Welcome to NGB and our guide on the Starfield Shattered Space Exhuming the Past mission. This guide will walk you through starting the mission and detail the necessary steps for its completion. If you need help with a specific mission objective, check the quick links section to find the most relevant information easily.
Exhuming the Past Quick Links
- How to Start the Exhuming the Past Mission
- Exhuming the Past Mission Walkthrough
- Reach Ma'leen Dam
- Acquire a Keycard for the Dam
- Access the Dam
- Explore the Dam
- Destroy the Modulator
- Drain the Water
- Open the Secure Access Door
- Explore the Dam
- Learn More about the Phantoms
- Complete the Teleportation Experiment
- Learn More About the Phantoms (cont.)
- Retrieve A Vortex Interlock
- Diver Power to the Interlock Console
- Retrieve a Vortex Interlock
- Remove the Remaining Interlock
- Exit the Dam
- (Optional) Check on the Villagers
- Deliver the Interlock to Ekis
- Additional Starfield Guides and Walkthroughs
How to Start the Exhuming the Past Mission
To start Exhuming the Past, you must speak with Hasmak Dul’kehf during the Aligning the Houses main mission. He will request that you check out the Ma’leen Dam which triggers the mission.
Exhuming the Past Mission Walkthrough
Reach Ma’leen Dam
Leave the Halls of Healing and travel to Ma’leen Dam, southeast of Dazra. When you get there, locate and speak with Comrak Abbas, who can be found near the entrance. He will say that you cannot get inside without an access card, and they gave it to Kaviil for safekeeping.
Acquire a Keycard for the Dam
To reach Kaviil, travel south from the dam to Abbas Seaweed Farm. He’ll be walking around somewhere in the area, so locate and speak with him. Ask him about the card, and he’ll tell you that you’re not its owner and he plans to return it to Dazra. To get him to hand it over, you’ll need to persuade him to give up the card. Alternatively, if you have the security perk, you’ll have a special option that will cause him to hand it over without a fuss.
Access the Dam
Return to the Ma’leen Dam and use the card on the ID Card Reader to open the secure access door. You’ll then be free to enter the dam.
Explore the Dam
The area inside the dam is pretty linear, so follow the main path until you reach the giant flooded room. You’ll want to access the control room overlooking the flooded room by climbing up the orange scaffolding to reach some pipes. From there, you’ll want to boost across to the walkway just outside the control room. Head inside and interact with the computer.
Destroy the Modulator
To destroy the modulator, exit the control room the way you came in and jump back to the pipes you used to reach the walkway. The modulator should then be right in front of you. Shoot it with your weapon to destroy it.
Drain the Water
Now that the modulator has been dealt with return to the control room and interact with the computer to drain the water from the room.
Open the Secure Access Door
The secure access door is on the west side of the room on the lower level. Head down there, then look to the left of it to spot a computer desk. Interact with the computer there to open the door, allowing you to continue exploring the dam.
Explore the Dam
Head through the doorway and down the stairs, passing through the door at the end to be greeted by the phantom Jarija Ma’leen. She will warn you to leave before disappearing. Since that’s not an option for us, press on. A little further up, she will appear again and attack you. Take her out with your awesomeness!
Learn More about the Phantoms
After you have dealt with the phantom, head to the next area, which looks like a command center. You want to head to the left side of the room and down the small flight of stairs. Interact with the computer ahead, making sure to examine all of the files.
Complete the Teleportation Experiment
To begin the experiment, head to the console with the switch to the left of the computer and adjust the power levels based on what was on the computer. For the keycard, you’ll want to set the values to 3, 3, and 5, then press the switch. (The power level for the switch is 235, but another email says you should increase the power level by 100.
Once you’ve done that, press the switch and collect the Experiment Keycard.
Learn More About the Phantoms (cont.)
Now that you have the keycard, you can progress further into the facility via the doors on the other side of the room down a flight of stairs. When you progress far enough, the phantom will reappear, but this time with a friend. You’ll need to fight them both off. Once they are both no more, interact with the computer in the area, making sure to check all the attachments in the Research Logs folder.
Retrieve A Vortex Interlock
While facing the computer, take a left and head up the small ramp, then interact with the drive on the left.
Diver Power to the Interlock Console
Head through the nearby doorway and follow the path, eventually reaching a red wall panel you must cut out of the way.
Head through the hole to enter the vents, where the phantom will show up to greet you once more, but with two additional allies this time. Take the trio out, and then destroy the power source at the end of the vent shaft.
Retrieve a Vortex Interlock
Return to the Vorter Interlock and interact with the console to finally obtain the Vortex Interlock.
Remove the Remaining Interlock
After you remove the Vortex Interlock, the phantom will reappear, saying that if you remove the second one, the farmers on the surface will suffer because the dam has been messed with (which is true). If you want the second one, it’s up to you. You’ll need to open the door on the left of the first Vortex Interlock you took to power the console. You can do this by interacting with the computer near the door. Once it’s open, shoot the power source at the end of the hall. This will allow you to grab the 2nd one.
Exit the Dam
With the Vortex Interlock (or 2) on hand, return to the entrance by backtracking the way you came. If you grabbed both, head to the center of the room to spot an elevator you can use to leave. Take it to the surface to escape the dam.
(Optional) Check on the Villagers
If you took the 2nd Vortex Interlock, head to the Abbas Seaweed Farm and speak with Gamiral Abbas. He’ll tell you everything is ruined, and they must move.
Deliver the Interlock to Ekis
Return to Dazra, then make your way to Ekis who can be found near the Goods Exchange. Speak with him to hand over the device and then provide some input for his squabble. This will complete the mission, rewarding you with 350 XP, some credits, and gear.
Additional Starfield Guides and Walkthroughs
Be sure to check our main Starfield Guides and Walkthroughs page for additional content on Starfield!