.,=*†#@###                                          ###@#†*=,.
..,=*†#@##                                          ##@#†*=,..
...,=*†#@#                                          #@#†*=,...
....,=*†#@                                          @#†*=,....
.....,=*†#                                          #†*=,.....
......,=*†  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?"                 ..........
..........                                          ..........
..........                                          ..........
..........                                          ..........
..........                                          ..........
.........,                                          ,.........