The Outer Worlds 2: 'An Equitable Arrangement' Guide

Why This Quest Defines Your Endgame

‘An Equitable Arrangement’ is one of those rare RPG quests where your choices genuinely matter—not in the superficial “pick an ending” way, but through careful groundwork laid hours before the final conversation. This late-game Faction Quest determines who controls the Archive, what happens to the Arcadian star system’s future, and whether you can pull off the seemingly impossible: getting two bitter rivals to work together.

Here’s what makes this quest challenging: Most players assume they can walk into negotiations and smooth-talk their way to cooperation. Wrong. By the time you sit at that negotiating table, your success or failure has already been determined by decisions you made earlier—some so subtle you might not have realized their importance.

The stakes are high:

Control of the Archive (massive power and knowledge repository)
The fate of multiple factions
Achievement/trophy unlock (“Corporation Cooperation”) for successful cooperation
Different endings based on your choices
Allied faction support in both the Archive assault and the final story quest

I’ve seen players lock themselves out of the cooperation path without realizing it, then spend hours trying to figure out why the dialogue options won’t work. This guide exists to prevent that frustration and help you navigate one of The Outer Worlds 2’s most complex diplomatic missions.

Let’s break down everything you need to know to successfully broker peace between Auntie’s Choice and The Order.

The Outer Worlds 2: 'An Equitable Arrangement' Guide – How to Unite Auntie's Choice & The Order (Full Negotiations Walkthrough)

Table of Contents

How to Unlock ‘An Equitable Arrangement’

The quest doesn’t simply appear through faction exploration—it has a specific trigger. After saving the delegates during the main quest “Fiends in High Places,” you’ll receive an invitation from Vice President Gertie Hewett. Travel to the ACS Undisputed Claim and speak to her in the Head Office Tower in the Value-Added Esplanade. Agree to help unite the factions and the quest is officially in your log.

From there, you’ll also want to visit Vicar Laureate Alden Levin in Laplace’s Garden on Cloister to begin building The Order’s side of the alliance.

Prerequisites: Setting Up Success Before Negotiations Begin

Here’s the critical truth most guides bury: the negotiation itself is the easy part. The hard work happens long before you enter that room. Miss these prerequisites, and you’ll never even get the option to unite the factions.

Prerequisite #1: Keep the Delegates Alive (‘Fiends in High Places’)

The situation: During the main quest “Fiends in High Places,” Augustine De Vries has assassination plans targeting faction delegates. If these delegates die, the cooperation path becomes impossible—dead people don’t negotiate.

Your options:

Option A: Convince De Vries to Stand Down

Requires successful Speech checks or providing compelling arguments
Non-violent resolution preserving all characters
Best option if you’ve invested in Speech skills

Option B: Kill De Vries

Guaranteed to prevent delegate assassinations
Violent but effective solution
May have reputation consequences with certain factions
Viable if Speech fails or you prefer direct action

Why this matters: Surviving delegates trigger VP Hewett’s invitation that starts the whole quest. Their presence and testimony is what gets faction leaders to consider cooperation at all.

Common mistake: Players sometimes let delegates die thinking it’s a “natural” story outcome, not realizing they’ve permanently locked themselves out of the cooperation ending.

Prerequisite #2: Complete Four Faction Quests

You need to earn the trust of both Auntie’s Choice and The Order by completing two quests for each side. These are what unlock your audiences with Auntie Cleo and Bishop Ruth Basar.

Auntie’s Choice — speak to VPs Pendergrass and Ormsby in the Head Office Tower at the ACS Undisputed Claim:

Now Hiring: Invaluable Disposable Agent — end the workers’ strike at the Product Refinement Center on Praetor
Mysteries of the Mental Modulators — investigate the Mental Refreshment process at Placid Waters Wellnitarium on Praetor

The Order — speak to Artificer Laureate Enola Kraft in Laplace’s Garden on Cloister:

A Study in Disruption
Crash Course in Telemetry

Completing all four quests grants you audiences with both faction leaders.

The balancing act: You need positive standing with BOTH factions simultaneously. Some actions that please one faction may upset the other, so avoid actively harming either side’s interests while building trust.

Success indicator: When you’ve earned sufficient trust, you’ll be granted audiences with Auntie Cleo herself and Presiding Bishop Ruth Basar.

