It had been a long time coming, with all the danger and boredom that was to be endured by soldiers. Days and weeks in the wilderness, months of training and retraining, and unknown time just... lost.

And then there was the mixed quality of leadership, the painful highs and lows of bonding with other soldiers... Of being tied and getting to know people who would reveal themselves to be unstable, or sick, or worrisome... And some of the good ones would just die.

It wasn't exactly clear what the point of it all was. Was it all a mistake? Was it a joke? Cruelty? A scheme to make money?

The mind and body was exhausted.

"Red" was saying that the chance to come home was available. It was time for leave, R&R. Maybe weeks in rehabiliation... Physical and mental. Maybe even a padded room and a cocktail of medicines.