....-=†**& &**†=-....
.....-=†** **†=-.....
....-=†**& &**†=-....
...-=†**&¶ ¶&**†=-...
..-=†**&¶# #¶&**†=-..
.-=†**&¶## 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?" ¶&**†=-...
..-=†**&¶# #¶&**†=-..
.-=†**&¶## ##¶&**†=-.
..-=†**&¶# #¶&**†=-..
...-=†**&¶ ¶&**†=-...
....-=†**& &**†=-....