....^~/*%@                                          @%*/~^....
.....^~/*%                                          %*/~^.....
......^~/*                                          */~^......
.......^~/                                          /~^.......
........^~                                          ~^........
.......^~/  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?"                 /~^.......
........^~                                          ~^........
.......^~/                                          /~^.......
......^~/*                                          */~^......
.....^~/*%                                          %*/~^.....
....^~/*%@                                          @%*/~^....