Searching for information regarding the Invid stronghold, Scott and Rand question the inhabitants of a peculiar town. It's a desolate place. Downed spacecruisers, bioroids, and scorched Zentraedi battle pods litter an otherwise peaceful lake. The streets are still covered with debris from the last Robotech war, and people regard the newcomers with suspicion. Visitors are rare. The Invid shadow hangs over everything.
Rand and Scott meet a spunky young girl named Annie. The orphan is an outrageous first, by turns delightful and obnoxious. For some unknown reasons, Annie is being forced to leave town. The child follows the two young men, more relieved to see friendly faces than she cares to admit.
They are taken to an island to look for more survivors of the expedition that might have been forced down in battle. As they wander through the rubble, Scott finds functional hovertanks, cyclones, and other mecha. It's more graveyard than junkpile. Suddenly they find themselves alone in the eerie place – but not for long. Invid scouts appear on the horizon. The townfolk have betrayed them to the enemy.
These Invid aren't used to humans that fight back. Scott and Rand put them out of commission posthaste. In the midst of the battle, a mysterious cyclone rider arrives to help them and then disappears. After the fight, the trio returns to town and demands an explanation. They are received with hostility.
"Nobody here wanted your Robotech expeditionary force," a townswoman says. "If it weren't for you soldiers, we'd still be living in peace! Now why don't you just pack it up?"
Scott is confused. "Don't you realize that without any kind of resistance, you've got no hope? You're going to sit back and let the Invid keep control of the Earth?"
"Fighting the Invid only aggravates the situation. All we want is to live in peace, even if it means doing without freedom." The townsfolk are adamant. "Anybody who doesn't see it our way has already left. Please get out."
Disheartened and angry, Scott takes off with Annie and Rand following. The lieutenant can't believe what he has just encountered but remains determined to reach Reflex Point. Rand loses his temper.
"That again! Ever since we got together you've been talking about this reflex thing as though it were the most important thing in the whole universe. You know what your problem is? You don't know how to communicate with people. Wouldn't you be a lot happier back in space with your girlfriend?"
The lieutenant's reaction indicates that Rand said wrong thing. He apologizes. Scott finally tells his friend that his girlfriend is dead and rides away. Rand and Annie ride after him.
Experience this episode at home! Now available through the Robotech.com Store:
- DVD Video: Robotech DVD Vol.11: The Next Wave (also part of DVD Box Set 6 and The Protoculture Collection)
- Toys: Cyclones and Alpha Fighters
- Collectibles: Mars Base patches and keychains
