ives 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?"

"They want to get back Earthside."

"After five years on the checkpoint, they say you can't take Earth. The
gravity gets you."

"I'll take gravity. Any time...."

From these conversations, Barrent learned that the grim-faced guards
were human beings, just like the prisoners on Omega. Most of the guards
didn't seem to like the work they were doing. Like Omegans, they longed
for a return to Earth.

He stored the information away. The ship had reached the checkpoint, and
the giant switchboard flashed and rippled, making its final adjustments
for the intricacies of docking.

At last the maneuver was completed and the engines shut down to
stand-by. Through the communications system, Barrent heard the guards
leave their assembly room. He followed them down the corridors to the
landing stage. He heard the last of them, as he left the ship, say,
"Here comes the check squad. Whatcha say, boys?"

There was no answer. The guards were gone, and there was a new sound in
the corridors: the heavy marching feet of what the guard called the
check squad.

There seemed to be a lot of them. Their inspection began in the engine
rooms, and moved methodically upward. From the sounds, they seemed to be
opening every door on the ship and searching every room and closet.

Barrent held the needlebeam in his perspiring hand and wondered where,
in all the territory of the ship, he could hide. He would have to assume
that they were goi