: I always thought that they would require a planetary network to *expand* not
: to start. Thats why Durandal wanted to escape the closure of the universe,
: so he could expand forever.
Mmmm, I think it was so he could exist forever and become a god, which doesn't neccesarily mean expanding forever.
I think you're right, they would need a planetary network to expand at first...after all, I think Rampancy entail an AI rewriting some of it's programming. To do that, they'd probably need a much larger network to handle more tasks and stuff while they rewrote their program. But once they've done that, I'd think their program could fit anywhere a normal AI would, and not require a planetary network.
Of course, this is mostly all speculation, but remember that Durandal DID live in a Pfhor scoutship for what? Fifteen years? I don't think that's a planetary-szed network there, and I'm not sure that S'pht being hooked into the computer system would cut it either.
-Joyeuse
