Nessus (Pierson's Puppeteer)

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Nessus is a male character in Larry Niven's Known Space universe, of the species Pierson's Puppeteer, a herbivorous species noted for two heads whose mouths act as capable hands. Pierson's Puppeteers are technically advanced in most of the physical sciences.

Nessus, like all Puppeteers ever met by humans, is insane by Puppeteer standards. Those who are sane are far too sensible (read "cowardly") to go off-world or interact with non-Pupeteers. Nessus demonstrates traits that in humans would be diagnosed as manic-depressive disorder, paranoia, displacement, and at times, extreme suggestibility.

Niven states that the species has three reproductive partners, and implies that there are three genders, two sentient "males" and a non-sentient "female". The "female" may not actually be of the same species, as "she" acts as only a receptacle for genetic material contributed by the two males.

In Ringworld Engineers the female Pierson's Puppeteer is described as breeding between themselves. The "male" race is described as using them like digger wasps. Presumably the two male races deposit a fertilised egg in the female which then consumes the female during its development.

Nessus is featured in the short story The Soft Weapon (printed in the 1968 collection Neutron Star) and is also one of the expeditionaries to the Ringworld in the 1970 book of the same name.