dialogue option #4 (appears after selecting #5):

- "Hmm. Maybe it is better that fewer people new about it."

- "Precisely. In that moment, I couldn't allow another dangerous variable be added to an already catastrophic war. But then, as the war ended - my trial, my execution - I made a decision. After all, I'd given everything for the Colonies, my life as I knew it included. And what did I get in return? Was there any effort by the UC to protect my legacy? My daughter's legacy? No. We were sacrificed when all we did was server. So I kept what I'd learned and arranged the attacks to set things right again. My daughter, she becomes a hero. I become a trusted advisor, having found Kaiser, the research team... And cement my new position of influence when I hand the name of the person responsible for the attack on New Atlantis: The dear departed Doctor Reginald Orlase. The associate who aided me all these years... and who I always slated to take the fall. What luck he was stopped dead before he could hurt anyone else. His decades on the run brought to an end by another unlikely hero - you."

This dialogue option leads you to the Seventh Dialogue Options Menu.

What happens if you pick the dialogue option #5:

- "You didn't even trust your own people in the UC?"

- "There were the final days of the Colony War, Captain. The Freestar Collective had spies everywhere. I was concerned that, if word got out, the Collective could swoop down, start breeding Lazarus Plants, and overrun our worlds with waves of Terrormorphs. Just like what was happening on Londinion at that very moment. Sealing off the city to prevent mass death? It was the only option that made sense at the time."

This dialogue option leads you back to the Sixth Dialogue Options Menu.
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