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167
The Status Civilization
·
Robert Sheckley
165
He
pulled
himself
to
his
feet.
Coached
since
childhood
in
social
responsibility,
he
thought
of
it
now.
He
couldn't
allow
himself
to
die
when
his
knowledge
was
vital
to
Omega.
This
is
not
a
real
machine.
He
repeated
it
to
himself
as
the
Barrent
machine
revved
up,
picked
up
speed,
and
hurtled
toward
him
from
the
far
side
of
the
room.
He
forced
himself
to
see
beyond
the
machine,
to
see
the
patient
droning
lessons
of
the
classroom
which
had
created
this
monster
in
his
mind.
This
is
not
a
real
machine.
He
believed
it....
And
swung
his
fist
into
the
hated
face
reflected
in
the
metal.
There
was
a
moment
of
dazzling
pain,
and
then
he
lost
consciousness.
When
he
came
to,
he
was
alone
in
his
own
home
on
Earth.
His
arm
and
shoulder
ached,
and
several
of
his
ribs
seemed
to
be
broken.
On
his
left
hand
he
bore
the
stigmata
of
the
trichomotred's
bite.
But
with
his
cut
and
bleeding
right
hand
he
had
smashed
the
mirror.
He
had
shattered
it
and
Barrent-1
utterly
and
forever.
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