CHAPTER SIX
Journal #209
The in-flight classes and lectures arranged by my employer had given the company every confidence that they were ready for their new assignment. This belief was, of course, encouraged by their commander and his officers, who made a point of keeping their own fears and suspicions from their troops. Thus it was that upon their arrival, the Legionnaires were eager to begin their duties, while the company’s leadership was already suffering from a lack of sleep due to their anxieties.
Nothing in the briefings, tapes, or brochures, however, succeeded in preparing them for the total impact of Lorelei itself.
The space station known throughout the galaxy as “Lorelei” was officially an antique. One of the first privately owned space stations, it was originally named “the Oasis,” constructed on the old spoked-wheel design, and had been built as an outpost to supply the far-flung colonies and outbound explorer ships-an expensive outpost to be sure, as there was no competition to keep their prices down.
As civilization pushed outward, however, the so-called frontier moved on, leaving the station to compete with an ever-increasing number of spaceports and supply depots places with newer designs and, therefore, lower maintenance expenses. Only one thing saved the station from extinction during that period: its reputation and tradition of being a “safe haven” or a “liberty port.” That is, even though people lived and worked at other colonies and spaceports, when they wanted to play or vacation, they headed for the Oasis.