1. Talk to Preston Garvey
2. Talk to Sturges
3. Gain access to the Institute
4. Activate Institute Relay
5. Talk to Preston Garvey
6. Reach Institute reactor
7. Use terminal to override Institute lockdown
8. (Optional) Issue evacuation order
9. Reach the reactor
10. Plant fusion charge inside reactor
11. Talk to Preston Garvey
12. Talk to Sturges
13. Talk to Shaun
14. Step into the relay
15. Use the detonator
16. Talk to Preston Garvey
Locations to Explore
- Public Works Maintenance Area
- The Institute
- Mass Fusion
Every Minute Counts
You feel an affinity to Preston Garvey’s way of thinking and must now enter the Institute. Speak with Preston, then Sturges, who has figured out a way into the Institute you were banished from. The data you stole during Minutemen Quest: Inside Job reveals the location of a teleporter. He hands you a Holotape to use in the same terminal, and an impressive piece of firepower to help get the job done.
Institute Relay Targeting Sequence
Automatic Laser Musket
Travel to the irradiated river’s edge in the Cambridge Neighborhood, west of Greenetech Genetics. There’s a Raider camp by the river you may wish to clear first. Dive into the water, swim into the Public Works Maintenance Area, and activate the keypad. A hazmat suit or Power Armor negates the radiation here.
Open the grate and drop through the effluent pipe into the old sewer. Locate a second pipe with a hatch at the end of it. Wind your way through the sewer, following the large white “inflow” pipe with arrows on it. Hack the security terminal (Expert) or pick the lock of the security door (Expert), and head through the hole in the wall to the southeast. Or, head through the open security door (northeast of the security door). Battle your way to the open inflow pipe and enter it. This accesses the Institute facility. Open the subsequent hatch and infiltrate the premises.
A Few Good Men
Load the Institute Relay Targeting Sequence into the relay terminal, and Preston (plus a few Minutemen) teleport in. Chat to Preston again; he hands you a device vital to completing these activities.
Fusion Pulse Charge
Your route takes you through the Old Robotics area. Expect numerous synth adversaries and laser turrets. Locate and drop through the hatch and enter the Institute BioScience laboratory.
Head to the reactor entrance. As you might have expected, the blast door has been activated.
At the central elevator, press the button. Enter Father’s quarters and obtain the override password from him. Use it, or hack the terminal (Novice). Activate the Master Security Lockdown Override.
King of the Commonwealth
Weave your way to the Institute Advanced Systems and enter the reactor chamber. If no evacuation has been called, expect a cluster of synths and scientists. Access the reactor door and activate the reactor housing.
Sturges teleports you to the Institute Relay Control Room. Speak with Preston Garvey before Sturges mentions an unplanned visitor in close proximity. Speak to the little guy. You can:
- Agree to take him under your wing and save his life. Sturges ensures his safety. Find him at Sanctuary (or wherever you sent Sturges to live).
- Inform Sturges that the child must remain here.
After speaking into the relay and teleporting to the roof of the Mass Fusion building, you can press a button and put on a spectacular light show. Your Main Questing ends after a conversation with Preston Garvey about the future of the Commonwealth.