###@§^:~:,                                          ,:~:^§@###
@§:::,,,,,                                          ,,,,,:::§@
###@§^:~:,                                          ,:~:^§@###
###@§^:~:,                                          ,:~:^§@###
###@§^:~:,                                          ,:~:^§@###
##§::::~:,  ORANGE-CLAD TRAIN-CLIMBER CREW, MOVING  ,:~::::§##
##§§§^:~:, ALONG THE  RUSTY  CARGO  CARS  LIKE SOME ,:~:^§§§##
###@§^:~:, SPECIES  OF  FERROPHAGE  INSECT.  UP AND ,:~:^§@###
##@^:::,,, DOWN THE TRAIN,  CHECKING  BOLTS, OILING ,,,:::^@##
@§^:~~~,,,     JOINTS, DRINKING COFFEE, SMOKING     ,,,~~~:^§@
@§§§§^:~:,               CIGARETTES.                ,:~:^§§§§@
###@§^:~:,                                          ,:~:^§@###
###@§^:~:,      ##############################      ,:~:^§@###
@@@§:~~,,,                                          ,,,~~:§@@@
@^~:,,,,,, WE WERE GOING SOUTH THROUGH  FINLAND  AT ,,,,,,:~^@
###@§^:~:, THE   TIME,  SLEEPING   CLOSE   TO   THE ,:~:^§@###
###@§^:~:,  FURNACE, WATCHING THE AURORA BOREALIS.  ,:~:^§@###
#@^:::,,,,  TWENTY-SOMETHING MEMBERS OF THE CREW,   ,,,,:::^@#
###@§^:~:, MOST  OF  WHICH   WERE   MECHANICS,   OR ,:~:^§@###
#§^:::,,,, LOADERS,  WITH  LARGE  AND  HAIRY  HANDS ,,,,:::^§#
#@§§§^:~:, THAT COULD SWALLOW  MY ENTIRE BODY.  AND ,:~:^§§§@#
###@§^:~:, ME  FEATURING  AS THE  CUTE AND  ASOCIAL ,:~:^§@###
###@§^:~:, RADIO  OPERATOR,  STATIONED IN  THE BACK ,:~:^§@###
##@§:~:,,,    OF THE KILOMETER-LONG TRAIN, WHICH    ,,,:~:§@##
#@@§:~,,,,         SERVED ME GOOD AND WELL.         ,,,,~:§@@#
##@§§^:~:,                                          ,:~:^§§@##
#§^^~,,,,, AND THEN  ONE NIGHT, THERE'S A  MISSILE. ,,,,,~^^§#
###@§^:~:, WE WOULD ROUTINELY PICK  UP  NEW CARS AT ,:~:^§@###
#@@§:~,,,, THE TAIL,  AND DROP SOME  OFF, AS A  WAY ,,,,~:§@@#
@§§^:::,,, OF  EARNING  SOME  EXTRA  MONEY.  BUT  A ,,,:::^§§@
###@§^:~:, MISSILE, AND APPEARING  SILENTLY IN  THE ,:~:^§@###
###@§^:~:, MIDDLE  OF   THE  NIGHT  AT   THAT?  NOT ,:~:^§@###
###@§^:~:,         ENTIRELY... COMFORTABLE.         ,:~:^§@###
###@§^:~:,                                          ,:~:^§@###
#@§§^^:~:, I CALL IT  IN ON THE WALKIE-TALKIE.  NOT ,:~:^^§§@#
#@^~,,,,,, MANY  OTHERS  AWAKE, THEY  KNOW  NOTHING ,,,,,,~^@#
###@§^:~:, ABOUT IT, AND APPEAR CONCERNED AS  WELL. ,:~:^§@###
###@§^:~:,                                          ,:~:^§@###
###@§^:~:,      ##############################      ,:~:^§@###
@^:~~,,,,,                                          ,,,,,~~:^@
#§§^^^:~:, WHEN  I  FALL  AWAKE  IN THE  AFTERNOON, ,:~:^^^§§#
#§§§:~~,,, KARL  IS  THERE,  SMILING  AT  ME.  "HEY ,,,~~:§§§#
####§^:~:, BOY,"  HE SAYS,  "WANNA HELP  ME  MAKE A ,:~:^§####
@^:::,,,,,                  CALL?"                  ,,,,,:::^@
@^~:,,,,,,                                          ,,,,,,:~^@
@§^^^::~:, AFTER  HE'S  BROUGHT ME COFFEE,  I  DIAL ,:~::^^^§@
##@^~:,,,, THE  FREQUENCY  FROM HIS  NOTEBOOK,  AND ,,,,:~^@##
####@§:~:, AFTER  A  WHILE   THERE'S  A  REPLY   IN ,:~:§@####
@^~~~,,,,, PAN-SLAVIC.  KARL  LAUGHS  AND  MAKES  A ,,,,,~~~^@
@§:~~:,,,, REPLY IN THE  SAME LANGUAGE. EVEN THOUGH ,,,,:~~:§@
###@§^:~:, WE  BOTH HAVE  HEADPHONES I CAN'T FOLLOW ,:~:^§@###
###@§^:~:, AT ALL, BUT  I HEAR THE WORD "MISSILE" A ,:~:^§@###
#§::,,,,,,                FEW TIMES.                ,,,,,,::§#
###@§^:~:,                                          ,:~:^§@###
#§§§^^:~:, I'M  ALMOST SNOOZING AGAIN  AT THE  TIME ,:~:^^§§§#
###@§^:~:, KARL PUTS DOWN THE HEADPHONES AND  SLAPS ,:~:^§@###
###@§^:~:, ME  ON MY BACK.  "ALLRIGHT  BOY. I  JUST ,:~:^§@###
###@§^:~:, SOLD  A MISSILE."  HE PRACTICALLY  BEAMS ,:~:^§@###
@@@§^::,,, AT  ME, TEETH FILED SHARP. "WANNA MAKE A ,,,::^§@@@
#@§^^~:::,                 DETOUR?"                 ,:::~^^§@#
###@§^:~:,                                          ,:~:^§@###
@^^:~::,,,                                          ,,,::~:^^@
###@§^:~:,                                          ,:~:^§@###
###@§^:~:,                                          ,:~:^§@###
#@§:~:,,,,                                          ,,,,:~:§@#