As I had expected, fitting the scrap metal into the doorframe was light work. It didn't even need to be that large of a piece, just enough to keep that door from latching correctly and locking on me. In fact, it was probably best that I had used a smaller piece, as it would be less likely to be spotted if someone from the crew were to come looking around again.
Still, just because I had set the stage for my attempt to relay some communications to Auntie Rue, it didn't make me ready.
"Small GC ships like these usually only have a crew of 20-50 workers. Someone with the ability to take me from Auntie Rue certainly had enough money to pay 50 people enough to ensure silence, yet I am sure they were smart enough to consider the fact that someone might talk.
"If I consider the fact that whoever was behind all of this wants to ensure the utmost confidence, there are probably only 25, maybe 30 workers on board.
"I can assume that they work in shifts of about 10 workers, and on a Small GC ship, that means only 6 security on patrol. My best shot will be at night, once the two day shift crews are asleep. That should be able to minimize the amount of security I need to maneuver around to get to a communications array."
Setting my plan in motion, I looked towards the food that had been brought to me just a little while ago. It certainly didn't look appetizing, yet none of the ship meals I had seen for workers during my lessons looked all that appetizing.
I didn't think that they would bother tampering with my food, either. After all, there wasn't much point in going through all of this trouble abducting me if they were just going to poison my food.
Especially not these fools. The only people that would dare to even think about killing me were those from established families like the Crofts.
Even if they were just GC workers, they should know that the Croft family had a way of knowing whether I was alive or dead. Even if they couldn't pick out my exact location.
Thinking all of this, I began to dig into my meal. It tasted about as good as it looked. Almost to the point that I wished it didn't taste at all.
Still, I had to finish it. I needed the energy for later. Even if I couldn't fight those adult bastards, I could at least try to run from them.
That was the privilege of being born in a great family. Even if I hadn't fully grown into my body and use the full power that an S-Grade Enhancer would provide, just the single shot that I had been given gave me 15x the strength that I should have.
Not even a maxed out B-Grade Enhancement could provide that. In what world would a worker on a Small GC ship be Maxed out with A-Grade enhancements?
My small body may not be able to engage in a fight with them, but I knew I could run and hide long enough to wait for the family to arrive. Granted I made it to the comms array and let them know where I was.
***
It didn't take me long to shovel down the rest of my food. It wasn't the best tasting, so getting it over with was the best option.
As a meal provided for ship workers over a long period, it wasn't exactly a heavy meal, though it did provide sufficient nutrients, so I wasn't all that tired after eating it so quickly.
All that was left for me, was to wait. Wait until lights out, and for the two day crews to hit the head. That was when I would move.
The best time I had learning from my engineer tutors was when they had spent those months filling me in about all the ins and outs on every kind of ship I would lay my eyes on.
To learn about and understand the intricacies of each ship was just the most exciting thing. Not to mention that it prepared me for tonight.
There weren't that many places to hide on Small GC ships, or any small ships, for that matter. But there were always some hidden cracks. When my tutors had first asked me where I thought they would be, I had assumed ventilation. That seemed to be those most obvious, and, several hundreds of years ago, it was probably true.
Instead, what my tutor had told me, was that the water pipes had to be installed in a separate lining within the ship. Had the pipes been constructed out on the main walking halls, the temperature and temperature changes would have caused the pipes to need a constant maintenance and repair. It wasn't all that expensive at first, but if the ship ran for decades, like they should, the costs would eventually be more than the ship was.
So, what they did, was create a small system within the walls. With a certain form of insulation that had been developed by one of the current great families, the temperature near the pipes could stay constant. This wall within the wall was also a great way to form a smuggling system. It was to small for a grown man to fit into, yet the perfect size for a multitude of goods that would have sky high prices on exportation and taxes.
Such a system, was also perfect for me to sneak through. Water pipes connected to the entire ship, so as long as I keep going through them, I will eventually end up at the comms array.
The plan didn't really need to be that well thought out. With a path to take me there, I didn't need to think to much about avoiding security or executing any complicated maneuvers.
Time ticked by slowly and the lights flickered into a more pleasant orange light. The transition marked the beginning of the last crew, as well as the rest period for the other two crews.
It would be best to wait another 4 hours, giving the crew plenty of time to drink and fall asleep. It shouldn't take me any longer than 2 hours to make my way to the comms and back, but as long as I double that time to give myself some flexibility, all will be good.
There was no time system within the room that I was kept, but counting was not that hard. 60 seconds in a minute, 60 minutes in an hour, for 4 hours. 14400 seconds later and I stood up.
Grabbing sturdy looking piece of thin metal, I pried the door, that had been jammed unlocked, open. A quick maneuver of the hands kept the metal that had secured the door open from falling to the ground and causing a ruckus.
Exiting into the hall, I first took a second to close my eyes and concentrate. With all portions of my body enhanced, my hearing was included. With no noise nearby, I glance up to the ceiling, looking closely on both sides of the upper portion of the hallway for the grooves that indicated a fitting of insulation.
The water pipes are not consistently placed in the same location, but as long as one notices how the wall is designed, it should be easy enough to tell just which side has the extra insulation needed for the piping system.
The next thing to look for was the maintenance hatch. I suppose one could call it the smuggler's door, too. It was the only section in which a person could enter into the water piping, and there was typically only one door per section of the ship.
It worked best for me that I was placed in the scrap yard of the GC ship, as it could be considered the smallest section. With it located in the rear of the ship, the smuggler's door would also be nearer to the other section rather than further to the back.
