Where does the Knossos come in? Do the starborn mind?

The knossos would "spread the bush" so to speak from what they say, at least that's how I take it. KT's got it right. Remember that the jumpnodes are no more than a convenience to the Starborn. It probably wouldn't matter one way or another to them if they encountered an artificial one. To pound the 'Walking in the Woods' metaphor to death, the traveler wouldn't care very much if he noticed that the neighborhood dogs had made their own small hole in the bushes. Of course, that opinion would change if he kept stepping in piles of yesterday's dog food. But that's what the Shivan Dog Extermination Team is for.  more