This does not argue in her favour. Simply because everyone who moves on in the Co$ after reading the OT-III-Xenu-BT-Space-Opera-BS is questionable - at least for me.
I understand where you are coming from about the BTs and space opera thing knowing what we know today.
Spanky did mention she had a WTF moment with OTIII story and seemingly endless auditing. But then again, she was handling Scientology stars, the stars expect their terminal to have gone OT as a bond of trust.
I knew Spanky back before Scientology and after we both got in. She was the president of the San Jose/Santa Clara fan club for the band called "People". When Geoff Levin brought the whole band into the Mission.
Funny, Geoff Levin lead guitarist for "The People" looked remarkably like John Sebastian, of the Lovin Spoonful. As I recollect; The People chose their name from the 1972 movie "The People", Starring Kim Darby and William Shatner.
It was a story about a school teacher who goes to a small backward country community to teach school to the children. It was much like the Amish community but soon she realizes she is teaching children with exceptional powers, they could fly. The community is a community of extra terrestrial humanoids who had been left here on earth isolated for 100s of years.
It was a very good movie and fairly popular. It was close to the space opera of Scientology but more folksy and warm.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyaaQdaQID4
Spankie thought the band was very cutting edge with some very smart people. A kind of eclectic university based band like Jefferson Airplane.
As for the Space Opera She thought; Oh well, Boys will be Boys, "The People", Its a cute hippy scifi story, and came along when the whole band signed up for the Comm Course. She was the president of their fan club and handled all their PR and thought she would continue to do that after she got into Scientology.
When the band found out there were these "OT capabilities" that could be had for real they were all in. Spankie wanted that too.
After she joined the Sea Org she was put into a section called AXIOMS for Hubbard PR or something but she always was making connections with people at the old CCLA. She invited me down to see her in 73 Thats where She introduced me to Heber Jentzsch and Yvonne. She called John Travolta one afternoon and let me listen a bit on the phone JT's brother answered and the brother yelled Johnny, Spankies on the phone.
Spankie was thrilled to have a friendship with JT. While on the phone her eyes would sparkle and she'd get all very professional and then laugh.
Crazy fun times back then. Spankie may have introduced me to Tory at that time we both haven't figured that one out. but I stayed overnight at the same SO birthing house Tory lived at.
I think a lot of people were a little bit skeptical about Scientology back then but wouldn't say anything because they were having so much fun. It was really a movement back then. Not like today.
Just a little rambling history.