The Research and Development contract in Marathon has one hard requirement that trips up most Runners. It does not matter how well you clear objectives if the timing is wrong, because the contract only registers progress under specific map conditions.
Where to complete the Research and Development contract
Dire Marsh is the only map where this contract can be finished. It is the same region tied to several other faction tasks, so you will likely recognize the layout if you have run Priority Contracts there before.
The nighttime condition is the part that matters most. If you drop in and the area is in its daytime state, the contract will not close out no matter how many objectives you hit. Wait for or queue into a nighttime run before committing to the attempt.
How to run it cleanly in one trip
Step 1: Confirm the map state before you fully commit. You want Dire Marsh under nighttime conditions, since that is the trigger that allows the contract to complete.
Step 2: Move toward the objective areas inside Dire Marsh and work through the contract tasks. Keep your route tight so you are not wasting the run, because Dire Marsh runs can get hostile quickly.
Step 3: Finish the required objectives before extracting. Contracts in this region tend to expect the full sequence in a single run, so plan to complete everything before you leave.
How contracts and reputation work
Contracts are how you build standing with Marathon's factions. Sekiguchi Genetics, known as SekGen, is the company behind the Runner Shells called biomata, the organic and synthetic bodies driven by a digital mind. Their AI agent Nona pushes Runners on Tau Ceti to act as field researchers and test subjects, which is why so many of their tasks revolve around collecting research data.
You raise Sekiguchi reputation by completing their contracts, looting Bioprinters, Core Storage, and Crash Carts, defeating UESC Wardens, and taking part in Anomaly events. The Research and Development contract fits this same data-gathering pattern, with Dire Marsh as its required setting.
How to confirm it worked and why it can fail
You will know the contract is done when it registers as complete in your contract tracking and your faction standing updates. If nothing closes out after clearing the objectives, the cause is almost always the same.
The most common failure is running Dire Marsh during the day. The contract simply does not finish outside of nighttime, so check the map state first and re-run under the correct conditions if needed.
Treat the nighttime requirement as the gate for everything else. Get the timing right inside Dire Marsh, work through the objectives in a single run, and the Research and Development contract will close out and add to your Sekiguchi reputation.