10_invid_invasion-第29部分

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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　the　man。

〃The　Wolff；　bro；〃　the　man　slurred。　〃The　Wolff。〃

〃Jonathan　Wolff？〃　said　Scott。

The　man　snapped　his　fingers；　pointed；　and　winked　at　Scott；　then　shuffled　off　toward　the　door。

Rand　saw　the　look　of　disbelief　surface　on　Scott's　face；　but　before　he　could　ask　about　it；　Scott　was　shoving　his　way　through　the　exiting　crowd　and　making　for　the　street。

Rand　and　the　others　followed　Scott　out　and　found　him　amid　a　mob　that　had　gathered　around　a　jeep。　Scott　was　standing　rigidly　by　the　curb；　mouth　half…open　in　amazement；　staring　at　the　man　who　was　climbing　out　from　the　driver's　side　of　the　vehicle。　A　celebrity；　Rand　thought。　Either　that　or　a　Robo　officer　who　fancied　himself　one。　The　man　was　of　medium　build　but　square…shouldered　and　muscular。　He　had　brown　hair；　thick　and　bed　straight　back；　well…defined　eyebrows；　and　a　mustache；　clipped　clear　in　the　center。　He　was　wearing　dark　glasses　and　a　gray　uniform　offset　by　a　wide　black　belt　and　a　red　ascot。　There　was；　however；　something　stern　and　humorless　about　him　that　made　Rand　wonder　at　the　reception　he　was　getting。

People　in　the　crowd　were　firing　questions　left　and　right；　some　of　which　Wolff　took　the　time　to　answer　and　others　he　ignored。　At　the　same　time；　a　wounded　soldier　in　the　rear　of　the　jeep　was　singing　Wolff's　praises。　〃He　saved　my　life；〃　the　man　bit　out。　〃Picked　me　up　and　carried　me　on　his　back　through　the　Invid　fines。。。then　went　back　for　the　Protoculture　canisters　he　knew　we　needed。。。〃

〃Celebration　time！〃　yelled　a　black　man　behind　Rand。　〃Drinks　on　the　house！〃

But　Rand　heard　someone　else　mutter：　〃Wolff's　a　damn　hero　every　time　he　es　back。　How　d'　ya　figure　it？〃

Scott　swung　around　at　the　ment；　his　face　dark　and　angry；　but　said　nothing。　Until　he　turned　back　to　Jonathan　Wolff。　Then　Rand　heard　him　say：　〃I　can't　believe　he's　alive…alive！〃


Colonel　Jonathan　Wolff。。。Graduated　first　in　his　class　from　the　Robotech　Academy　on　Macross　Island　but　missed　the　SDF…1's　inadvertent　jump　to　Pluto　and　the　two…year　odyssey　that　followed。　Nevertheless；　he　had　dist