,,,,,,=*=&                                          &=*=,,,,,,
,,,,,,,=*=                                          =*=,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,=*                                          *=,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,=                                          =,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,=*                                          *=,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,=*=  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?"                 =,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,=*                                          *=,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,=*=                                          =*=,,,,,,,
,,,,,,=*=&                                          &=*=,,,,,,
,,,,,=*=&@                                          @&=*=,,,,,
,,,,=*=&@@                                          @@&=*=,,,,