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The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Status Civilization, by Robert SheckleyThis eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and withalmost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away orre-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License includedwith this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.orgTitle: The Status CivilizationAuthor: Robert SheckleyRelease Date: March 28, 2007 [EBook #20919]Language: EnglishCharacter set encoding: ISO-8859-1*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE STATUS CIVILIZATION ***Produced by Greg Weeks, Karina Aleksandrova and the OnlineDistributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net[Transcriber's Notes:1. Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that thecopyright on this publication was renewed.2. Several misprints corrected. The complete list may be foundat the end of the file.]"Yes sir. Well, there are three men outside trying to kill me....""Quite right," Mr. Frendlyer said. "And today is Landing Day. You cameoff the ship that landed today, and have been classified a peon.... I'mhappy to say that everything is in order. The Landing Day Hunt ends atsundown. You can leave here with the knowledge that everything iscorrect and that your rights have not been violated.""Leave here? After sundown, you mean."Mr. Frendlyer shook his head and smiled sadly. "I'm afraid not.According to the law you must leave here at once.""But they'll kill me!""That's very true. Unfortunately it can't be helped. A victim by
 
definition is one who is to be killed.... We protect rights, notvictims."OMEGA: PRISON PLANETLIFE EXPECTANCY: THREE YEARSMAXIMUMMOST PEOPLE ARELUCKIER THAN THAT....Books byROBERT SHECKLEY:CITIZEN IN SPACEIMMORTALITY, INC.MINDSWAPPILGRIMAGE TO EARTHTHE 10TH VICTIMUNTOUCHED BY HUMAN HANDSDIMENSION OF MIRACLESTHE JOURNEY OF JOENESTHE STATUS CIVILIZATION/NOTIONS: UNLIMITED_From ACE Science Fiction_THE STATUSCIVILIZATIONROBERT SHECKLEYace booksA Division of Charter Communications Inc.A GROSSET & DUNLAP COMPANY360 Park Avenue SouthNew York, New York 10010THE STATUS CIVILIZATIONCopyright 1960 by Robert Sheckley
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First appeared under the title _Omega in Amazing Science FictionStories_, published by Ziff-Davis.All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any formor by any means, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in areview, without permission in writing from the publisher.
 
All characters in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actualpersons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.An ACE Book_Cover art by David Bergen_First Ace printing: November 19792468097531Manufactured in the United States of AmericaCONTENTSTHE STATUS CIVILIZATION 1TO ANYATHE STATUS CIVILIZATIONChapter OneHis return to consciousness was a slow and painful process. It was ajourney in which he traversed all time. He dreamed. He rose throughthick layers of sleep, out of the imaginary beginnings of all things. Helifted a pseudopod from primordial ooze, and the pseudopod was _him_. Hebecame an amoeba which contained _his_ essence; then a fish marked withhis own peculiar individuality; then an ape unlike all other apes. Andfinally, he became a man.What kind of man? Dimly he saw himself, faceless, a beamer gripped tighton one hand, a corpse at his feet. _That_ kind of man.He awoke, rubbed his eyes, and waited for further memories to come.No memories came. Not even his name.He sat up hastily and willed memory to return. When it didn't, he lookedaround, seeking in his surroundings some clue to his identity.He was sitting on a bed in a small gray room. There was a closed dooron one side. On the other, through a curtained alcove, he could see atiny lavatory. Light came into the room from some hidden source, perhaps
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Please be advised that this book is NOT in the public domain and is owned by the Estate of Robert Sheckley. Project Gutenberg has been notified of this and has not taken the entry out as yet. Mr. Sheckley's family would appreciate fans purchasing copies of his work and not access purloined versions of his copyrighted work.

reply08 / 18 / 2007
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