The Status Civilization

  Chapter Twenty

  According to Eylan, Group Two had at least one serious flaw: the men whocomposed it were, for the most part, past their physical prime. Therewere some younger members, of course; but they had had little contactwith violence, and little chance to develop traits of self-sufficiency.Secure in the underground, most of them had never fired a beamer inanger, had never been forced to run for their lives, had neverencountered the make-or-break situations through which Barrent hadlived. They were brave but unproven. They would willingly undertake theexpedition to Earth; but they would have little chance of success.

  "And you think I would have a chance?" Barrent asked.

  "I think so. You're young and strong, reasonably intelligent, andextremely resourceful. You have a high survival quotient. If any mancould succeed, I believe you could."

  "Why one man?"

  "Because there's no sense in sending a group. The chance of detectionwould simply be increased. By using one man, we get maximum security andopportunity. If you succeed, we will receive valuable information aboutthe nature of the enemy. If you don't succeed, if you are captured, yourattempt will be considered the action of an individual rather than agroup. We will still be free to start a general uprising from Omega."

  "How am I supposed to get back to Earth?" Barrent asked. "Do you have astarship hidden away somewhere?"

  "I'm afraid not. We plan to transport you to Earth aboard the nextprison ship."

  "That's impossible."

  "Not at all. We've studied the landings. They follow a pattern. Theprisoners are marched out, accompanied by the guards. While they'reassembled in the square, the ship itself is undefended, although looselysurrounded by a cordon of guards. To get you aboard, we will start adisturbance. It should take away the guards' attention long enough foryou to get on board."

  "Even if I succeed, I'll be captured as soon as the guards return."

  "You shouldn't be," Eylan said, "The prison ship is an immense structurewith many hiding places for a stowaway. And the element of surprise willbe in your favor. This may be the first time in the history of Omegathat an escape has been attempted."

  "And when the ship reaches Earth?"

  "You will be disguised as a member of the ship's personnel," Eylan said."Remember, the inevitable inefficiency of a huge bureaucracy will beworking for you."

  "I hope so," Barrent said. "Let's suppose I reach Earth safely and getthe information you want. How do I send it back?"

  "You send it back on the next prison ship," Eylan said. "We plan tocapture that one."

  Barrent rubbed his forehead wearily. "What makes you think that any ofthis--my expedition or your uprising--can succeed against anorganization as powerful as Earth?"

  "We have to take the chance," Eylan said. "Take it or go down in abloody shambles with the rest of Omega. I agree that the odds areweighted against us. But our choice is either to make the attempt or todie without making any attempt at all."

  Moera nodded at this. "Also, the situation has other possibilities. Thegovernment of Earth is obviously repressive. That argues the existenceof underground resistance groups on Earth itself. You may be able tocontact those groups. A revolt both here _and_ on Earth would give thegovernment something to think about."

  "Maybe," Barrent said.

  "We have to hope for the best," Eylan said. "Are you with us?"

  "Certainly," Barrent said. "I'd rather die on Earth than on Omega."

  "The prison ship lands in six days," Eylan said. "During that time, wewill give you the information we have about Earth. Part of it is memoryreconstruction, part has been skrenned by the mutants, and the rest islogical constructs. It's all we have, and I think it gives a reasonablyaccurate picture of current conditions on Earth."

  "How soon do we start?" Barrent asked.

  "Right now," Eylan said.

  * * * * *

  Barrent received a general briefing on the physical make-up of Earth,its climate and major population centers. Then he was sent to ColonelBray, formerly of the Earth Deep Space Establishment. Bray talked to himabout the probable military strength of Earth as represented by thenumber of guardships around Omega and their apparent level of scientificdevelopment. He gave estimates of the size of the Earth forces, theirprobable divisions into land, sea, and space groups, their assumed levelof efficiency. An aide, Captain Carell, lectured on special weapons,their probable types and ranges, their availability to the general Earthpopulation. Another aide, Lieutenant Daoud, talked about detectiondevices, their probable locations, and how to avoid them.

  Then Barrent was turned back to Eylan for political indoctrination. Fromhim, Barrent learned that Earth was believed to be a dictatorship. Helearned the methods of a dictatorship, its peculiar strengths andweaknesses, the role of the secret police, the use of terror, theproblem of informers.

  When Eylan was finished with him, Barrent went to a small, beady-eyedman who lectured on Earth's memory-destroying system. Using the premisethat memory-destruction was regularly employed to render oppositionineffective, the man went on to construct the probable nature of anunderground movement on Earth given those circumstances, and how Barrentmight contact them, and what the underground's capabilities might be.

  Finally he was given the full details of Group Two's plan for gettinghim on board the ship.

  When Landing Day came, Barrent felt a definite sense of relief. He washeartily sick of day and night cramming. Any sort of action would seeman improvement.