#..##.#.##                                          ..####.##.
#.#.#.#..#                                          .#.###..#.
#.#.#.#.#.                                          .#..##.##.
#.#.#.#.#.                                          .#.#.#..#.
#.#.#.#.#.                                          .#.#.#.##.
#.#.#.#.#.  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?"                 .#.#.#..#.
#.#.#.#.#.                                          .#.#.#.##.
#.#.#.#.#.                                          .#.#.#..#.
#.#.#.#.#.                                          .#.#.#.##.
#.#.#.#.#.                                          .#.#.#..#.
#.#.#.#.#.                                          .#.#.#.##.