An activation cylinder was a necessary component for enabling a spacecraft to engage its hyperdrive system for faster-than-light travel. It was commonly known by the nickname security key. Despite this name, it's likely that any activation cylinder could be substituted for another without issue, distinguishing them from true keys that are uniquely paired to a specific lock. These cylinders, characterized by their large, opal tube shape, needed to be inserted into a sizable slot within a ship's navicomputer.
Activation cylinders served the purpose of preventing soldiers from using starships to abandon their posts during combat situations; this security measure was implemented by the Sith Lord Daiman to maintain tighter control over his military personnel. The flight crews of the Daimanate Heavy-Lift Starcrossers were assigned the task of carrying these cylinders instead of Sith warriors, based on the assumption that the flight crews were more dependable. Within this group, a specialized container issued to flight crews, containing an activation cylinder, was referred to as a dispatch case.