You're standing in the freezing rain on Suvorov. It’s miserable. If you’ve played enough Bethesda games, you know the vibe—cold, grey, and probably hiding something that wants to eat your face. This is the start of Starfield Echoes of the Past, a quest that serves as the "make or break" moment for the Crimson Fleet storyline. Honestly? It’s one of the best missions in the game, but it’s also a massive pain if you aren't prepared for the sheer amount of bug-hunting and claustrophobia involved.
Most players end up here because they want that sweet, sweet pirate loot or they're playing double agent for UC SysDef. Whatever your motivation, you’re headed to "The Lock." It’s a supermax prison built into an iceball of a planet. Think Alcatraz, but with more alien monsters and less oxygen.
Getting Into the Lock
Getting there is the easy part. You’re tagging along with Delgado, the leader of the Crimson Fleet, and Mathis Castillo. Mathis is... a lot. He’s that guy in every heist movie who talks too much about betraying the boss five minutes after meeting you. He’s got this half-baked plan to kill Delgado and take over, and he’s constantly whispering in your ear about it. You can either humor him, shut him down, or just ignore him while you try not to get mauled by Grylloba.
The Grylloba are the stars of the show here. They aren't your typical space dinosaurs. They’re burrowers. One second you're walking through a high-security cell block, and the next, the floor explodes. They’re fast, they’re ugly, and they have a nasty habit of spawning behind you just when you think you’ve cleared a room.
The Security Grids and the Shuttle Bay
Once you’re inside, the mission structure gets a bit more complex. You aren't just shooting things; you’re playing janitor for a derelict prison. You’ll spend a significant chunk of time in the Guard Post and the D-Block. This is where the quest usually trips people up. You have to find a way to open the cells and eventually reach the shuttle bay.
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The level design is vertical. Very vertical. If you aren't using your boost pack, you're doing it wrong. You’ll find yourself jumping across broken catwalks and looking for computer terminals that look like they haven't been powered up since the 23rd century.
Keep an eye out for the "Prisoner Records" terminal. It’s not just flavor text. Reading the logs gives you a much better picture of what happened during the riot that ended the prison's operational life. It’s grim. Bethesda’s environmental storytelling is at its peak here—bloodstains on the walls, frantic notes left behind by guards, and the general sense that everyone died terrified.
Finding the Legacy of Kryx
The whole point of Starfield Echoes of the Past is to find information on Jasper Kryx, the founder of the Fleet. Specifically, you’re looking for his ultimate score: the GalBank transport ship, the Legacy.
You eventually find Kryx’s cell. It’s surprisingly humble for a legendary pirate king. There’s a lamp, a cot, and a hidden compartment. This is where you find the "Best There Is" slate and the first real clues about where the Legacy went. It’s the "Eureka" moment of the quest. But before you can celebrate, the facility starts falling apart.
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Delgado is shouting over the comms. Mathis is probably still complaining. The ceiling is literally coming down. This leads to the big finale: the escape.
The Grylloba Queen Fight
The boss fight at the end isn't exactly Dark Souls, but it can be a gear check. The Grylloba Queen is a massive, armored version of the smaller pests you’ve been swatting. She’s a bullet sponge.
- Tip: Don’t stand still.
- The Queen has a ranged attack that can stagger you.
- If you’re playing on a higher difficulty, use mines.
- Gravity Well or any crowd-control Starborn powers make this a joke.
Once she’s dead, you grab a shuttle—the Warden's Logs are nearby, don't miss those if you're a completionist—and blast off.
The Choice: Snitch or Sidekick?
Back on the Key, you have a choice to make regarding Mathis. Delgado asks how he did. This is where you decide his fate. If you tell Delgado that Mathis was a liability, he gets kicked out of the Fleet. He’ll hate you forever and eventually ambush you in space later. If you say he was helpful, he stays in the Fleet and becomes a potential companion later on.
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Honestly, Mathis is a decent companion if you like the "morally grey" (aka "kind of a jerk") vibe. He’s got good combat stats, but his personality is an acquired taste. Most people sell him out just because he’s annoying, but keeping him around is better for your total crew count.
Why This Mission Actually Matters for Your Build
Beyond the story, Starfield Echoes of the Past is vital for gear. The Lock is littered with weapon cases and contraband. If you have high Lockpicking skills (Security rank 3), you can walk out of there with tens of thousands of credits worth of loot.
Also, finishing this quest unlocks the next phase of the Crimson Fleet line, which gives you access to the Comspike and the Conduction Grid—two of the best ship modules in the game. You literally cannot finish the main Fleet quest without these, and they make your ship significantly tankier against EM damage.
Common Bugs to Watch Out For
Let's be real: it’s a Bethesda game. This mission is notorious for a few glitches.
- Delgado getting stuck: Sometimes he just stops walking near the entrance. Usually, a quick save and reload fixes his pathing.
- The "Clear the Remaining Creatures" objective: Occasionally, a Grylloba will spawn inside a wall. If the quest won't progress, try using a "Sense Star Stuff" power to find the hidden enemy and hit it with an area-of-effect weapon like a grenade.
- Mathis disappearing: If he vanishes during the D-Block section, don't panic. He usually teleports to the final boss room.
Actionable Next Steps for Success
If you're about to jump into Suvorov, do these three things first:
- Pack Lead: The Grylloba Queen is weak to physical damage, but the sheer volume of enemies means you want something with a high fire rate or a good shotgun. An Advanced Magpulse or a Breach with flechette rounds works wonders here.
- Boost Pack Training: If you haven't put at least one point into the Boost Pack Training skill, do it now. Navigating the collapsed sections of the prison without it is an exercise in frustration.
- Empty Your Inventory: You are going to find a ridiculous amount of "Old Earth" antiques and weapons in the lockers. Start the mission with at least 100 mass of free space so you don't have to leave the good stuff behind.
After you finish and report back to Commander Ikande or Delgado, your next move should be heading to Neon. The follow-up missions require a lot of social skills and stealth, so maybe swap out your heavy armor for something a bit more subtle. The Legacy is out there, and you’re now one step closer to the biggest payday in the Settled Systems.