What does the "strange key" do?

[Night Thastus]

Our captain found it in his locker. What does it do?

[Agent Orange]

If it wasnt in the scientists locker, it might be for "private" use of the captain during his free time and he doesnt want to talk about it.

Other than that, it could have been found and used on a mission and now is useless. Keep it, sell it or (if captain hasnt done it already) "analyse" it.

[Mr. n]

Don't atomise it, it might come useful later on (because why not?).

Also, it is probably from the Train planet/mission with the superweapon prize.