Queen of the Highway

Key takeaways

The mission is both a vehicle combat sequence and the conclusion of Panam Palmer’s personal arc.

• Final Panam job Queen of the Highway follows Panam Palmer’s earlier side jobs and functions as the endpoint of her dedicated questline.
• Basilisk gameplay Most of the mission’s distinctive gameplay takes place inside the Basilisk, combining vehicle movement, mounted weapons and a neural-link tutorial.
• Romance opportunity The mission contains the most important romantic interaction with Panam Palmer, provided V meets the established romance requirements and selects the relevant dialogue.
• Aldecaldos connection Completing the job strengthens V’s relationship with the Aldecaldos and preserves them as a potential source of support later in the story.

Queen of the Highway

Queen of the Highway is the final Panam Palmer side job in Cyberpunk 2077, bringing V to the Aldecaldos’ mobile camp for a ride in the clan’s Basilisk combat vehicle.

The mission begins after V has completed the preceding Panam Palmer jobs and enough in-game time has passed for Panam to contact V. Her invitation takes V away from Night City and into the Badlands, where the Aldecaldos are preparing the Basilisk for another operation. The job is less about investigating a new location than about spending time with Panam and seeing how V fits into the clan’s plans.

The Basilisk sequence forms the mission’s central gameplay section. V and Panam use the vehicle’s neural interface, first learning how its weapons and shared controls respond, then dealing with an interruption that turns the demonstration into a live combat encounter. The vehicle is powerful, but the open terrain and incoming Wraiths make target awareness and movement important.

Queen of the Highway also serves as the emotional conclusion to Panam’s storyline. Dialogue during the neural-link sequence can develop V’s romantic relationship with Panam when the relevant character requirements have been met. The mission’s broader outcome establishes the Aldecaldos as an important possible ally for V, while its final conversations give the Panam arc its clearest sense of closure.

Where this sits

Requirements

Progress Panam Palmer’s side-job chain far enough for her to invite V to the Basilisk at the Aldecaldos’ camp.

• RequiredComplete With a Little Help from My FriendsThis preceding mission is the direct setup for Queen of the Highway and must be completed before the job becomes available.
• RequiredWait for Panam’s callThe mission does not necessarily begin immediately after the prerequisite. Continue playing or use the in-game wait function until Panam contacts V.
• RequiredMeet Panam in the BadlandsTravel to the Aldecaldos’ mobile camp when the objective appears. The mission is built around the clan’s camp and the Basilisk rather than a Night City interior.
• RecommendedUse a combat-ready loadoutNo particular weapon build is required, but V should be comfortable with aiming and moving through an open combat area before starting the vehicle section.

Objectives

1. Meet Panam at the Aldecaldos’ campFollow the objective marker into the Badlands and locate Panam at the clan’s mobile camp.
2. Get into the BasiliskBoard the vehicle when Panam is ready and follow the prompts for the neural-link demonstration.
3. Practice with the BasiliskUse the vehicle’s mounted weapons against the practice targets while learning how its controls respond.
4. Defend the Basilisk from the WraithsThe training session is interrupted by hostile attackers. Eliminate the attackers while remaining aware of the vehicle and the surrounding terrain.
5. Return to the Aldecaldos’ campAfter the combat encounter, follow Panam back to camp and complete the concluding conversation.

WalkthroughSpoilers

1. 01

   Answer Panam’s call and accept the invitation.

   Wait for Panam’s invitation

   After completing With a Little Help from My Friends, continue with other activities or advance time until Panam calls V. The quest marker appears only after the required delay and progression check has cleared.

   TipIf the mission does not appear, leave the immediate area and spend some time on another activity before checking the phone again.

   Checkpoint
2. 02

   Meet Panam at the camp.

   Travel to the Aldecaldos’ camp

   Drive out to the Badlands and follow the marker to the Aldecaldos’ mobile camp. Panam is waiting with the clan and the Basilisk, so search the camp area rather than looking for an entrance into a conventional building.

