Maybe a texture file format problem? And/or a feature of TrueSpace texturing that Vue does not understand and interpretate wrongly? 3DS is one of these formats where different dialects exist. Cinema 3DS files for example have problems when you import them into Vue always. Especially with the textures. So here it seems that the one Vue uses and the one Truespace writes does not match completely. I hate it when things like that happen. Have you tried another format like obj? Or try to import that file into Poser first and if that works import the result to Vue?

One day your ship comes in - but you're at the airport.