Quote:In the Known Space universe of Larry Niven, there were the Outsiders, a helium-3 based life form that travelled at sub-light speeds (even though they had the secret of hyperdrive) folowing around Star Seeds. They sold information, like the secret of the hyperdrive. At exorbitant prices. (Why did they follow Star Seeds around? That information costs you a planetary economy practically.)
Hmm...you're right, the "humanity as neutral observers" part doesn't really fit Man-Kzin, but I wonder if this is a bit that got jumbled around. There was a neutral observer race in that series, after all (don't remember the exact name...was it the Slavers?), though it wasn't humanity.
A more manipulative "neutral" race were the Pierson's Puppeteers. Herbivores, racial cowards, and some of the most truly ruthless characters around. Oh... and every single last one of them that any human ever actually met was considered insane by their own species.
The Slavers were long extinct. So were the Tnucpin. Although artifacts from both occasionally showed up in stasis boxes.
Then there were the Grogs. Telepathic in the extreme. But they're pretty much planet bound for the most part.
That's pretty much what I remember off the top of my head.
-Logan