[ Chyler has a moment to be impressed with Drake's stoicism before Ephemera speaks, and then she's straightening up, squaring her shoulders, not quite coming to attention but snapping into the kind of position that screams military precision. ]

You get rid of selfishness. Arrogance. Fear. It's not obedience for the sake of obedience, it's obedience for the sake of the soldier next to you, and the one behind you. [ She purses her lips, not glaring at Ephemera exactly, but it reminds her so much of something Tom would say--

And the last time she saw Tom, he was dragging General Black's body out of his warthog. Chyler licks her lips, settling a little. ]

We're training to be officers. We're going to have lives in our hands. Yes, we will have to make our own decisions. And yes, sometimes we take orders without hesitation from those we follow ourselves. But we have to learn what it's like to be the followers before we have any right to call ourselves leaders.

[ She looks away from them both, bending to unbuckle the armor around her thighs and calves. ]

I'm not stupid and I'm not blind. I know what soldiers do. I know how their lives can end because of a bad command. [ She sets the leg armor to one side and goes to work on her arms. ] But that doesn't mean what we learn by listening without question isn't worthwhile.