ERIC FLINT
DAVID DRAKE

This is a work of fiction. All the characters and events portrayed in this book are fictional, and any resemblance to real people or incidents is purely coincidental.

Copyright © 2000 by Eric Flint & David Drake

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form.

A Baen Books Original

Baen Publishing Enterprises
P.O. Box 1403
Riverdale, NY 10471

ISBN: 0-671-57871-5

Cover art by Gary Ruddell
Interior maps by Randy Asplund

First printing, June 2000

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Flint, Eric.

Fortune's Stroke / by Eric Flint & David Drake.
p. cm.
ISBN 0-671-57871-5
1. Belisarius, 505 (ca.)–565—Fiction. 2. Supercomputers—Fiction.
I. David, Drake. II. Title.

PS3556.L548 F6 2000
813'.54—dc21 00-024712

Distributed by Simon & Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020

Produced by Windhaven Press, Auburn, NH
Printed in the United States of America

to
John & Becky

BOOKS IN THIS SERIES

An Oblique Approach
In the Heart of Darkness
Destiny's Shield
Fortune's Stroke

BAEN BOOKS by DAVID DRAKE

Hammer's Slammers
The Tank Lords
Caught in the Crossfire
The Butcher's Bill
The Sharp End

Independent Novels and Collections

The Dragon Lord
Birds of Prey
Northworld Trilogy
Redliners
Starliner
Mark II: The Military Dimension
All the Way to the Gallows
The General Series: (with S.M. Stirling)
The Forge
The Hammer
The Anvil
The Steel
The Sword
The Chosen
The Reformer

The Undesired Princess and The Enchanted Bunny
(with L. Sprague de Camp)

Lest Darkness Fall and To Bring the Light
(with L. Sprague de Camp)

Enemy of My Enemy:
Terra Nova
(with Ben Ohlander)

Armageddon
(edited with Billie Sue Mosiman)

BAEN BOOKS by ERIC FLINT

Mother of Demons
1632