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167
The Status Civilization
·
Robert Sheckley
88
"But
if
you
have
any
luck,"
Jay
said,
"you
will
be
killed
early.
Now
I
will
end
the
interview
with
your
final
instructions."
Still
holding
the
tiny
weapon,
Jay
reached
into
a
pocket
with
his
free
hand
and
withdrew
a
red
pencil.
In
a
quick,
practiced
motion
he
drew
the
pencil
over
Barrent's
cheeks
and
forehead.
He
was
finished
before
Barrent
had
time
to
recoil.
"That
marks
you
as
one
of
the
Hunted,"
Jay
said.
"The
hunt-marks
are
indelible.
Here
is
your
government-issue
needlebeam."
He
drew
a
weapon
from
his
pocket
and
put
it
on
the
table.
"The
Hunt,
as
I
told
you,
begins
at
first
light
of
dawn.
Anyone
may
kill
you
then,
except
another
Hunted
man.
You
may
kill
in
return.
But
I
suggest
that
you
do
so
with
the
utmost
circumspection.
The
sound
and
flash
of
needlebeams
have
given
many
Hunteds
away.
If
you
try
concealment,
be
sure
you
have
an
exit.
Remember
that
others
know
Tetrahyde
better
than
you.
Skilled
Hunters
have
explored
all
the
possible
hiding
places
over
the
years;
many
of
the
Hunted
are
trapped
during
the
first
hours
of
the
holiday.
Good
luck,
Citizen
Barrent."
Jay
walked
to
the
door.
He
opened
it
and
turned
to
Barrent
again.
"There
is,
I
might
add,
one
barely
possible
way
of
preserving
both
life
and
liberty
during
the
Hunt.
But,
since
it
is
forbidden,
I
cannot
tell
you
what
it
is."
Norins
Jay
bowed
and
went
out.
Barrent
found,
after
repeated
washings,
that
the
crimson
hunt-marks
on
his
face
were
indeed
indelible.
During
the
evening,
he
disassembled
the
government-issue
needlebeam
and
inspected
its
parts.
As
he
had
suspected
the
weapon
was
defective.
He
discarded
it
in
favor
of
his
own.
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