Transvariance
Transvariance (TV) is a drop-in replacement for Special Relativity (SP). Where SP claims what must occur (time dilation, contraction etc), TV explains why and how it occurs. Because TV effects can be linked to the interaction of an object with the medium, work-arounds will indeed be developed that enable FTL travel.
The word Transvariace is a contraction of Translational Variation. An object translating relative to the medium experinces variations (length contraction, "time" dilation ) that "fool" a observer moving with the object, into believeing that it is invariant. This illusion of invariance is the wonderful gift to sentient beings, allowing them to develope rudamentary science and technology with the illusion that they are standing still. Without this gift, sentient beings would experience variations in scientific observations at differnt times of the day and year. This would severly hinder technological progress because nothing would be repeatable and science would have stagnated until humans became aware of the structure of the universe.
Transvariance is developed from a simulation of the Michelson-Morley experiment which shows there are many forms of transvariance beyond just length constrcation and "time" dilation. Relections, Difracations, and emissions are all affected by translation. These are all computed relative to the medium just as the Doppler effect is.
