10_invid_invasion-第36章
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The battle on the flats hadn't affected the rest of the town's attitude toward Lunk； but he understood this and pitied them the cross they had to bear。 He had his own； and the emotional weight of it hadn't been lessened any by this brief stop at Roca Negra。 In fact； he felt even more confused than before。 Would Nader have turned out to be a sympathizer in the end？ Would his town have been just another place where the people were too busy maintaining their separate peace to rally to the cause of a greater one？
Lunk spent some private time at what had once been Nader's ranch； picking up ripened olives from the tree and drinking cool water from the well。 Lunk kept the book。 More than the object of a promise now； it had bee a symbol of confusion； of mistrust and treachery。。。markings engraved upon Earth's tortured and embattled landscape and upon the very fabric of Human life。
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Psychohistorian Adler Ripple traces Jonathan Wolff's treachery to his illicit affair with Lynn…Minmei。 He had met her on Little Luna （the Robotech factory satellite）； during the Hunters' wedding and fallen in love with her while the two of them were； for all intents and purposes； stranded on Tirol。 It's likely they would have married had the Sentinels not e between them。 （Minmei had vowed to steer clear of soldiers after her brief and disastrous fling with Rick Hunter。 Ironically； she caught the bridal bouquet at Hunter's wedding and in a sense felt destined to marry Wolff。 The subsequent degradation she fell into can be attributed in part to her learning about the wife and child Wolff had left behind on Earth。） Ripple asserts that Wolff's decision to return to Earth was motivated by the broken engagement with Lynn…Minmei。 Wolff was suddenly convinced that he could take up where he had left off with the family he had abandoned。 When that didn't occur； he turned to drink and drugs and embarked on a campaign of self…destruction。 （Information that has only recently e to light suggests that Wolff also had a brief affair with Dana Sterling…the daughter of Max and Miriya； who took Wolff's ship back into space with the hyperdrive perfected by her former Southern Cross rade； Dr。 Louie Nichols…and that Wolff had learned the Invid were holding hostage both his wife Catherine and his son Johnny。）
Selig Kahler； The Tirolian Campaign
A week of hard riding brought dramatic changes in both the terrain and the social climate of the settlements the team passed through。 The land was thickly forested except where it had been cleared for farm cooperatives and villages。 The road system was well maintained； and food and supplies were readily available。 Lunk knew the reason for this： They were approaching one of the Invid's so…called Protoculture farms； where Human laborers were forced to toil endlessly in vast gardens； maintaining and harvesting the aliens' nutrient plant； the Flower of Life。 But where the team had expected to encounter armies of Scouts and Troopers； they found none； and in place of a downtrodden populace； they found people in a celebratory mood。 The Invid were said to have stopped their patrols a little over a month ago； and there were rumors to the effect that this had something to do with the arrival of a platoon of Robotech soldiers who were currently engaged in an assault on the Protoculture farm itself。
Scott was certain this unit was posed of men and women from the Mars Division attack wing。 One of the predesignated rendezvous points set up by the mission mander was located some five hundred miles north of the team's present coordinates； and it was likely that a splinter group from the main force had moved south to engage the Invid at the farm。 Scott was tempted to take the Alpha north to see for himself； but his sense of loyalty wouldn't permit leaving his friends on their own。 At least not until each of them had found a peace of sorts or； better still； a home。 It was no secret to any of them that the team was more like a family than the invincible military machine each member sometimes imagined it to be。 And it was something none of them took for granted； least of all Scott； the most recent victim of the war's dispassionate savagery。
So they stayed together and eventually found their way to the city where the Robotech soldiers were supposedly garrisoned。 It was an immense place； far larger than any of the places they had passed through thus far； a former military base （whose buildings had been adapted for civilian use） that had grown up within the confines of an enormous depression in the Earth's denuded crust； enclosed by the severe walls of an unnatural escarpment。 The city now had hotels； restaurants； and a thriving population of five thousand or more。
Scott left the Alpha concealed outside the city and rode down into the bowl with Lancer and the others。 As newers； they were questioned and searched at the main gate…an immense security fence watched over by armed guards stationed in nearby ultratech towers…but ultimately permitted to enter。
Scott； already searching for familiar faces； was perhaps a bit more hopeful than the others if no less puzzled。 There were indeed soldiers all over the place； but they were hardly the strac troops Scott had convinced himself he would find。 Nor were they Mars Division。 Their high…collared； belted jumpsuits were the same iceblue color as Scott's own； but the unit patches were unlike any he had seen。 Scott glanced around some more； certain he would find what he was after。 Here were three soldiers stumbling out of a bar； there； three more drinking on a street corner。 Other troops in jeeps and personnel carriers were joyriding through the narrow streets； trash and empty liquor bottles in their wake。 Even Annie was stunned。
〃What's with this place？〃 she asked from the van。 She was standing on the seat in the open back； her arms draped over the vehicle's roll bar。
〃There's no shortage of 'Culture； that's for sure；〃 Rand observed； motioning to the cruising jeeps。
Scott tuned in to a nearby conversation…soldiers； new arrivals by the sound of them： 〃This town's a gas！〃 one of them said。 〃Unbelievable；〃 said another。 〃I didn't think I could ever feel this way again。〃
Scott heard tires squeal behind him and turned around。 A jeep was accelerating drunkenly from the main gate； slaloming its way up the street； four soldiers laughing it up inside。 It pulled up shortly next to Scott； one of the soldiers offering a bottle out of the top。
When Scott refused； the man said： 〃What's your problem； pal？〃 His glazed eyes took in the rest of the group。 〃You guys look like a war's going on。〃
〃What about the Invid； soldier？〃 Scott snarled。 〃A couple hits of that stuff and you forget； huh？〃
The soldiers looked at one another； speechless for a moment； then laughed。 〃Where you been； Colonel？〃 asked the driver。 〃They're history。 We've been kickin' ass and takin' names all over this sector。〃
〃It's no lie；〃 said another。 〃Long as ya stick 'round here； ya got nothin' to worry 'bout。 So； enjoy。 The man's got it covered。〃
〃You can get anything you want here； get me？〃
〃What man？ What are you talking about？〃 Scott yelled as the jeep screeched off。
〃At ease； Colonel！〃 one of them yelled； eliciting laughter from the others。
It was the same scene wherever they went： everyone talking up the town like it was paradise。 Drunken soldiers； hookers； scammers； Foragers； rogues； and hustlers； all thrown together in the same pot； reveling and lifting their glasses in toasts to the mystery man who secured all this for them。 The search for food and drink led the team into one of the many bars along the strip。 Annie's attempt to flirt with the sideburned bartender ended with his walking off just as Lunk was about to order。 Lunk was looking around for something to throw at the guy； when a soldier burst in through the bar's swinging doors。
〃Wolff's back！〃 he yelled to the crowd at the top of his lungs。
Almost everyone got the message…out of sheer volume or at mention of the name itself…and many started for the door。 Others； too drunk to move； got as far as lifting their heads from various tabletops。 Scott took hold of a soldier within reach and spun him around。
〃Who's Wolff？〃 he demanded of