For more on faction management, see our complete factions guide.

Prerequisite #3: Do NOT Secure the Archive Alone

CRITICAL WARNING: If you secure the Archive independently before completing the negotiations, you will permanently lock yourself out of the cooperation path. This cannot be undone without loading an earlier save.

Why this restriction exists: Securing the Archive solo means you’ve resolved the conflict unilaterally. The game locks the alliance quest because the entire point of the negotiations—coordinating a joint Archive assault—is now moot.

How to avoid this mistake:

Complete all faction dialogue and quest opportunities before approaching the Archive
Wait for the official negotiation meeting to conclude first
When in doubt, talk before acting

If you’ve already done this: Load an earlier save before the Archive was secured if you want the cooperation ending.

Securing Initial Cooperation: Convincing the Leaders

With prerequisites complete, you now need to convince both leaders that negotiation is worth attempting. Note: before meeting with Ruth, Vicar Laureate Alden Levin will ask you to mention the alliance to her—invoking his name during your conversation with Ruth is a useful starting point.

Convincing Auntie Cleo

The good news: Auntie Cleo is surprisingly amenable to cooperation. As a pragmatic businessperson, she recognizes the strategic value of a partnership and agrees to host the meeting aboard her ship, the Undisputed Claim (virtually).

Conversation approach:

Speak with Auntie Cleo after completing the Auntie’s Choice faction quests
Suggest the possibility of collaboration with The Order
She’ll agree readily—her corporate mindset sees the profit potential
Confirm you’re certain and want to proceed

Key dialogue indicators: Frame cooperation as mutually beneficial and strategic. Auntie responds well to practical arguments rather than emotional or idealistic ones.

Convincing Bishop Ruth Basar

The challenge: Ruth is significantly harder to convince. As leader of The Order, she’s bound by faith, tradition, and principles that don’t bend easily for pragmatism.

Skill check options: You can pass the persuasion check using any one of the following:

Speech (7)
The Negotiator perk
Science (7)

If you can’t pass any skill check: Select the dialogue option suggesting that The Order risks being outmaneuvered in the negotiations if they don’t participate. This softens Ruth’s position enough to get her to the table—she won’t be thrilled, but she’ll show up.

My successful dialogue sequence:

Opening: “Vicar Levin has expressed the desire to resume negotiations. I think he’s right.”

Why this works: Invoking Vicar Levin—a respected figure within The Order—provides internal support for your suggestion. You’re not asking Ruth to trust an outsider’s judgment; you’re aligning with trusted voices within her own organization.

Key persuasion moment: “I consider you a wise leader, Bishop. Wise enough to see the potential benefits here.” (Speech 7)

Why this works: You’re appealing to Ruth’s wisdom and leadership while acknowledging that cooperation requires vision to see. It’s respectful, acknowledges her authority, and frames cooperation as the forward-thinking choice.

Confirmation and commitment: “I’m sure. I want Auntie’s Choice and the Order to work together.” followed by “I’ll do whatever it takes to earn an audience with her.”

Why this works: Demonstrating certainty and willingness to facilitate shows you’re committed. Your dedication gives Ruth confidence the effort won’t be wasted.

Important: Failing to convince Ruth locks you into siding with The Order only, fails An Equitable Arrangement, and starts the alternative quest Methods of Applied Force.

For Speech skill optimization, check our best starting builds guide and complete perks list.

The Negotiation: Complete Dialogue Walkthrough

You’ve done the groundwork. Both leaders have agreed to meet. Now comes the actual negotiation—a tense, multi-stage conversation where one wrong choice can collapse the entire agreement.

Location: Travel to the ACS Undisputed Claim, enter the Head Office Tower, and ride the elevator down to the Secure Telecommunications level. Enter the room to begin the negotiations via remote video call.

Before Entering: Save Your Game

CRITICAL: Before entering the negotiation room (right after exiting the elevator), create a manual save.

Why this matters:

If negotiations fail, BOTH factions lose reputation with you and refuse to interact further—a catastrophic outcome
You can experiment with different dialogue paths
You can see alternate outcomes without permanent consequences
Achievement hunting becomes easier

Pro tip: Create multiple save slots here. Name them clearly (“Pre-negotiation,” “Cooperation attempt #1,” etc.) so you can easily track different approaches.

