Step-by-step guide for the Starfield "Back to Vectera" quest:

Although you may start on a single piece of space rock in Starfield, you certainly won't linger there. Hundreds of planets are open for your exploration, and joining the constellation is merely the initial stride in your journey.

After completing your first mission with Sarah, where you had to track down a piece of artifact, several significant tasks await you, ready to be initiated. Eventually, you may feel the urge to return to the moon, where it all began: Vectera. This guide will lead you through the quest, ultimately allowing you to add some crucial individuals to your crew.

Return To Vectera

While conversing with Sarah at the lodge, she will suggest returning to Vectera to check on Barrett. If you wish to meet with the former captain of the Frontier, you should set course for the Narion system. Vectera is the moon orbiting the gas giant Anselon.

Upon landing at the Argos Extractors Mining Outpost, you will realize that not everything is in order. Your former boss, Lin, is still present and will explain to you what has transpired.

The pirates of the Crimson Fleet arrived to disrupt the party, and Heller and Barrett were captured. Lin did her best to send a communication signal to the pirates' ship, but the communication computer was destroyed during the fight.

Fix The Comms Computer

Lin entrusts you with the task of repairing the computer, and you must restore the communication system to determine where the Crimson Fleet might have gone. Follow your marker to one of the nearby buildings and enter it by using the switch on an exterior panel to open the doors.

Once you reach the computer room, you will need to interact with the communication computer to discover that the power supply is not functioning properly. You must locate batteries nearby that can be inserted into a nearby power system.

Where To Find Power Cells

You will need three power cells to restart the communication computer. Fortunately, there are some nearby:

• A couple power cells can be found on shelves in the same building as the computer.
• If you go outside and talk to Lin, you can ask her for a power cell.
• If you search a nearby powered-down robot, you can loot a power cell from it.

Go back and insert the power cells into the computer's power supply, and it will be repaired instantly. Interact with the communication computer to search for emergency transmissions. Fortunately, Barrett has sent an audio message to Vectera.

Go to Lin and inform her of what you have discovered. She will be able to retrieve location data embedded in the audio transmission. All indications point to Barrett and Heller being taken to a planet in the Valo system called Hillex.

However, before you set off from Vectera, Lin informs you that, considering everything that has happened at the mining outpost, she is seeking a new professional endeavor. Now you have the opportunity to recruit Lin into your crew. Lin specializes in explosives and outpost management.

Travel To Hillex

Your next step will be to calculate a course to the neighboring Valo system. You want to set Hillex as your destination planet. Land on the planet and follow your tracker to the last known position of Barrett and Heller.

Ensure that you scan the surface of all new planets and moons to determine their resources. Although Hillex is a barren planet devoid of flora or fauna, you can at least search for helium-3 (He-3) and aluminum (Al) while you are on the surface.

After some time of walking, you will come across the wreckage of a ship that can only belong to those you are trying to rescue. Search the vicinity of the wreckage, and you will find Heller on the ground, in a less than favorable condition, all alone. Heller will inform you about what happened to Barrett and how the ship crashed.

The Crimson Fleet eventually arrived to investigate, and Barrett was taken by them, but not before another emergency transmission was sent to Heller. He gives it to you, so open your inventory and look for the item named "Emergency Transmission 02." Listen to it to uncover the coordinates revealing Barrett's next whereabouts.

Once this is done, Heller will ask if he can accompany you, and you will be able to welcome him into your crew. If you don't wish to leave an injured man on a barren planet, bring Heller along with you, even if it is just to reunite him with Lin. Heller specializes in geology and outpost engineering.

Travel To Bessel III

Next stop: Bessel III in the Bessel system. Perform a gravitational jump here and then land at the raided research outpost. You will be in close proximity to the enemy's current operations base.

If you choose to reach the raided research outpost via the main route, be aware that there are some landmines placed there that can explode beneath you.

You will need to infiltrate the research outpost, but doing so means fighting against many of the pirates in the vicinity:

Enemy Level	Enemy Type
Lvl. 1	Pirates
Lvl. 6	Pirate Brigands
Lvl. 10	Pirate Freebooters
Lvl. 16	Pirate Rover

Be cautious when engaging this base. Several pirates patrol the area, and there are two turret emplacements on the rooftops, ready to fire upon you. A pirate rover is also stationed on an elevated observation platform, not only shooting at you but occasionally throwing grenades in your direction.

There is a control computer on one of the structural roofs near the main entrance. It has a beginner-level lock that you can unlock to gain control over the turret emplacements, in case you prefer to deactivate them instead of destroying them.

After dealing with the soldiers on the ground, approach the pirate rover that was likely shooting at you from the top of a tower and disable it. By defeating this enemy, you will obtain a legendary rifle called the Tesla Suppressed Calibrated Maelstrom. You will also find several crates that you can loot, with one of them containing 4680 credits.

How To Rescue Barrett

As you enter the raided outpost, you will soon see Barrett in a large room, surrounded by members of the Crimson Fleet. Make your way there, and while you could certainly storm in with weapons drawn, sometimes a little diplomacy never hurts.

Approach Barrett and the leader of the Crimson Fleet group, Matsura the Grim, to speak with them. Matsura will not simply release Barrett, but you will be faced with some choices on how you want to proceed:

• Persuade Matsura to release Barrett.
• Pay a ransom of 4000 credits to secure Barrett’s freedom.
• Sarah can step in and offer to use Constellation’s insurance to pay.
• Attack and fight the pirates.

Of course, you can continue to rely on violence if you wish, but you will then have to fight against additional pirates and Matsura the Grim himself. If you attempt to persuade Matsura, it is actually quite easy to do so.

Simply select the following two options, and he will let Barrett go:

• "You clearly get along with Barrett. You’re friends."
• "Look, Barrett is more trouble than he’s worth. A lot of pirates are already dead."

With your daring rescue now complete, you can return to the lodge on Jemison with Barrett. This concludes the questline "Back to Vectera," rewarding you with experience points and 7200 credits.

You are also one step closer to recruiting Barrett as he can now join your crew. Barrett possesses specialized knowledge in starship engineering, particle beam weapon systems, robotics, and gastronomy.