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Evening Star Minerals |
Hesperus Landing is the only major DTR colony on the western side of the T-tauri nebula. It sits on the planetoid Beta, a fantastic broken world of stunning scenery, and incredible geochemical processes. The colony is owned by the Evening Star Minerals Company of New Darien.
Hesperus Landing is a difficult colony to visit. The company discourages tourist traffic. The closest most visitors get to Beta is low orbit, in a cruise liner. To see the fabulously coloured surface and the incredible shattered landscape. A few visitors do travel to the colony itself on the company's own service craft.
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Hesperus Landing looking towards the central star T-tauri. Light from the star is reflected off the nebula which enters from the left of the picture. The famous lens shaped pods and their flexible connecting coridors are also visible in this wing of the colony. |
Visiting the colony is discouraged because of the highly dangerous nature of the planetoid Beta. Beta is in a continual state of eruption. The minerals that give it its stunning appearance are also responsible for making it an extremely unstable world. Hesperus Landing is built to withstand the shocks of the regular earthquakes but it is still a dangerous place to visit. Especially to those who have not been trained in the relevant emergency proceedures.
Visitors must ensure that their travel insurance will cover them during their stay. Those without cover will be refused passage from New Darien.
The company has a monopoly on visitor accommodation in the colony, and rents flats to tourists for their stay. Perhaps surprisingly, there are several good restaurants in the colony, serving the company's workforce. There is very little for the tourist to see in the colony itself, the main reason for visiting Beta is to see the surface from ground level. The colony's art gallery has several interesting exibits, including Rozethal's 'Death of an Emperor'.