How to Join the Crimson Fleet in Starfield

Let’s face it: many Starfield players bought Starfield to become a space pirate. And what better way than to join the evil and notorious Crimson Fleet organization? Certain interactions with a certain NPC definitely swayed me into joining the Crimson Fleet, even though I had no such intentions initially. Without further ado, I’ll be glad to show you how to join the Crimson Fleet in Starfield.

Starfield: How to Join the Crimson Fleet

The quest to join the Crimson Fleet is called Deep Cover. You can start this quest by doing a crime and getting arrested by the UC Vanguard on Jemison. The quest is given by Commander Ikande on UC Vigilance.

However, there are a couple of different paths that you can take to join the notorious Crimson Fleet, and oh boy, do we have some stories to tell. Here are all the different paths you can take to join the Crimson Fleet:

• Committing crimes in UC territory.
• Talking with high-ranked UC SysDef personnel.
• Get caught with contraband.
• Become a double agent for the Crimson Fleet.

One of the ways you can join the Crimson Fleet is to commit small or big crimes while you are in a territory that’s under UC jurisdiction (we stole a fancy meal in a restaurant on New Atlantis—don’t judge us). This will catch the eye of the UC SysDef organization, which will promptly and politely strongarm you into coming with them the next time you re-visit New Atlantis. You can refuse, but then a high-level spaceship fleet will decimate you to nothing but mere space dust within seconds.

When you go along with the UC SysDef people, Commander Kibwe Ikande resumes the strongarm approach with you, and you are met with an unpleasant choice of accepting to go undercover within Crimson Fleet or to refuse and get jailed.

What is the Crimson Fleet in Starfield?

The Crimson Fleet is a confederation consisting of many pirate lords all working towards individual goals. This fleet is one of the most dangerous in the galaxy. It expanded considerably over time, establishing itself in a number of solar systems and planets.

The Crimson Fleet is feared by the Freestar Collective, which actively tries to shut the Fleet down. The Crimson Fleet operates multiple ships, like the Crimson Fleet Reaper and Crimson Fleet Specter. They’re located in a few places like Thee Key (Kryx), UC Vigilance, and Kreet Research Lab (Narion).

Should You Accept a Deal With Commander Kibwe Ikande in Starfield or Not?

Commander Kibwe Ikande is a ruthless, direct, and intimidating character with a big “or else” attitude. We can’t say that this didn’t sway us into outright declining his offer and taking witty verbal jabs at him instead. Let’s see what happens if you decline the deal first, and then we’ll cover the other side, which is unlocked if you accept his deal.

What Happens if You Refuse the Deal With Commander Kibwe Ikande in Starfield

Needless to say, we were booked into prison on Cydonia. But even after getting out, we still got the Activity to join the Crimson Fleet. If you follow the quest, you won’t get an exact pointer, but the next step, which requires you to “Seek Out Crimson Fleet,” is actually pretty easy.

Return to Cydonia. As you stroll down the main long hallway, an individual will come at you to say hi and commend you for how you stood up against Commander Kibwe Ikande.

You will be given an invitation, which you need to read from the Notes section in your inventory. From here, keep going with the quest line until you get into the Crimson Fleet.

What Happens if You Accept the Deal With Commander Kibwe Ikande in Starfield

Accepting the deal brings a lot of dialogue and paperwork with it. It’s explained that you will be an undercover agent, but at the same time, if you do anything bad or anything goes wrong, they’ll wash your hands off of you and treat you like a complete stranger. Commander has devised a way for you to infiltrate the Crimson Fleet by delivering a package to an individual in Cydonia who goes by the name of Saoirse Bowden.

Continue the quest line, and you’ll be in the Crimson Fleet in no time. Be mindful that you do not need to actually betray the Crimson Fleet and act as an informant for UC SysDef if you don’t want to. That would be one more way to get back at Commander Kibwe Ikande. Freedom of choice, right?

Benefits for Joining the Crimson Fleet in Starfield

Joining the Crimson Fleet comes with numerous benefits. For one, you’ll get 250,000 credits and access to The Key, a Crimson Fleet space station. The Crimson Fleet also won’t attack you anymore, meaning you’ll be able to safely travel through their territory without harm.