Accidents Happen Starfield – Ryujin Mission Walkthrough

How to Start the Mission

After you deal with Arthur Cruz and Zola Adisa in the Astral Lounge during Sowing Discord, Imogene has your next assignment waiting at Ryujin Tower.

HopeTech has been getting too comfortable, so Ryujin wants their public image dented. Imogene hands you an ARC device, short for Assist, Reprogram, Corrupt, and asks you to plant it on a HopeTech ship so the resulting “accident” looks like their own negligence.

Like every Ryujin mission so far, getting spotted while you plant it cuts your pay and your appraisal. It does not fail the mission, but you will earn less at the end.

1 – Travel to Hopetech

Mission Text:
“I need to travel to HopeTech on Polvo in the Valo system to plant an ARC device.”

HopeTech is the ship manufacturer based in the settlement of HopeTown, on the planet Polvo in the Valo system. On the starmap, Valo sits northwest of Volii, the system Neon is in.

If you have been to HopeTown before, during Access is Key or a Freestar Rangers mission, you can fast travel straight there. Otherwise grav jump to Valo, select Polvo and land at HopeTown. Since the Free Lanes update you can also cruise between planets inside the system once you arrive.

HopeTech headquarters is the large building directly in front of the landing pad. Head inside.

2 – Plant the ARC Device in HopeTech

Mission Text:
“I need to plant the ARC device I was given in HopeTech. I should be careful and not get caught.”

Inside HopeTech you need to reach the hangar at the back. There are doors at the rear of the ground floor, and another door in the CEO office on the upper level. You will not normally be challenged on the way through, so the ground floor route is the quickest.

Follow the mission marker across the hangar to the ship being worked on at the far side. There is an open door you can walk straight into. If you would rather scout first, climb the stairs at the edge of the warehouse and drop down from above, which gives you a clear view of the ship and the guard below.

Once inside, climb the ladder to the upper deck. The ARC device goes into the ship Service Panel up there. A guard patrols this area, so wait until he has turned away before you interact with the panel. Crouching helps.

3 – Return to Imogene at Ryujin Tower

Mission Text:
“I successfully planted the ARC device. I need to return to Imogene at Ryujin Tower to let her know.”

Head back to Neon and take the lift up to the Operations floor of Ryujin Tower. Imogene is waiting there.

She will not tell you exactly what the “accident” was, only that Masako will enjoy the news tonight. Report in and she hands you the next assignment, Maintaining the Edge.

Accidents Happen Rewards

Completing the mission gives you 100 XP and 2,500 Credits, and often a small random item such as digipicks or a booster. The credit amount can vary slightly with your difficulty setting.

If you were spotted planting the device, Imogene reduces the payout. Nothing else in the questline changes, and Maintaining the Edge starts either way.

Accidents Happen Bugs and Fixes

HopeTech Guards Attack You on Sight

Some players get shot at the moment they walk through the HopeTech doors, with no bounty on their record. The usual cause is the Freestar Rangers questline: if you killed Ron Hope, HopeTech staff can stay permanently hostile toward you.

There is no clean in-game fix once it has happened. Your options are to load an autosave from before you accepted the mission from Imogene, or to clear the building by force and accept the consequences. Fighting your way in does not fail the mission, but you will be flagged as caught and lose the bonus.

The Patrolling Guard Never Walks Away

On the upper deck the guard can settle into a spot that keeps the Service Panel in view, so the prompt never feels safe to use. Leave the ship, wait a short while and come back to reset his patrol, or plant the device anyway and take the reduced pay. Being seen does not break the mission.

You Cannot Find a Way into the Ship

The entry point is an open door on the ground level of the ship, not the loading ramp. If the marker is pointing through the hull, walk a full lap around the ship at ground level.