Chapter 5: launch
Vaughn stepped out into the hallway. This one was not all that different from the one he ran down before, except that it had no doors, and the lighting was a little better. At the end of the long hall was a single door, and on either side of that door were predators. One on each side. These predators had a much different look than that of the others he had seen. They were about six foot five inches tall, but their shoulders were twice as wide as Vaughn's. Every inch of them was filled in with huge bulging muscles. They didn't look half as agile as the others he had seen, but not only because of their build. They wore thick plated armor. All of their bodies were covered; they even wore their masks when the others had not. They held only a very large, very bladed scythe, not even the shoulder cannon or wrist blades that seemed to be predator standard issue. He strode down the hallway toward the predators and the door cautiously. One of the heavily clad predators spoke to him when he was closer. "This way ooman, your test awaits." Vaughn spoke back. "Yeah, I kind of figured as much... what are you guys anyway?" The other predator spoke up. "We are the vanguard ooman, you would do well to not ask us questions, and continue on." The synthetic closed his mouth and walked through the door as it slid open; he figured it best to not cause any kind of trouble.
Beyond the door was another hall, smaller in length. He walked down it also, and into the door at the end. Five circular hatches, all very secure looking stood on the opposite wall from him. The booming voice caught him by surprise again as it erupted from a speaker. "Open the pod on the far-left ooman, it is automated, and will take you to your destination." My destination? What are you talking about? Where are we?" "Do not worry about it ooman, just get in and everything will be explained." Vaughn reluctantly stepped up to the far-left door and cranked it open. He stepped through and into what looked like a cockpit. He sat in the rough looking brown seat and instantly noticed the size difference. The seat was wide, and his legs hung somewhat uncomfortably off of the front because of its length. This vessel was meant for predators. Numerous buttons and screens with strange symbols filled the cockpit on bronze colored consoles as the equipment buzzed to life. The windows were small, and nothing could be seen through them because they shown nothing but darkness. A communications channel opened and another predator voice came on.
"Ooman, this is your second test." "So I've heard" Vaughn said sarcastically. "This shuttle pod will take you to your proving grounds; there you will be given further instruction." The voice clicked off and the pod jerked violently. Vaughn strapped himself in and waited. The shuttle shot out at breakneck speed. Although it could hardly be seen compared to the monstrous ship that it had erupted from. Vaughn looked out through one of the small windows into space, and upon the huge ship. "Space?! What the hell?" But he forgot about his shock of being in space at the sight of the ship. Complex wings and decks and towers covered the beast, it stretched on for what seemed like forever, almost glowing with its bronze metallic surface. His attention was quickly diverted however when the shuttle started to shake.