..:=†*$§@#                                          #@§$*†=:..
...:=†*$§@                                          @§$*†=:...
..:=†*$§@#                                          #@§$*†=:..
.:=†*$§@##                                          ##@§$*†=:.
..:=†*$§@#                                          #@§$*†=:..
...:=†*$§@  ORANGE-CLAD TRAIN-CLIMBER CREW, MOVING  @§$*†=:...
..:=†*$§@# ALONG THE  RUSTY CARGO  CARS  LIKE  SOME #@§$*†=:..
.:=†*$§@## SPECIES  OF  FERROPHAGE  INSECT.  UP AND ##@§$*†=:.
..:=†*$§@# DOWN THE TRAIN,  CHECKING  BOLTS, OILING #@§$*†=:..
...:=†*$§@     JOINTS, DRINKING COFFEE, SMOKING     @§$*†=:...
..:=†*$§@#                CIGARETTES.               #@§$*†=:..
.:=†*$§@##                                          ##@§$*†=:.
..:=†*$§@#      ¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶      #@§$*†=:..
...:=†*$§@                                          @§$*†=:...
..:=†*$§@# WE  WERE  GOING SOUTH THROUGH FINLAND AT #@§$*†=:..
.:=†*$§@## THE   TIME,   SLEEPING  CLOSE   TO   THE ##@§$*†=:.
..:=†*$§@#  FURNACE, WATCHING THE AURORA BOREALIS.  #@§$*†=:..
...:=†*$§@   TWENTY-SOMETHING MEMBERS OF THE CREW,  @§$*†=:...
..:=†*$§@# MOST   OF  WHICH  WERE   MECHANICS,   OR #@§$*†=:..
.:=†*$§@## LOADERS,  WITH  LARGE  AND  HAIRY  HANDS ##@§$*†=:.
..:=†*$§@# THAT COULD  SWALLOW MY ENTIRE  BODY. AND #@§$*†=:..
...:=†*$§@ ME  FEATURING  AS THE CUTE  AND  ASOCIAL @§$*†=:...
..:=†*$§@# RADIO OPERATOR,  STATIONED  IN THE  BACK #@§$*†=:..
.:=†*$§@##    OF THE KILOMETER-LONG TRAIN, WHICH    ##@§$*†=:.
..:=†*$§@#         SERVED ME GOOD AND WELL.         #@§$*†=:..
...:=†*$§@                                          @§$*†=:...
..:=†*$§@# AND THEN  ONE NIGHT, THERE'S  A MISSILE. #@§$*†=:..
.:=†*$§@## WE WOULD  ROUTINELY PICK  UP NEW CARS AT ##@§$*†=:.
..:=†*$§@# THE TAIL, AND DROP SOME  OFF, AS  A  WAY #@§$*†=:..
...:=†*$§@ OF  EARNING  SOME  EXTRA  MONEY.  BUT  A @§$*†=:...
..:=†*$§@# MISSILE, AND  APPEARING SILENTLY  IN THE #@§$*†=:..
.:=†*$§@## MIDDLE   OF  THE  NIGHT  AT  THAT?   NOT ##@§$*†=:.
..:=†*$§@#         ENTIRELY... COMFORTABLE.         #@§$*†=:..
...:=†*$§@                                          @§$*†=:...
..:=†*$§@# I CALL IT  IN ON THE  WALKIE-TALKIE. NOT #@§$*†=:..
.:=†*$§@## MANY  OTHERS  AWAKE,  THEY KNOW  NOTHING ##@§$*†=:.
..:=†*$§@# ABOUT IT, AND APPEAR CONCERNED AS  WELL. #@§$*†=:..
...:=†*$§@                                          @§$*†=:...
..:=†*$§@#      ¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶      #@§$*†=:..
.:=†*$§@##                                          ##@§$*†=:.
..:=†*$§@# WHEN I  FALL  AWAKE  IN  THE  AFTERNOON, #@§$*†=:..
...:=†*$§@ KARL  IS  THERE,  SMILING  AT  ME.  "HEY @§$*†=:...
..:=†*$§@# BOY,"  HE SAYS,  "WANNA HELP ME  MAKE  A #@§$*†=:..
.:=†*$§@##                  CALL?"                  ##@§$*†=:.
..:=†*$§@#                                          #@§$*†=:..
...:=†*$§@ AFTER  HE'S BROUGHT  ME COFFEE,  I  DIAL @§$*†=:...
..:=†*$§@# THE  FREQUENCY FROM  HIS  NOTEBOOK,  AND #@§$*†=:..
.:=†*$§@## AFTER   A   WHILE  THERE'S  A  REPLY  IN ##@§$*†=:.
..:=†*$§@# PAN-SLAVIC.  KARL  LAUGHS  AND  MAKES  A #@§$*†=:..
...:=†*$§@ REPLY IN THE SAME LANGUAGE.  EVEN THOUGH @§$*†=:...
..:=†*$§@# WE  BOTH HAVE  HEADPHONES I CAN'T FOLLOW #@§$*†=:..
.:=†*$§@## AT ALL, BUT  I HEAR THE WORD "MISSILE" A ##@§$*†=:.
..:=†*$§@#                FEW TIMES.                #@§$*†=:..
...:=†*$§@                                          @§$*†=:...
..:=†*$§@# I'M  ALMOST SNOOZING  AGAIN AT  THE TIME #@§$*†=:..
.:=†*$§@## KARL PUTS DOWN  THE HEADPHONES AND SLAPS ##@§$*†=:.
..:=†*$§@# ME ON  MY BACK.  "ALLRIGHT BOY.  I  JUST #@§$*†=:..
...:=†*$§@ SOLD  A MISSILE."  HE  PRACTICALLY BEAMS @§$*†=:...
..:=†*$§@# AT ME, TEETH  FILED SHARP. "WANNA MAKE A #@§$*†=:..
.:=†*$§@##                 DETOUR?"                 ##@§$*†=:.
..:=†*$§@#                                          #@§$*†=:..
...:=†*$§@                                          @§$*†=:...
..:=†*$§@#                                          #@§$*†=:..
.:=†*$§@##                                          ##@§$*†=:.
..:=†*$§@#                                          #@§$*†=:..