Johnson nodded. "Mickey's right. The asteroids are useful as weapons, but they're also useful as camouflage. The Race is paying an awful lot of attention to those rocks, and to the motors on them. The Race is paying attention to us when we go to them. It's paying attention to us when we set up motors on new rocks, and when we look rocks over to see if they'd be good with motors on them."

"I know." Lucy nodded, too. "And the Lizards aren't paying so much attention while we go on about our real business-our A-number-one real business, I mean-out here." She looked from Johnson to Flynn and back again. "Do you really think we'll be able to launch a starship by the turn of the century?"

"I'll be an old man by then," Glen Johnson said. "Too old to be in s.p.a.ce, by rights. But I hope I'll still be around to see it."

"Me, too," Lucy said. "The Lizards got here. We ought to be able to go see Home."

"Who knows where the Russians will be by then, either?" Mickey Flynn said. "Maybe they'll be right behind us-or right beside us. I wouldn't mind."

"Home. Ten light-years away-a little more. Something to look forward to," Johnson said. "We should always have that." His friends nodded once more.

Harry Turtledove was born in Los Angeles in 1949. He has taught ancient and medieval history at UCLA, Cal State Fullerton, and Cal State L.A., and has published a translation of a ninth-century Byzantine chronicle, as well as several scholarly articles. He is also an award-winning full-time writer of science fiction and fantasy. His alternate history works have included several short stories and novels, including was born in Los Angeles in 1949. He has taught ancient and medieval history at UCLA, Cal State Fullerton, and Cal State L.A., and has published a translation of a ninth-century Byzantine chronicle, as well as several scholarly articles. He is also an award-winning full-time writer of science fiction and fantasy. His alternate history works have included several short stories and novels, including The Guns of the South The Guns of the South, How Few Remain How Few Remain (winner of the Sidewise Award for Best Novel), the (winner of the Sidewise Award for Best Novel), the Great War Great War epics: epics: American Front American Front and and Walk in h.e.l.l Walk in h.e.l.l, and the Colonization Colonization books: books: Second Contact Second Contact and and Down to Earth Down to Earth. His new novel is American Empire: The Center Cannot Hold American Empire: The Center Cannot Hold. He is married to fellow novelist Laura Frankos. They have three daughters: Alison, Rachel, and Rebecca.

BOOKS BY HARRY TURTLEDOVE.

The Guns of the South

THE WORLDWAR SAGA.

Worldwar: In the Balance

Worldwar: Tilting the Balance

Worldwar: Upsetting the Balance

Worldwar: Striking the Balance

COLONIZATION.

Colonization: Second Contact

Colonization: Down to Earth

Colonization: Aftershocks

THE VIDESSOS CYCLE.

The Misplaced Legion

An Emperor for the Legion

The Legion of Videssos

Swords of the Legion

THE TALE OF KRISPOS.

Krispos Rising

Krispos of Videssos

Krispos the Emperor

THE TIME OF TROUBLES SERIES.

The Stolen Throne

Hammer and Anvil

The Thousand Cities

Videssos Besieged

Noninterference

Kaleidoscope

A World of Difference

Earthgrip

Departures

How Few Remain

THE GREAT WAR.

The Great War: American Front

The Great War: Walk in h.e.l.l

The Great War: Breakthroughs

American Empire: Blood and Iron

American Empire: The Center Cannot Hold