Few decisions in The Outer Worlds 2 hit harder than the Vox Relay choice near the end of “The Saboteur of Paradise” quest. You’re staring at a control panel with three options, each one potentially devastating. Send a massive relay crashing into Fairfield? Redirect it to Westport instead? Or somehow launch it into space?
This is classic Obsidian design—giving you a choice where every option has real, permanent consequences. There’s no “right” answer that makes everyone happy, but there is an objectively best outcome if you’ve prepared properly. Let me walk you through everything you need to know to make this crucial decision.
The Vox Relay Scenario: What’s Actually Happening
Context Matters
By the time you reach this decision point, you’re deep into the Paradise Island storyline. The Vox Relay—a massive communications device—is on a collision course with Fairfield, one of the island’s two major settlements. Standing at the control interface, you have the power to change its trajectory… but where should you send it?
Your three options:
- Do nothing (Fairfield) – Let the relay crash into Fairfield as originally planned
- Redirect to Westport – Send it to the other major settlement on Paradise Island
- Launch into space – Prevent any ground collision entirely
The stakes couldn’t be higher. We’re talking about the complete destruction of settlements, loss of vendors and quest-givers, faction reputation hits, and potentially losing your companion Inez entirely. This isn’t a choice you can reload and redo casually—it shapes your entire endgame experience.
Why This Choice Exists
The Outer Worlds series has always been about meaningful consequences. Unlike games where your choices are cosmetic, Obsidian ensures that major decisions like this one fundamentally alter your playthrough. The Vox Relay choice exemplifies this philosophy: preparation (or lack thereof) directly determines your available options and their outcomes.
The Best Choice: Send the Vox Relay Into Space
Why Space Is the Optimal Solution
Let’s cut through the complexity: sending the Vox Relay into space is unequivocally the best option. This choice accomplishes several critical objectives simultaneously:
Preserves both settlements intact:
- Fairfield remains functional with all NPCs, vendors, and services
- Westport stays accessible for future visits
- No civilian casualties anywhere on Paradise Island
- Maximum content availability for post-quest exploration
Maintains all relationships:
- Inez approves of this choice and stays with you
- Auntie’s Choice reputation remains positive (you saved Fairfield)
- No negative reputation hits with any faction
- Opens up future dialogue options tied to “saving everyone”
Maximizes gameplay options:
- Access to vendors in both locations for buying/selling
- Side quests in both areas remain available
- All NPCs survive for potential future interactions
- No locked content due to destroyed settlements
From both a narrative and gameplay perspective, launching the relay into space represents the “golden ending” for this quest. You’ve solved the problem without forcing anyone to pay the price.
The Requirements (This Is Crucial)
Here’s where preparation becomes essential. You can’t just walk up and select “space” without meeting specific requirements:
Mandatory requirements:
- Hacking skill at level 4 or higher
- At least one Bypass Shunt in your inventory
Miss either of these, and the space option becomes inaccessible—forcing you to choose between destroying Fairfield or Westport. This is why planning your character build matters in The Outer Worlds 2.
How to Prepare for the Space Option
If you’re reading this before reaching the choice, here’s your preparation checklist:
Hacking Skill Investment: Invest skill points into Hacking throughout your playthrough. Level 4 requires modest investment but isn’t difficult to achieve by the time you reach Paradise Island. Check our best starting builds guide for builds that naturally include Hacking.
Bypass Shunt Acquisition: These aren’t rare items, but you need to actively collect them. Check our comprehensive guide on how to get Mag-Picks and Bypass Shunts for specific farming locations. At minimum, save one Bypass Shunt specifically for this quest.
Timing considerations: Don’t rush through the main story. Take time to build your character properly. If you’re following our what to do first guide, you’ll naturally have these resources by the time you need them.
Second Best Option: Redirect to Westport
When You Can’t Choose Space
Maybe you didn’t invest in Hacking. Maybe you used your last Bypass Shunt on a different door. Whatever the reason, if space isn’t available, you need a backup plan.
The pragmatic choice: Send it to Westport.
Why Westport Over Fairfield
This comes down to practical utility and content preservation:
Fairfield offers more value:
- Larger settlement with more vendors
- More diverse item selection for buying/selling
- Greater concentration of side quests and NPCs
- Central hub for Auntie’s Choice faction activities
- Better infrastructure for ongoing needs
Westport is more expendable:
- Smaller settlement with fewer unique services
- Less quest content tied to its continued existence
- Fewer irreplaceable NPCs
- Limited vendor variety compared to Fairfield
Companion and reputation considerations:
- Saving Fairfield keeps Inez happy (she won’t leave)
- Maintains positive standing with Auntie’s Choice
- Westport’s destruction has minimal reputation impact
- You lose Westport content, but it’s less than Fairfield’s
The Hard Truth About Choosing Westport
Let’s be honest: this option sucks. You’re deliberately destroying a settlement and killing everyone there. It’s not a “good” choice by any moral standard—it’s damage control. But if you can’t launch the relay into space, destroying Westport preserves more gameplay functionality than the alternative.
