The Survival Directive is your first real taste of what Marathon's faction contract system demands from you. Issued by NuCaloric, a powerful corporation specializing in food and medicine, this priority contract sends you into Perimeter to track down two UESC terminals and pull critical data from each. It sounds simple, but the terminal locations are tucked away in spots that will cost you precious time if you go in blind.
What Is the Survival Directive Priority Contract?
The Survival Directive is a priority contract assigned by the NuCaloric faction, unlocked after completing your initial work with CyberAcme. Because it's a priority contract, it appears only once in your contract list and cannot be repeated. Completing it advances the NuCaloric narrative arc and unlocks the next tier of faction contracts from that corporation.
Your two objectives are:
- Download the geological survey data from a UESC terminal in Station
- Download the botany report from a UESC terminal in Overflow
Both locations sit within the Perimeter map, but on opposite ends of it. You can complete these objectives in either order, and across separate runs if needed.
danger
Although the steps can be done in separate runs, priority contracts are one-time-only missions. Make sure you're not extracting before confirming each download registers in your contract tracker.
Station terminal data download
How to Download the Geological Survey Data in Station
Station sits in the top-right (northeast) corner of the Perimeter map. Once you load in and navigate there, look for a large orange structure. Directly beside it is a grey building that holds the UESC terminal you need.
Here's the catch: the grey building has no ground-level entrances. You cannot simply walk through a door on the lower floor. Instead, look up and you'll spot two catwalks connecting this building to neighboring structures. Your approach:
- Enter one of the adjacent buildings that does have ground access.
- Cross the catwalk connecting that building to the grey terminal building.
- Once inside, locate and interact with the UESC terminal to trigger the geological survey data download.
The terminal interaction itself is instant. The tricky part is navigating the catwalk approach without getting caught in the open by other Runners or hostile NPCs patrolling the area.
info
Before crossing the catwalk, scan the area from the adjacent building's window or ledge. Catwalks leave you fully exposed, so clearing any visible threats first saves your run.
Catwalk route to Station terminal
How to Download the Botany Report in Overflow
Overflow occupies the bottom-left (southwest) corner of the Perimeter map. One large building dominates the compound, and that's exactly where the second UESC terminal is located.
Here's how to reach it:
- Enter the main Overflow building through the yellow door near the northwest corner of the structure.
- Move forward from the entrance, then turn right through the ticket barriers.
- Head up the staircase to the second floor.
- At the top of the stairs, find the room in the corner of the second floor. The terminal is inside.
A useful environmental cue: as you approach the correct room, the lighting shifts to a blue glow, which confirms you're heading in the right direction. Interact with the terminal to download the botany report and complete the contract.
warning
Hostile NPCs patrol the second floor of the Overflow building. Clear enemies in the area before attempting to interact with the terminal. Getting downed mid-download is a costly mistake on a one-time priority contract.
Overflow terminal blue light marker
Survival Directive Objectives at a Glance
What Are the Survival Directive Rewards?
Finishing both objectives pays out the following:
- 1x Protector V1 Shield (implant)
- 3x Random Material (salvage)
- 6x Patch Kit (medical consumable)
- 6x Shield Charge (shield consumable)
- 1,500x Credits
The Protector V1 Shield is the standout reward here, offering immediate defensive utility for your next runs. The consumables (Patch Kits and Shield Charges) stack nicely with your starting supplies, and the credits push your economy forward for early gear purchases.
Perhaps more valuable than the items themselves is what comes next: completing Survival Directive unlocks the next set of NuCaloric Priority Contracts, opening up further narrative content and better rewards down the line.
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