Still in the Dark



Still in the Dark is a side quest in Fallout: New Vegas.

Detailed walkthrough
Still in the Dark is a quest obtained inside the Brotherhood of Steel's western compound, the Hidden Valley bunker. To gain access to the interior of this bunker, the Courier needs to either have a Lockpick skill of 100 (Very Hard) or perform certain other actions to be able to interact with the intercom, such as:
 * Finding any one of the three holotapes on dead Brotherhood of Steel paladins.
 * Getting far enough in any faction's storyline to be asked to find the Brotherhood of Steel.
 * Having Veronica as a companion.
 * Getting two playbacks from ED-E will eventually let Senior Knight Lorenzo manage to hack into ED-E's communication systems and ask the Courier to find a Brotherhood patrol so they can have a look at ED-E's databanks.

Using the BOS password or picking the lock will cause a Brotherhood of Steel squad to appear and confiscate the Courier's entire inventory. A short scene follows in which the Courier is questioned by Senior Paladin Ramos about the password itself. A meeting with Elder McNamara follows and the first quest is assigned.
 * Note: If entry is gained with Veronica as a companion, certain parts of the quest line are omitted. The Courier's gear is not confiscated, there is no explosive collar, and the first quest is skipped.

The elder will explain the secretive nature of the location. The Courier is fitted with an explosive collar, which will detonate after passing beyond a certain range of the area.
 * The first task is to remove Ranger Dobson who has set up shop in a nearby bunker. Success is rewarded with a removal of the collar, free movement about the bunker and the next quest.
 * Dobson can be convinced to leave by passing a Speech check (50), and good reputation with the NCR.
 * The Courier can also ask about his radio, wait until daylight when he leaves the bunker, select his radio and choose the option to smash it. Smashing the radio with Dobson in the room will make him turn hostile.
 * The radio can also be rigged to explode. When he returns, he will go fiddle with the radio and meet a quick death. If the ranger is in the room while the radio is being rigged, he will notice what was done and will confront the Courier. Passing a Speech check (40) will lead to the ranger blowing himself up the next time he uses the radio.
 * Reveal the location of the Brotherhood of Steel to the NCR ranger, and he will then remove the collar from the Courier, but will be ambushed by Brotherhood of Steel paladins. If the ranger is saved, NCR fame is awarded, but the quest will fail.
 * The final option is to kill him.
 * The second task is to locate several patrols that have gone missing. The paladins (Raseleanne, Hughes and Fairbanks) must be brought back, or if found dead, their mission holotapes returned.

After exiting the elder's chamber, the Courier is confronted by Head Paladin Hardin who believes the elder's policy of keeping them isolated from the outside world will be their doom, and wants help in ousting Elder McNamara. He asks the Courier to find out more about what leads to an elder being replaced and requests an update on all the quests given by the elder. These are all marked as optional parts of the same quest.

REPCONN headquarters
Once finished with the tour, enter the door to the left in the planetarium and up the stairs to get the keycard. Go back to the first room and through the locked door using the card. Find the door to the second floor and take the first door on the left. Hack the terminal (Very Easy), beside a Nikola Tesla and You, and select the first option which gives unlimited access to the second floor. Find the door heading to the third floor and enter. If a Luck (7) or Intelligence (<3) check by a security robot is not passed, it will tell the Courier that they must leave in 30 seconds. Search the paladins near the rubble for the mission statement (Matiz) and leave (there is also a 3rd Level security pass located in Piers Isley's briefcase, next to his skeleton).

Nellis Air Force Base
The location of the paladin can change from game to game because of the artillery the Boomers fire when the Courier first approaches Nellis. Here is one probable location: After the Boomers stop bombing, stand at the entrance to Nellis. Head south-southwest up the hill and pass between the car and road barricade. There is a bombed house directly ahead. Continue south-southwest down the road to the house next door. There is a backyard behind that house bordered by a wall with ornamental decorations. In the backyard, there is a crater with a car in it. The paladin (Raseleanne) should be in or nearby that crater. Take the mission statement from her.