What you lose:
- All Westport vendors and services permanently
- Any incomplete quests tied to Westport NPCs
- Future exploration opportunities in that area
- Potential companion interactions with Westport characters
What you keep:
- Fairfield fully functional (the more important settlement)
- Inez stays as your companion
- Positive faction reputation with Auntie’s Choice
- Access to the majority of Paradise Island content
Worst Choice: Let It Hit Fairfield
Why This Option Exists (And Why to Avoid It)
Doing nothing and allowing the relay to crash into Fairfield represents the “failure” outcome. This isn’t necessarily the game punishing you—it’s the natural consequence of not intervening. But make no mistake: this is the worst possible result.
Catastrophic consequences:
- Fairfield completely destroyed (no vendors, services, or NPCs)
- Inez abandons you permanently (major companion loss)
- Massive reputation hit with Auntie’s Choice
- Significant loss of available content
- Many side quests become incompletable
When this might happen:
- You lack both Hacking 4 AND a Bypass Shunt
- You consciously choose not to redirect (roleplay reasons)
- You want to see the “bad ending” out of curiosity
- You’re doing a deliberately destructive playthrough
Inez’s Reaction Is Critical
Losing Inez isn’t just losing a companion—it’s losing a significant portion of character interactions, personal quests, and combat support. Companions in The Outer Worlds 2 aren’t disposable; they’re integral to both story and gameplay. Our Inez Graft choice guide details other decisions that affect her, but this Vox Relay choice is by far the most consequential.
If you care about maintaining your full party and experiencing all companion content, destroying Fairfield is simply not an option worth considering.
The Mysterious “Hit It” Option
What We Know About the Lucky Trait Choice
Sharp-eyed players have noticed an additional option when interacting with the control panel: “See if hitting it does anything.” This option requires the Lucky trait to appear.
Current knowledge:
- Requires Lucky trait (selected during character creation)
- Exact outcome currently unverified
- Potentially a joke option with unpredictable results
- May be similar to the “wild card” choices in other Obsidian games
Speculation based on Obsidian’s design patterns: Given how other “Lucky” options work in Obsidian RPGs, this choice might:
- Randomly send the relay to any of the three destinations
- Cause an unexpected but beneficial outcome
- Result in a unique fourth scenario not available otherwise
- Simply not work, forcing you back to the standard three choices
For players interested in the Lucky trait’s other effects, check our complete backgrounds and traits guide to see if building around this trait makes sense for your playstyle.
My recommendation: Unless you’re doing a Lucky-focused playthrough specifically to test these options, don’t rely on “hit it” as your primary strategy. If you have the option, send it to space. If not, redirect to Westport.
Long-Term Consequences Breakdown
Impact on Faction Reputation
Your choice here affects how different groups view you for the remainder of the game:
Send to Space:
- Auntie’s Choice: Positive (you saved Fairfield)
- Protectorate: Neutral (no impact either way)
- Other factions: No direct impact
Send to Westport:
- Auntie’s Choice: Positive (you saved Fairfield)
- Protectorate: Potentially negative (you destroyed Westport)
- Other factions: Minimal impact
Let Hit Fairfield:
- Auntie’s Choice: Highly negative (you failed to save Fairfield)
- Protectorate: Neutral or slightly positive (Westport survives)
- Other factions: Some may lose respect
Understanding how factions work helps you appreciate how this choice ripples through the rest of your playthrough.
Vendor and Service Availability
The practical gameplay implications of your choice extend throughout the endgame:
With both settlements intact (Space):
- Maximum vendor variety for equipment purchases
- Multiple locations to sell junk and unwanted items
- Redundant services if one area becomes temporarily inaccessible
- More options for restocking Inhaler Charges and supplies
With only Fairfield (Westport destroyed):
- Good vendor access, but limited to one location
- Must return to Fairfield for all shopping needs
- Potentially longer travel times for services
- Still sufficient for completing the game
With only Westport (Fairfield destroyed):
- Significantly reduced vendor options
- Limited item variety
- Fewer services overall
- Noticeable inconvenience for rest of playthrough
Quest Content Impact
Some side quests and NPC interactions depend on specific settlements remaining intact:
Space choice: All quest content remains accessible. NPCs from both locations continue to provide quests, dialogue, and story beats.
Westport destroyed: Some minor quests become incompletable. Most significant content preserved through Fairfield.
