All That Money Can Buy is a main story mission in Starfield. It is the sixth main story mission, and begins after the player completes the Into the Unknown mission and then talks to Walter Stroud. This mission is directly connected to a very short mission called Starborn.
Objectives[]
- Talk to Walter Stroud
- Travel to Neon
- Talk to Walter Stroud
- Check in at Stroud-Eklund HQ
- Talk to Issa Eklund
- Ask About Security
- Check the Door Controls
- Investigate the Seller
- Search the Seller's Sleepcrate
- Talk to Walter Stroud
- Go to the Astral Lounge
- Locate the Seller
- Talk to Walter Stroud
- Negotiate for the Artifact
- Head to the Entrance
- Talk to Issa Eklund
- Go to Slayton Aerospace HQ
- Find a Way to the Next Floor
- Take the Elevator
- Talk to Walter
- Go to the Next Floor
- Climb the Trade Tower
- Confront Nicolaus Slayton
- Talk to Musgrove
- Go to the Ship
- Talk to Walter Stroud
- Take Off from Neon
Detailed Walkthrough[]
Talk to Walter Stroud at The Lodge. He lets you know he is surprised you've stuck around this long. He figured you'd get what you wanted from Constellation and leave, never to return. He needs your help with a little "soiree" (business meeting) he is planning. After letting him know you are interested, he will explain his plan: You are to buy an Artifact from a dubious seller in Neon. Walter needs presence in the negotiation to show he is a serious buyer, and thinks you'd be perfect for the job. If you inquire about Neon, Walter will explain that "anything goes there, as long as you have the money" and that you both will be taking full advantage of that fact. Let Walter know you're in. He explains that you will need to make a few stops, then "drinks are on him".
Walter will join you on your ship until you reach Neon. Once there he comments on the Chasmbass odor and then you can enter Neon. Walter informs you that you will need to go to Stroud-Eklund's office, as you need to withdraw a large amount of funds and there are certain authorization procedures, even for the CEO's purchase of an Artifact.
Head to Stroud-Eklund Corporate HQ at the Trade Tower. Once inside, after a short conversation with the employee at the front desk, you will be introduced to Walter's wife and co-worker Issa Elkund. They will have a short business conversation about different markets they are exploring, then Issa will introduce herself.
After introductions and some banter, you get to business. Walter requests the entire discretionary fund. Issa will know this is related to the "meeting in the Astral Lounge". In this conversation you will also learn that the two hacked into each other's files. Issa then offers to assist and her and Walter detail a quick plan for you while they review the fund authorizations: investigate the seller's motivation, review the Astral Lounge's layout for security flaws, bribe the bouncers, and alter the codes on the doors. Walter gives you 1000 credits for expenses and informs you to speak to James Newill, as he knows the seller. He asks you to meet him back at Stroud-Eklund Corporate HQ after you are done so you can commence the negotiation with the seller together. You can do either of these tasks in whatever order you prefer.
Ask about security[]
Once in the Astral Lounge, speak to the barman Boone Morgan. He will mention that security is fine there and offer you a spot on the VIP list for 4000 credits. You can attempt to lower the amount by persuading him. Next go to the VIP Lounge and hack into the computer (Novice) to give you an edge and lock the door on a simple hand signal.
If you have the Starborn trait, you can get on the VIP list for free and skip the persuasion/bribery attempt.
While you are in the VIP lounge, don't forget to grab the skill magazine Neon Nights 02 from booth 1.
Investigate the seller[]
Head to Newill's Goods. You need to talk to James Newill. He will play coy, but you can persuade him to talk, or pay 2500 credits. If you are at a certain stage of the game, you can also simply use the Starborn dialogue option and won't need to pay or persuade. James will point you to Sleepcrate One, and you'll be on your way. In Ebbside, locate his crate and hack the door (Novice locked, not a crime). Inside the crate, you will find a GalBank statement data slate and a Termination notice data slate detailing our seller's motivation for stealing the Artifact, along with their poor financial standing. Look at his computer, and you'll see he's desperate to sell.
Finishing both of these tasks will conclude your objectives and you can return to Walter.
Astral Lounge: Find the seller[]
You will find him in a quite intimate talk with Issa, and she mentions she will watch your operation, just in case. Head to the Astral Lounge, Once there, Walter will give you the passphrase for the seller: “Ramsey and Travers”. They will have a briefcase large enough to hold the Artifact next to them. The seller (named Musgrove) is near the bar on the right when facing it. Speak the password to him, and he'll be on his way to the meeting. Saying the wrong passphrase has no impact, he will just shut the conversation down. Go see Walter and follow him to the VIP section.
