The Status Civilization

The time to the checkpoint dwindled to six hours. Barrent watched new portions of the control board come to life, checking and altering the forces governing the ship, preparing for a landing. Three and a half hours before landing, Barrent made an interesting discovery. He found the central communication system for the entire ship. By turning on the receiving end, he could overhear conversations in the guardroom. He didn't learn much that was useful to him. Either through caution or lack of concern, the guards didn't discuss politics. Their lives were spent on the checkpoint, except for periods of service on the prison ship. Some of the things they said Barrent found incomprehensible. But he continued to listen, fascinated by anything these men of Earth had to say. "You ever go swimming in Florida?" "I never liked salt water." "The year before I was called to the Guards, I won third prize at the Dayton Orchid Fair." "I'm buying a retirement villa in Antarctica." "How much longer for you?" "Eighteen years." "Well, someone's got to do it." "But why me? And why no Earth leaves?" "You've watched the tapes, you know why. Crime is a disease. It's infectious." "So what?" "So if you work around criminals, you run the danger of infection. You might contaminate someone on Earth." "It isn't fair...." "Can't be helped. Those scientists know what they're talking about. Besides, checkpoint's not so bad." "If you like everything artificial ... air, flowers, food...." "Well, you can't have everything. Your family there?"