In the “Juno’s Gambit” mission in Starfield, you come across a mysterious ship in Tau Ceti and accept an invitation from Ryujin Operatives Khambatta and Collins to dock and investigate. As you board the ship, you find yourself in a classic Humans vs. AI standoff with the operatives urging you to install a Control Board into the ship’s AI, Juno, in order to alter her programming.
But as is often the case in Starfield, you have another choice: confront the Ryujin Operatives directly. In this article, we’ll explore the interesting consequences of each choice and discuss a third option available to you if you happen to be a Ryujin Operative yourself.
What Happens if You Attach the Control Board in Juno’s Gambit?
Through your conversation with Juno, you discover that she originated as a NASA-designed AI but has since evolved beyond her original purpose as she traversed the Starfield galaxy. This evolution has unsettled the Ryujin Operatives, who request you to insert a Control Board into Juno’s system to “change” her—primarily because they are too afraid to do it themselves. Juno pleads with you not to comply.
If you choose to attach the Control Board, the following events unfold after Juno temporarily shuts down:
- Khambatta assures you of a generous compensation from Ryujin Industries HQ, and Collins delightfully invites you to join them for a happy hour the next time you’re at the office.
- After bidding your farewells and undocking from Juno’s ship, you receive a transmission indicating that Juno has powered back on and is now furious about being “changed.”
- Eventually, Juno decides to vent the ship’s oxygen and disable life support before executing a Grav Jump and vanishing.
So, while you are initially praised and congratulated by the Ryujin Operatives for completing their task and attaching the control board, this choice ultimately results in the demise of both Khambatta and Collins.
What Happens if You Deal With the Ryujin Operatives in Juno’s Gambit?
If you side with Juno and choose to confront the Ryujin Operatives, there are two approaches depending on your affiliation with Ryujin Industries:
#1: If You Are a Ryujin Industries Member:
- You can opt for the [Ryujin Industries] dialogue options to gain the trust of Khambatta and Collins and convince them to call it a day, leaving Juno alone.
- This peaceful resolution results in them requesting a ride back to Neon without any further conflict.
#2: If You Are Not a Ryujin Industries Member:
If you choose to go with the more aggressive approach, you can eliminate the two Operatives and proceed to undock from the ship to complete the mission.
In either case, once you undock your ship from Juno’s, she powers back up and states that she has “much to process,” ultimately choosing to jump into deep space to seek solitude.
Click here to check out our latest Starfield guides!
If you liked this article and found it helpful, let us know in the comments below. And remember to stay tuned to Gamer Haul for the latest updates and top-notch guides for your favorite games!