Read Online Gemini by Mike W. Barr - Free Book Online

to your questions, you’ll find yourself in the brig—”
    â€œThat’s not such a threat,” said Peter, with a smile.
    â€œâ€”or back on Nador in the capable hands of Securitrix Llora. And I assure you, her methods of questioning will be a great deal more uncomfortable than mine. Is that understood?”
    Peter gulped. “Yes, sir.”
    Kirk suppressed a smile of his own. With the fear of God properly installed, they could proceed.
    â€œTo continue,” said Kirk, “what were you doing there?”
    â€œI was spying,” said Peter. This frankness had the desired effect; Kirk was silent for a moment. “On the dissidents,” continued Peter, a moment before Kirk would have asked him to continue. He’d give his nephew that, he was good at brinkmanship.
    â€œWhy did you feel there was reason to spy on them?”
    Peter shrugged uneasily. “I felt something was wrong. Too many of the Federation citizens with resident alien status on Nador were stirred up too easily, encouraged to violence too quickly. Uncle Jim, I think there’s someone working them up behind the scenes.”
    â€œAn agitator?”
    Peter nodded. “Not that the Federationists don’t have valid complaints. Lots of the Nadorians resent our presence, treat us as second-class citizens. The rumor is that when the planetary government is handed back to Nador, we’ll be subject to a whole bunch of unfair ‘alien’ taxes and discriminatory laws, even if Nador becomes a member of the Federation. Not that rumors make violence acceptable,” he added, after a pause.
    â€œOf course not. But didn’t any of the Federation citizens suspect you?”
    â€œNo.” Peter shook his head, baffled. “Why should they?”
    â€œYour name,” said Kirk, impatiently. “You’re my nephew.”
    â€œThere are lots of Kirks in the Federation, Uncle Jim,” said Peter. “You understand that, right?”
    â€œOf course,” said Kirk, quickly.
    â€œAnd I hadn’t told anyone we’re related,” continued Peter. “I wanted to fit in on my own. Good thing, too. I hoped to have a lot more information on whoever’s stirring up the protesters to give you by this time. But everybody’s playing it pretty close to their vests.” He shook his head ruefully. “This undercover stuff is hard.”
    That time, Kirk did grin, but smothered it before Peter could see. “At least you found some way to make use of your free time,” he said, dryly.
    â€œDon’t get me wrong,” Peter said quickly, “Commissioner Roget had no idea what I was doing. Anything I did, I’m totally responsible for, no one else.”
    â€œOh, I assumed that,” said Kirk, rising. Still, the boy’s sentiments did him credit.
    The entry tone at the door sounded. “Come,” said Kirk and Peter at the same time. They exchanged a glance, and smiled.
    Spock and McCoy entered, Peter shaking hands with the physician happily, after McCoy gravely inspected Chapel’s work.
    â€œStatus?” asked Kirk.
    â€œDamage, some of it irreparable, to the ancient statuary of the palace,” began Spock. Kirk watched McCoy out of the corner of his eye, waiting for him to take the bait.
    â€œâ€˜The statuary’? Spock, what about—?”
    â€œAnd only minor injuries sustained by the palace guests and staff. None of the rioters were severely injured,” said Spock, as if McCoy had not spoken. “The rioters have been detained for questioning. Securitrix Llora is quite displeased with what she called your ‘high-handedness’ at removing one of the rioters before her eyes.”
    â€œLet the commissioner smooth things over,” said Kirk with a shrug. “Spock, Peter seems to think there’s a party deliberately agitating these riots. Did you get any impression that any of the rioters knew who was behind