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