@@@&%$/~,,                                          ,,~/$%&@@@
@@&$~~,,,,                                          ,,,,~~$&@@
##@&%$/~,,                                          ,,~/$%&@##
##@&%$/~,,                                          ,,~/$%&@##
@&&$$$/~,,                                          ,,~/$$$&&@
##@&%$/~,,  orange-clad train-climber crew, moving  ,,~/$%&@##
#@@&%$/~,, along the  rusty cargo  cars  like  some ,,~/$%&@@#
&&%/~~~~,, 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.                ,,~~~$$%&@
##@&%$/~,,                                          ,,~/$%&@##
##@&%$/~,, i'm  almost snoozing again  at  the time ,,~/$%&@##
##@&%$/~,, karl puts down  the headphones and slaps ,,~/$%&@##
&$/,,,,,,, me on  my back.  "allright  boy.  i just ,,,,,,,/$&
#@@&%$/~,, sold  a  missile." he  practically beams ,,~/$%&@@#
@@@&%$/~,, at  me, teeth filed sharp. "wanna make a ,,~/$%&@@@
##@&%$/~,,                 detour?"                 ,,~/$%&@##
&%$~,,,,,,                                          ,,,,,,~$%&
@@@&%$/~,,                                          ,,~/$%&@@@
&&$$//~,,,                                          ,,,~//$$&&
@%/,,,,,,,                                          ,,,,,,,/%@
##@&%$/~,,                                          ,,~/$%&@##