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Lucien squirmed through another narrow section in the conduit, adding yet more scrapes and scratches to those he’d already picked up. As well as having put on weight since he was a young mechanic he’d forgotten the tricks of moving through tight spaces without getting snagged. Occasionally a piece of the lost knowledge would slip back into his mind, making things a little easier, but it was very rare.
He was also struggling with the fact that he was lost. He knew roughly where he was, or he hoped he did at least, but the conduits didn’t come with signs that were any use for navigating.
He had to smile. When he’d been young he’d found his way from the stern of a warship to the bow without leaving the conduits, visiting certain pre-agreed spots and finishing well within the time he
