Starfield Burden of Proof: Should You Give Jillian Toft Evidence?

For those who have found themselves roped into the UC SysDef’s missions, working to root out the Crimson Fleet in Starfield, you explore several unique routes when completing these missions. One mission you can consistently work on while you play is called Burden of Proof, and you’ll be looking for evidence regarding the Crimson Fleet to Jillian Toft, one of the SysDef officers.

Jullian is on the UC Vigilance, the flagship of the SysDef, and you always have the option to speak with her regarding any evidence surrounding the Crimson Fleet. Regardless if you plan to betray the SysDef for the Crimson Fleet or hold your allegiance with SysDef, the option to turn in any and all evidence is always available. Should you give Jillian Toft any evidence for Starfield’s Burden of Proof mission?

What Happens When You Give Jillian Toft Evidence in Burden of Proof for Starfield

The opportunity to give Jillian Toft any information you can find to implicate the Crimson Fleet during these Starfield missions is a critical moment for your character. It’s a chance to prepare for the final battle where the SysDef Fleet and the Crimson Fleet duke it out against one another, and you want to make sure you’re prepared. Each piece of evidence you bring to Jillian draws more support to their cause for the Burden of Proof quest, providing them with additional reinforcements and ships that you can find on your side.

If you’re with the SysDef at the end of these missions, expect several reinforcements to rally to your cause at the end when battling in space outside of The Key, the Crimson Fleet space station. When I reached this moment, I had decided for my character not to turn in any evidence, and I found the SysDef ships and positions were quickly overrun. Unfortunately, Jillian could not bring any additional funding for this battle, making the final conflict much more difficult. I wouldn’t recommend avoiding turning in the evidence if you plan to take down the Crimson Fleet using the Kyrx’s Legacy.

What Happens When You Don’t Give Jillian Toft Evidence for Burden of Proof in Starfield

The alternative option to providing the evidence to Jillian is to avoid this choice every time you visit the UC Vigilance in Starfield. Following the end of every Crimson Fleet mission, you’ll speak with the crew of the UC Vigilance, and Jillian won’t be far away in the command center. Thankfully, you’re not forced to interact with her at all, and you can choose to continue through the rest of the missions, never providing evidence.

This was a choice I made, and when I attempted to side with the UC SysDef, it made the final battle very difficult to complete. However, when I sided with the Crimson Fleet and fought against the SysDef, every encounter was relatively simple, and they had no reinforcements backing them up. Many of your companions might not approve of this choice during your Starfield playthrough, but it’s something you can do.

Is It Better to Give Jillian Toft Evidence or Not in Starfield?

For those who want to make the final mission laughably easy by siding with the Crimson Fleet, not giving Jillian Toft any evidence would be the best idea. However, you can also look at it from the perspective of a tougher challenge and more rewards. When you defeat the SysDef ships at the end of the battle, there are several opportunities for you to loot the destroyed ships. You also receive experience points every time you time out one of those ships in Starfield, giving you additional XP on top of everything else you’re already getting.

In my experience, doing the Crimson Fleet missions at a lower level and then providing no evidence is a good idea. If you are a higher level, with a powerful ship, it doesn’t hurt to give Jillian Toft evidence, even if you plan to turn against the SysDef and side with the Crimson Fleet with your Starfield Character.