The negotiation covers three agenda points: Archive ownership, production oversight, and rift technology rights. You must find a workable compromise on each. Giving all three agenda items to one faction without compromise will immediately end negotiations with both sides refusing to work with you.

Stage 1: Setting the Tone

Opening statement: “I see why a neutral third party was needed here.”

Analysis: This establishes your role as mediator rather than advocate for either side. Both parties need to see you as fair, not biased.

Transitioning to business: “Let’s get down to it. What will it take to make this partnership happen?”

Analysis: Direct and solution-focused. You’re here to solve problems, not exchange pleasantries. This appeals to Auntie’s corporate efficiency while showing Ruth you respect everyone’s time.

Stage 2: Agenda Point 1 — Archive Ownership

The first agenda item is who gets control of the Archive.

Framing the core issue: “The most important thing to decide first is who gets control over the Archive.”

The Order’s claim: “Ruth is right. The Order built the Archive. It belongs to them.”

Analysis: Establishing a foundation of historical truth and property rights. The Order DID build it—that’s factual. Auntie Cleo will push back, so you follow up immediately.

The compromise — Auntie’s ad campaign: Give The Order the Archive, but have them divert some of its power to Auntie’s Choice for an advertising campaign. When Ruth objects to using the Archive for corporate marketing, respond: if Auntie pays The Order for access, that income could fund more scientific research. (Alternatively, this is a Speech 20 check point if you have the skill.)

Softening The Order’s position: “It needn’t be forever. What’s a small sacrifice now for greater gains later?”

Empowering Auntie’s solution: “You’re the corporate genius, aren’t you? I’m sure you’ll figure out something.”

Analysis: Flattery with purpose. You’re challenging Auntie to rise to the occasion and find creative solutions that satisfy both parties.

Stage 3: Agenda Point 2 — Production Oversight

The second agenda item is who oversees actual operations.

Balancing the scales: “I disagree. Nothing in life comes for free. Auntie’s Choice should oversee production.” (Or pass a Speech 14 check for an alternate route.)

Analysis: After supporting The Order’s ownership claim, you now support Auntie’s operational control. This creates the key balance: The Order owns the Archive, Auntie’s Choice manages day-to-day operations. Both parties get something substantial. This separation of ownership from management is what makes the deal workable.

The final agenda item is who holds rights to rift technology—a highly experimental and powerful resource that neither side fully understands yet.

The breakthrough suggestion: “Crazy idea, but maybe the Order and Auntie’s Choice can share the technology?”

Analysis: Framing it as “crazy” preempts resistance by acknowledging it’s unconventional. Auntie will be taken aback by the idea of sharing, so follow up by telling her it’s not a bad thing—she’ll concede that it’s better than nothing, and the deal can always be fine-tuned later.

Acknowledging imperfection: “Better than a poke in the eye!”

Analysis: Humor and realism. You’re not promising perfection—cooperation is messy. But it’s better than conflict or monopolization.

Note: If you made the information to skip Cores public during the Do More Harm quest, the rift technology agenda point becomes moot and is skipped.

Stage 5: Cultural Integration

Discussions turn to how two very different organizational cultures can work together.

Optional: Background-specific dialogue: “Now you’re talking. I enjoy a few ‘chemical cocktails’ myself.” (Ex-Convict background required)

Reinforcing the partnership: “But it is Auntie’s business now, Ruth. You two are working together.”

Analysis: Gentle but firm reminder to Ruth that the partnership is no longer theoretical—they’ve committed, and now it’s about making it work.

Stage 6: Safety Concerns

Ruth raises concerns about the safety of proposed methods or technology. She’ll also bring up chemicals she needs for use of the Archive—Auntie will agree to provide them after Ruth explains their purpose.

Acknowledging concerns: “This apparatus you’ve mentioned – it doesn’t sound very safe.”

Analysis: Validating Ruth’s concern rather than dismissing it. By taking her concern seriously, you maintain her trust in you as a fair mediator.

Demanding transparency: “What are the chances that this turns out successful? You must have run the numbers.”

Analysis: Holding Auntie’s Choice accountable. This shows Ruth you won’t let corporate interests steamroll safety concerns.

Stage 7: Final Decision Point

Respecting autonomy: “It’s your decision, Ruth. If you’re prepared to pay the cost, who am I to object?”

