Crystal Hunt is the sixth required contract of the GalSpan storyline. It is offered at Hellas Starbase.
Story[]
After the catastrophic failure of the Hephaestus module replica, the Galactic Spanning Corporation determines that they need to build the Hephaestus from stronger material. The answer, they believe, lies in the Ripstar Region.
Tricia Bales tasks Jake Logan to find a sample found deep within the Draconis Ripstar Field and bring it back for testing. The object is the KC2 Crystal, a crystal formed in asteroids that have been continually exposed to ripstar radiation. If the mineral proves to strengthen components of the Hephaestus as GalSpan engineers theorize, progress on the Hephaestus Project can resume.
Logan's work out in the ripping field isn't easy. Ripstars are abundant there and their gravity pulls on his fighter's hull as he passes deeper into the asteroids. If he gets to close to them, the singularities will drag his ship in and literally tear his ship apart. What's more is that the Bora seem to have caught wind of GalSpan's crystal hunt far in advance and deployed three minelayers to mine the field. If the ripstars don't crush Logan's ship, flying too close to the proximity mines will blow it to pieces.
If Logan recognizes the parallel between the intense pressure on him to perform and the pressure that is necessary to form KC2 Crystals, he makes no note of it.
After thorough searching, Logan eventually secures a sample of KC2 and flies back to the Canopus Research Facility to drop it off for inspection. He has little time to relax, however, as a strike force of Daggers await him in Canopus Research. While he takes the ships out quickly enough, more stress isn't what he needs.
After Logan clears away the terrorists, he drops off the crystal and returns to base, where Bales confirms that the KC2 is the missing ingredient the Hephaestus engineers needed. Thanks to Logan the Hephaestus Project can resume, but it will take some time for him to decompress from the mission.
Strategy[]
Breakdown[]
- Fly to Draconis Ripstar Field Sector.
- Retrieve a KC2 Crystal.
- Fly to Canopus Research Sector.
- Dock at Canopus Research Facility.
Execution[]
After you arrive in Draconis Ripstar Field Sector, turn to the right until you see the section of the Ripstar Nebula in the background. There will be two white spots in the middle of the nebula, a large bright one below, and a small one above. You will see a cluster of asteroids slightly to the right of the small white spot. Fly toward that cluster. Once you are close enough, a purple ripstar marker will appear on your HUD. Approach it, and a KC2 Crystal will appear.
You can also play this part of the mission traditionally by flying toward any one of the multiple sets of nav buoys that mark the edges of the Draconis Ripstar Field, then following the purple arrows that appear on your HUD to find a KC2 Crystal.
Once you have the crystal aboard, fly to Canopus Research. There will be fifteen Daggers waiting for you. They are slow and only a couple attack at one time, so you can quickly dock at Canopus before you come under fire, then afterburn back to base.
Unlocks[]
Contracts[]
GalSpan[]
Frontier[]
Weapons and systems[]
Ships[]
Hephaestus Project items[]
Trivia[]
- There are 3 Bora minelayers and 160 mines in the Draconis Ripstar Field during this mission, which makes it the contract with the highest number of enemies in a single sector in the entire game.
- There are six KC2 Crystals that you can collect in the Draconis Ripstar Field. However, you only need to collect one of them, and there are no added benefits to collecting more than one.
- This is the only mission in the game where gravitationally active ripstars are present. The Draconis Ripstar Field contains only KC2 asteroids during all other Ripstar Region contracts.
Gallery[]
