#captaingalileo

“I don’t understand why you don’t get more sleep, ya shuckin’ weirdo,” Frypan said, sighing when Gally came in again, just like he had for the past year.

“Nice to be up before all the idiots start fumbling around,” he said, smiling slightly when Frypan laughed. They’d never been the best of friends, but Gally got along with damn near everyone those days (and it was a miracle).

“You love them.” Frypan flipped pancakes while he talked, and he set the first few finished ones on a plate. Gally shook his head, though they both knew that was klunk. “You want the first one?” Frypan asked, nodding towards the food. Gally took him up on the offer, grabbing one and eating it with his hands as other Gladers started to trickle in, each more tired than the last.

Some took their food and left to get their work started and eat while they did, but others—namely Gally’s Builders—sat and made a ruckus while they ate, laughing and pushing each other around.

“I tell you, I‘m gonna balloon if all we eat is sugary klunk like this,” Ben, his second-in-command, said, laughing as Chris shoved him over.

Gally saw Frypan glance over and hid a small smile in his food. “You can become a Runner! Burn all that extra off,” Chris said, and the Builder’s table again erupted into laughter. Gally saw a few other tables glancing over and he decided now was a good time to calm his team down.

“Ay, quiet down! Not the only ones in the kitchen, slintheads.”

The table fell quiet before a few of the Builders glanced to each other and saluted, calling, “Yes, Captain Gally. Sir!” Gally’s face blushed red and he cast suspicious glances around his table, looking for the one who decided making fun of him would be funny. Instead, he found Zart two tables over laughing so hard he fell over, and Gally realized only the ones who’d been working on the Garden sheds had picked up the new nickname.

“I shuckin’ hate you, Flower Boy!” he called to his fellow Keeper, who only laughed harder.

The meal once again became full of mindless chatter, everyone’s faces bright with happiness, and Gally slipped away to sit next to Zart and talk to him for a few minutes.

“How’re my boys doing over in the Gardens? Almost done with the sheds?” he asked. He tried to keep an angry expression on his face, pretending he was still angry about the nickname but knowing Zart’s Track-hoes had been using Flower Boy for months and his friend had been looking for a way to get him back for just as long.

“Almost!” The boy grinned, and Gally shook his head. He didn’t understand the unfailing optimism of some of the people here. Zart knocked their shoulders together when he saw Gally’s frown. “You should come help today. Get some sun on your pale skin before you die of Vitamin D-deficiency working in the Homestead all day.”

“I’ll consider it,” Gally said, already weighing his options. “I might bounce back and forth. The newer guys are inside, and I don’t want to leave them alone too long.”

“Ay, ay, Captain Gally. Whatever you want.” His friend was smiling into his pancakes and Gally shoved him sideways.

“Y’know what? I like it. Think ‘m gonna require all the Greenies to use it now, eh?”

Zart barked a laugh, starting to respond when Nick stood from his and Alby’s table and yelled his usual morning message: “Okay! I hope everyone had a good morning, yeah?”

He waited several seconds while everyone gave a confirmation, grinning at the few sarcastic calls of “Everything is awful!” and “I think I’m dying!” followed by laughter.

“Good! Now everybody finish up and get to work!”

The room was immediately in motion. Those who had been done cleaned up and left quickly, while the few who weren’t finished shoved the rest of their food in their mouths and ran after their Keeper.

Gally and Zart exchanged a few more pleasantries before Zart clapped him on the back and said he’d see him in the Gardens later. Gally turned to where the Builders had gathered behind him and waved for them to follow, grouping up outside the Homestead. When everyone was there, he spoke.

“Okay, pretty much same as it’s been! You four work on supports in the Homestead. Remember what I showed you, the last thing we want is our house coming down. Start in the main rooms, we’re not using upstairs yet.” He turned to the other few, “And Zart tells me you’re almost done with the sheds, so if you finish that early everyone gets the rest of the day off. Understand?”

He waited for several seconds while the cheering died down, then nodded. “I’ll be bouncing between the groups, but find me if you need help. Everyone remembers where Jeff and his med-jacks are, right?” He directed this question mainly at Zach, a tiny kid who’d only been here for a week. All eight of his Builders nodded, pointing to the left side of the Homestead. He nodded, then sent them on their ways.

They all ran off, laughing and pushing each other. He knew there’d be stubbed toes and smashed fingers in their eagerness to finish early, and he sighed at himself, realizing he probably shouldn’t have mentioned it. Either way, it meant the Garden crew would be more rushed, so he made the choice to run after them. Maybe he could prevent some injuries.

When he caught up he was pulled right into the conversation, laughing and joking and pushing each other around. The Track-hoes waved when they passed them and Gally smiled when Zart whooped and waved and called, “Captain Gally is here to save us!”