The future is violent indeed, for those who refuse the embrace of USNE. I wouldn’t be surprised if this sort of operation produced the reverse of the intended effect on their wider opponents.

USNE rules with an iron fist where it can. It may well be an illusion (or possibly self-delusion).

This is great stuff. Perhaps establish a bit more of his feelings around being hit by enemy fire. This is always a question to a reader or viewer. In the best combat movies I have seen, the icing on the cake is to see the characters embracing a hit or wound to themselves as part of the process.

Thanks for the feedback, Drake West. There isn’t quite room for that within the word count here, but I’ll definitely keep it in mind for the future.