Lab
Library
Journal
Shop
Sign in
to keep
Share image
1
167
The Status Civilization
·
Robert Sheckley
109
"You
didn't
separate
me,"
Barrent
said.
"Of
course
not.
You
were
allegedly
guilty
of
murder,
which
put
you
in
Group
One.
However,
your
behavior
was
not
typical
of
Group
One.
You
seemed
like
good
potential
material
for
us,
so
we
helped
you
from
time
to
time.
But
we
had
to
be
sure
of
you
before
taking
you
into
the
Group.
Your
repudiation
of
the
murder
charge
was
strongly
in
your
favor.
Also,
we
questioned
Illiardi
after
you
had
located
him.
There
seemed
no
reason
to
doubt
that
he
performed
the
murder
you
were
charged
with.
Even
more
strongly
in
your
favor
were
your
high
survival
qualities,
which
had
their
ultimate
test
in
the
Hunt
and
the
Games.
We
were
badly
in
need
of
a
man
of
your
abilities."
"Just
what
is
your
work?"
Barrent
asked.
"What
do
you
want
to
accomplish?"
"We
want
to
go
back
to
Earth,"
Eylan
said.
"But
that's
impossible."
"We
don't
think
so,"
Eylan
said.
"We've
given
the
matter
considerable
study.
In
spite
of
the
guardships,
we
think
it's
possible
to
return
to
Earth.
We'll
find
out
for
certain
in
six
days,
when
the
breakout
must
be
made."
Moera
said,
"It
would
be
better
to
wait
another
six
months."
"Impossible.
A
six
months'
delay
would
be
ruinous.
Every
society
has
a
purpose,
and
the
criminal
population
of
Omega
is
bent
upon
its
own
self-destruction.
Barrent,
you
look
surprised.
Couldn't
you
see
that?"
"I
never
thought
about
it,"
Barrent
said.
"After
all,
I
was
part
of
it."
Marker
Marker
Fine marker
White-out
Fine white-out
Circle
Paint
Unmarker
Hand
Scalpel
Dice
Sieve
Purify
Undo
Redo
Start over