   Location: Aldecaldos’ mobile camp

   Watch outDo not treat the camp as a hostile area; the mission begins through conversation and preparation, not by attacking the clan.

3. 03

   Get into the Basilisk.

   Talk with Panam and board the Basilisk

   Speak with Panam and follow the conversation until she directs V toward the Basilisk. Enter the vehicle when prompted, then pay attention to the tutorial instructions because the mission temporarily replaces V’s normal gunplay with the Basilisk’s controls.

   Location: Aldecaldos’ camp

   TipKeep the camera centered on the vehicle and nearby targets during the transition so the first control prompts are easy to read.

   Checkpoint
4. 04

   Practice shooting with the Basilisk.

   Complete the Basilisk neural-link training

   Use the Basilisk’s mounted weapons to fire at the practice targets in the surrounding Badlands. This section is intended to teach the vehicle’s aiming and firing rhythm before the real attackers arrive, so use it to learn how quickly the weapon tracks and how much of the view is occupied by the vehicle.

   Location: Badlands outside the Aldecaldos’ camp

   TipTrack targets smoothly instead of making large camera swings; the Basilisk’s weapon view is less agile than V’s handheld weapons.

5. 05

   Defend the Basilisk.

   Respond when the training is interrupted

   The practice sequence changes into a live encounter when Wraiths attack the Basilisk. Stop treating the targets as a tutorial exercise and immediately scan for hostile vehicles or fighters around the camp and the Basilisk’s route.

   Location: Badlands around the Basilisk

   Watch outThe encounter can fail if V allows the Basilisk or the protected Aldecaldos group to be overwhelmed, so prioritize visible attackers over optional movement or exploration.

   Checkpoint
6. 06

   Defeat the attacking Wraiths.

   Destroy the Wraith attackers

   Use the Basilisk’s mounted weapons to eliminate the Wraiths while staying oriented to the open battlefield. Keep moving when the terrain allows it, avoid letting enemies remain in blind spots, and switch targets when one attacker is no longer an immediate threat.

   Location: Badlands combat area

   TipThe Basilisk gives V substantial firepower, but its large frame and vehicle handling make target positioning important; turn deliberately and use the open ground to keep enemies in view.

7. 07

   Rejoin Panam and complete Queen of the Highway.

   Return to camp and finish the conversation

   Once the attack is over, follow the objective back to the Aldecaldos’ camp and speak with Panam. The closing dialogue determines whether V takes the available intimate route with Panam when the romance requirements are satisfied, so do not rush through the conversation if that outcome matters.

   Location: Aldecaldos’ mobile camp

   Watch outThe romantic dialogue opportunity is tied to this concluding sequence and should not be skipped if V is pursuing Panam’s relationship.

   Checkpoint

Mission mechanics

The Basilisk handles differently from an ordinary vehicle and from V’s personal weapons. Its mounted gun gives the player a broad combat role, but the vehicle’s size and turning behavior mean that positioning is as important as raw accuracy. The training segment provides a safe opportunity to learn the camera, target tracking and firing prompts before the Wraith attack begins.

The neural-link presentation is part tutorial and part character scene. Panam shares the Basilisk’s experience with V, making the vehicle sequence feel less like a standard driving mission and more like a cooperative activity. Dialogue prompts appear during this section; players who are pursuing Panam should read them carefully rather than selecting responses automatically.

The live encounter takes place in open Badlands terrain. There is no need to search the surrounding area for a hidden route during the fight: the practical priority is maintaining a clear view of the Wraiths and removing threats quickly. After combat, the mission returns to conversation and does not become a separate extended exploration section.

What works and what does not

Phases

1. 1

   Basilisk training

   Starts: Entering the Basilisk and beginning the neural-link demonstration.

   V learns the vehicle’s mounted weapons by firing at practice targets in the Badlands.

   • Practice targetsTell Targets appear in the training area and are presented as a controlled shooting exercise.Answer Center the Basilisk’s aim on each target and fire until the tutorial advances.
   • Use this phase to learn the vehicle’s aiming and firing behavior before the hostile encounter.
   • Stay focused on the marked practice area instead of trying to leave the mission space.
2. 2

   Wraith assault

   Starts: The training sequence is interrupted by hostile activity.

