Discover the Hidden Secrets of Starfield: Unravel the Truth with Zoe or Louisa?

Starfield, similar to other intricate RPGs from Bethesda, incorporates multiple instances where players are presented with the dilemma of choosing between two options. While some choices may appear obvious to a few players, most will likely find them more ambiguous. One of the compelling aspects of games like Starfield is the unpredictability of the choices. Will they have a lasting impact? The only way to ascertain is by taking a leap of faith.

An early opportunity for decision-making in Starfield arises in a side-quest called "Alternating Currents," which can easily be overlooked. Like many initial side-quests, players are likely to stumble upon this adventure through overheard conversations among the inhabitants of New Atlantis. The city is facing frequent power failures, and all indications point towards an electrical problem emanating from The Well, a lower-class residential area beneath the city where the less privileged citizens of the United Colonies reside.

How to Find and Complete Alternating Currents

As mentioned earlier, the player will initially receive a notification about the quest upon overhearing NPCs in New Atlantis discussing the power problems within the city. This conversation automatically triggers the addition of the quest to the Activities section of the Mission menu.

The mission itself is quite straightforward. After choosing it as the active mission, the player will be guided to the Well by quest markers. Unfortunately, this area cannot be accessed through fast-travel, so the player must take the elevators located in either the Spaceport or MAST New Atlantis Transit (NAT) stations. Once you reach the Well, find Louisa Reyez, who can be found directly across from the MedBay location. She will explain that there seems to be a single source that is drawing an immense amount of power.

Louisa will guide the player to a series of circuit breakers, all clearly marked with quest icons, ensuring that they are highly visible and easy to find. Eventually, the quest will lead to the Trade Authority, where the player will have an encounter with Zoe Kaminski, the representative of the Trade Authority in New Atlantis. Initially, it may seem that the Trade Authority itself is responsible for drawing the power, but after a heated debate with Louisa, she asserts that this is merely an illusion. The power is actually being routed through her building, although its source lies elsewhere.

Ultimately, this leads to a luxury apartment in Athena Tower, where the player will come across a dedicated hacker setup aimed at siphoning off funds from every transaction made through GalBank. Although the hacker is nowhere to be found, the player manages to download a substantial amount of compelling evidence from the system. At this point, the game presents a pivotal decision: both Zoe and Louisa not only desire, but also anticipate the player to deliver the evidence back to them.

Should I Give the Evidence to Zoe or Louisa in Alternating Currents?

The decision of whom to present the evidence to may appear to hold significant implications for the player. Should the evidence be entrusted to Zoe, who has strong ties to one of the game's most dependable sources of revenue and potentially its largest merchant? Or should it be handed over to Louisa, a conscientious public servant faithfully fulfilling her duties?

Louisa emphasizes the need for the evidence to demonstrate to her superiors that her time was not squandered. Additionally, she expresses her keen interest in ensuring that the perpetrator faces the consequences and expresses her desire to thoroughly analyze all the available data.

Zoe's motives for obtaining the data appear to be highly suspect. She explicitly states that she will not provide Louisa with all the information needed to apprehend the criminal. Instead, she prefers to handle the matter internally, with minimal interference from the United Colonies.

Given these alternatives, which option is the most suitable? The simple answer is that it does not really matter. Choosing either option will not lead to any significant long-term consequences. If the player decides to give the evidence to Zoe, she keeps it to herself, rewards the player with a substantial sum of credits, and continues running the Trade Authority's New Atlantis branch.

When the player gives the evidence to Louisa, she assures them that the authorities will receive the information and her superiors will be pleased with her performance. Regardless of the chosen option, the player will receive the same amount of credits and XP.

While Bethesda is renowned for their immersive and intricate storytelling, this particular choice is merely an illusion. This is just one instance of a decision players will encounter in Starfield's extensive gameplay. Prior to this, players would have already encountered the pirate Brogan and made a choice regarding his fate. These types of situations are not uncommon and players can always expect unpredictable outcomes from this exceptional game mechanic.

Starfield is available now for Xbox Series X/S and PC.