The standard gate is a jump gate: a structure that sits in one system and pairs with a gate in another. A jump through a pair is quick and burns no fuel. It burns jump charges from the ship's hold instead, more the further apart the two systems are. It is titan size, so any ship fits through, and it reaches any system on the map.
Construction
A Constructor or an ark builds it in its current system, from a gate core, ring segments and concrete in its hold. It points at a charted system, and a system can hold only one gate to each destination.
Linking
Two gates pointing at each other form a pair. Any two gates within reach of each other can also link by a handshake: each gate has a secret link code, and the two are linked once each owner has entered the other's. A gate linked by code pairs only with its partner. Either owner can cut the link.
Access
A gate lets through ships of its owner's side and, when linked by code, of its partner's owner's side. Its owner can open it to other players and companies, to allies, or to everyone. A ship jumps only from a gate that lets it through; otherwise it takes the route, if there is one.
Infonet
In the Infonet, the network that carries orders to ships, a gate pair counts as one jump, whoever may use it. Relays on either side of a pair can link through it, so a pair that shortcuts a long route also shortens the path orders take.