   Wraith attackers turn the demonstration into a live defense of the Basilisk and the Aldecaldos.

   • Wraith attackTell Hostiles appear around the Basilisk and the surrounding Badlands rather than presenting themselves as stationary tutorial targets.Answer Keep the Basilisk oriented toward the active threats, fire continuously when a target is exposed and reposition when enemies fall outside the weapon’s useful view.
   • Prioritize threats that are closest to the Basilisk or the protected group.
   • The open terrain gives room to move, but wandering away from the objective can make target tracking harder.
3. 3

   Return to camp

   Starts: The Wraith attackers have been dealt with.

   V and Panam leave the combat sequence and return to the Aldecaldos’ camp for the mission’s concluding conversation.

   • Finish the conversation carefully because the relationship outcome is handled in this closing section.

Choices and consequencesSpoilers

• Select the intimate or receptive dialogue during the Basilisk sequence

  When V meets Panam’s established romance requirements, the relevant dialogue advances the romantic path and leads to the mission’s intimate resolution.

  Spoiler
• Choose non-romantic dialogue with Panam

  V can complete the mission while keeping the relationship platonic. Panam’s personal questline still concludes, but the romance outcome is not selected through this scene.

  Spoiler
• Play as a V who does not meet Panam’s romance requirements

  The romantic route is unavailable even if the player selects otherwise suggestive dialogue. The mission remains completable and still resolves V’s relationship with the Aldecaldos as an ally.

  Spoiler

Checklist

• Complete With a Little Help from My Friends before looking for this mission.It is the direct prerequisite in Panam Palmer’s questline.
• Wait for Panam to contact V.The job is triggered after the required progression and time delay.
• Meet Panam at the Aldecaldos’ mobile camp.Follow the Badlands objective marker rather than searching Night City.
• Read the Basilisk control prompts.The vehicle’s handling and weapons differ from V’s usual equipment.
• Finish the practice-target sequence.This tutorial leads directly into the live attack.
• Defeat the Wraith attackers.Protect the Basilisk and remain focused on the marked combat area.
• Return to camp after the fight.The mission is not complete until the concluding conversation is finished.
• Review the final dialogue choices with Panam.Do this carefully if pursuing the romance route.Optional

Failure conditions

• The Basilisk or protected allies are overwhelmed during the Wraith attack.The combat section is a defense objective. Concentrate on nearby attackers and avoid abandoning the active encounter while enemies remain.
• V does not answer or receive Panam’s invitation yet.This is a progression issue rather than a combat failure. Complete the prerequisite, leave the area and allow enough in-game time for the call to arrive.
• The closing conversation is skipped or handled without the desired relationship choices.The mission can still end successfully, but the romantic outcome with Panam may not be selected if the relevant dialogue is not taken.

Rewards

• Quest completion
  Completing Queen of the Highway closes Panam Palmer’s dedicated side-job chain.
• Aldecaldos alliance
  The completed quest establishes the Aldecaldos as an important potential ally for V in the broader story.
• Panam relationship progression
  Depending on V’s requirements and dialogue choices, the mission can complete the major romantic step in Panam’s relationship arc.

Characters in this mission

• Panam PalmerV’s host, driving partner and the central character of the mission.
• Mitch AndersonA member of the Aldecaldos associated with the clan’s camp and Panam’s storyline.
• Saul BrightLeader of the Aldecaldos and a major figure in the surrounding questline.

AftermathSpoilers

Trivia

• The title refers to Panam’s role as the mission’s guide through the Badlands and to the Basilisk-centered road sequence.
• The mission is unusual among Cyberpunk 2077 side jobs because its defining combat vehicle is also part of an intimate neural-link scene.
• Queen of the Highway is the final dedicated Panam Palmer side job, making its conclusion relevant beyond the immediate Basilisk encounter.

Relationships