Variable Removal

Variable Removal is a Railroad radiant quest in Fallout 4. It requires the Sole Survivor to go to a random location and eliminate a Courser. If left unchecked, a Courser could cause a lot of damage to the Railroad's infrastructure.

Quick walkthrough

 * 1) Eliminate the Courser
 * 2) Report back to Predictive Analytic Machine

Detailed walkthrough
1. Eliminate the Courser

Your Pip-Boy will have been updated with the location of the Courser (they are different random locations). Travel to that location and eliminate the Courser however you see fit. The only kill required to complete the quest is the Courser's but you can kill as many Synths at this location without turning the entire Institute hostile.

2. Report back to Predictive Analytic Machine

Return to P.A.M. at the Railroad HQ. She will congratulate you on a job well done and give you bottlecaps and sometimes a weapon.

Note
If player is friendly with the Institute, the courser and subsequent synths that relay in will remain friendly until player shoots the courser. It is possible to plant live grenades/mines onto the courser for a quick easy kill.

Journal entries

 * With the Courser taken care of, PAM doesn't have any more leads on others in the field. The Railroad's a little safer. For now, at least.

Bugs

 * When P.A.M. is reprogrammed and brought back to the Prydwen, it may still initiate the quest.