5. Pack Values Copyright © 2015 by Timberwoof Lupindo Not for redistribution.
   

Colonel Ashbow addressed the students.
“Cadets, at ease. Please sit.
“Woof pack values are an important part of the Space Academy and of the operations of Woofheim’s Star Fleet. Everything we do, all our organizations, are based on the pack structure. We rely on the benefits of the pack structure and the associated pack values to keep our packs operating safely and efficiently.
“I’ll start with pack structure. You’ve all grown up in woof packs so you know from the inside what a pack is. You are from all around the planet and come from many different traditions, so I’m going to talk about what a Space Academy Pack is. There are probably some differences between that and what you’re used to. That doesn’t mean that what the pack you grew up in did is wrong; it’s just different. This is what we’re going to do.
“Every organization in Star Fleet and the Academy is based on the pack. A pack has an Alpha who makes decisions and leads the team. The Alpha may consult the Betas, but ultimately the responsibility for the pack’s behavior falls on the Alpha. The Betas make it happen. Everybody does the work. There may be more ranks depending on the size and needs of the pack. Your packs will be small, so there will only be an Alpha, some Betas and an Omega.
“The Omega. I don’t know about your traditions; here at the Academy, the Omega is last among equals. The Omega listens to everyone and gets problems solved. The Omega helps everyone else, not just by getting scut-work done, but by listening. There is a weekly meeting of Omegas at every Star Fleet ship, station, or base. That includes the Academy. Cadet pack Omegas are required to attend the Academy Omega meetings. I don’t know what goes on at those meetings … or at least if I do I’m not telling. My pack Omega tells me what I need to know and then we in the command pack deal with the problems. Treat your Omega well.
“Larger organizations. I’m the Alpha in the Command Pack of the Star Fleet Academy. Every member of the pack is a command-level officer who is the alpha of his pack. This is the same structure as on board a starship. Each department has a commander who is a member of the Command Pack. The packs thus form a hierarchy.
“You cadets are expected to form into packs. You will form friendships and bonds with one another; leaders will emerge who are destined to become starship captains and commanders. Later on you will be divided into four preliminary packs. How it ends up … no one knows yet.
“Pack Values. I already told you one: Treat your Omega well. Every pack member counts. No one is expendable. We will be telling you stories of sailors and spacefarers who have done heroic things, and they are sometimes the people you least expect to do it.
“Loyalty: support your pack Alpha. He has a plan; he might not be able to explain his reasoning to you so you might have to carry out your part of it without knowing what everyone else is doing.
“Nurturing: Help everyone grow. What makes Woofs so successful is that in a pack all the adults help raise all the young. At the Academy, everyone helps everyone else grow. If you think you can get ahead by holding other people back, then we will help you grow out of that attitude.
“Honor, Courage, Respect, Politeness, Honesty … if I need to list them all explicitly, then you are not Cadet material. Just because I don’t talk about a Pack Value, doesn’t mean it’s not one. These Values are examples of good behavior that we expect and demand out of you. It boils down to doing the right thing to do.
“Back in the changing room we saw some examples of positive pack values. Fidibus here tried to help his packmate with this uniform; his ultimate best help was to encourage him to be self-sufficient. We woofs are social animals, but we have to learn to get some things done on our own. You’ve gotta learn to stuff your own tail into your own tailsock.”
There were guffaws in the class.
“When I first entered the waiting room I saw a few of you tap others on the shoulder to get them to stand at attention. That was well done. Enforce social expectations.
“We are honored to have with us two members of a historically important family. There was a mixup with identity cards for two of you. You could have let that go and fixed the problem later … but there was an error in the process that needed to be corrected. You handled it politely and allowed the official to do his work. You showed attention to detail, honesty, and politeness.
“As for your importance—”
Timber stood up at attention and interrupted the colonel.
“Mister Lupindo?”
“Permission to speak, Sir.”
“Permission granted.”
“Our grandfather told us—“
Timby stood up as well, also at attention.
“—That we are here on our own strengths and if he ever heard of us using our name to get ahead, there would be hell to pay.”
Timber glanced at Daschiel, then went on.
“We got into the Academy by our grades. We are nobody. Just cadets like everybody else. Sir, if it’s all the same, please don’t tell our story.”
Ashbow nodded his head, apparently thinking about how to reply.
“Honor. Integrity, self-sufficiency, honesty. I can’t ask for a better demonstration that that. As you were.”
Timber and Timby sat and quietly sighed in relief. Some of the other cadets snuck glances at them. Who are these guys?
Ashbow continued his lecture.
“How many of you have dogs back at the pack house?”
About two thirds of the cadets raised their paws.
“They have adorable masked faces, they’re inquisitive, and they’re willing to integrate into our packs. They’re almost like pack members. They look up to us for guidance; we’re like gods to them.
“I will leave you with these words: Always strive to be the woofs that your dogs think you are.
“Who’s hungry?”
Most of the cadets raised their paws.
“Good. It’s chow time. Follow the sergeant to the cafeteria. Then you’ll go to your dormitory and settle in for the night.”

