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167
The Status Civilization
·
Robert Sheckley
61
"I'll
take
the
Trial
by
Ordeal,"
Barrent
said.
"Very
well,"
said
the
judge.
"Let
the
case
proceed."
Barrent
was
led
from
the
room.
Behind
him,
he
heard
a
quickly
concealed
laugh
from
one
of
the
guards.
Had
he
chosen
wrong?
he
wondered.
Could
a
trial
by
ordeal
be
worse
than
outright
mutilation?
Chapter
Ten
On
Omega,
so
the
saying
went,
you
couldn't
fit
a
knife
blade
between
the
trial
and
the
execution
of
the
sentence.
Barrent
was
taken
at
once
to
a
large,
circular
stone
room
in
the
basement
of
the
Department
of
Justice.
White
arc
lights
glared
down
at
him
from
a
high,
arched
ceiling.
Below,
one
section
of
wall
had
been
cut
away
to
provide
a
reviewing
stand
for
spectators.
The
stands
were
almost
filled
when
Barrent
arrived,
and
hawkers
were
selling
copies
of
the
day's
legal
calendar.
For
a
few
moments
Barrent
was
alone
on
the
stone
floor.
Then
a
panel
slid
away
in
one
curved
wall,
and
a
small
machine
rolled
out.
A
loudspeaker
set
high
in
the
reviewing
stand
announced,
"Ladies
and
gentlemen,
your
attention
please!
You
are
about
to
witness
Trial
642-BG223,
by
Ordeal,
between
Citizen
Will
Barrent
and
GME
213.
Take
your
seats,
please.
The
contest
will
begin
in
a
few
minutes."
Barrent
looked
over
his
opponent.
It
was
a
glistening
black
machine
shaped
like
a
half-sphere,
standing
almost
four
feet
high.
It
rolled
restlessly
back
and
forth
on
small
wheels.
A
pattern
of
red,
green,
and
amber
lights
from
recessed
glass
bulbs
flashed
across
its
smooth
metal
hide.
It
stirred
in
Barrent
a
vague
memory
of
some
creature
from
Earth's
oceans.
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