ðə wˈɜːk wʌz ɚɹˈɪdʒɪnəli pˈʌblɪʃt ɪnðə nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd ˈeɪɾi fˈaɪv ænθˈɑːlədʒi ʌv mˈɪlətˌɛɹi sˈaɪəns fˈɪkʃən ˈeɪliən stˈɑːɹz ænd wʌz nˈɑːmᵻnˌeɪɾᵻd fɚðə hjˈuːɡoʊ ɐwˈɔːɹd fɔːɹ bˈɛst nɑːvˈɛlə.
The work was originally published in the 1985 anthology of military science fiction Alien Stars and was nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Novella.