Astral Lounge VIP Balcony: Acquire the Artifact[]
Head to the VIP room where you altered the security code. Talk to Musgrove. You can choose to sit down or stay standing up, it makes no difference in the outcome of the mission. You can pay Musgrove, grab the Artifact and run, or talk him down/threaten him by locking him in the room. If you have the Starborn trait, you can simply tell Musgrove you know that he stole the Artifact and that his agents are on the way. This will force him to hand over the Artifact for the original agreed-upon amount. Regardless of how you acquired the Artifact, on the way out, you're stopped by an agent of Slayton Aerospace. It seems like Mr. Slayton is the original owner of the Artifact. If you bought the VIP Package, you can call security on the Slayton Aerospace agent. If you didn't, you can persuade him or attack. If you have the Starborn trait, you can convince him to stand down, letting him know he is simply a pawn for Slayton to meet you and Walter face to face. However you dealt with security, head down to the dance floor. Walter states now is the time to get off the planet.... quickly. Go to the entrance of the Astral Lounge. Issa will be there. She will reveal your ship has been impounded, and a bounty has been put on your heads. There is now no other choice but to visit Slayton offices to get him off your backs.
Slayton Aerospace[]
Head to the Trade Tower and up the elevator to Slayton Aerospace. In there, you'll have to find a way to the upper floor. You can try to persuade the receptionist (Ryleigh) or attack. If you have the Starborn trait, you can force her to hand over the elevator key so you can head to Slayton. You can also choose to not interact with the receptionist and find your way up the elevator yourself. To do that, on the left is a novice-locked door. You can get in there and grab the Slayton utility key from the crate to open the door on the right of the elevator's corridor which was previously locked (Expert) or you can find a utility key in the bathroom. Next, hack the terminal there (Advanced). That is one option, or you can sneak in the security office and steal an Executive key card. However, security will jump on you if they catch you in the security office.
Once in the elevator, you will be trapped by Slayton, but Issa patches in thanks to her money and opens the door. In here, you can fight your way out OR sneak through the vents on the right. You will not lose out on any notable loot if you sneak through the building rather than fight through. Issa will be guiding you every step of the way. Outside, there's no sneaking anymore, just fight or run to the upper door. You'll confront Nicolaus Slayton. You can choose to negotiate or attack Slayton and his bodyguards. If you decide to negotiate, you will be forced to decide what to do with the thief, Musgrove. No matter how you choose to deal with Slayton and Musgrove, you will leave Slayton Aerospace. There is also no notable loot in the area where you find Musgrove and Slayton, excluding an industrial crate and a contraband cache, so your decision will have no impact on the loot you can receive.
After finishing up at Slayton Aerospace, head to the spaceport and depart Neon with the Artifact. Walter will talk to you and you will receive some rewards.
Depart Neon. You will be confronted by an unknown starship. They will demand you hand over the Artifact, saying "you hold something you have no right to".
- If you have acquired the Starborn trait, you will have some unique dialogue with the ship.
If you don't have/select the Starborn option:
The Helix ship will explain they are the Starborn. They know your kind - and that is the exact reason you cannot have the Artifact. After some short dialogue with the Starborn, the mission will end and the next main mission (Starborn) will immediately begin - where you are faced with a decision.
Rewards[]
From Walter
- Fiscal Quarter
- 6.5mm CT ammunition
- 10,000 credits
Upon mission completion
- 400 XP
Notes/Trivia[]
- After the conversation between Walter and Issa, they will walk away and have a personal, intimate conversation.
- Issa mentions Walter seeming "tense". Walter explains that Constellation is on the verge of something remarkable. Issa then gives the breakdown of how things are going in Stroud-Eklund's business operations. They then discuss their relationship and the conversation ends.
- In multiple conversations during this mission, there are [Neon Street Rat] dialogue choices.
- When you use the Starborn trait to get VIP security, it seems bugged. After Boone tells you that you've been added to the VIP list, you are still prompted to either persuade or bribe him right after selecting that dialogue option.
- You can simply state "Not interested". You will still receive the VIP security to use on the Slayton Aerospace goon.
- There does not seem to be any notable loot in the Slayton Aerospace executive area. Therefore, taking the quiet approach through the area won't cause you to miss any notable loot (excluding ammunition, credits, and any parts you can loot from robots and humans).