Half an hour passed. They neared the City, the wall growing as they walked, rising higher and higher until it seemed to blot out the sky itself. A vast wall, a wall of eternal stone that had felt the wind and sun for centuries. A group of Martian soldiers were standing at the entrance, the single passage-gate hewn into the rock, leading to the City. As each person went through the soldiers examined him, poking his garments, looking into his load. Erick tensed. The line had slowed almost to a halt. "It'll be our turn, soon," he murmured. "Be prepared." "Let's hope no Leiters come around," Jan said. "The soldiers aren't so bad." Mara was staring up at the wall and the towers beyond. Under their feet the ground trembled, vibrating and shaking. She could see tongues of flame rising from the towers, from the deep underground factories and forges of the City. The air was thick and dense with particles of soot. Mara rubbed her mouth, coughing. "Here they come," Erick said softly. The merchants had been examined and allowed to pass through the dark gate, the entrance through the wall into the City. They and their silent animals had already disappeared inside. The leader of the group of soldiers was beckoning impatiently to Erick, waving him on. "Come along!" he said. "Hurry up there, old man." Erick advanced slowly, his arms wrapped around his body, looking down at the ground. "Who are you and what's your business here?" the soldier demanded, his hands on his hips, his gun hanging idly at his waist. Most of the soldiers were lounging lazily, leaning against the wall, some even squatting in the shade. Flies crawled on the face of one who had fallen asleep, his gun on the ground beside him. "My business?" Erick murmured. "I am a village priest." "Why do you want to enter the City?" "I must bring these two people before the magistrate to marry them." He indicated Mara and Jan, standing a little behind him. "That is the Law the Leiters have made." The soldier laughed. He circled around Erick. "What do you have in that bag you carry?" "Laundry. We stay the night." "What village are you from?" "Kranos." "Kranos?" The soldier looked to a companion. "Ever heard of Kranos?" "A backward pig sty. I saw it once on a hunting trip." The leader of the soldiers nodded to Jan and Mara. The two of them advanced, their hands clasped, standing close together. One of the soldiers put his hand on Mara's bare shoulder, turning her around. "Nice little wife you're getting," he said. "Good and firm-looking." He winked, grinning lewdly. Jan glanced at him in sullen resentment. The soldiers guffawed. "All right," the leader said to Erick. "You people can pass." Erick took a small purse from his robes and gave the soldier a coin. Then the three of them went into the dark tunnel that was the entrance, passing through the wall of stone, into the City beyond. They were within the City! "Now," Erick whispered. "Hurry."