Nikolai sighed as he examined Jack one more time, now completely sure that there was nothing he could do. "It was hard at first to get over there deaths, the pain follows through your sleep, you see their faces wherever there's a bright young soldier ready for battle." Nikolai said as he leaned against the shelf, pulling a cigar he had kept for a day when all had been one. This moment wasn't nearly as important, but something about it felt right. "They'll follow you to the day you die until you realize what's actually important, the good times, the bad times, you've gotta know that your squad wouldn't have had it any other way." Nikolai said as he lit the cigar, letting the sense of finality grip him for a moment before setting it down. "It may not help Jack, but there's a reason they were under your command, and it wasn't just because you had rank. Being a leader isn't a title, it's a privledge your fellow soldiers give you when they'll follow you to hell and back, and coming from me, I'm sure they wouldn't have rather gone out any other way."