##@@&*^«,.                                          .,«^*&@@##
##@@&*^«,.                                          .,«^*&@@##
@@@@&*^«,.                                          .,«^*&@@@@
#@&&&*^«,.                                          .,«^*&&&@#
@&&^^^^«,.                                          .,«^^^^&&@
#@@*^«,...  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?"                 .,«^*@@###
##@@&*^«,.                                          .,«^*&@@##
##@@&*^«,.                                          .,«^*&@@##
@@&&*««...                                          ...««*&&@@
###@@*^«,.                                          .,«^*@@###
@&^,......                                          ......,^&@