Lab
Library
Journal
Shop
Sign in
to keep
1
167
The Status Civilization
·
Robert Sheckley
18
"Very
well,"
Barrent
said.
"I'll
give
you
a
full
report
later."
He
waited
a
moment
longer
in
case
someone
changed
his
mind,
then
went
out
the
door.
The
city
of
Tetrahyde
was
a
collection
of
buildings
sprawled
along
a
narrow
peninsula
which
jutted
into
a
sluggish
gray
sea.
The
peninsula's
landward
side
was
contained
by
a
high
stone
wall,
pierced
with
gates
and
guarded
by
sentries.
Its
largest
building
was
the
Arena,
used
once
a
year
for
the
Games.
Near
the
Arena
was
a
small
cluster
of
government
buildings.
Barrent
walked
along
the
narrow
streets,
staring
around
him,
trying
to
get
some
idea
of
what
his
new
home
was
like.
The
winding,
unpaved
roads
and
dark,
weatherbeaten
houses
stirred
an
elusive
tag-end
of
memory
in
him.
He
had
seen
a
place
like
this
on
Earth,
but
he
couldn't
remember
anything
about
it.
The
recollection
was
as
tantalizing
as
an
itch;
but
he
couldn't
locate
its
source.
Past
the
Arena,
he
came
into
the
main
business
district
of
Tetrahyde.
Fascinated,
he
read
the
store
signs:
UNLICENSED
DOCTOR--ABORTIONS
PERFORMED
WHILE-U-WAIT.
Further
on,
DISBARRED
LAWYER.
POLITICAL
PULL!
This
seemed
vaguely
wrong
to
Barrent.
He
walked
further,
past
stores
advertising
stolen
goods,
past
a
little
shop
that
announced:
MIND
READING!
FULL
STAFF
OF
SKRENNING
MUTANTS!
YOUR
PAST
ON
EARTH
REVEALED!
Barrent
was
tempted
to
go
in.
But
he
remembered
that
he
hadn't
any
money;
and
Omega
seemed
like
the
sort
of
place
that
put
a
high
value
on
money.
He
turned
down
a
side
street,
walked
by
several
restaurants,
and
came
to
a
large
building
called
THE
POISON
INSTITUTE
(Easy
Terms.
Up
to
3
Years
to
Pay.
Satisfaction
Guaranteed
or
Your
Money
Back).
Next
door
to
it
was
THE
ASSASSIN'S
GUILD,
Local
452.
Marker
Marker
Fine marker
White-out
Fine white-out
Circle
Paint
Unmarker
Hand
Scalpel
Dice
Sieve
Purify
Undo
Redo
Start over
