Pressing Cares is Niles’ first companion quest and it unlocks early on Paradise Island. The quest follows Niles as he tries to reconnect with Zebulon Tran, an ex‑Protectorate doctor, and forces a decision about a risky act of sabotage that can play out in a few distinct ways.

How to start Pressing Cares

Niles offers the quest after you’ve explored Fairfield and the surrounding area on Paradise Island. You’ll hear him call out, a dialogue icon appears over his head, and agreeing to visit his old friend kicks the quest off.

There’s also a manual trigger: with Niles in your party, head to the flooded buildings just outside Westport and enter the storefront marked “The Perfect Goods.” Meeting Zebulon there also starts the quest.

Meet Zebulon near Westport

Travel to the water‑logged row on Westport’s outskirts and enter The Perfect Goods. Zebulon will be wary of Niles until a radio transmission from Audra Baines cuts in: her Subversives cell was caught after infiltrating the Vox Relay, and survivors are bound for off‑world interrogation. You’ll get a clear objective to retrieve the Subversives and a cipher code.

Reach the holding site near Vox Relay

The captives are on the island’s northern side by the Vox Relay. Depending on your story progress and gear, you have a few ways to cross the chasm:

Route How it works Prerequisite
Desalination plant → Skycutter A102 → lift Send a power surge, then ride the exterior lift to the relay outskirts. Complete the quest “Who Else But Us.”
Crashed ship west of Westport Platform across the wreck to the far side. PALE equipped for a double jump.
The Bridge of the Reverent Fight your way over the bridge to the relay side. Combat‑ready approach.

Clear the holding yard and secure the storage key

Just northeast of the Bridge of the Reverent, you’ll find a small fenced yard packed with shipping containers and a Protectorate squad. Use the containers for cover and prioritize threats as you see fit.

Protectorate enemies present
Trooper
Rectifier
Vindicator
Neophyte (loot for Vox Landing Pad Storage Key)
Warden (armored)

Loot the Protectorate Neophyte’s body for the Vox Landing Pad Storage Key. This key is the simplest way to open Audra’s cell a few steps ahead.

Free Audra Baines and collect the cipher

At the far end of the yard, Audra Baines is locked in a large container used as a holding cell. She confirms the rest of her team was killed and gives you the cipher Zebulon needs.

You have two practical ways to open her cell:

Method Requirement Notes
Use the storage key Vox Landing Pad Storage Key (from the Neophyte) Immediate unlock.
Pick the lock Mag‑Pick + Lockpick 3 Grants XP on unlock.

Audra proposes sabotaging the departing Protectorate transport even if it means sacrificing herself. If you want to keep her alive, a Speech 3 check opens a persuasion line that convinces her to walk away. She’ll ask you not to damage the ship to avoid drawing attention.

Tip: You can talk through Niles’ misgivings after freeing Audra; the next step is choosing whether the transport gets sabotaged at all.

Decide the fate of the Protectorate transport

Once Audra is safe (or if she insists on the plan), Niles asks whether the transport should be sabotaged. The conversation can end in one of four ways:

Choice Outcome
Approve sabotage Niles rigs the transport (or you do with Explosives 3). The ship later detonates mid‑air.
Oppose sabotage Niles stands down and the transport departs intact.
Let Niles decide (caution) Niles opts not to sabotage.
Let Niles decide (indifferent) Niles proceeds with sabotage.

If you want to arm the transport yourself, you need Explosives 3; otherwise, Niles can handle the rigging. If you persuaded Audra to live, she’s not aboard when the explosion occurs.

Report back to Zebulon

Return to Zebulon at the Westport outskirts. If the transport was sabotaged, you’ll see it explode in the sky as the conversation begins. Hand over the cipher and debrief him on Audra’s fate. Zebulon acknowledges the cost, appreciates Niles’ attempt to reconcile, and hands over Niles’ Mod Kit.

Niles’ Mod Kit adds unique customization options to Niles’ gear. You can equip and swap its upgrades to suit your current playstyle or scenario.

Skill checks and items at a glance

Check / Item Level / Source What it unlocks
Speech 3 Persuade Audra not to sacrifice herself.
Lockpick + Mag‑Pick 3 Open Audra’s cell without the storage key.
Explosives 3 Personally rig the Protectorate transport (optional; Niles can also rig it).
Vox Landing Pad Storage Key Loot from Protectorate Neophyte Fastest way to free Audra’s cell.
PALE Equipment Enables a double jump to cross via the crashed ship route.

What you get for finishing Pressing Cares

The quest consistently rewards Niles’ Mod Kit and a block of completion XP. Expect additional small XP grants for steps like unlocking the cell and key conversation beats, with the final completion amount varying slightly by how events resolve.

After the debrief, Niles opens up about the operation and his history with Audra and Zebulon. Whether you chose restraint or retaliation, he’ll remember how you handled the decision.

If you’re continuing with Niles’ story, his next companion quest follows after this one. Keep him in your active party; like Pressing Cares, key conversations tend to trigger when he’s nearby.