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The hot sun bore down on Smoke as he trudged through the sand. Several long, flatbed trucks followed behind him and the line of prisoners, throwing up clouds of dust.
The strangers had given all the prisoners a drink of water and a pouch of cheese, bread, and a few cubes of chicken meat. The strangers watched in amusement as the men ate like pigs.
Smoke himself ate quickly, aware of the eyes.
Then, the strangers fired their handcoils and marched the men through the city, down the streets filled with onlookers hanging out of windows and balconies watching them.
The place looked utilitarian. The structures, while not elaborate, were functional.
Soon the city disappeared and they were back in the desert, marching into nowhere.
The prisoners marched quietly. The strangers walked quie
