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167
The Status Civilization
·
Robert Sheckley
164
Now
his
enemy
was
in
its
ultimate
form:
the
invariant
robot
consciousness,
as
false
and
stylized
as
the
conditioned
dreams
of
Earth.
The
Barrent-1
machine
extruded
a
single
slender
tentacle
with
a
white
light
winking
at
the
end
of
it.
As
it
approached,
the
tentacle
withdrew,
and
in
its
place
appeared
a
jointed
metal
arm
ending
in
a
knife-edge.
Barrent-2
dodged,
and
heard
the
knife
scrape
against
the
stone.
It
isn't
what
you
think
it
is,
Barrent-2
told
himself.
It
isn't
a
machine,
and
you
are
not
back
on
Omega.
This
is
only
half
of
yourself
you
are
fighting,
this
is
nothing
but
a
deadly
illusion.
But
he
couldn't
believe
it.
The
Barrent
machine
was
coming
at
him
again,
its
metal
hide
glistening
with
a
foul
green
substance
which
Barrent-2
recognized
immediately
as
Contact
Poison.
He
broke
into
a
sprint,
trying
to
stay
away
from
the
fatal
touch.
It
isn't
fatal,
he
told
himself.
Neutralizer
washed
over
the
metal
surface,
clearing
away
the
poison.
The
machine
tried
to
ram
him.
Barrent
tried
half-heartedly
to
push
it
aside.
It
crashed
into
him
with
stunning
force,
and
he
could
feel
ribs
splintering.
It
isn't
real!
You're
letting
a
conditioned
reflex
talk
you
to
death!
You
aren't
on
Omega!
You're
on
Earth,
in
your
own
home,
staring
into
a
mirror!
But
the
pain
was
real,
and
the
clubbed
metal
arm
felt
real
as
it
crashed
against
his
shoulder.
Barrent
staggered
away.
He
felt
horror,
not
at
dying,
but
at
dying
too
soon,
before
he
could
warn
the
Omegans
of
this
ultimate
danger
planted
deep
in
their
own
minds.
There
was
no
one
else
to
warn
of
the
catastrophe
that
would
strike
each
man
as
he
recovered
his
own
specific
memories
of
Earth.
To
his
best
knowledge,
no
one
had
experienced
this
and
lived.
If
he
could
live
through
it,
countermeasures
could
be
taken,
counterconditioning
could
be
set
up.
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