Wyst: Alastor 1716 Read Online Free PDF Page B

distinguish three types of visitors: first, commercial representatives
and tourists intending brief visits; second, persons planning sojourns of less
than a year; third, immigrants. Please form orderly queues at the designated
doorways. Attention: the import of food-stuffs is prohibited. All such items
must be surrendered at the Contraband Property desk. Welcome to Arrabus. We
distinguish three types of visitors…”
    Jantiff pushed through the crowds; apparently several
hundred arrivals from a previous ship still waited in the reception hall.
Eventually he discovered the file marked 2, which snaked back and forth across
the room in a most confusing manner, and took his place in the line. Most
arriving persons, he noted, intended immigration, and the queue in File 3
stretched several times as far as that in File 2. The queue in File 1 was very
short indeed.
    Step by sidling step Jantiff crossed the room. At the far
end an array of eight wickets controlled the movement of the new arrivals, but
only two of these wickets were in operation. A corpulent man, immediately behind
Jantiff, thought to hasten the motion of the line by standing close to Jantiff
and pressing with his belly. When Jantiff, to avoid the contact, moved as close
as convenient to the person ahead, the corpulent man promptly inched forward,
to squeeze Jantiff even more closely. The man ahead at last looked around at
Jantiff and said in a cold voice: “Really, sir, I am as anxious as you to negotiate
this file; no matter how you press the line moves no faster.”
    Jantiff could offer no explanation which would not offend
the corpulent man, who now stood so close that his breath warmed Jantiff’s
cheek. Finally, when the man ahead stepped forward, Jantiff resolutely held his
ground, despite the fat man’s breathing and jostling.
    Ultimately Jantiff arrived at the wicket, where he presented
his landing pass. The clerk, a young woman with extravagant puffs of blond hair
over her ear, thrust it aside. “That’s not correct! Where is your green clearance
card?”
    Jantiff fumbled through his pockets. “I don’t seem to have
any green card. They gave me no such document.”
    “Sir, you’ll have to go back to the ship for your green
clearance card.”
    Jantiff chanced to notice that the fat man carried a white
card similar to his own. In desperation he said: “This man here has no green
card either.”
    “That’s a matter of no relevance. I can’t allow you entry
unless you present the proper documents.”
    “This was all they gave me; surely it’s sufficient?”
    “Sir, please, you’re obstructing the line.”
    In numb dismay Jantiff stared at his white card. “It says here,
‘Landing pass and clearance card’.”
    The clerk looked at it sidelong, and made a clicking sound
with her tongue. She went to the second booth and conferred with the clerk, who
made a telephone call.
    The blond girl returned to the wicket. “This is a new form;
it was introduced only last month. I haven’t drudged this office for a year and
I’ve been sending everyone back to the ship. Your questionnaire, please—no, the
blue sheet.”
    Jantiff produced the proper document: an intricate form
which he had painstakingly completed.
    “Hm… Jantiff Ravensroke .. Frayness, on Zeck. Occupation:
technical graphics expert. Reason for visit: curiosity.” She glanced at him
with raised eyebrows. “Curiosity? About what?”
    Jantiff hurriedly said: “I want to study the Arrabin social
system.”
    “Then you should have written ‘study.’”
    “I’ll change it.”
    “No, you can’t alter the document; you’ll have to fill out a
new form. Somewhere in the outer chambers you’ll find blank forms and a desk;
at least that’s how it went a year ago.”
    “Wait!” cried Jantiff. “After ‘curiosity’ I’ll write: ‘about
Arrabin social system.’ There’s plenty of room, and that’s not alteration.”
    “Oh, very well. It’s not regular, of course.”
    Jantiff