Analysis: You’re returning agency to Ruth. After guiding the conversation this far, you’re acknowledging that The Order’s leader must make the final call. Giving her the freedom to choose makes it easier for her to choose cooperation.

Celebration of success: “I’m just happy you two were able to reach an agreement at all.”

Analysis: Genuine relief and satisfaction. Acknowledging how difficult this was helps cement the agreement—they chose cooperation, and that wasn’t guaranteed.

If you’ve followed this route correctly, Auntie Cleo will declare the negotiations “workable” and Ruth will commend your efforts as mediator. Both factions will then send forces to support you in taking the Archive.

Alternative Dialogue Paths

The sequence I’ve detailed above works without requiring high skill levels (Speech 7 or Science 7 for Ruth, or the Negotiator perk). However, it’s not the ONLY path to success.

Other Viable Approaches

High Speech builds: Speech 14 and Speech 20 unlock additional options at specific negotiation points that can bypass certain sticking points or find cleaner compromises.

No skill check route: If you can’t pass any of the skill checks with Ruth, choose the option suggesting The Order risks being outmaneuvered. She still won’t be pleased, but she’ll agree to attend the meeting.

Background variations: Different character backgrounds unlock unique dialogue options that can influence negotiations in subtle ways.

Flexibility in Dialogue

The key principle: You need to demonstrate balance—supporting both factions at different points, acknowledging each side’s concerns, and facilitating compromise. You can give two of the three agenda items to one faction, but giving all three to one side without compromise will abruptly end negotiations.

What stays constant:

Both sides need to feel heard
Both sides need to gain something tangible
Both sides need to sacrifice something
You must maintain neutral mediator status

What can vary:

Specific dialogue choices within each stage
Order of addressing certain concerns
Emotional tone (humor vs. serious)
Personal interjections based on background

Experimentation encouraged: With your pre-negotiation save, you can safely experiment with different dialogue combinations to find paths that feel more natural to your character’s personality.

Achievement/Trophy: Corporation Cooperation

Unlocked by: Successfully convincing Auntie’s Choice and The Order to work together through ‘An Equitable Arrangement’ negotiations.

Rarity: Likely rare-to-uncommon. Many players will miss prerequisites or choose one faction over cooperation.

Value: Beyond achievement points, this represents one of the “best” outcomes—you’ve maximized positive results rather than choosing sides.

Achievement hunting tip: With your pre-negotiation save, you can also pursue other endings (siding with just one faction) by reloading after unlocking Corporation Cooperation. Our complete achievement guide details optimal unlock strategies.

Quest Rewards

After completing the quest by reporting back to Bishop Ruth Basar in Laplace’s Garden, you receive:

2,000 Bits
+10 Reputation with The Order of the Ascendant
+10 Reputation with Auntie’s Choice
XP

The strategic reward, however, is far greater: both allied factions send troops to support you during the Archive assault and continue to participate in the final story quest.

Consequences: What Cooperation Actually Means

So you’ve successfully brokered peace. What happens next?

Immediate Outcomes

Archive assault: Both factions send their best troops to support your attack on the Archive. Once you’ve breached the facility, you can allow their forces in via the elevators.

Resources: Allied factions provide free weapons, armor, healing items, and other supplies throughout the Archive mission.

Archive control: Shared between both factions per your negotiated terms—The Order maintains ownership, Auntie’s Choice manages operations.

Technology access: Both factions benefit from Archive research and discoveries, preventing monopolization.

Long-Term Implications

Final quest support: Both factions participate in “Sins of the Past on the Precipice of the Future,” the game’s final story mission—a significant advantage over going it alone.

Power balance: No single faction dominates the Arcadian system’s future. The cooperation creates a balance of power that stabilizes—though doesn’t eliminate—political tension.

Your role: As the architect of this alliance, you become politically significant. Both factions owe you, creating influence and opportunities—and possibly enemies among hardliners who opposed cooperation.

If negotiations FAIL: Both factions lose reputation with you and refuse to interact further. You lose access to their support for the Archive assault and the final quest. This is significantly worse than simply siding with one faction.

