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167
The Status Civilization
·
Robert Sheckley
121
But
it
seemed
to
Barrent
a
reckless
way
of
doing
things.
There
was
something
very
strange
about
an
Earth
that
allowed
starships
to
run
without
human
supervision.
He
decided
to
suspend
further
judgment
until
he
had
acquired
more
facts.
For
the
time
being,
he
had
to
think
about
the
problems
of
his
own
survival.
There
was
concentrated
food
in
his
pockets,
but
he
hadn't
been
able
to
carry
much
water.
Would
the
crewless
ship
have
supplies?
He
had
to
remember
the
detachment
of
guards,
down
below
in
their
assembly
room.
And
he
had
to
think
about
what
was
going
to
happen
at
the
checkpoint,
and
what
he
would
do
about
it.
Barrent
found
that
he
did
not
have
to
use
his
own
food
supplies.
In
the
officers'
mess,
machines
still
dispensed
food
and
drink
at
the
push
of
a
button.
Barrent
didn't
know
if
these
were
natural
or
chemically
reconstituted
foods.
They
tasted
fine
and
seemed
to
nourish
him,
so
he
really
didn't
care.
He
explored
part
of
the
ship's
upper
levels.
After
becoming
lost
several
times,
he
decided
not
to
take
any
more
unnecessary
risks.
The
life-center
of
the
ship
was
its
control
room,
and
Barrent
spent
most
of
his
time
there.
He
found
a
viewport.
Activating
the
switch
that
opened
the
shutters,
Barrent
was
able
to
look
out
on
the
vast
spectacle
of
stars
glowing
in
the
blackness
of
space.
Stars
without
end
stretched
past
the
furthest
limits
of
his
imagination.
Looking
at
this,
Barrent
felt
a
strong
surge
of
pride.
This
was
where
he
belonged,
and
those
unknown
stars
were
his
heritage.
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