Fairfield destroyed: Major quest loss. Several questlines tied to Fairfield NPCs become impossible to complete or progress.
Building Your Character for Maximum Options
Hacking Should Be a Priority
Given how many doors, terminals, and critical choices require Hacking in The Outer Worlds 2, treating it as a priority skill makes sense regardless of your primary build. Even combat-focused characters benefit from the flexibility Hacking provides.
How to build for Hacking:
- Invest points every few levels
- Aim for level 4 by mid-game
- Consider backgrounds that boost Tech skills
- Use equipment that provides Hacking bonuses
This isn’t just about the Vox Relay—Hacking opens shortcuts, reveals loot, and provides alternative solutions throughout the entire game. Check our perks guide for perks that complement a Hacking-focused approach.
Resource Management Mindset
The Vox Relay choice perfectly illustrates why resource hoarding can be beneficial in RPGs. That Bypass Shunt you almost used earlier? The skill points you were tempted to put elsewhere? These preparedness decisions create genuine choice later.
Lessons from this quest:
- Don’t use rare resources frivolously
- Invest in skills that create options
- Plan character progression with major quests in mind
- Check guides (like this one!) before committing to irreversible choices
For broader resource management advice, see our guides on selling vs. breaking down items and managing Advanced Decryption Keys.
Roleplaying Considerations
Character Motivation Matters
While I’ve laid out the “optimal” choice mechanically, your character’s personality and motivations might lead you to different conclusions:
Lawful Good characters: Send it to space (save everyone)
Pragmatic/Neutral characters: Space if possible, Westport if not (maximize utility)
Chaos/Evil characters: Might deliberately let it hit Fairfield (embrace destruction)
Corporation loyalists: Might prioritize based on which settlement aligns with their favored faction
Inez-focused players: Any choice that keeps her happy (Space or Westport)
The beauty of The Outer Worlds 2 is that these choices feel meaningful because they reflect your character’s values, not just optimal gameplay outcomes.
First Playthrough vs. Subsequent Runs
First playthrough advice: Go with Space if possible, Westport if not. Experience the full game content before deliberately limiting yourself.
Subsequent playthroughs: Try different options to see alternative outcomes, dialogue, and consequences. This is when destroying Fairfield might be worth experiencing.
Given the level 30 cap, subsequent playthroughs remain manageable time investments, making experimentation viable for curious players.
What Happens After Your Choice
Immediate Aftermath
Regardless of your choice, the quest concludes with the relay reaching its destination. The immediate aftermath includes:
- Dialogue reflecting your decision
- Companion reactions (especially Inez)
- Reputation changes taking effect
- Physical changes to the affected area (if applicable)
Returning to Paradise Island
The choice determines what you find when returning:
Space choice: Both settlements bustling with activity, all services available
Westport destroyed: Fairfield intact, Westport reduced to ruins (inaccessible or destroyed)
Fairfield destroyed: Westport intact, Fairfield devastated (major area loss)
Endgame Implications
Your Vox Relay choice can influence late-game scenarios, dialogue options, and potentially ending variations. While Obsidian hasn’t revealed every consequence, expect this decision to be referenced and to matter throughout your remaining playthrough.
Quick Decision Framework
If you have Hacking 4 + Bypass Shunt: → Send to Space (best outcome, no downside)
If you lack requirements but want best available option: → Send to Westport (preserves Fairfield, keeps Inez)
If you’re roleplaying a destructive character: → Let hit Fairfield (embrace chaos, accept consequences)
If you have Lucky trait and want to gamble: → Try “Hit It” option (outcome uncertain, proceed with caution)
Final Thoughts
The Vox Relay choice represents everything great about Obsidian’s design philosophy. It’s a decision that rewards preparation, forces meaningful trade-offs when you’re unprepared, and creates lasting consequences that shape your experience for hours afterward.
My strong recommendation remains: invest in Hacking, save a Bypass Shunt, and send that relay into space. Future-you will thank present-you when both settlements remain intact and Inez is still cheerfully following you into combat.
But if you can’t manage the space option? Don’t stress too much. Redirecting to Westport is a perfectly viable alternative that preserves most of the game’s content. Just maybe prep better for your second playthrough when you want to see that golden ending where nobody has to die.
For more help navigating The Outer Worlds 2’s tough choices, check out our beginner’s guide and other decision-focused articles. And if you’re playing on Xbox, these choices remain just as impactful regardless of platform.
Quick Reference:
- Best choice: Space (requires Hacking 4 + Bypass Shunt)
- Second best: Westport (preserves Fairfield)
- Worst choice: Fairfield (lose Inez, major content loss)
- Lucky option: “Hit It” (outcome currently unverified)
- Key consequence: Companion retention and vendor availability
