&&.&..&&.. &.&&.&.&..
.&.&.&.&.. &..&.&.&.&
.&.&.&.&.. &.&&.&.&.&
.&.&.&.&.. &..&.&.&.&
.&.&.&.&.. &.&&.&.&.&
.&.&.&.&.& 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?" &..&.&.&.&
.&.&.&.&.& &.&&.&.&.&
.&.&.&.&.& &..&.&.&.&
.&.&.&.&.& &.&&.&.&.&
.&.&.&.&.& &..&.&.&.&
.&.&.&.&.& &.&&.&.&.&