“It was a good throw,” Julie told Lenally. “I could see such a weapon being useful, so long as you could be sure of engaging the enemy at the appropriate distance.<br/><br/>“And I know you don’t like dresses, but I was completely serious when I told you earlier that you should show proper discipline—ever here—if you really want to be a soldier. What commander could trust her subordinate to stay alert on guard duty if her guard can’t even get through a simple dinner without fidgeting? There’s lots of boredom and unpleasantness in a military career, and if you can’t face it stoically you won’t get far. You can think of this dinner as a different kind of training, if it will help you through it.” Juli still hoped the girl would never see real combat, but she figured self-discipline was a good quality for Lenally to cultivate regardless of where she went in life.