(eng) Michael Anderle - Second Dark Ages 04 by Dawn Arrives

Author:Dawn Arrives [Arrives, Dawn]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Abandoned Airfield, One Hundred Fifty Miles North-Northwest of Chengdu

Eve, Yuko, and Sabine were busy doing the heavy lifting and getting the crates into the black box.

Barnabas was back to being characteristically reserved and well-mannered.

Giles, meanwhile, was being characteristically vacant, watching nothing as the ladies did all the work.

“Walk with me,” Barnabas said quietly to Giles, and headed into a darkened corner of the hangar.

Giles followed obediently. “’Sup, BB?” he jested, trying to lighten the mood.

Barnabas glanced back at him disapprovingly.

“Ok. Sorry, erm…Barnabas,” he corrected himself.

Satisfied, Barnabas started climbing the stairs that led to a viewing gallery. Giles looked at the structure nervously. “You think that’s safe?”

“Probably not,” Barnabas retorted, continuing to climb.

Feeling like he had no choice, Giles cautiously placed his foot on the first step and grabbed the handrail. It felt stable enough, so he followed Barnabas.

When they arrived at the top, Giles was breathing a little harder than usual although Barnabas showed no signs of exertion. He looked out over the hangar floor, watching the girls load the alien materials.

“There are some things you might not yet appreciate about Michael,” Barnabas started.

Giles shoved his hands in his pockets. He saw where this was going. This was a conversation to formally warn him to behave around the ArchAngel, just as Lance had taken him aside about his behavior around the Empress.

“I think you’re misunderstanding me,” Barnabas said, reading his thoughts. “This is related, but more about how honor is important to the man. He doesn’t tolerate insubordination, lack of respect, or stealing.”

Giles swallowed hard as Barnabas focused his attention directly on him like an interrogation lamp. “I, er...don’t know what you m—” he started to say.

Barnabas lowered his eyes to Giles’ jacket. “In your pocket,” he said simply.

Giles quickly reached in and pulled out the shiny metallic object that had captivated him before the disturbance and ensuing slaughter.

“Um…” He looked at the object and at Barnabas. “I can explain,” Giles started again.

Barnabas’ gaze stopped him. “No need. I don’t care. What I do care about is the dishonesty, and what Michael will do to you when he finds out. And notice I say when...not if. In case you haven’t already figured it out, you’re surrounded by mind-reading, Etheric-bending beings now. You have to be cleaner than clean.”

Giles hung his head solemnly. “I’m sorry. I was just going to keep it separate so I could research it some more when I got back to the ship. If it was stowed away in the crates I’d have to get access and the paperwork…”

His voice tapered off.

Barnabas’ eyes softened. “I understand, but you need to come clean. Tell someone. Report it. Log it. You’re part of a team now, and if you want your team to trust you, you have to stop pulling this kind of shit.”

He sighed and rested his hands on the railings, noticing that the structure was rather more precarious than he had originally thought. “You’re not a kid anymore, Giles. You’re going to need to start acting more responsibly if you’re going to continue to operate within the Federation.

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