Starfield Missed the Mark: Should You Side with Maldonado or Helena

Starfield’s Missed The Mark is a mission to track down a missing courier that suddenly turns into a murder mystery. After a painfully slow stroll by Helena Strickland to a wall telecom, you’re on a mission to track down vital cargo. But your search takes a dark turn when you discover the courier dead at a blood-soaked desk.

Ms. Strickland then sends you to find a missing employee, Bonifac, who’s revealed as a pawn in Maldonado’s sinister game. While Maldonado’s clearly the villain, he slyly hints that Strickland’s a penny-pincher, offering more upfront cash for the data.

Should You Accept Maldonado’s Deal in Starfield?

After clearing the Eclipse Soldiers, interact with Maldonado to trigger a conversation that will open up two possible outcomes for this quest: side with Maldonado or side with Helena Strickland in Missed the Mark. 

The first two dialogue options lock down on a choice, whereas the third one just explores a bit more of what Ms. Strickland is like before making the choice. By asking Bonifac if Strickland is really as cheap as Maldonado claims, he’ll share that, yeah, she’s more on the “frugal side of things.”

Related: Starfield: How to Complete Guilty Parties

If 1600 extra credits at the expense of the companion’s approval and peace of mind sounds good, then accept Maldonado’s deal. This is the “You’ve got a deal. Bonifac’s all yours. Now hand over my money.” dialogue option. By siding with Maldonado in Missed the Mark, he’ll reward 4000 credits total. However, if a companion is with you, they will disapprove of this choice since it shows a lack of integrity.

Side with Ms. Strickland to get 3700 credits instead. Choose the “We’re leaving here with the data, Maldonaldo” dialogue option to save Bonifac. After finishing Maldonado, head back to Gagarin to finish to complete Missed the Mark.