Comparing to Other Endings

Siding with Auntie’s Choice only:

Corporate control of Archive
Profit-driven approach to technology
The Order marginalized
Economic focus, less spiritual emphasis

Siding with The Order only:

Religious control of Archive
Faith-driven approach to technology
Auntie’s Choice diminished influence
Spiritual focus, potentially less economic development

Cooperation (this path):

Balanced control and shared benefits
Multiple perspectives on technology use
Both factions maintain relevance and provide support
Compromise and ongoing negotiation

Which is “best”? That’s subjective and depends on your character’s values. Cooperation maximizes faction support and survival but creates complexity. Single-faction endings are cleaner but eliminate alternatives.

For more on major story choices, see our Auntie’s Choice vs Order Ascendant guide.

Common Mistakes & How to Avoid Them

Mistake #1: Letting Delegates Die

The error: Not dealing with De Vries properly during “Fiends in High Places,” resulting in delegate assassinations.

The consequence: Cooperation path permanently locked—no delegates means no VP Hewett invitation, and the entire quest never starts.

Prevention: Prioritize the De Vries situation. Either persuade her to stand down or eliminate her before she acts.

Mistake #2: Skipping Faction Quests

The error: Rushing through the main story without completing the two required quests for each faction representative.

The consequence: You never gain audiences with Auntie Cleo or Ruth Basar, and the negotiation meeting is never arranged.

Prevention: Complete all four faction quests—two for Pendergrass/Ormsby (Auntie’s Choice) and two for Artificer Kraft (The Order)—before trying to set up the meeting.

Mistake #3: Securing the Archive Prematurely

The error: Taking the Archive before completing the negotiations.

The consequence: The quest becomes impossible to complete, as the entire purpose of the alliance—a coordinated Archive assault—is already resolved. There is no way to recover without loading an earlier save.

Prevention: Finish ‘An Equitable Arrangement’ before proceeding with ‘A Complication with the Computronic Cerebrum.’ When in doubt, talk before acting.

Mistake #4: Biased Dialogue Choices

The error: Giving all three agenda items to one faction, or consistently favoring one side, making the other feel excluded.

The consequence: Negotiations collapse immediately. Both factions lose reputation with you and refuse to interact further.

Prevention: Balance your support. You can give two of the three agenda items to one faction, but at least one must go to the other, and compromise language must be used throughout.

Mistake #5: Not Saving Before Negotiations

The error: Walking into negotiations without creating a save point.

The consequence: If negotiations fail, both factions are now hostile to you with no recovery option short of reloading potentially hours of earlier content.

Prevention: ALWAYS save before critical dialogue sequences, especially complex multi-stage negotiations like this.

Mistake #6: Low Speech Skill (and Ignoring Alternatives)

The error: Attempting to convince Ruth without Speech 7, the Negotiator perk, Science 7, or knowledge of the no-skill-check fallback dialogue.

The consequence: Failing to get Ruth to agree to the meeting locks you into siding with The Order only, failing the quest entirely.

Prevention: Know your options: Speech 7, Science 7, the Negotiator perk, or the “Order risks being outmaneuvered” dialogue path all work. At least one of these should be available to any build.

Advanced Tips & Optimization

Reputation Management Strategy

Track reputation with both factions via menu/journal
Before major story decisions, check how they’ll impact faction standing
Complete faction side quests consistently, not all at once
Don’t ignore one faction while focusing on the other

Speech Investment Timeline

If planning a diplomatic playthrough:

Invest in Speech early (starting build or first few levels)
Aim for Speech 7+ before approaching Ruth; Speech 14+ unlocks additional negotiation options
Consider the Negotiator perk as a Speech alternative
Science 7 is also a viable path if your build leans technical

Our traits tier list identifies which traits benefit diplomatic builds.

Quest Order Optimization

Save delegates during “Fiends in High Places”
Speak to VP Hewett at ACS Undisputed Claim to unlock the quest
Complete Auntie’s Choice faction quests (Pendergrass and Ormsby)
Complete Order faction quests (Artificer Kraft)
Secure initial cooperation from both leaders separately
Proceed to the Secure Telecommunications meeting
Complete “A Complication with the Computronic Cerebrum” with allied support
Report back to Ruth to finalize and claim rewards

Don’t rush: Taking time to properly complete prerequisites makes the final negotiation dramatically easier and prevents permanent lockouts.