To pass the bombing, don't do as the note says. Just run left toward the fence staying as close as possible to the rocks and go along the fence to reach the gate.

Black Mountain
After exiting the Hidden Valley bunker, aim directly in between northeast and east on the Pip-Boy compass. Follow this to a hole in the fence and follow the trail left to Black Mountain. It is possible to access the cage from Black Mountain with a Lockpick skill of at least 75. The gate is just behind the radio station. This is where Moe and possibly 5-6 additional centaurs are located, in and around an irradiated crater (+1-11 Rad/sec). The paladin (Fairbanks) holding the mission statement is at the bottom of the crater.

Return to the bunker and hand over the tapes to McNamara, or talk to Head Paladin Hardin who will accept the holotapes and use them as evidence to oust McNamara.

Ousting McNamara
(Optional) If the Courier chooses to help Head Paladin Hardin, start by researching previous elders' dismissals in the scribe archive datastore. Doing this requires the problem with the Hidden Valley computer virus to be resolved. Speak with Scribe Ibsen about fixing the virus. After the virus is isolated, consult the datastore, then talk to Paladin Ramos about 'The Chain that Binds.' He will authorize access to this information in the datastore. Return to the archives and read about 'The Chain That Binds.' Talk to Hardin about this newfound information. He will say that things will take a few days. The screen will go black, and when the scene resumes, he is now Elder Hardin. This will effectively conclude the quest, eliminating the need for further steps. Hardin will give the Courier a key to the Brotherhood of Steel safehouse.

Scouts
After giving McNamara the holotapes, he will ask the Courier to find 3 scouts.

Head to each scout and start a conversation; the first option should mention "Are the bears still hunting?" Choose this to receive the scouts' reports. Collect all three and give them to McNamara.

The first scout is located on the northeast end of the NCR Correctional Facility, relatively close to the facility and relatively low to the ground. He is just outside the fence bordering the facility. After asking him if the bears are still hunting, he will report that he's been watching the NCRCF for a while now, and is confused as to how the NCR has let the Powder Gangers remain loose and in control of the jail for this extended length of time without any attempt at retaking the prison. Or, if the NCR has retaken the prison, will express his surprise that it took them so long.

The second scout is on the far northeast side of Nipton, quite far off and very high up. The water tower in Nipton is visible far off ahead on the right side of the town of Nipton. Head north-northeast from the water tower and scale the mountain (between and a little north of the Coyote Den and the Hidden Supply Cave), and remember that it is not close to the town. When inquired about the hunting bears, he will give his report on the brutal attack on the town of Nipton by Caesar's Legion, and the fact that it happened so deep in NCR territory. With low reputation with Caesar's Legion, Legionary assassins may spawn around this area.

The third scout is easier to find than the second; he is located to the southwest end of the NCR Camp Forlorn Hope. He is up on a rock overlooking the valley on the southern side of the camp, in plain view of the Ranger tower on the far south side of the camp. The rock which the scout is on is not adjacent to the rocks surrounding the camp; there is a large gap in between the rock that the scout is on, and the Ranger tower on the southern side of the camp. The rock is approximately the same elevation as the ranger tower, although slightly higher in elevation. He cannot be seen from the Ranger tower; go up the rock to find him. His report is on the town of Nelson and the NCR defeat there.

Return to the bunker and give the reports to the elder. He will ask the Courier to speak to Senior Knight Lorenzo about repairing the air filtration system.

Vault 22

 * Note: Using the elevator in this vault will make traveling much quicker (requires 50 Repair to fix).

The 6 HEPA 20 cartridge filters are in a locker on the 2nd Level - Oxygen Recycling, in the same level where one can find Keely after rescuing her in the side quest There Stands the Grass. The filters are only accessible via the caves because debris blocks the doorway to the room they are located in (through the door that says "key required," with a terminal next to it, one must first acquire the keycard located below).

Firstly, navigate towards the 4th Level - Common Areas. Head into the upper atrium and drop down to the level below. From here, go through the door labeled "Quarters." An Average lock is on this door, but can be bypassed by using the terminal in the overseer's office on the 4th floor. Be wary of the corridor, as there are several spore carrier savages. A Vault 22 cave door keycard is in the first room on the left (the one with a baby carriage and crib) with a couple of spore carrier savages. Look on the shelves to the right of the room. The keycard is on the second shelf from the bottom.

When the keycard has been obtained, head back up to 3rd Level - Food Production and enter the room with a terminal and the cave door (the door cannot be lockpicked and requires the keycard). Use the terminal on the left to unlock the door.

Upon entering the cave, take the first right and head up that path. There will eventually be a wooden door labeled Oxygen Recycling; enter this door. The 6 HEPA 20 cartridge filters can be located in a locker here.

Finally, go back into the cave and retrace the Courier's steps to go back to the first level "Entrance Hall," and proceed to the vault exit.

Alternatively, take the lift down to Pest Control, turn left up the stairs to a door to Food Production. The Courier will find themself in some caves. Go up the slope taking the first right, following this until the door to Oxygen Recycling.

Vault 3
Upon entering the vault via the control panel next to the door labeled "Vault 3 recreation center," in the South Vegas ruins, the Courier will encounter a Fiend who asks their business inside the vault:
 * Note: The Vault 3 maintenance key can be obtained from Daniel in the Living Quarters. The maintenance key may also be obtained from Ranger Bryce Anders inside the vault if the Bounty Killer quest has been already activated.
 * If the player character hasn't yet started Aba Daba Honeymoon (and wants to at some point) it is recommended to refrain from entering the maintenance wing with Motor-Runner due to a bug with Motor-Runner that causes him to initiate his dialogue options only once. Rather, it is recommended that the Courier initiates the quest Aba Daba Honeymoon first and progress to the point of delivering the package to Motor-Runner, otherwise that quest may fail.
 * If one has already been given a package to deliver to Motor-Runner by Diane as part of the Aba Daba Honeymoon quest and are wearing a Great Khan outfit the Fiend will assume you are there to deliver the next shipment of drugs from the Khans. After a brief exchange the vault's inhabitants will become friendly and the Courier will be allowed to pass.
 * If the Courier can pass the Speech check (64), she will be persuaded that they are a Great Khan selling the Fiends chems. Just follow the main halls and the Courier will end up in Motor-Runner's room. The reverse pulse cleaner will be in a locker in the same room as Motor-Runner and will not be considered "stolen" if taken.
 * If the Courier cannot pass the Speech check, then the Fiends in the vault will turn hostile. Head to the southern part of the map and look for the door to the Living Quarters. Head left and (after dodging some traps) enter the door titled Recreation Area. After speaking with the ranger either convince him to go help kill the fiend leader or just kill him for the maintenance room key. If the Courier chooses to free the prisoners, one of them will give them the password to the overseer's quarters.

Vault 11
One will find the differential pressure controller in a locker underwater in the flooded section of the lower level. It's helpful to have the rebreather from the Boomers quest Volare! for this. Go towards the overseer's office but before reaching it, take the turn towards the utility room and head down the stairs into the flooded hallway, keep going and take the first room on the right and it's in the locker on the righthand side of the room. See the quest Democracy Inaction for a detailed guide.

