Starfield: Red Tape Reclamation – Should You Kill Hank, Lie, or Turn Him In

So you successfully landed a job as the assistant to the Deimos Executive on Cydonia, approved the order for new mining equipment, and are patiently awaiting its arrival. The only catch is that the employee Trevor sent to pick up the gear hasn’t arrived, and suspicion is beginning to brew.

Enter Hank – known as a bit of a weirdo around the job site, Trevor assumed Hank was attempting to step up and show initiative when he offered to pick up the shipment of mining gear. As it turns out, Hank planned to steal the equipment, effectively ruining Deimos’ Cydonia branch and tanking the local economy.

Of course, that’s not how the story plays out if you finish the quest. In fact, you have three different options when tying up Hank’s loose ends.

What Happens If You Kill Hank?

At the climax of Starfield’s Red Tape Reclamation questline, Hank takes the player to his ship outside of Cydonia to “give up the gear,” but – to no one’s surprise – Hank pulls a gun on you at the last second, stating he never intended to let you live after he revealed his sinister plan.

So, from here, the player has a few options, with the quickest and dirtiest being a gunfight to the death. However, this is ultimately seen as the quest’s worst ending. It gets the job done, but Trevor won’t be too stoked. He always knew it was a possibility but made it evidently clear from the beginning that he would prefer no one lose their life.

Enjoy your credits and XP, but maybe try not to be so trigger-happy next time.

What Happens If Hank Comes Clean?

The next two outcomes are unlocked once a player successfully persuades Hank to put his gun away. Since there are “better” outcomes, players should use Hippolyta or other Persuasion-increasing consumables before engaging in conversation with Hank. Additionally, having the Wanted trait adds an extra persuasion option that makes filling the bar a bit easier.

After the successful persuasion, players have the option to convince Hank to turn himself into the police. Hank acts remorseful yet optimistic. He knows what he did was wrong and is willing to serve time for his actions (while the police promise to go easy on him), and he’s happy that his three-year contract with Deimos will likely be terminated.

You’ll need to talk to Booth in Cydonia’s security office and let him know that Hank has come clean. Here you can also choose to keep your word and tell them to go easy on Hank, or you can tell them to go hard on him. Regardless, Hank is locked up in a nearby cell where you can visit him.

When that’s all said and done, you’ll return to Trevor and get your due reward. A whopping 4800 credits and a full suite of Deimos gear, including a pack, cap, space helmet, and space suit. Oh, and he gives you a bunch of iron for building or crafting.

What Happens If You Lie For Hank?

Additionally, you can choose to lie on Hank’s behalf, allowing him to keep his job at Deimos and avoid prison time. After a successful persuasion attempt, Hank will ask what your plan is, and you can choose to lie to Trevor and tell him Hank was attacked by space pirates.

If you thought Peter Brennan was an idiot, this interaction with Trevor gives him a run for his money. Trevor not only believes Hank’s lie at face value, but he is visually excited to hear more about this fictitious run-in with pirates. However, that’s a lie Hank will have to tell on his own at a later date.

The quest plays out like normal, although Trevor is a bit more cheerful than he is if Hank goes to prison. You’ll get the same rewards and XP for completing the quest this way, but Hank will be mining iron in the lower level of Cydonia forever instead of rotting away in a jail cell.