Sojourn Sol (Eternal Sol) Read Online Free Page A

something that would have to be isolated within him. They were going to torture him to see how much he could endure. That way they would be able to see whether or not he had the determination to withstand service. He had spirit, more so than most men in the system, and the last thing he wanted to do was endure torture just to prove it.
     
    The waiting area was nothing more than several rows of seats that spread to the back of the room. He sat down and pulled down the visor above his head, which transported him an automated video where a man in the navy blue army uniform appeared. In true military fashion, his face was grim, with eyes glazed over, just like any hardened killer.
     
    “You are a testament to bravery, and the entire race would like to thank you for beginning the military recruitment application process. Your ship will be entered into an off planet docking bay and will be available to you anytime through either touch or cognitive console. Your ship will drop into orbit in less than twenty minutes, where you will be transported to the recruitment office for testing. The man laughed and leaned back into his ancient desk chair. “You're never going to make it.” the feed dropped.
     
    He waited while the ship made its slow descent into orbit. Listening to his to his breath and descended into that space where time slows to a crawl and he could perceive everything around him even the minute grinding of the cabin's metal so soft that only an adherent of enchantment could possibly hear it. To him it was the grinding of infernal gears as time raced faster and faster and he felt the adrenaline surge through him. Gravity left the cabin in a single instant, and his body was lighter than a speck of dust with his hands hovering above the arm rests, then it crashed down with the force of a sledgehammer, pressing into his brain and compressing his blood vessels, forcing the air out of his lungs. He was thrown into a state of panic as his body plummeted to the surface of the planet. Black spots were clouding his vision as he struggled to suck in a single breath, but his lungs seemed to fall short every single time, leaving him just a bit closer to slipping over the edge of consciousness.
     
    It began in his throat, like a need to explode just to relieve some of the pressure that was threatening to crush him. Then as his torso began to press farther and farther into his chest, he fought, driving his fingers into the armrests just to slam his diaphragm upwards and pull it down. He managed to take in a tiny amount of air, but it would be enough, he could feel himself slipping again and again into the void. Like a tiny supernova he thrust his whole body up and sucked in air sharply to allow the oxygen to enter his brain, restoring his mental faculties and allowing him to finally relieve some of the tension that would've killed him had he not mustered the strength to breathe. It was at that moment that the sheer magnitude of his undertaking fell on him like a cloud of black terror. He'd die if he didn't pass through training.

Chapter 5
                 
    When the mask dropped, Tamil fell into a deep, desperate trance, where he lost reality and drifted into nothingness. Then a dam burst in the back of his throat and oxygen burst through his burning airways, driving a burst of energy. His eyes shot open and all he could see was flickering orange lights providing him with tiny glimpses of the two passageways on either side of where he was laying on a stiff metal gurney.
     
    He tried to move his arms, but the restraints holding him in place were too strong, and when panic set in it set the whole room ablaze and he was thrashing, screaming, begging for it to end. “Let me out!” Fury set in. “FUCK YOU!” He thrashed and screamed, struggling desperately to free his arms to no avail. The more he moved, the tighter the restraints constricted against his body, but he couldn't stop. His instincts had kicked in, driving him