The PDF Soldiers, or Planetary Defense Force, represented a unique branch of the Imperium of Man's military, solely dedicated to the defense of a single planet. Unlike the Astra Militarum, which fought battles across the vastness of the stars, almost all PDF Soldiers lacked any experience traveling through the treacherous Warp on naval vessels.
Indeed, ninety-nine percent of the Imperium of Man's population had never undertaken such perilous journeys.
Therefore, the PDF Soldiers who found themselves suddenly traversing between worlds on two armed merchant starships with Marcus were completely bewildered by what had just happened.
They only understood that after a blinding flash of light, their superior had issued them a new, unprecedented mission: "Colonize the planet and conquer its primitive species."
For these PDF Soldiers, this was an incredibly novel and unfamiliar assignment.
It was also, remarkably, considered a great honor.