Starfield: How to Enter Kryx & Board The Key

There are several systems you can explore in Starfield, full of numerous planets that you can land on, find missions, and survey cities. However, not every system, such as the Kyrx system, is friendly to your starship. This location is Crimson Fleet territory, and they’re ready to protect their space station, The Key, with every ship they have flying around it.

Luckily, there is a way to enter this area without being attacked, or you can be a bit more aggressive about it. Some of it does come down to playthrough progression, and that means more time investment. Here’s what you need to know about how to get into the Kyrx System and board The Key in Starfield.

How You Can Enter the Kyrx System & Not Get Shot in Starfield

The Kyrx System is not blocked off by anything in Starfield. You can freely enter this game area at any time during your playthrough. However, the moment you enter this location, Crimson Fleet ships will begin attacking your ship, and you’ll have to fight them off. If you enter this location too early, you’ll find that your vessel only lasts a few seconds before it’s blown out of the sky.

Related: Starfield: Are There Unkillable NPCs?

You can continue trying this method to enter Kyrx, leveling up your ship, giving it the best upgrades, and becoming stronger in Starfield. Eventually, your ship and resources will be able to overpower the many Crimson Fleet ships that appear, and you can defeat them all, being the last one standing in this system. There is one snag about this approach, and we’ll discuss this soon, but it’s also important to note that there is an easier method.

There’s a storyline in Starfield where a UC vessel will appear shortly after you commit a crime, asking you to join them on the UC Vigilance. Although your character is given the choice to do this, if they don’t, it’s suggested that consequences could arise from ignoring it and fighting the ship. When you board the UC Vigilance, you’ll discover that your character is being asked to infiltrate the Crimson Fleet and become a member. By continuing to follow this story thread, your character will eventually be invited to the Kyrx System and onboard The Key.

There’s also the chance you might be sent to the UC Vigilance if you work your way through the UC Vanguard story. I had a playthrough where the characters in this story asked me to take an assignment on the Vigilance, and after doing so, it started the storyline to join the Crimson Fleet. Both methods are valid, so long as you have a chance to join Crimson Fleet and board the station through an invitation. You cannot force your way onto it in Starfield.

How to Board The Key in Starfield

If you shoot your way through the Kyrx system and defeat all the Crimson Fleet ships, you won’t be able to get on to The Key. Even if you have a Crimson Fleet ship, the space station won’t respond to you, and you can’t get on to the station with your Starfield character. The only way to do this is to follow the Burden of Proof storyline and become a Crimson Fleet Member.

The storyline is available for every character in Starfield. All you have to do is commit some crime in the game, such as piracy against a ship or a smuggling attempt, and eventually, you’re caught by the UC or local authorities. They’re going to ask you to infiltrate the Crimson Fleet, which is the roundabout way to join these pirates because they don’t have a faction recruiter, given my experience. So long as you remain loyal to the Crimson Fleet, you can come and go from The Key at your leisure and use everything inside, including the Crimson Fleet mission terminals.