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167
The Status Civilization
·
Robert Sheckley
14
"Well,
that's
a
start,"
Foeren
said.
"There
must
be
ways
of
finding
out
more.
The
important
thing
is,
we're
on
Omega."
"Agreed,"
Barrent
said
sourly.
"Nothing
wrong
with
that,"
Foeren
said.
"Didn't
you
hear
what
the
man
said?
This
is
our
planet!"
"With
an
average
life
expectancy
of
three
Earth
years,"
Barrent
reminded
him.
"That's
probably
just
scare
talk,"
Foeren
said.
"I
wouldn't
believe
stuff
like
that
from
a
guard.
The
big
thing
is,
we
have
our
own
planet.
You
heard
what
they
said.
'Earth
rejects
us.'
Nova
Earth!
Who
needs
her?
We've
our
own
planet
here.
A
whole
planet,
Barrent!
We're
free!"
Another
man
said,
"That's
right,
friend."
He
was
small,
furtive-eyed,
and
ingratiatingly
friendly.
"My
name
is
Joe,"
he
told
them.
"Actually,
the
name
is
Joao;
but
I
prefer
the
archaic
form
with
its
flavor
of
more
gracious
times.
Gentlemen,
I
couldn't
help
overhearing
your
conversation,
and
I
agree
most
heartily
with
our
red-haired
friend.
Consider
the
possibilities!
Earth
has
cast
us
aside?
Excellent!
We
are
better
off
without
her.
We
are
all
equal
here,
free
men
in
a
free
society.
No
uniforms,
no
guards,
no
soldiers.
Just
repentant
former
criminals
who
want
to
live
in
peace."
"What
did
they
get
you
for?"
Barrent
asked.
"They
said
I
was
a
credit
thief,"
Joe
said.
"I'm
ashamed
to
admit
that
I
can't
remember
what
a
credit
thief
is.
But
perhaps
it'll
come
back
to
me."
"Maybe
the
authorities
have
some
sort
of
memory
retraining
system,"
Foeren
said.
"Authorities?"
Joe
said
indignantly.
"What
do
you
mean,
authorities?
This
is
our
planet.
We're
all
equal
here.
By
definition,
there
can't
be
any
authorities.
No,
friends,
we
left
all
that
nonsense
behind
on
Earth.
Here
we--"
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