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167
The Status Civilization
·
Robert Sheckley
87
"But
what
if
I
do?"
"Believe
me,
Citizen,
you
won't."
"I
still
would
like
to
know
what
happens
if
I
do."
"Those
who
live
through
the
Games
are
beyond
the
law."
"That
sounds
promising,"
Barrent
said.
"It
isn't.
The
law,
even
at
its
most
threatening,
is
still
your
guardian.
Your
rights
may
be
few,
but
the
law
guarantees
their
observance.
It
is
because
of
the
law
that
I
do
not
kill
you
here
and
now."
Jay
opened
his
hand,
and
Barrent
saw
a
tiny
single-charge
weapon.
"The
law
sets
limits,
and
acts
as
a
modifier
upon
the
behavior
of
the
lawbreaker
and
the
law
enforcer.
To
be
sure,
the
law
now
states
that
you
must
die.
But
all
men
must
die.
The
law,
by
its
ponderous
and
introspective
nature,
gives
you
time
in
which
to
die.
You
have
a
day
at
least;
and
without
the
law,
you
would
have
no
time
at
all."
"What
happens,"
Barrent
asked,
"if
I
survive
the
Games
and
pass
beyond
the
law?"
"There
is
only
one
thing
beyond
the
law,"
Norins
Jay
said
reflectively,
"and
that
is
The
Black
One
himself.
Those
who
pass
beyond
the
law
belong
to
him.
But
it
would
be
better
to
die
a
thousand
times
than
to
fall
living
into
the
hands
of
The
Black
One."
Barrent
had
long
ago
dismissed
the
religion
of
The
Black
One
as
superstitious
nonsense.
But
now,
listening
to
Jay's
earnest
voice,
he
began
to
wonder.
There
might
be
a
difference
between
the
commonplace
worship
of
evil
and
the
actual
presence
of
Evil
itself.
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