In all cases, the constant risks attendant to fighting starships mean that the Navy chain of command has to be robust enough to survive shocking casualties in battle and still keep functioning. A great deal of ink has been spilled codifying responsibilities and duties such that each will know their place, although in practice these become guidelines at best, useless bureaucratic nonsense at worst. Incessant training still drums the same message into every shipman's head–keep doing your duty even when the world turns to flame and death and the frozen void yawns just inches away.