Here's a quick run down: When entering the vault open the first door. - Take the first door to the right. - Go right again down the stairs - Walk past the 2 closed doors and go down the stairs - Go straight and follow the stairs downwards into the living quarters. - Follow the stairs down until reaching the big room with 3 routes. - Take the door with admin written on top - At the end of the hall take a right to the overseer's office - Take the door to the lower levels and follow the steps down - Before entering the overseers office take a right - When there is a sign with utility take a right again and follow to the end of the hall ignoring the 2 doors. - This is the flooded area, yet it is not completely flooded so one can breath easily by swimming to the top. - Swim down the stairs, take a left and take the first room on the right. In this room one will find the differential pressure vontroller in a locker to the right of the entrance. (To the left of the entrance is a first aid box containing random aid items).

Once all three items have been obtained, return to Hidden Valley and tell Lorenzo. He will tell the Courier to return to Elder McNamara. They will receive 1000 XP and a Brotherhood safehouse key in return. Upon re-entering the Hidden Valley bunker the Courier will have access to a special footlocker by the entrance that re-stocks energy weapon ammunition every time one re-enters the room (A Brotherhood scribe will speak to the Courier and tell them, causing a box to appear there).

Behind the scenes
"Still in the Dark" is a 1950 blues song by Big Joe Turner.

