Interstellar Conduit

Interstellar conduits are naturally-occurring "highways" between various stars, caused by some yet-unknown force or phenomenon. The laws of physics are different than in "normal" space in a number of ways, the most exploitable being the ability of properly-outfitted vessels to achieve superluminal speeds, an impossibility in normal space.

A large part of the scientific research of the TCW and other major powers is the discovery and mapping of interstellar conduits, which open up new star systems for exploration and colonization.