The speech was over, the medals handed out, blessings given and the assembly long behind them. However, the horror of serving another day in the Imperial Guard was ahead for many, something that wouldn't go without causing some form of commotion among the regiment. They marched in scattered groups down the dirt path toward the headquarters, mechanized transport left to the regiments who had such vehicles, rolling past them in the center of all the marching, with squads huddled on top of tanks and filled transports while tracks kicked up clouds of dust and dirt. There were plenty others left to walk toward the headquarters as well, to which the Foruzians marched beside in their long walk, chatter consistent throughout the morning as they moved, some finding newfound adrenaline in meeting and talking to other humans outside of the brutality of combat. But the 1st Foruzian Light Infantry Regiment stuck to it's own, the four hundred survivors remaining out of the three thousand that arrived, they were either giving bitter looks, muttering under their breath, nearly falling asleep from exhaustion or weeping as their fate to the Imperial Guard was to be maintained. Or giving a empty stare while marching forth, the noise and bustle around them not a cause for interest, something which Sallius had been doing for a long time.

Sallius was among the remainder of the squad that he had fought with in the last battle, they stuck together, mostly because the logistical experts that kept the organization of the regiment together had been eliminated thanks to the consistent deployment to the front lines. The fact they were even in a formation during the assembly was astounding, though the colonel was quick to reveal that he was just demanding everyone to line up without a care in how and what way they lined up, just demanding that they did. The squad had been bickering with Sallius quietly standing in the center of them since they departed from the assembly, anger for the Imperium at a all new high. "I'd say its all a mistake, we were probably meant to live here y'know, some tired idiot got the papers mixed up. Now we'll be dying on some other battlefield until that same idiot screws us again." one stated, marching to the left of Sallius where the open fields were, the bickering soldier folded his arms, slightly hunched over as cold air blew across the open land. The soldiers did their best to keep warm.

Another squad member was quick to reply, standing to the right of Sallius, speaking louder as he was closer to the road "You're acting like this wasn't intentional. We never got supplies when we needed 'em, we never got help when we needed it, so it ain't like anyone is looking out for us. We're meant to die, they just want to pick us off one by one 'till we're all used up and forgotten."

A arm reached between the man on the left and Sallius, another soldier of their squad, pushing his way through to walk between them, fearfully stating "Hey, don't talk so loud, don't want others to hear you speaking negatively else a commissar finds out, then we'll all be in for thorough questioning." he glanced twice behind them at the rest of the chattering soldiers in the line that of marching guardsmen that seemed to go on for miles, checking for the dreaded commissar's cap. Thankfully, there were none.

"Oh please Don, it ain't like anyone cares," the soldier put a lho-stick in his mouth, lighting it while another convoy of chimeras rolled past them "personally I'd rather be 'questioned' than keep living on with the rest of you poor sods. I mean, look at Corporal Rust here, guy probably can't even hear us through all the explosions he charged through." the soldier then looked up at Sallius's face, to find the tall man staring back at him with disturbingly empty and still pupils..

"My hearing is fine." Sallius coldly replied, as if merely providing information.

"Sure it is, creep." the soldier then took out the lho-stick, looking forward while pushing smoke out of his mouth and into the air, watching the lights of the prefab buildings come ever closer with every step.

***

It was early evening by the time the Foruzians had arrived, the four hundred tiredly departing from their dirt path and getting into formation to be briefed on where they'd be sleeping for however long they'd rest here, be it a night or (what many hope to be) a year. After the quick briefing and assignment to the bunks, the Foruzians were given a fifteen minute shower and fresh uniforms to be worn, something which was happily welcomed by the entire unit. And, after being granted rations, there was no shortage of positive attitudes to be found among the men and women as they ate warm food for the first time in five years, able to relax and not desperately worry or look out for an oncoming Ork attack, or to scream for a medic as a comrade bled out, being an unfortunate victim from a slugga round.

Sallius naturally- being the odd one out -would be the one who wasn't going to stay inside and enjoy the peace and quiet for the night. Instead he stood just outside of the hab-unit, breathing fresh air and observing the commotion of other regiments as they went about, listening to the soldiers talk and cheer or gather around fires. Such differences in uniform, culture and behavior, not a single one looking or acting the same, strikingly different to how they behaved in combat. It interested him, not because of the people he was witnessing or the diversity of humans, but because it reminded him of something long forgotten. Home.