Using the distant suns option, the back of the instruction manuals all reference to page 42-43 (which is the tech tree) of the original instruction manual. I am trying to find out what happens when someone comes across these guys. My suspicions run like so:

Invasion: player who finds the Lazax survivor may immediately take the token and is worth +3 on all future political card votes.

Probing: the probing player immediately receives 1 VP and draw 3 action cards

Razing: razing player immediately discards all action cards, exhausts all planets and loses all trade goods and may not vote in the next political agenda.

Am I missing something but just finding him feels like a major let down compared to probing or sanctions put on you for having razed him... it just feels like something is missing for "fulfilling the prophecy" anyone have anything to add??

Invasion: player who finds the Lazax survivor may immediately take the token and is worth +3 on all future political card votes.

Probing: the probing player immediately receives 1 VP and draw 3 action cards

Razing: razing player immediately discards all action cards, exhausts all planets and loses all trade goods and may not vote in the next political agenda.

You got this right - it is exactly how it works (and I would have loved for them to actually add this on the overview of the Domain Counters on the back of the rules - helpful tool to new players).

I think the +3 vote effect is quite powerful in its own right. That being said I think the difference is -in fluff terms- that with invasion you dominate the last fragments of the mighty Lazax, which gives some shock and awe which transfers to political clout. In other words the rest of the galaxy 'rewards' you through their increased respect of your prowess.

Whereas finding them through a probe seems a bit less violent than invasion and occupation, in which case you have brief diplomatic and peaceful interaction with the Lazax before they travel on to new destinations (to hide away), but not without passing on their last secrets. Secrets that might help you claim your place as their imperial heirs - translated into Action Cards and a Victory Point.

I think the +3 vote effect is quite powerful in its own right. That being said I think the difference is -in fluff terms- that with invasion you dominate the last fragments of the mighty Lazax, which gives some shock and awe which transfers to political clout. In other words the rest of the galaxy 'rewards' you through their increased respect of your prowess.

I always saw it as you rescued them and gained political clout for having done so. (Just because you're "invading" doesn't mean you have to shoot whatever you find - helpless refugees included.) However, a small handful of Lazax survivors does not an Empire make, so it's not like the whole game just stops and they reclaim the throne.

Plus, you know, there's the fact that about half of the original factions conspired to overthrow the Lazax empire in the first place, because they found it corrupt and oppressive. Setting off a period of strife that lit the galaxy on fire and sent everybody back to their home systems to lick their respective wounds for a couple centuries. If the Lazax are going to take back the throne they'll need to do it with their own army. =P

Using the distant suns option, the back of the instruction manuals all reference to page 42-43 (which is the tech tree) of the original instruction manual. I am trying to find out what happens when someone comes across these guys. My suspicions run like so:

Invasion: player who finds the Lazax survivor may immediately take the token and is worth +3 on all future political card votes.

Probing: the probing player immediately receives 1 VP and draw 3 action cards

Razing: razing player immediately discards all action cards, exhausts all planets and loses all trade goods and may not vote in the next political agenda.

Am I missing something but just finding him feels like a major let down compared to probing or sanctions put on you for having razed him... it just feels like something is missing for "fulfilling the prophecy" anyone have anything to add??

That's a misprint, the actual rules are on page 33-34 . Yeah, razing a Survivors token is bad, but even razing other counters can have consequences, if not quite as severe.