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the desert heat and so on, but these men look like they’ve been dead for a long time.”
    “Oh?”
    “Look. Ostensibly, the bodies are less than an hour old. Some of the organs should still show signs of life.”
    Shih-ka’i looked away from the open cadaver. “I thought you might find something of the sort. Take a good look at the blood.”
    “Lord?”
    “See if the blood is dead or alive. Then make a guess at how long it’s been dead.” He turned to leave. He had to get out before his gorge rose and betrayed his dignity.
    Tasi-feng stood in the doorway. “You’ve discovered something, Lord?”
    “I think they were dead before they attacked. They have the look. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen their like. I imagine it was before you were born. The Demon Prince experimented with reanimated soldiers. He shelved the idea. Control was too cumbersome.”
    Tasi-feng could not keep his horror hidden behind his mask. He took a moment to control himself. “The new portals are open, Lord Ssu-ma. Our support is standing by. We’re still trying to contact Lord Kuo’s party. He’s reconnoitering the Matayangan border. The parties you sent to establish a blocking position are ahead of the enemy and trying to locate a suitable site.”
    “Very well. I’m returning to my quarters. Call me when they open their portal.”
    He had to get away for a few minutes, to conquer the animal in him. He hadn’t realized there would be so much difference between the training and battle fields. Once in his quarters he seated himself on a small carpet. He used the basic tool given every child legionnaire. He went through the Soldier’s Ritual, the calming mantra-prayers with which soldiers began and ended their days. He regained himself.
    Lord Kuo was right, he thought. There is something here. Maybe something bigger than Wen-chin suspected.
    Pan ku came in. “Oh. Excuse me, Lord.”
    “I’ve just finished, Pan ku. Have you taken the pulse of the legion?”
    “They’re bored, Lord. They resent being stuck on a dead frontier. Today seems to have perked them up.”
    “No serious problems?”
    “No. This is an old legion. A good one. Well trained and disciplined, with conscientious centurions and decurions. It’ll do what you ask of it.”
    “Good. Good. Thank you, Pan ku.”
    “Is there anything I can do for you, Lord?”
    “Don your battle gear. We’re going into the desert.”
    Shih-ka’i flashed through the portal an hour later. He found that his hunters had chosen a good position in which to wait. After surveying their dispositions, he prepared a number of magicks. “Just in case,” he told Pan ku.
    The soldier nodded. He was familiar with his master’s obsession with being prepared.
    Two dust clouds came closer and closer. Hsu Shen was doing a perfect job of pushing without pushing too hard. Shih-ka’i took a look off the back side of the low hill where he waited. Dust clouds were converging on a point several miles eastward. “Setting an ambush of his own,” he murmured.
    Pan ku came round the hill. “Lord, they just had word from Lord Lun-yu. Two of those bodies jumped up and tried to kill him.”
    “Uhm? I should have warned him. He’s all right?”
    “Yes, Lord.”
    “Good.”
    Their quarry moved into the pocket. Shih-ka’i counted twenty-five. Someone said, “I thought they were supposed to be carrying their dead?”
    Shih-ka’i did not tell the man that the dead were walking again. That none of the attackers had been alive. He gave the signal.
    His men revealed themselves. The party below halted. They were badly outnumbered, and Hsu Shen was right behind them.
    Shih-ka’i stared. Hsu Shen had been right. Three were legionnaires.
    The group formed a turtle, ready to fight. Shih-ka’i’s men closed in.
    The surrounded men dropped.
    Shih-ka’i felt something electric stir the air. “Down!” he bellowed. “Everybody on the ground!” He whipped his mind into his bag of prepared