..#.#.....                                          #.#.##....
.##.#.....                                          #.#..#....
#.#.#.....                                          #.#.##....
#.#.#.....                                          #.#..#...#
#.#.#....#                                          #.#.##..#.
#.#.#...#.  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?"                 #.#..#.##.
#.#.#.#.#.                                          #.#.##..#.
#.#.#.#.#.                                          #.#..#.##.
#.#.#.#.#.                                          #.#.##..#.
#.#.#.#.#.                                          #.#..#.##.
#.#.#.#.#.                                          #.#.##..#.