Helios Network

The Ancients created the Helios Network long before the Terran Empire came to power. No Empire or Faction has ever been able to understand how it was made. The network consists of two very different entities that are intrinsically linked, the Jump Gate system and the communications system.

Jump Gate System
The Jump Gate System allows Fleets to move between Star Systems far more quickly than any conventional sub-light drive would allow. A Jump Gate allows passage from one single Star System to one other single Star System. Using the jump gate system, moving across half the galaxy took time. Every Star System has 2 to 6 Jump Gates in it leading to adjacent Star Systems and all Jump Gates are two way. No Faction has ever successfully damaged or repaired a Jump Gate.

Communications System
The Communications System allows instantaneous communication between Systems with Jump Gates. It is one of the only active parts of the computer system that the Ancients designed to monitor the Jump Gate System. It allows point-to-point communications as well as blanketing broadcasts of information.