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167
The Status Civilization
·
Robert Sheckley
23
"But
they'll
kill
me!"
"That's
very
true,"
Frendlyer
said.
"Unfortunately,
it
can't
be
helped.
A
victim,
by
definition,
is
one
who
is
to
be
killed."
"I
thought
this
was
a
protective
organization."
"It
is.
But
we
protect
rights,
not
victims.
Your
rights
are
not
being
violated.
The
Hadjis
have
the
privilege
of
killing
you
on
Landing
Day,
at
any
time
before
sundown,
if
you
are
not
in
your
barracks
area.
You,
I
might
add,
have
the
right
to
kill
anyone
who
tries
to
kill
you."
"I
don't
have
a
weapon,"
Barrent
said.
"Victims
never
do,"
Frendlyer
said.
"It
makes
all
the
difference,
doesn't
it?
But
weapon
or
not,
I'm
afraid
you'll
have
to
leave
now."
Barrent
could
still
hear
the
Hadjis'
lazy
voices
in
the
street.
He
asked,
"Have
you
a
rear
door?"
"Sorry."
"Then
I'll
simply
not
leave."
Still
smiling,
Mr.
Frendlyer
opened
a
drawer
and
took
out
a
gun.
He
pointed
it
at
Barrent,
and
said,
"You
really
must
leave.
You
can
take
your
chances
with
the
Hadjis,
or
you
can
die
right
here
with
no
chance
at
all."
"Lend
me
your
gun,"
Barrent
said.
"It
isn't
allowed,"
Frendlyer
told
him.
"Can't
have
victims
running
around
with
weapons,
you
know.
It
would
upset
things."
He
clicked
off
the
safety.
"Are
you
leaving?"
Barrent
calculated
his
chances
of
diving
across
the
desk
for
the
gun,
and
decided
he
would
never
make
it.
He
turned
and
walked
slowly
to
the
door.
The
ragged
men
were
still
laughing
together.
The
dark-haired
girl
had
risen
from
the
bench
and
was
standing
near
the
doorway.
As
he
came
close
to
her,
Barrent
noticed
that
she
was
very
lovely.
He
wondered
what
crime
had
dictated
her
expulsion
from
Earth.
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