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167
The Status Civilization
·
Robert Sheckley
67
Therefore
the
law
was
necessary.
But
Omega
was
also
a
criminal
society,
composed
entirely
of
individuals
who
had
broken
the
laws
of
Earth.
It
was
a
society
which,
in
the
final
analysis,
stressed
individual
endeavor.
It
was
a
society
in
which
the
lawbreaker
was
king;
a
society
in
which
crimes
were
not
only
condoned
but
were
admired
and
even
rewarded;
a
society
in
which
deviation
from
the
rules
was
judged
solely
on
its
degree
of
success.
And
this
resulted
in
the
paradox
of
a
criminal
society
with
absolute
laws
which
were
meant
to
be
broken.
The
judge,
still
hidden
behind
his
screen,
explained
all
this
to
Barrent.
Several
hours
had
passed
since
the
end
of
the
Trial
by
Ordeal.
Barrent
had
been
taken
to
the
infirmary,
where
his
injuries
were
patched
up.
They
were
minor,
for
the
most
part;
two
cracked
ribs,
a
deep
gouge
in
his
left
shoulder,
and
various
cuts
and
bruises.
"Accordingly,"
the
judge
went
on,
"the
law
must
simultaneously
be
broken
and
not
broken.
Those
who
never
break
a
law
never
rise
in
status.
They
are
usually
killed
off
in
one
way
or
another,
since
they
lack
the
necessary
initiative
to
survive.
For
those
who,
like
yourself,
break
laws,
the
situation
is
somewhat
different.
The
law
punishes
them
with
absolute
severity--unless
they
can
get
away
with
it."
The
judge
paused.
In
a
thoughtful
voice
he
continued,
"The
highest
type
of
man
on
Omega
is
the
individual
who
understands
the
laws,
appreciates
their
necessity,
knows
the
penalties
for
infraction,
then
breaks
them--and
succeeds!
That,
sir,
is
your
ideal
criminal
and
your
ideal
Omegan.
And
that
is
what
you
have
succeeded
in
doing,
Will
Barrent,
by
winning
the
Trial
by
Ordeal."
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