Payback is a level 70 Romulan mission in Star Trek Fleet Command that starts with a Romulan named Marilla hiring you to escort some valuable cargo. You pick it up in Crossroads and need warp 1,550 to start and to finish. Whether you take the job or go after the cargo yourself, the trip ends in an ambush by Thalessa, a Romulan you crossed before. Both paths pay 13,000 Σ-Dilithium, 3,900 Romulan Credits and 1 Gravimetric Data, plus either Explorer parts or recruit tokens depending on your choice.
Payback objectives
Marilla skips the queue at a trader, says she needs a reliable Independent and asks you to follow her somewhere private. The mission opens with:
- Follow Marilla to Ro’Antcha.
- Decide what to do.
She wants an escort through a dangerous system to collect cargo in Alvolea, and she will not say what the cargo is. Maia points out that you now know where it is and could take it for yourself. The steps after the choice are identical on both paths; only the dialogue and one reward change.
Escort Marilla
- Proceed to Alvolea.
- Defend yourself in Alvolea (enemy strength ~3,392,818,769,605).
- Donate 15K Σ-Parsteel for ship repairs.
- Speak with the Romulans’ leader in Igniotera.
The escort was a trap. Marilla reveals she set you up, and Thalessa hails you looking for revenge over a mission you once disrupted. After you disable the Romulan ship, Maia offers Σ-Parsteel for the repairs as a sign of good will.
Take the cargo for ourselves
- Proceed to Alvolea.
- Defend yourself in Alvolea (enemy strength ~3,392,818,769,605).
- Donate 15K Σ-Parsteel for ship repairs.
- Speak with the Romulans’ leader in Igniotera.
Turning Marilla down does not help: Thalessa is waiting where the cargo should be. At the end, Marilla admits she tricked you and remarks on your greed.
Either way, Thalessa takes you to Kotoma, who decides an Independent she can call on is worth keeping around. When Maia asks who the Order was hunting before, Kotoma sends you away.
Where and what warp
The pickup is Crossroads, and the mission then moves through Ro’Antcha, Alvolea and Igniotera. Warp 1,550 is listed to start and to complete. The recommended level is 70.
Payback rewards
Only one line differs between the two paths.
| Reward | Escort Marilla | Take the cargo for ourselves |
|---|---|---|
| Σ-Dilithium | 13,000 | 13,000 |
| 7★ Broken Explorer Parts | 223,000 | none |
| Romulan Recruit Token | none | 500 |
| Romulan Credits | 3,900 | 3,900 |
| Romulan Points | 14,600,000,000 | 14,600,000,000 |
| Federation Points | -17,100,000,000 | -17,100,000,000 |
| Klingon Points | -8,000,000,000 | -8,000,000,000 |
| Gravimetric Data | 1 | 1 |
Other Order missions near level 70
| Mission | Level | Pickup | Main rewards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payback | 70 | Crossroads | 13,000 Σ-Dilithium, 223,000 7★ Broken Explorer Parts or 500 Romulan Recruit Token, 3,900 Romulan Credits |
| Call to Action Part 1 | 70 | Uyama | 6,000 Σ-Tritanium, 500 1 Day Speed Up, 3,900 Romulan Credits |
| At What Cost? Part 1 | 71 | Kúshlah | 56,000 Σ-Dilithium, 105,000 7★ Broken Explorer Parts, 2,100 Σ-Romulan Credits |
| Begin Again | 71 | Igniotera | 1,834,000 7★ Raw Crystal, 110,000 7★ Broken Survey Parts, 2,200 Σ-Romulan Credits |
Tips
Choose by reward, since the work is the same. Escorting Marilla gives 223,000 7★ Broken Explorer Parts, which is the better pick if you are building a 7★ explorer. Taking the cargo gives 500 Romulan Recruit Tokens instead.
Keep 15K Σ-Parsteel on hand for the repair donation after the fight; see Σ resources and Parsteel. The Alvolea fight is listed at about 3.4 trillion strength, a gentle one for this level.
You finish in Igniotera, which is also where Begin Again is picked up at level 71, so that is a natural next stop. Payback adds 14.6 billion Romulan Points and costs 17.1 billion Federation and 8 billion Klingon Points; the faction reputation page explains the trade-off. For more missions at this level, use the mission guide.