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167
The Status Civilization
·
Robert Sheckley
29
"I
didn't
see
her
neither,"
the
third
man
said.
"And
I
got
sharp
eyes."
Barrent
turned
back
to
Frendlyer.
"Why
are
you
lying
to
me?"
"I've
told
you
the
simple
truth,"
Frendlyer
said.
"There
has
been
no
girl
in
here
all
day.
I
lent
you
the
gun,
as
is
my
privilege
as
President
of
the
Victim's
Protective
Society.
I
would
now
appreciate
its
return."
"No,"
Barrent
said.
"I'm
keeping
the
gun
until
I
find
the
girl."
"That
might
not
be
wise,"
Frendlyer
said.
He
hastily
added,
"Thievery,
I
mean,
is
not
condoned
under
these
circumstances."
"I'll
take
my
chances
on
that,"
Barrent
said.
He
turned
and
left
the
Victim's
Protective
Society.
Chapter
Five
Barrent
needed
time
to
recuperate
from
his
violent
entry
into
Omegan
life.
Starting
from
the
helpless
state
of
a
newborn,
he
had
moved
through
murder
to
the
ownership
of
an
antidote
shop.
From
a
forgotten
past
on
a
planet
called
Earth,
he
had
been
catapulted
into
a
dubious
present
in
a
world
full
of
criminals.
He
had
gotten
a
glimpse
of
a
complex
class
structure,
and
a
hint
of
an
institutionalized
program
of
murder.
He
had
discovered
in
himself
a
certain
measure
of
self-reliance,
and
a
surprising
quickness
with
a
gun.
He
knew
there
was
a
great
deal
more
to
find
out
about
Omega,
Earth,
and
himself.
He
hoped
he
would
live
long
enough
to
make
the
necessary
discoveries.
First
things
first.
He
had
to
earn
a
living.
To
do
so,
he
had
to
find
out
about
poisons
and
antidotes.
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