The Vacuum is a short combat mission in Star Trek Fleet Command built around a discovery in the Nikola system. The game lists a recommended level of 1, but finishing it needs warp 56 and a win against the USS Newton at roughly 1,969,977 strength. Both objectives are in Nikola. The reward is 16 1 Hour Repair Speed Ups, and it unlocks A Message in a Bottle. Expect one hard fight and a short trace afterwards.
The Vacuum objectives
The story line is to make a discovery in the Nikola system. There are two objectives and no choice split:
- Defend against the USS Newton. Location: Nikola. Enemy strength is roughly 1,969,977.
- Trace the warp engine emissions from the wreckage. Location: Nikola.
The mission opens with the fight. You arrive in Nikola, beat the USS Newton, and then follow the warp engine emissions left in the wreckage. Both steps sit in the same system, so the trace is a short follow-up rather than a second journey.
Where and what warp
No pickup system is listed. The Vacuum starts at warp 1 and needs warp 56 to complete, and Nikola is the only system named. Once your ship can reach Nikola, the whole mission happens there.
The recommended level is 1, which undersells it. Warp 56 and an enemy close to 2 million strength decide when you can clear it.
The Vacuum rewards
The mission pays 16 1 Hour Repair Speed Ups, sixteen hours of repair time in total. Completing it also unlocks A Message in a Bottle.
How it compares with the next mission
The Vacuum leads straight into A Message in a Bottle, and both share the same warp requirement. Current game data:
| Mission | Warp to complete | Objectives | Rewards |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Vacuum | 56 | Fight the USS Newton, then trace warp emissions in Nikola | 16 1 Hour Repair Speed Ups |
| A Message in a Bottle | 56 | Report to Scotty in Fibona, provide 1M Parsteel, install the Temporal Resonator at your Station | 160 4★ Uncommon Refined Ore |
The Vacuum is the combat half of the pair. The next mission has no listed fight and asks for Parsteel instead, while paying refined ore. Running them together means the repair speed ups from The Vacuum are in hand right after the hardest fight of the two.
Tips
Bring your best combat ship. The USS Newton is the only enemy, and at roughly 1,969,977 strength it is the entire difficulty of the mission. Arrive fully repaired, since the fight is the first objective and there is no warm-up step.
Use the reward on the damage you just took. Sixteen hours of repair speed ups is more than enough to get a ship back out after the Newton fight, with plenty left over for later battles.
Get 1 million Parsteel ready before you finish. A Message in a Bottle asks for it straight away, so having it banked keeps the storyline moving. The mission that comes before The Vacuum is Learn From Past Mistakes, and other missions by level are on the mission guide.
