Hermes Gate
Overview
The Hermes Gate is a very large Hyperspace gate which, when fully powered, can initiate a trans-galactic jump. The Hermes Gate is of the standard size, about 50 km across when fully extended, but the powerplant is an amalgamation of advanced technologies produced by the Hermes Alliance.
Trans-Galactic Jumping
The Hermes Gate is capable of opening an FTL gateway across the galaxy, with or without another gate on the other end. It can maintain the Hyperspace Window for three hours, and allow "Proxy" motion along the trans-galactic hyperspace pathway.
Gate Proxy
The Hermes Gate has the ability to redirect FTL travel around itself by manipulating hyperspace around it. These "Proxy" actions can allow someone to jump clear across the galaxy by entering a standard gate in another system and having the Hermes Gate 'slingshot' the vessel along the Trans-Galactic Route. On the other side, the vessel may 'slingshot' again to a smaller gate on the opposite side.
Security
The Hermes Gate is protected by several tiers of protection.
The first is a customs station, which scans vessels for contraband which may harm the gate. Explosive devices, "fire ships", and so on should be detected well before reaching the Hermes Gate. The scanners can penetrate most known hull types, and any hull that cannot be penetrated must be searched. It should be noted that random vessels may be boarded and searched from time to time if they wish to use the gate network.
The second is the patroling fleets of the Hermes Alliance. Smaller ships, below capital ship size, normally patrol the gates to make sure that order is maintained. If an emergency arises, larger vessels up to mothership class may guard the gate to maintain the flow of commerce.
The third and final defense is the gate itself. The gate is armed with the heaviest New Haven shields that can protect it long enough for fleet assistance to arrive. It is hoped that the gate never has to defend itself in battle, but it is prepared to do so if necessary.
Safety
The Hermes Gate, like its predecessors, has an unparalleled track record, with no recorded accidents during normal operation. Several testing accidents have occurred with the original gate prototypes, but no one was seriously injured or killed in those incidents.