Dialogue Experimentation

With your pre-negotiation save:

Try different dialogue approaches to understand the system’s flexibility
Test how high-skill options (Speech 14, Speech 20, Science 7, etc.) change conversations
Explore background-specific dialogue and its impact
Learn which specific choices are crucial vs. which have flexibility

Thematic Analysis: Why This Quest Matters

Compromise vs. Idealism

Both factions have legitimate grievances and valid worldviews. The Order represents tradition, community, and faith. Auntie’s Choice represents progress, pragmatism, and economic power.

The quest asks: Is compromise between fundamentally different value systems possible? Or must one worldview dominate?

Your choice matters: Pursuing cooperation means believing that ideological differences don’t require violent resolution. It’s optimistic and challenging—and genuinely difficult to pull off.

Player Agency and Consequence

The prerequisites system demonstrates genuine consequence architecture. Your actions hours before negotiations determine whether cooperation is even possible.

This is good RPG design: Choices matter not through binary “pick your ending” buttons but through accumulated decisions creating or closing opportunities.

Mediation and Power

You’re not forcing cooperation—you’re facilitating it. The player character becomes powerful not through violence or domination but through diplomacy and vision.

Thematic message: Sometimes the hardest victories aren’t won through combat. Sometimes getting people to talk is more difficult and more valuable than shooting them.

Integration with Other Questlines

‘An Equitable Arrangement’ connects to multiple story threads:

Archive access: Central to main story progression via “A Complication with the Computronic Cerebrum”
Faction warfare: Resolution to ongoing conflict between Auntie’s Choice and The Order
Protectorate involvement: Their Archive control is being challenged by your allied faction assault
Final quest: Your alliance determines who fights alongside you in “Sins of the Past on the Precipice of the Future”

Related quest guides:

Your choices in these quests may influence faction reputation and available options in ‘An Equitable Arrangement.’

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you get cooperation without Speech 7?

Yes. Alternatives include Science (7) or the Negotiator perk. If you have none of these, select the dialogue option suggesting The Order risks being outmaneuvered—Ruth will reluctantly agree.

What if one faction hates me?

You need positive reputation with both. If one faction’s reputation is too low, complete their remaining faction quests before attempting cooperation.

Can I change my mind after negotiations?

Once the negotiation concludes, the outcome is set for that playthrough. Load your pre-negotiation save if you want different results.

Do companions affect negotiations?

Bringing Marisol while speaking to Artificer Kraft triggers additional dialogue. Other companions may offer flavor reactions, though the quest primarily focuses on your own choices.

Is cooperation the “canon” ending?

The Outer Worlds series typically avoids declaring canon endings, respecting player choice.

What happens if negotiations fail entirely?

Both factions lose reputation with you and refuse to interact further for the rest of the game. This is worse than siding with one faction, as you lose support for both the Archive mission and the final quest. Always save beforehand.

What is the quest reward?

2,000 Bits, +10 Reputation with The Order, and +10 Reputation with Auntie’s Choice, plus XP. You also gain both factions as combat allies for the Archive assault and the final story quest.

Major Story Choices:

Character Building:

Faction & Reputation:

Progression & Completion:

Weapon & Gear:

Final Thoughts: The Diplomat’s Victory

‘An Equitable Arrangement’ represents some of the best quest design in The Outer Worlds 2. It rewards preparation, strategic thinking, and genuine role-playing rather than just combat prowess or skill checks.

The satisfaction of success isn’t just unlocking an achievement—it’s knowing you accomplished something genuinely difficult. Most players will pick a side because it’s easier. You brought ancient enemies to the negotiating table and made them see reason.

Personal recommendation: Pursue the cooperation path at least once. Even if you prefer one faction over the other, experiencing the diplomatic resolution provides the most complete understanding of The Outer Worlds 2’s themes and narrative depth.

The path to cooperation is fraught with challenges and potential failure points. But isn’t that what makes victory meaningful? Anyone can shoot their way through problems. It takes skill, patience, and vision to talk your way to lasting peace.

Now go forth, diplomat. The Arcadian system’s future depends on your silver tongue and careful preparation. Show Auntie Cleo and Ruth Basar that compromise isn’t weakness—it’s the hardest kind of strength.

And whatever you do, save before entering that negotiation room.

External Resources

Official Outer Worlds Information: