Editing Quest:Void Quest (section)

===Gateway System===

[[Image:VQsluttygates.jpg|thumb|200px|''Can we, as an EI of vast power, whip up some sort of crude video that clearly indicates our ship moving through the portal peacefully?'' - {{Anonymous}}]]

A system of point-to point jump networks. A source of great confusion to Void Questers. Power for the jumps provided by the gate, no need for a jump drive or any power to be provided by the ship. Links to a set number of other gates within 5000 LY. Can only transmit to and from online gates. Strictly point to point and uses less energy because of that. Also it acts on other objects that pass through it rather than itself, like a normal drive would. If both the departure and receiver gates are not online, the link can't be established in the first place. The ''Harbinger'' is capable of using these gates, and it has been recommended to do so in order to not strain the reactor. 

There are main "Highways" consisting of primary nodes spaced apart at 5000 LY. Primary nodes only connect to other primary nodes and secondary nodes. All the nodes stemming from a primary node that aren't other primary nodes are considered part of that primary node's "node network" since they can only be accessed through the primary node. These extend from Sol to the outer rim of the galaxy. There are connections between the "spokes" on this wheel at places too, but to travel long distances you will need to use these. There is no way to tell which gates are functioning without attempting to connect to it: "dial it in and see if it opens." The more heavily trafficked the system the more gates they had there for exactly this reason. Sol is logged as having over three thousand of them.

Secondary nodes connect only to other primary nodes and tertiary nodes. Tertiary nodes connect only to secondary nodes, other tertiary nodes, and terminal nodes. Terminal nodes only have one connection, to the tertiary node which they are linked to. All gates in a particular system can link to any other gates that system is linked to.

[[Image:VQgates.jpg|thumb|320px|The gateway system. White with blue links: Primary node. Red: Secondary. Green: Tertiary. Yellow: Terminal.]]

There are two ways to activate a gate:

One, you beam your authorized commands to it (via use of access codes) and let it do all the calculations and send you on your way. This requires the security codes.

Two, you have all the programming and protocols needed for the gate calculations on your own vessel and just have it open where you damn well tell it to. This requires all the data needed for gatejump calcs and the protocols needed to operate the machinery.

It is impossible to set the gate to only accept commands with our security codes, it takes the physical presence of workmen to take it off the grid.

The Gate system crisscrosses the entire galaxy. We have copies of the gate control protocols from Orrin's gate, to be able to activate or deactivate the gate remotely.