02513cam a22003973u 4500 64596 UtSlPG 20260610134505.0 m cr n 260607r2021||||utu|||||o|||||||||||||| d UtSlPG en iso639-1 PS Knight, Damon, 1922-2002 The Star Beast Salt Lake City, UT : Project Gutenberg, 2021 1 online resource : multiple file formats text txt rdacontent computer c rdamedia online resource cr rdacarrier Produced from Planet Stories Spring 1949 Release date is 2021-02-19 Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net "The Star Beast" by Damon Knight is a science fiction novel written in the mid-20th century, specifically in the years following World War II. The story revolves around an alien creature named Oscar and explores themes of communication, identity, and the consequences of advanced science. It highlights the complexities and misunderstandings that can arise when different forms of intelligence and perception interact. The plot begins with the murder of Professor Thomasson aboard a spaceship called the "President Marcus". Security agents Philip Horitz and his team must unravel the mystery of the murder while racing against time to recover the Thomasson Equations, essential for faster-than-light travel. Oscar, the tentacle-headed alien, is the only witness to the crime but communicates in a way that is foreign to human understanding. As they navigate a lineup of suspects, tensions rise among the ship's crew and passengers, but the true twist reveals that Oscar's perception may be more complex than anyone could imagine. Ultimately, the story challenges preconceived notions about intelligence and life, culminating in a shocking realization that blurs the lines between friend and foe. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Original publication data not identified Science fiction Short stories Murder -- Investigation -- Fiction Space ships -- Fiction Human-alien encounters -- Fiction Mystery fiction Vestal, Herman B., 1916-2007 Produced from Planet Stories Spring 1949 https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/64596 105419 105419