While each ship had different schematics regarding the water piping and smuggling doors, people were simple. Why put a door so far back in a section that is rarely used? Convenience called for the door to be as near to the other sections as possible. It was just how the human mind worked.
Thinking this, I started walking down in the direction of the center of the ship. I had no plans to go that far, nor did I need to.
10 paces to the front of me, followed by a sharp right and 5 more paces was the door I was looking for.
Walking up to the twisting handle of the door, I used a small amount of strength and the handle gave in. Making sure to avoid quick movements, I lowered the door and entered into the hatch.
The hardest part would be to close the door. Reaching into my back pocket, I pulled out a small black circular piece of metal. From my front pocket, I pulled out a thin piece of wire that had been twisted together into a circle.
Placing the wire onto the hatch, I rested the bottom of the black piece of metal on top of the wire.
Slowly moving my hand, and seeing the magnet I had just let go of remain in place, I gripped the piece of wire with both hands and began to pull.
With the door closed, I used yet another piece of metal that I had grabbed from the scrap room and fit it into the screw that held the handle on the other side of the door. A little bit of force, and the hatch was now closed and locked, looking like it had never been opened in the first place.
Feeling happy that the first steps had been completed, I sat back and sighed. I had been moderately lucky. It seemed that the GC I was on had completed it's circuit and was on its way to a wasteland.
As a small GC, it's circuit likely wasn't too large, yet it still covered several planets. That was enough to fill it with all types of metals and tools. Some of which I had used to escape.
I didn't know which wasteland we were heading to, though. It was bound to be desolate, like all wastelands were. An abandoned planet was most likely, as they made up the majority of wastelands.
Wanting to get help quickly, I didn't relish in my small victory long. The piping pathways were long. They were also quite erratic, but that was only natural. They did have to fit in a small GC ship, that, too, without making a clutter.
Still, I eventually made it from hatch to hatch.
The hatch that I had entered from was marked as number 25. It was the largest number the ship should have, and that was because of it's location on the back of the ship.
The communication arrays on ships were found on the level above the navigation center.
Because there was no need for a flight crew, that section should be clear, as well.
If the ship followed regulation required of GC ships, the flight deck should be the second highest point, rather than the closest to the front.
That being said, with section 1 being at the front and sections 2 and 3 the row after that, followed by 4, 5, and 6 in the next row, the navigation center would be section 7 and the comms array on section 8. Section 7 and 8 were both directly above section 5, so as long as I make my way to the lower numbers I will get there eventually.
--- --- ---
30 minutes later and the number 5 was in my view. Having made it to the hatch for section 5, I took another look around before seeing where a series of water pipes began to veer upwards.
Making my way there, I gripped the pipes and used them to hoist myself upwards. It took another 10 minutes before I reached another horizontal section of piping for me to catch my breath. Looking ahead, I could see the hatch for the navigation center, as well as the last vertical climb I would need to take.
Thinking for a second, I hesitated before walking to the vertical. Everything had gone well up to now. Everything should also continue to go well. I can only think that this is the irrationality that comes with being human. Even if I know everything is fine, I suppose I can only assume that something will go wrong.
Yet, walking past the Section 7 hatch and up to the vertical climb, I seem to be proven wrong. Starting the climb, I move faster. The hope of rescue had began to grow as I got closer to the comms array.
What had taken me 10 minutes to climb just seconds ago, now took 5. Reaching the hatch, I leveraged myself against the wall before reaching for the piece of metal that had locked the hatch back at section 25.
Once again using the magnet, I lowered the unlocked hatch an pushed my way through.
The communication center was the smallest section there was, only being a single room. Had it been a larger size GC ship, the section would have been significantly larger, but small GC ships only needed to be able to communicate with their mothership or docking center.
Seeing nobody in the room, I was confused. Typically the communication center was always equipped with a single worker. After looking around the room once more and noticing the lack of restrooms, I counted myself lucky and began to engage with the comms array.
Reaching my finger one last time to send out a message, a feel a force grip my wrist and my breathing hitches.
I pull, trying to free my hand from someone who should have a lower enhancement than myself. Feeling nothing budge, the blood drained from my face and my vision grew blurry with a mixture of confusion and sadness.
I had been so sure. There was no right reason for someone on a small GC ship to be a maxed out A-Grade Enhancer. Yet, here was one. Seeing the captains pin placed on his jacket, I understood that he had the most authority out of everyone that I had met from this crew. Still, what I could not understand was his power.
Seeing the grin form on his face, I knew that my expression must be terrible. This man was probably ecstatic seeing my despair. Like some kind of perv.
"Well, well. Welcome to the Communication Center, boy.
I was wondering when you might show up, after all, my employer did mention that you may be a little smart.
I must say, though, that you really did surprise me. You are really strong for a kid. It must be all those Super Enhancers that they feed you young ones over at the great families."
The smile on the mans face only got larger and larger the more he talked to me. Using his free hand, he grabbed the back of my neck and lifted me up, high enough to see out of the small window that was provided to the communication center.
"You really picked one hell of a day to come here, kid. We already made it to your destination." He had brought me close enough to his body that he was practically whispering in my ear. With the hand that was no longer gripping on my wrist, the man pointed out the window. "You see that small planet out there? That will be your new home. I'm sure you already guessed, but that right there is what we call a wasteland. All it is, though, is a planet sized trash pile. Luckily for you though, you and this wasteland are connected more than you might think. That right there is Earth. Your mother's home planet. That right there, is where all your weak little ancestors grew up."