The Status Civilization

On the basis of the indoctrination talk on the prison ship, Barrent had expected Omega to be dedicated to the rehabilitation of criminals. To judge by the store signs, this simply wasn't so; or if it was, rehabilitation took some very strange forms. He walked on more slowly, deep in thought. Then he noticed that people were moving out of his way. They glanced at him and ducked in doorways and stores. An elderly woman took one look at him and ran. What was wrong? Could it be his prison uniform? No, the people of Omega had seen many of those. What was it, then? The street was almost deserted. A shopkeeper near him was hurriedly swinging steel shutters over his display of fencing equipment. "What's the matter?" Barrent asked him. "What's going on?" "Are you out of your head?" the shopkeeper said. "It's Landing Day!" "I beg your pardon?" "Landing Day!" the shopkeeper said. "The day the prison ship landed. Get back to your barracks, you idiot!" He slammed the last steel shutter into place and locked it. Barrent felt a sudden cold touch of fear. Something was very wrong. He had better get back in a hurry. It had been stupid of him not to find out more about Omegan customs before.... Three men were walking down the street toward him. They were well dressed, and each wore the small golden Hadji earring in his left ear. All three men carried sidearms. Barrent started to walk away from them. One of the men shouted, "Stop, peon!"