Iconian gateway

The Iconian Gateway on Iconia.

The Iconian gateway, or trans-dimensional gateway was a technology developed by the ancient Iconians, about 200,000 years ago.
Essentially a sophisticated transporter, the underlying principles of this technology remained a mystery to the Federation.

These gateways allowed instantaneous travel over enormous distances (at least 70,000 light years). Physically, the gateway appeared as a "door," suspended in space or surrounded by a frame. An individual could step through the gateway and emerge on the other side at their destination. The gateway's network allowed the Iconians to travel the galaxy without the use of starships, and was the primary way they controlled their vast empire. Traveling in this fashion earned them the reputation (among their more primitive subjects) as "Demons of Air and Darkness."

Only two Iconian gateways are known to have survived the destruction of the Iconian civilization, both of which were later destroyed.

• The first was found in 2365, inside the only remaining structure on the surface of Iconia
  • It was accidentally activated by Lieutenant Commander Data, in the midst of investigating the controls.
• The second was discovered in 2372 by the Dominion on the planet Vandros IV, located in the Gamma Quadrant.
  • A group of Jem'Hadar declared it theirs, reactivating it using stolen equipment from Deep Space 9.
    A joint Starfleet-Jem'Hadar team successfully retook and destroyed the gateway, preventing the independent Jem'Hadar group from mounting an insurrection.