The cadets lined up at the cafeteria. Each took a tray from the stack and selected food from the available choices. Daschiel reached between some woofs to get his tray and utensils, then skipped to the head of the line and tried to push his way in.
“Hey! You can’t break line!” The cadet bared his teeth and pointed his ears up.
Daschiel bared his teeth too and threatened with his ears.
“Of course I can. It is my right.”
“Your right? Fuck off. Get in line with the rest of us.”
“Yeah, fuck off.”
“‘Fuck off’? You’re telling a Prince of Tarkel—“
“Prince of what? We heard you read that denunciation. Now really fuck off before we show you what for.”
Everybody within earshot was staring at Daschiel, even the galley workers helping out the food. Daschiel saw eyes and ears pointed at him everywhere, and some teeth.
Fidibus set down his tray on the counter and went up to where the trouble was.
“Hey,” said someone. “This tailhole’s a friend of yours? Don’t you try to cut in line either!”
“Hang on, Cadet. Yes, he’s a fiend of mine. Just let me talk to him. Daschiel, you’re making a scene.”
“Damn right I am.”
“Damn right you’re not. You’re not a prince any more. You said so. Now you’re dishonoring yourself.”
Daschiel glared at his former friend Fidibus.
“How dare you?”
“Daschiel, drop it. Come with me to the end of the line.”
Fidibus put his paw on Daschiel’s elbow. Daschiel whipped his arms up and set his jaw.
“I’ll do it when I feel like it.”
Daschiel looked around and saw that everyone was still glaring at him. There were more teeth.
“Now I feel like it.”
Ears folded down, he picked up his tray and followed Fidibus to the back of the line. Along the way, Fidibus picked up his tray.
“Hey, I saved your spot,” said the cadet next in line.
“Thanks. But I said I’d get in line with my friend.”
“Okay…”
Daschiel stood there, alternately gritting his teeth and trying very hard to pretend that nothing had happened.
“Daschiel, you can’t go on acting like you’re nobility.”
“Drop it.”
“Those days are done for you.”
“I said, drop it!”
“I will if you will.”
“Fine. Now let’s get lunch.”

Timber and Timby sat at a table with some other cadets. The food looked and smelled delicious. They looked around and dug in.
“What is it with that Tarkel Prince?” asked one of the cadets sharing the table. “He accused you two of thinking you’re special because of your grandfather, but you never mentioned him.”
Timber rolled his eyes at the mention of Daschiel.
“Well, he’s famous—I mean our grandfather is famous and we’re named for him,” said Timber. “But I’m not going to tell you what he did. You’ll have to research it yourself.”
“You don’t know who these two guys are?” said another cadet. “Their grandfather built the first telescope and made First Contact. We’re here at Space Academy because of what he did.”
“No shit?”
“No shit,” said a mildly disgruntled Timby. “Well, except for the telescope part. He didn’t invent the telescope. He invented the—“
Tinber poked him in the ribs.
“Now look,” said Timber. “We got in because of our test scores. Timberwoof told us both that if he ever heard that we thought we were special because of him, he’d have our pelts. Timby here almost didn’t make it in. He made a special request—“
“Timber!”
“Sorry, Timby. Both of us are here on our own credit. I would be embarrassed if I was here just because someone was my grandfather. So lay off, please.”
“Your grandfather is the Timberwoof?”
“Well,” said Timber. “Technically not our biological grandfather. His brother is our biological grandfather, but he helped raise our parents. And can we please not talk about it? I’m here because of me, not because of my ancestor.”
“Is that what Ashbow was about to tell? Cool.”
“Yes,” said Timby. “Now lay off!”
“Okay, Timby. Sorry.”
“It’s still cool.”
Timber and Timby glared at the one who said that; he folded back his ears and looked down.

They finished their meals and returned the trays to the kitchen. Daschiel bumped into Timby.
“Hey, watch where you’re going.”
“Sorry, I didn’t see you there, Nobody.”
Timby glared at Daschiel but didn’t want to start something.
Fidibus tried to grab Daschiel’s arm but Daschiel wasn’t having any.
“At least some of us are willing to talk about our ancestry. What’s the matter with yours?”
Timby and Timber both took deep breaths and pretended not to hear.
Fidibus said, “Daschiel! Quit being an ass! Leave these two alone.”
Daschiel took on an air of superiority.
“Why of course, Fidibus. Why am I wasting my time with these peasants?”
“Grrrrrr,” said Timby, baring his teeth and pointing his ears at Daschiel. “So much for being nobody.”
“Daschiel,” said Timber. “You sure have a lot of trash to carry there. Show me your tray.”
Daschiel held out his tray. Timber quickly placed his tray on Daschiel’s, then turned and walked away. Timby’s eyes went wide, but Daschiel was even more surprised. Timby took the opportunity and placed his tray on top of Timber’s, then quickly followed him out. They heard footsteps behind them, then a crash as trays of plates and flatware fell to the floor. Timber, Timby, and two other cadets tried to look nonchalant as they dashed back to their table, retrieved their packs, and high-tailed it out of the cafeteria.