Interlude: The Hero and the Song of the Sea (3)

At the horrifying words, “voluntary enlistment,”

my brain kicked into overdrive and spewed out all kinds of PTSD.

The memory of that horrifying late-night snack—downing a can of ice-cold Budian and a steaming bowl of rice noodle soup.

The memory of targeting the senior master sergeant who bullied the kids with every kind of petty harassment and abuse, then burying him under a pile of formal complaints until he had to kneel in front of everyone in the mess hall and apologize.

Ah, I should've just had that bastard discharged right there.

And then.

As if in a flash, the memory of almost being dragged off to military discipline camp after downloading and enjoying the Poké■mon Gold version from the intranet flashed past.

So, naturally, as someone from the Air Force and the cutting edge of military barracks life,

I had no choice but to oppose that Odo Marine-style conscription, right?

"Did I get it wrong?"...