Political chaos reigns across the Arcadian star system in The Outer Worlds 2. Between corporate consolidation and the arrival of the Earth Directorate, there are only a few major factions remaining-and they all want in on the action. Stuck in the middle of all this is you, a Directorate agent who somehow finds himself with more influence than most of the system’s power players.
The Equitable Arrangement is one of the most complex narratives in the game, challenging you to broker peace-or at least cooperation-between two major factions: Auntie’s Choice and the Order of the Ascendant. Here’s how you start the quest, navigate the tense negotiations, and get the best possible outcome.
How to Start the Equitable Arrangement Quest
The Equitable Arrangement quest unlocks after completing a chain of missions involving both Auntie Cleo representing Auntie’s Choice and Ruth Basaar, the leader of the Order of the Ascendant.
To begin:
- Ensure both faction delegates survive the events at Greater Tranquility Station.
- If you fail to protect one or can’t pass the dialogue checks, you may have to kill Augustine de Vries for the alliance route.
- Meet both delegates individually and complete their assigned faction tasks.
- The specific outcomes of these tasks don’t have to be perfect — as long as both factions are satisfied, you’ll eventually unlock invitations to meet their leaders.
- The Equitable Arrangement quest begins once both Auntie Cleo and Ruth Basaar agree to peace talks.
Convincing Auntie Cleo and Ruth Basaar to Meet
Getting both leaders to the negotiating table is half the battle.
Auntie Cleo is easily persuaded; she’s open to diplomacy and agrees to host the meeting aboard her ship, the Undisputed Claim, virtually, of course. Ruth Basaar, however, is more resistant. If you can’t pass the Persuade or Lie checks, select the dialogue option suggesting that the Order is worried about being outmaneuvered in the talks.
This choice softens her position enough to proceed with the meeting-she won’t be thrilled, but she’ll show up.
(Pro tip: Save your game before the meeting. The negotiations can collapse quickly depending on your dialogue choices.)
The Peace Talks: Finding Common Ground
Once the meeting begins on the Undisputed Claim, you’ll mediate three significant points of contention between the factions:
- Who controls the Archive
- Whoever controls Skip Drive production and distribution
- Who owns and operates Rift technology?
These choices determine your ending and faction relationships — even if you fail dialogue checks, there’s still a route to success if you choose carefully.
1. Control of the Archive
Start by proposing that the Order of the Ascendant retains control over the Archive. Offer to balance the deal by suggesting that a small portion of the Archive’s power can be diverted for Auntie’s Choice corporate marketing campaigns.
When Ruth protests, tell her Auntie will pay the Order for this access, which can fund scientific research. Both leaders grudgingly agree —Auntie gets publicity, Ruth gets funding for research. A workable compromise.
2. Oversight over Skip Drive Production
Who oversees the production of the highly dangerous technology that is Skip Core, as it is directly related to Rift instability?
Ruth is apprehensive about corporate abuse. Auntie claims the Order would only warehouse the tech. Select the option granting oversight to Auntie’s Choice. Convince Ruth that production control is essential for responsible distribution. She’ll reluctantly agree.
If you made Skip Core data public during Niles’ “Do More Harm” companion quest, this debate becomes irrelevant.
3. Management of Rift Technology
The last debate concerns ownership of Rift manipulation technology. This is the most volatile point: both sides want control.
Choose the dialogue option that suggests shared ownership of Rift technology. When Auntie balks, assure her that collaboration isn’t weakness, it’s mutual protection. She will concede that partial ownership is better than nothing and finalize the alliance. If you’ve followed this path, the peace deal succeeds, and both factions acknowledge your diplomatic miracle.
The Consequences of the Alliance
Securing the alliance yields major benefits: Both Auntie’s Choice and The Order of the Ascendant support you in the mission to assault the Archive. You can allow their troops entry via elevators once you’ve breached the facility. They will provide you with weapons, armor, healing items, and other resources during the final mission. Failing the negotiations, however, has steep consequences — you’ll lose reputation with both factions, and they’ll refuse to work with you for the rest of the game.
