Learn how to unlock and complete the Bonds of Duty Alliance Alert in SWTOR and how your choices affect the mission outcome – the opportunity to recruit or reject Rusk and Skadge, two of the classic SWTOR companions.
Table of contents
Requirements to Unlock it
Bonds of Duty is an alert mission that you can unlock in SWTOR. It becomes available after you complete Chapter XVI from Knights of the Fallen Empire.
This is the ending of the storyline of this expansion. You will jump right into Chapter I from Knights of the Eternal Throne if you don’t cancel out. The alert will remain available, of ocurse.
You will also need to complete the side mission To Find a Findsman, which unlocks during Chapter IX from Knights of the Fallen Empire.
Class Dependency
Bonds of Duty is accessible to every class and role from both factions. Rusk is one of the original Jedi Knight companions. Skadge is one of the original Bounty Hunter companions.
If your character has played through either of the two origin stories, you will see unique dialogue during this mission. Both companions will recognize you when they spot you. The outcome of the mission and who you recruit, is still up to the decisions you will make on the spot.
Mission Walkthrough
The Alert appears in your Companions and Contacts window. The contact that sends it to you is Bey’wan Aygo. To start the mission, click on the purple button at the bottom of the panel to “Travel to Alert Location”.
You will be teleported to the Mercenary Training Facility in the Upper Office Atrium on Nar Shaddaa (Industrial Sector).
You will not need to manually go there using conventional transportation methods for the purposes of this mission, but just so you know where you are on the map, the Upper Office Atrium can be accesses via the elevator in the south end of the Imperial Intelligence Gadget Warehouse map in the Industrial Sector.
Contact Rusk on Nar Shaddaa
Speak to Rusk. If you are a Jedi Knight, he will recognize you immediately and your conversation will be partially unique compared to all other classes.
After the cutscene, you will have to help Rusk. If you have Rank 10 Influence with him from your previous journeys, you can skip the next step.
Reach Rank 10 Influence with Rusk
To reach Rank 10, the quickest and easiest method is to visit the Lower Office Atrium. It is to the west from your current location.
In this area, you have to defeat Black Sun members and loot crates. They will drop the following items that you can bring to Rusk to increase your Influence with him.
| Item Name | Source | Influence Points | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Looted Intelligence | Black Sun Members | 250 |
 | Illicit Goods | Crates | 500 |
After you collect the items, return to Rusk. You can select him in the Companions and Contacts window and click the button “Travel to Contact” in the top right corner, or manually walk back to his previous location.
Give him as many as you need to reach Rank 10. When this happens, a new conversation option will unlock during the cutscene.
Rendezvous with Provost Marshal Rusk and his squad
After you have agreed to help Rusk, you go to the next location. Rusk will be waiting for you at the Black Sun Hideout. Head south to the Personal Story Area and use the button inside the small corridor to go to the Black Sun Hideout.
Confront the Black Sun Ringleader
Make your way through the Hideout to the marker on your map. This is where you will find the leader, who will be none other, but Skadge himself, the classic Bounty Hunter companion.
If you are playing with a character who has gone through the Bounty Hunter origin story, you will have a partially unique dialogue lines and conversation with Skadge.
During the conversation, you will have a few choices to make. What decisions you take here, will determine who you will be able to recruit for your Alliance.
Side with Skadge or with Rusk (including videos)
During the cutscene, you will have an opportunity to betray Rusk or side with him against Skadge. You can also play it smart and navigate your way through the final conversation to recruit both of them to your Alliance.
If you side with Skadge, you will have to defeat Rusk and kill him. This will make him permanently unavailable for you.
In the video below, you can see all dialogue options from the perspective of a Sith Warrior making the Dark Side choices leading to this outcome:
If you side with Rusk, you will have to defeat Skadge and then determine his fate. You can knock him out or successfully recruit him for the Alliance.
In the video below, you can see all dialogue options from the perspective of a Light Side Jedi Knight, who sides with Rusk and knocks out Skadge:
Here is an example set of steps you need to take that will guarantee you that both Rusk and Skadge will join your Alliance and you can keep them as active companions:
- “2. Safe to say this is the ringleader?”
- “3. How about we make a deal?”
- “1. Rusk, your mission is to stop the gang war on Nar Shaddaa. Nobody said it had to be trough force.”
- “1. Join my Alliance. You and your gang could probably cause some real damage.”
- “2. It’s my deal, or the Dead Man’s Legion takes you down.”
- Defeat Skadge and his soldiers.
- “2. You hear that, Skadge? Last chance to cut a deal before your whole crew has to start taking orders from Rusk here.”
- “1. Needless fighting weakens both sides.”
- “1. You don’t have to go with him, but you can’t stay here. Join my Alliance and you can still be boss of your own kingdom.”
- “3. Save the bloodshed for Zakuul.”
In the video below, you can see all dialogue options and choices to recruit both Rusk and Skadge as companions:
Mission Rewards
After the conversation with Skadge and Rusk, talk to Rusk (if you left him alive, of course). Finally, talk to Admiral Aygo and then stop by Hylo to discuss Skadge’s recruitment and get your mission reward.
The reward is along the line of what you get from all other Alliance Alert Missions in SWTOR:
- Credits
- Experience (unless you are at level cap)
- Dark or Light Side Points (depending on your choices)
- Influence with the companion(s) you recruited
- 2x Locked Supply Crate: Military Equipment
- 2x Locked Supply Crate: Smuggled Goods
- Choice of a single Rank 6 Companion Gift out of two available
