The Cycle is a short story mission in Star Trek Fleet Command where you try to purge tachyon emissions in the Tovla system. It starts at warp 1 but needs warp 61 to complete. The game lists a recommended level of 1, but reaching Tovla at warp 61 is the real requirement. There is no combat at all: the cost is 250k Dilithium ejected into the Tovla sun, and the reward is 150 4★ Uncommon Refined Gas. Finishing it unlocks Destination is Origin.
The Cycle objectives
There are three objectives and no choice split:
- Investigate the Tovla system. Location: Tovla.
- Eject 250k Dilithium into the Tovla sun.
- Scan the tachyon surge on Tovan. Location: Tovla.
All three happen in one system. You arrive in Tovla, hand over the Dilithium for the ejection, then scan the tachyon surge on the planet Tovan. No hostile is listed at any step, so a ship that can make the jump can finish the mission.
Where and what warp
The mission appears at warp 1, but completing it takes warp 61 because Tovla is the only system involved. If your ships cannot reach Tovla yet, the mission waits in your log until they can.
The recommended level is listed as 1. That number is not a useful guide here; warp 61 and the 250k Dilithium are what decide when you can finish it.
Since there is no fight, the ship you send does not need combat power. Any ship with the warp range to reach Tovla will do, which makes this a good job for a spare ship while your main combat ships stay busy elsewhere.
The Cycle rewards
| Reward | Amount |
|---|---|
| 4★ Uncommon Refined Gas | 150 |
Completing the mission also unlocks the next one in the storyline, Destination is Origin.
The trade is straightforward: 250k Dilithium in, 150 4★ Uncommon Refined Gas out. 4★ refined materials are expensive to produce, so a flat 150 of them is a good return for a donation and a single trip.
How the reward compares
Other missions in the game data also pay 4★ Uncommon Refined Gas, and they ask for much more:
| Mission | Warp to complete | Donation | Fight | Refined gas reward |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Cycle | 61 | 250k Dilithium | None | 150 4★ Uncommon |
| This Fire Burns | 120 | 25M Tritanium | USS Spearhead, about 7,414,271 | 100 4★ Uncommon, 28 4★ Rare |
| Reciprocation | 170 | 33M Tritanium | Grenon, about 7,227,080 | 100 4★ Uncommon, 27 4★ Rare |
The Cycle pays more 4★ Uncommon Refined Gas than either of those missions, with no fight and at less than half their warp. The later missions add 4★ Rare Refined Gas, which The Cycle does not.
Tips
Bank the Dilithium first. The donation is the second objective, so you need the full 250k on hand once you reach Tovla or the mission stalls there.
Send a ship you are not using. With no combat step, there is no reason to tie up a battle-ready ship on this mission.
Plan the gas for research or upgrades that ask for 4★ Uncommon Refined Gas, since those costs build up quickly once you reach this tier. Other missions sorted by level are on the mission guide.
