Terms of Enlistment

In the grim future of 2108, the North American Commonwealth struggles under the weight of its own success, bursting at the seams with overpopulation and pervasive poverty. For the millions trapped in squalid welfare tenements, like young Andrew Grayson, life offers only two stark choices for escape: the slim chance of winning a lottery ticket to a pristine off-world colony, or the seemingly more reliable path of military enlistment. Andrew, desperate for a life beyond destitution and disease, chooses the latter, trading his bleak existence for the promise of regular meals and healthcare. However, the shiny recruitment posters quickly fade to reveal a brutal reality. The United States Colonial Marine Corps is no escape; it is a crucible. As he endures the relentless and dehumanizing training, Andrew learns that the 'privileges' of service come at an excruciating cost, forging him into a soldier ready to face not just the rigors of combat, but the cold, hard truths of a future that demands a steep price for survival.