Bugs
Or if you didn't enter with Veronica's help:, , , , Then either immediately give the tapes to Hardin and tell him about the second part of the chain, at which point the quest should complete, or never give him the tapes and finish the elder's quest line.
 * There is a game-breaking bug where, after talking to Elder McNamara to complete the quest, your HUD disappears and you are unable to do anything but go switch third-person or first-person, sneaking and turn around. This can be fixed by completing another quest before speaking to the Elder, and returning to finish the quest.
 * Sometimes Ranger Dobson will spawn away from the bunker, in the middle of the desert to the North, the marker will still have lead to his position though, so this has no effect on the quest.
 * If you give the holotapes to the elder and continue his quest line, then give the tapes to Hardin, you may effectively lock both quest lines. The effect will be that Hardin will say he'll be busy a few days (taking down the elder), and the elder will say he must prepare his defense. Neither will ever change from this state, no matter how long you wait. To fix this on PC, enter the command prompt (`), then enter the commands:, ,.
 * After bringing the holotapes to Elder McNamara, somehow you cannot continue this quest, the next phase will not start. Use command
 * After being sent to deal with the NCR ranger you may not be able to move.
 * After the cutscene when you encounter the brotherhood finishes, if you have any followers, they might disappear. If you look at your local map, it will show the followers in the top right corner, but you can't get to them. To fix this, simply go into Vault 22 and take the elevator to level 2 or 3 and they should appear in front of you. Make sure to tell them to follow you because they are in waiting mode.
 * Helping Hardin to take over the chapter and repairing the filtration system are intended to be mutually exclusive quests. However as long as you have spoken to Lorenzo about the filtration system before Hardin takes over you can still turn in the parts to him and he will direct you to the elder, but McNamara will no longer have the completion dialog. You must pick one or the other, with Hardin's route being easier but resulting in less faction rep (the average player ending up at "accepted") and McNamara's being harder but leaving the average player at "liked." Note also that the quests following their transitions are completely different. This route generates more immediate XP, but leaves the two non-player characters in an error state. They will, for the rest of the game, both only tell the player to come back later. This prevents you from continuing on to the next part in the chain.
 * Upon completion of Still in the Dark, if started with Veronica, whomever you choose to be Elder may be stuck and you will not be able to start the other quests. Also, Veronica will randomly stop following you, appearing only when you are in combat, and randomly talk to you. Afterward she will stay wherever she last spoke to you until you are in combat again.
 * If, in the course of completing the quest ED-E My Love, Lorenzo has asked to look at ED-E, he will not accept the filtration system parts when you have ED-E with you. Simply fire ED-E, talk to Lorenzo, and rehire ED-E.
 * The scout near the NCR Correctional Facility might say his second line when the subtitles show the first line. From there on he will repeat the second line again when it shows up in the subtitles, then finish the rest of the conversation completely normal. Note: This is after you tell the scout the pass phrase, and that the Elder had sent you.
 * After dealing with the NCR ranger and returning to McNamara, he could possibly wander into the wall with the first array of turrets, and freeze there. Solution: Enter the console, select Elder McNamara with your mouse or type, then , then . Exit the console and he will proceed to his chair in the command room. Note: If you exit the console after entering "kill" but before entering "resurrect," Elder McNamara will die and you will fail the quest.
 * Sometimes the quest will become impossible to complete due to a glitch that causes all brotherhood NPCs to become hostile to you.-note: Most likely due to closing the initial bunker door the brotherhood opens for you when first meeting them. The action for closing the bunker door is highlighted in red, denoting that it is an immoral action.
 * When at the part of the quest to collect the reports once you have all 3 and return to the bunker the game will freeze (black screen) when trying to enter, to get around this if you have companions with you ask them to wait while you are outside the bunker, then enter and you will be able to continue, get you next mission then on leaving the bunker just ask your companions to follow you.
 * After ousting McNamara while still in the quest I Could Make You Care certain dialog with Veronica will put you in an endless cycle of talking without any way getting out of it other than loading a save.
 * Even if you partition all three viruses when you talk to Scribe Ibsen he will still tell you to look isolate the virus.
 * On completion of the quest, the door back to the Hidden Valley Bunker may become locked, leaving you trapped in the bunker. The door cannot be opened without a key, but a key can be pickpocketed from various members of the Brotherhood within the bunker.
 * When taking the optional mission for finding the laser pistol you won't be able to find the person who's lost it. Even if you know where the gun is you won't be able to discover it nor pick it up for that matter. The person who's lost it won't even be in the bunker, he's nowhere to be located.
 * If you are doing the quest ED-E My Love and you have been asked to talk to Lorenzo giving him ED-E will make him disappear, leaving you unable to complete Still in the Dark. This can be solved by simply waiting a few days until ED-E returns to Primm.
 * Sometimes after completing 'Fixing the air filtration system' the autosaves after completion will not load. When continuing straight from menu it will freeze in the loading screen, or if loading in-game, it will load then a pop up will come up saying that save relies on downloadable content and it will crash back to the main menu. You will have to start again from a previous save.
 * If the player sides with Hardin, when completing the quest, a standing wireframe of McNamara in scribe robes will appear beside the seated McNamara in recon armor. The wireframe McNamara is named Hardin, and when spoken to, the camera pans into the floor and Hardin speaks.
 * Sometimes the game may freeze indefinitely upon completion of the quest Still in the Dark. After completing the quest with Elder McNamara still in charge of the Mojave Chapter (after returning to Senior Knight Lorenzo with all the components from the different vaults) the screen will go dark then back to normal and you receive 1300 XP and BoS Fame for completing the quest. As well as that the crosshairs and other icons will disappear and you cannot move or view the Pipboy. You cannot talk to Elder McNamara who is standing directly in front of the player. You can only spin on the spot and enter sneak mode. This glitch is exactly the same as encountered during the quest ED-E My Love after hearing the Russian janitorial voice after Senior Knight Lorenzo speaks his message. On XBox or PS3, The only way out of this glitch is reloading the last save or forcing Elder McNamara to step down from Elder for Head Paladin Hardin to take his spot in the hierarchy after McNamara broke the Chain that Binds.  On PC, this can be remedied by going into console and entering "EnablePlayerControls 1011000".  You may have to use this command more than once, as the glitch will trigger multiple times when changing cells or talking to NPCs.  You will be able to continue the game, but further BoS quests will not be available.  There is currently no way to resume BoS quests other than manually via console.
 * After convincing Ibsen to format the computers within Hidden Valley with 70 Science, a glitch can happen, in which if the player quickly reinstates conversation with him, it is possible to reinstate the partitioning mini-game. Since the player has already convinced Ibsen to format the computers, the player cannot undo this. The only way to fix this is to skip this portion of the mission using the PC console.

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