..&.&...&. .&&.&..&.&
.&&.&..&&. &.&.&.&&.&
..&.&.&.&. &.&.&..&.&
.&&.&.&.&. &.&.&.&&.&
..&.&.&.&. &.&.&..&.&
.&&.&.&.&. 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?" &.&.&.&&.&
..&.&.&.&. &.&.&..&.&
.&&.&.&.&. &.&.&.&&.&
..&.&.&.&. &.&.&..&.&
.&&.&.&.&. &.&.&.&&.&
..&.&.&.&. &.&.&..&.&