Don't go where the path may lead you

[Duke's first hint that something was different comes in the form of Brownie scratching at the door and whining when he fixes coffee in the morning. Nathan's always up, and even in the brief times when he drops off he wouldn't sleep through his dog's crying. Duke lets her out and she bounds into the stateroom, standing at his side; the room she emerges from, Nathan's room, is empty.

He tries Nathan's communicator, gets nothing; waits an hour, tries again, gets nothing. After about six attempts he's nearly knocking down Nathan's official cabin's door. He's not in the art room, he's not in the mess hall - he just isn't anywhere, just gone. Like a Trouble took him.

One more try to reach Nathan and Duke gives up, sure of it this time.]

I think Nathan left. I know he didn't mean to.

That was a trip.

[Duke's first breach. He's not going to dwell on it, the mantra "It's a Barge thing" running through his head although once again he never expected a Barge thing like that.]

If anyone's taking opinions, I for one would prefer not to do that again. Hell of a universe, though. Star Wars meets Virgil meets the Borg - I didn't even know places like that existed. It makes where I come from look almost boring. [Hyperbole of the century.] And let's face it, everyone here's from somewhere special that's probably weird to lots of other people.

So… what's it like where you're from? If anyone wants to share.

( Private messages for Cassel, Bush, River, Nathan, Mindy )