In Starfield, you’ll come across the Drill Waste Room while exploring the Abandoned Mines on Mars in the Sol System. It’s one of several locked doors scattered around the game with good loot behind the locked area. You will need the Drill Waste Room Access Key to unlock the door. There’s no alternate entrance, no lockpicking your way through, and no button hidden nearby. This guide tells how to get the Drill Waste Room Access Key in Starfield.
Starfield Drill Waste Room Access Key Location
To get your hands on the Drill Waste Room Access Key, you’ll need to progress in the United Colonies (UC) Vanguard faction missions specifically the third quest, Delivering Devils. In this mission, you’re tasked with delivering a Terrormorph sample to Dr. Percival Walker. But of course, things aren’t that straightforward — the good doctor is in a bit of financial hot water.
As part of the Delivering Devils quest, you’ll be directed to The Sixth Circle Bar on Mars. Inside the bar, you’ll meet Lou Saavedra, the bartender and a key player in this side hustle. Talking to him will give you the core issue: Percival can’t move forward because he owes the Trade Authority a debt of 21,000 credits. There are three paths to settle this debt:
- Pay the full debt credits if you have enough cash.
- Hack into the Trade Authority computer system and change the debt amount to 1,000 credits using a key you pickpocket from Oktai or your lockpicking skills. This is a clever workaround if your hacking skills are up to snuff.
- Alternatively, you can eliminate the Spacer leader in the Deep Mines for Cambridge. Doing so clears the debt completely.
Once you have cleared Percival’s debt using whatever means, return to Lou. He’ll be grateful for your help and reward you with the Drill Waste Room Access Key, 500 credits, and some extra information about Percival’s whereabouts in Red Devils HQ. He will also tell you the passcode required to access the area where Percival is hidden. But before he fully trusts you, Lou might ask questions, like the Vanguard motto. It’s part of gaining his trust, especially if you’re not throwing credits around or choosing violence.
With the key in hand, fast travel to the Deep Mines Employee Entrance. Make your way through the Drill Waste Room, across walkways, and into a cavern. Here, you’ll encounter Percival in a secret Microbiological Laboratory. Talk to him to finish the quest and earn these rewards:
- 250 XP
- 12,300 Credits
- Unlocking the next quest in the UC Vanguard storyline, Eyewitness
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