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.......~«;  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?"                 ;«~.......
......~«;%                                          %;«~......
.....~«;%¤                                          ¤%;«~.....
....~«;%¤£                                          £¤%;«~....
...~«;%¤£@                                          @£¤%;«~...
..~«;%¤£@#                                          #@£¤%;«~..