During the “A Cause Worth Killing For” main quest in The Outer Worlds 2, you’ll run into your first real “choice moment” that makes you pause and weigh your options instead of charging forward. You’ll just restore power to Horizon Point Station, accidentally wake up its security system, and now you’ll see a bunch of angry automechs guarding the only route forward.
You’ve got two choices:
- Try to talk your way out using the intercom, or
- Go in guns blazing and kill all the automechs.
It sounds like a simple decision, but depending on your build, whether you’re a silver-tongued smooth talker or a walking tank with a plasma rifle, the better option isn’t always obvious. This guide tells what happens if you use the intercom or attack the automechs, and which choice you should pick.
What Happens If You Use the Intercom in The Outer Worlds 2?
This is the “brains over bullets” route for anyone who has invested in Speech, Persuade, or Stealth skills. When you interact with the intercom, you’ll connect to a Protectorate officer named Cadet Corbin. He’s suspicious at first, but if you’ve done your homework, you can convince him you’re one of his own. To make it work, two things matter:
- Have the Mechanist Badge — it’s found on the corpse of a dead trooper upstairs, where you restore the power.
- At least Speech 1 — that’s enough to pull off the bluff.
With these ready, choose the dialogue option:
“This is Cadet Robin Mowry…”
Corbin buys it reluctantly, and you’ll then get the prompt:
“Then can you help me out?”
Pick that, and he’ll disable the automech defenses remotely. The mechs power down, the path opens, and you’re through without firing a single shot.
If your build leans toward persuasion and speech, this is the fastest way through. If you don’t have the badge or the right Speech level, Corbin will suspect you’re an intruder and hang up. The door stays locked, and the automechs remain hostile. You can still go for Plan B – fight, or sneak your way past them.
What Happens If You Attack the Automechs in The Outer Worlds 2?
If you’re the “solve problems with bullets” kind of player, you can go with this choice. Charging in and wiping out the automechs might not be subtle, but it definitely works. You’ll be facing multiple automech units with energy weapons and decent armor. Expect a brawl that’ll drain your consumables if you’re not prepared. But the good news is there are no long-term penalties for doing this. You can kill them all, move through the station, and the mission continues just fine.
If you play as a heavy-gunner or a melee bruiser, this is the straightforward option. You don’t need to worry about badges, persuasion, or dialogue. Use cover; the automechs’ lasers can shred you quickly on higher difficulties. Explosives and plasma damage work best against them, or even better, hack one to turn it against its friends if you’ve unlocked high-level Hacking skills.
Option 3: Sneak Through the Vent
There’s also a third way, which is to sneak through a vent in the canteen. You’ll find it on the ground floor of the facility. If Lockpick is one of your specialized skills in the game, you can bypass the door entirely. If not, Niles will comment on it and hand you a Mag-Pick, giving you a shot at breaking in anyway.
Crawl through, and you’ll end up in the courtyard patrolled by the automechs. You can either fight them here or use the crates and debris for cover to sneak past them unnoticed. It’s a slow approach, but good for stealth-focused builds and when you want to avoid both dialogue checks and gunfights.
Should You Use the Intercom or Attack the Automechs
It depends on your build and what playstyle you prefer. No matter which you choose, the story outcome doesn’t change; you’ll still get access to Horizon Point Station in whatever way and continue “A Cause Worth Killing For” mission progress. The difference lies in how you get there and how much you burn through your supplies in the process.
We recommend that you use the intercom as the first choice. Using the Mechanist Badge to pretend to be “Cadet Robin Mowry” is classic Halcyon-level deception. Plus, saving ammo early on always pays off later when fights get tougher. But if I have a new game+ build with maxed-out guns and armor, I’ll not mind letting the automechs know who is boss here.
