[@GreivousKhan] [quote=@GreivousKhan] I for one like it. Makes sense, explains a few things also adds alternatives, even a method outside of predicted hyperlanes for travel, though, it is appropriately dangerous. The only thing I'd like to add is that those Cognition engines (which probably use V.I in place of A.I) probably require a unique material, hell maybe something directly from the void that allows it to make predictions based on changes within the void itself. So in a way their both require somewhat finite resources even if one does have the money and know how to make Cognition engines. (Also, FTL communication likely also uses the void, could probably call it void-casting. Another role that might be filled by sorcerers or a different kind of void engine.) [/quote] Sure, though in lieu of handwavium maybe Cognition Engines brute force a sort of 'bridge' to see into the void. The Cognition Engine would then be needed immediately in order to stabilize the 'bridge' but due to the nature of machine learning only some of the time would the Engine arrive at an optimal solution before the bridge destabilizes and destroys it. Thus making Cognition Engines would be [i]very[/i] expensive as you'd have no guarantee you'd get any functional machines out of a given batch and each machine would be quite the investment just to lose the vast majority of them to chance. AI, being sapient, had a sort of affinity for the void that made the process far less dangerous. So a Vacare is just the far cheaper and less costly option. Those who manufacture Cognition Engines do so explicitly to avoid relying on Vacare and accept the random nature of the manufacturing process and the cost of losing so many expensive VI machines. Just a thought, mostly had because I couldn't think of a name for whatever unobtanium we would have needed haha.