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167
The Status Civilization
·
Robert Sheckley
144
"And
did
you
retire
from
the
service?"
"No,
the
service
retired
from
me."
"I
beg
pardon,
sir?"
"You
heard
me
correctly,
young
man.
It
happened
just
sixty-three
years
ago.
The
Earth
Armed
Forces
were
demobilized,
except
for
the
police
whom
I
cannot
count.
But
all
regular
units
were
demobilized."
"Why
was
that
done,
sir?"
"There
wasn't
anyone
to
fight.
Wasn't
even
anyone
to
guard
against,
or
so
I
was
told.
Damned
foolish
business,
I
say."
"Why,
sir?"
"Because
an
old
soldier
knows
that
you
can
never
tell
when
an
enemy
might
spring
up.
It
could
happen
now.
And
then
where
would
we
be?"
"Couldn't
the
armies
be
formed
again?"
"Certainly.
But
the
present
generation
has
no
concept
of
serving
under
arms.
There
are
no
leaders
left,
outside
of
a
few
useless
old
fools
like
me.
It
would
take
years
for
an
effective
force,
effectively
led,
to
be
formed."
"And
in
the
meantime,
Earth
is
completely
open
to
invasion
from
the
outside?"
"Yes,
except
for
the
police
units.
And
I
seriously
doubt
their
reliability
under
fire."
"Could
you
tell
me
about
the
police?"
"There
is
nothing
I
know
about
them.
I
have
never
bothered
my
head
about
non-military
matters."
"But
it
is
conceivable
that
the
police
have
now
taken
over
the
functions
of
the
army,
isn't
it?
That
the
police
constitute
a
sizable
and
disciplined
paramilitary
force?"
"It
is
possible,
sir.
Anything
is
possible."
(Citizen
Moertin
Honners,
age
31,
occupation
verbalizer.
A
slim,
languid
man
with
an
earnest,
boyish
face
and
smooth,
corn-blond
hair.)
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