The Trouble with Tiddlets, Part 3
The Trouble with Tiddlets, Part 3 is a story contract and the final part of the The Trouble with Tiddlets series. It becomes available after completing The Trouble with Tiddlets, Part 2 and probably Black Hole Sun, Part 3, as you have to contact Dr. Julian Martinez, your contract partner from that mission, and because Dr. Magnus Swanson refers to the rescue of Dr. Martinez’s brother.
Story
The player must assist the Institute for Interstellar Lifeforms and Dr. Swanson with ongoing experiments on the Tiddlets. A key part of this is purchasing Dr. Martinez's starship, equipped with a modified FTL Drive for short-range jumps—so-called hops — hence referred to as the Hop Drive ship. At the start of the conversation, Dr. Swanson informs the player that Professor Toppingbury has taken a leave of absence due to work-related stress. Following the player’s help in Part 2 of this contract series, the Institute confirmed how Tiddlets reproduce. While it was already known that Hyperspace Shock exposure is fatal, a new discovery reveals that in their final moments, Tiddlets form small crystals—objects of great value to the Institute. Dr. Swanson explains that the Hop Drive ship is essential for the next research phase, as Tiddlets also reproduce during hops. Due to its high cost, he urges the player to negotiate the price and offers a bonus for successful bargaining. The available options depend on the player’s choices made during Black Hole Sun, Part 3.
| Choice | Story | Reward |
|---|---|---|
| Immediate Rescue | Dr. Martinez is pleased to hear from the player and speaks about his and his brother's recovery. Marcus Martinez also personally thanks the player. As a gesture of gratitude, Dr. Martinez immediately offers a 50% discount on the ship — no bargaining required or possible.
Right after the ship is purchased, Dr. Swanson contacts the player, amazed by the success. He rewards the player with a $100,000 bonus and expects them to return to the Institute. |
$100,000 |
| Partial Data | Dr. Martinez isn’t particularly happy to see the player and explains that things have been tough. His brother has suffered severe radiation burns and has been in and out of the hospital. He subtly implies that the player is responsible for this. Since the player helped build the Hop Drive, Dr. Martinez offers a 20% discount — no bargaining required or possible.
Right after the ship is purchased, Dr. Swanson contacts the player to congratulate them on the good work. He rewards the player with a $40,000 bonus and expects them to return to the Institute. |
|
| Full Data |
After acquiring the ship, the player is tasked with pairing it with the Institute’s Tiddlet farm and performing several hops. The player must continue jumping until there are 500 Tiddlets on the farm. At this point, the modified FTL drive is fried, but Dr. Swanson is confident his engineers can repair it. He wants the repaired drive installed directly on the farm ship. The FTL drive on the Hop Drive ship is then replaced with a conventional FTL drive. Dr. Swanson then discusses how many crystals can now be produced from a single jump and requests a series of very long-range jumps. The Tiddlet bodies are to be returned to him. Just then, Professor Toppingbury contacts the player. He insists that the ongoing experiments are morally wrong and that the Tiddlets deserve better than being farmed and slaughtered. He reveals that he was shut out completely and all his clearances have been revoked. He urges the player to make the right choice and tells them where he is hiding, expressing his intention to free all the Tiddlets. The player is then faced with a crucial choice.
Paths
The player must choose whether to follow through with the Institute’s and Dr. Swanson’s plan, or to side with Professor Toppingbury and help free the Tiddlets.
Dr. Magnus Swanson
When the ships are lined up for the first jump, Professor Toppingbury hails the player one last time in a desperate attempt to stop them. If the FTL jump is long enough, half of the Tiddlets die during each jump. Two jumps are sufficient — the second may even be a direct return to the Institute. While delivering both the dead and surviving Tiddlets, Dr. Swanson hails the player and congratulates them on a successful operation. He mentions that his engineers will soon automate the process. The player keeps the Hop Drive ship — though without the Hop Drive, as it will be repaired and permanently installed on the Tiddlet farm ship. Finally, Dr. Swanson informs the player that he will be in touch.
Prof. Artemis Toppingburry
If the player flies to Professor Toppingbury’s hiding place, the professor is relieved and grateful that the Tiddlets have been saved. Together with the player, he helps release all remaining Tiddlets from the farm ship. Shortly afterward, Dr. Swanson hails the player. Initially concerned by the sudden loss of contact, he becomes horrified when he realizes what the player has done. He threatens serious consequences for both the player and Professor Toppingbury. Toppingbury, however, remains calm. He assures the player that Swanson is operating entirely outside legal boundaries and holds no official authority. He promises to do his best to keep the Tiddlets safe — even if Swanson attempts to capture more. The player keeps the Hop Drive ship — though without the Hop Drive itself, which remains under Institute control. Before parting ways, Professor Toppingbury tells the player he’ll be in touch if he ever needs help.
Next Part of the Contract Series
After a short while, Dr. Swanson hails the player, requesting assistance — his ship appears to be compromised. However, the message seems to be a broadcast rather than a direct hail. This marks the beginning of The Trouble with Tiddlets, Part 4. This transition occurs regardless of the choices made.
Reward Table
The following table summarizes the rewards from Dr. Julian Martinez and The Stargate Project LLC based on the percentage of data recovered:
| Data Recovery | Dr. Julian Martinez's Reward | The Stargate Project LLC Reward | Total Reward | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0-29% | $600,000 + $60,000 Bonus | No Reward | $660,000 | Dr. Julian Martinez is very pleased with the swift rescue. The Stargate Project LLC feels disappointed as little data was recovered. This is the only path to fully satisfy Dr. Martinez. |
| 30-69% | $600,000 (no Bonus) | $150,000 + $10,000 per 2% | $750,000 to $940,000 | Dr. Julian Martinez feels unhappy with the risk involved but provides the standard reward. The Stargate Project LLC values the partial data and rewards accordingly. |
| 68-69% | $600,000 (no Bonus) | $340,000 | $940,000 | This is the most financially advantageous outcome, though both parties remain somewhat dissatisfied. |
| 70-99% | No Reward | $350,000 + $10,000 per 2% | $350,000 to $500,000 | Dr. Julian Martinez feels very disappointed due to Marcus’s severe radiation injuries and considers the contract unfulfilled. The Stargate Project LLC is pleased with nearly complete data recovery and rewards accordingly. |
| 100% | No Reward | $500,000 | $500,000 | The Stargate Project LLC is enthusiastic about future collaboration. |
Notes
- The different outcomes based on data recovery percentages show how players balance risk, reward, and satisfaction for both Dr. Julian Martinez and The Stargate Project LLC. Players should weigh the trade-offs between data recovery and risks to achieve the best rewards.
- Since the Black Hole Sun series is currently (Alpha 10) one of the few available story contracts, it is currently unclear how these choices will impact future gameplay.
- If Dr. Julian Martinez's starship is destroyed after the mission, no FTL Drive will be dropped. Instead, players will find a Space Suit, a few Habitation Resources and a considerable amount of Scrap Metal. Additionally, two corpses will be floating in the sector.