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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.                ..#.#.#.#.
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#.#..#..#.                                          .##.#.#.#.
#.#.##.##. 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. ..#.#.#.#.
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#.#..#..#.                                          .##.#.#.#.
#.#.##.##. 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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