A Meeting of the Minds

A Meeting of the Minds is a Fallout 3 main quest and achievement that is added to the game with the Point Lookout add-on.

Walkthrough
After watching Calvert Mansion explode you can enter the Panic Room through a hatch in the ruins. There is some minor loot including ammunition, food, a Nuka-Cola Quantum and two very rare gum drops.

This mission begins slightly differently depending on who you sided with in Thought Control, either Desmond Lockheart or Professor Calvert. In either case, make your way to Point Lookout Lighthouse where a section of the floor slides away. The final showdown takes place in St. Aubin medical facility, a secret underground lab.

Sided with Desmond
You installed the cogwave jammer and sided with Desmond.


 * Find Desmond. He is fuming inside the panic room about Calvert killing his dogs Freki and Geri.


 * Tell Desmond you are ready. Desmond has tracked down Calvert's signal to the Lighthouse, in the underground lab, and is ready to end the 200 year-old feud.

&apos; Note: This route makes Desmond essential until the final choice.

Sided with Calvert
You destroyed the cogwave jammer and sided with Calvert.


 * Travel to the Lighthouse. Desmond is not inside the panic room but has already made his way to the underground lab in the Lighthouse.


 * Desmond will confront you about destroying his jammer. Through dialogue you can tell him you were tired of him being rude, or it was a trick to gain Calvert's trust, or decide to kill Desmond at this point. If you do not kill Desmond he will assist fighting robots and the player will be able to make the final choice later on.

Making Your Way to the Brain
Once inside the lab, begin making your way down with Desmond, fighting turrets and several robobrains along the way. You can let Desmond run ahead and engage first; if hit enough he will become unconscious but will not die. If you have the robotics expert perk, then you may be able to deactivate the robobrains while they are distracted by Desmond. Take your time to loot each area because Desmond will usually not run ahead.

The first room on the left from when you enter the lab includes three first aid boxes and a Gatling laser. In the next room directly downstairs, use the terminal to deactivate the turrets and pick up a Mesmetron power cell and microfusion cells. If you delay long enough, Desmond will start to dance impatiently in front of the door.

In the next section, the first room on the left includes several types of energy weapon cells. The first room on the right is Dr. Stewart's office and includes an average safe with a Stealth Boy and other random loot, an ammo box with microfusion cells, and three pre-War books. The terminals in this room and those thereafter contain background notes on the lab. The last room before the stairs includes several more energy weapon and mesmetron cells.

The stairs lead to a round room with two doors, one open. The room on the right has more power cells and a security badge. A robobrain sentry is stationed behind a locked door in this room and will come out once you enter the room. After handling the sentry, check the small room for more ammo and a Stealth Boy before proceeding. The next level down has operating rooms; the second room on the right houses a bunch of chems. Use the terminal to unlock the door at the end of the hall. The next room has an easy safe with a Stealth Boy and many caps, as well as another Gatling laser and more energy weapons/ammo.

More stairs lead down to a hallway with several doors, all leading to bunks. Continue forward and you and Desmond will eventually reach Calvert's room, where you'll see the Brain himself in a massive glass tank surrounded by inactive protectrons and several fake protectron statues.

Who to kill?
If you have not already killed Calvert, it is time for the final choice. You can wait for Desmond and Calvert to have a short, angry conversation, each of them claiming to have your support. (If you wait long enough, the dialogue will begin to loop.) Eventually you'll be forced to decide which of them to kill. If you speak to Calvert, he'll offer the greatest thing any human could ever hope for in exchange for your killing Desmond. You now have a decision to make...

Killing Calvert
If you side with Desmond, shoot at the Brain's glass tank until the glass shatters or attack one of the docile protectrons. (Desmond becomes temporarily essential until Calvert is completely dead.)

After the Brain is dead, any remaining robots will be disabled and you can talk to Desmond. He will be overjoyed to have finally won and remarks that everything that Calvert stole from him is finally all his (although he's still a bit rude to you). Desmond gives you the exit key.

After speaking to Desmond again, he will tell you that after he's done in the lab he will go north to confront another one of the "players". He refers to this contest as a "microcosm of the old world".

You also have the option of killing Desmond as well, but it is not mandatory.

Killing Desmond
If you side with Calvert, simply shoot at Desmond or place a grenade in his pocket. (Calvert becomes temporarily essential until Desmond is completely dead.)

Once Desmond is dead, the Professor will reward you with the greatest thing any human could ever hope for... DEATH! At least he'll try, at which point he'll send some of the previously inactive protectrons after you.

You must now kill Calvert as well, because the exit is sealed until he is dead.

Rewards
In the sealed room, there are 2 ammunition-boxes, a safe, 2 first aid boxes, some energy weapon ammunition, some misc. items, and of course, the microwave emitter. There is also a ladder leading outside.

Bugs

 * Sometimes when you reach the first door that slams shut and requires you to hack or find a card, if you decide to hack it, when the door opens the player will not be able to proceed, an invisible barrier is blocking the door. This occasionally happens with others doors. To fix this, simply save where you are then reload the save. You should be able to go through the door.
 * Some ammunition boxes, items and containers cannot be opened; they can be reached by using the console command through the floor.
 * It is possible that Desmond will run into the cupboard room when you open the first door after you meet up with him and then he doesn't move from there unless you proceed into the next area, where he still may not proceed with you.
 * If you destroy Calvert's jar with a frag mine, his brain may continue floating in the air.