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167
The Status Civilization
·
Robert Sheckley
11
"Number
1!
Speak
out!"
"Here,"
a
voice
answered.
"Number
1,
your
name
is
Wayn
Southholder.
Age
34,
blood
type
A-L2,
Index
AR-431-C.
Guilty
of
treason."
When
the
voice
had
finished,
a
loud
cheer
came
up
from
the
crowd.
They
were
applauding
the
prisoner's
traitorous
actions,
and
welcoming
him
to
Omega.
The
names
were
read
down
the
list,
and
402,
drowsy
in
the
sunshine,
dozed
on
his
feet
and
listened
to
the
crimes
of
murder,
credit
theft,
deviationalism,
and
mutantism.
At
last
his
number
was
called.
"Number
402."
"Here."
"Number
402,
your
name
is
Will
Barrent.
Age
27,
blood
type
O-L3,
Index
JX-221-R.
Guilty
of
murder."
The
crowd
cheered,
but
402
scarcely
heard
them.
He
was
trying
to
accustom
himself
to
the
idea
of
having
a
name.
A
real
name
instead
of
a
number.
Will
Barrent.
He
hoped
he
wouldn't
forget
it.
He
repeated
the
name
to
himself
over
and
over
again,
and
almost
missed
the
last
announcement
from
the
ship's
loudspeaker.
"The
new
men
are
now
released
upon
Omega.
You
will
be
given
temporary
housing
at
Square
A-2.
Be
cautious
and
circumspect
in
your
words
and
actions.
Watch,
listen,
and
learn.
The
law
requires
me
to
tell
you
that
the
average
life
expectancy
on
Omega
is
approximately
three
Earth
years."
It
took
a
while
for
those
last
words
to
take
effect
on
Barrent.
He
was
still
contemplating
the
novelty
of
having
a
name.
He
hadn't
considered
any
of
the
implications
of
being
a
murderer
on
an
underworld
planet.
Chapter
Two
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