Exposed

Authorities of Harrison Fields, one of Avente's larger space ports, reported the arrest of a man traveling with a false identity. The exposure was not deliberate as the man was not on any "wanted" list, but the new biometric detection devices used on all Avente's space ports triggered an unknown - and undisclosed - discrepancy between the man's ID and his biometric profile.

Interesting aspect is that there's a persistent rumor that the arrested traveller is not human, but a specimen from Gnarumen - a Star King! It could well be that the new biometric devices are part of an Oikumene-wide effort to get a grip on the movement of Star Kings within the Oikumene. Although they are allowed to travel to and from the Oikumene, it's required that they disclose their identities upon arrival. This visitor had obviously not done that.

The new detection devices are developed and manufactured by Mishukone Technologies, a high tech company based on Krokinole. Mishukone was acquired five years ago by All World Investments, an extremely successful capital investment company. Shareholders are - without exception - highly ranked members of the Institute, although executives of the Board have always denied any ties with the Institute.

- Item posted in "The Concourse Herald"

Breakthrough

Diplomatic sources call it a breakthrough but it remains to be seen what will come from the first diplomatic mission to Gnarumen. A group of four diplomats of mixed political backgrounds will visit the home planet of the Star King in the very near future. "We hope this will bring the human race and the race of the Star King closer together..." said Poran Molansky Jr., a spokesman of the diplomatic mission. Exact dates and an agenda have not yet been disclosed. "As this is the first time humans are allowed to visit Gnarumen, the public will understand that we keep matters confidential for the time being."

[...]

- From "Who are they?", feature article in Cosmopolis about the Human - Star King relations and future developments.

Inhabitants of Gnarumen (Lambda Grus III)

Excerpt from The Avente Tribunal's science page:

.... the Star Kings should be considered an a-sexual species, reproducing in a way quite unlike humans. It remains a carefully guarded mystery. It is proven however that they can be surgically modified to look like humans, even to the point to fool a medical examiner.

Although not proven or formally confirmed it is believed that the evolution on their home-world - Gnarumen - was influenced by the artificial introduction of Neanderthal men in prehistory. Prior to this the proto-Star Kings were merely small amphibious creatures of no great competence, but in the ensuing millennia they grew to resemble humans and eventually exterminated them from Gnarumen. How the Neanderthal species was brought to Lambda Grus III is a mystery, which it will for probably some time to come.

Star Kings strive to excel in every way, especially against humans in any field they encounter them in, however each Star King's focus is driven by his own personality and interests. This means that they are not inherently evil or driven by the sheer will to inflict harm on their human counterpart.

Malagate The Woe, a very infamous example of the Star King species and a notorious criminal, is not to be considered exemplary, as he stated himself that "his career was one not endorsed or respected by his species"....

Clipped from an editorial by Dr. Giro Quizzar, retired biologist on Boniface, Vega