[b]OBSERVATORY[/b]

"Mhm?"
 Dakota rolled over slightly. He was roused by the soft murmur of voices. It was probably his mom on the phone. He rolled over the rough bark, reaching out onto the bedside table to shut the lamp off -
 
There was no lamp.

 Dakota quickly snapped out of his blind groping. He was on the floor, not in a bed. And what's more, he was supposed to be leaning over Karl's cage, feeding the Siberian husky doggie treats, not... not whatever the heck this was.

 His leg began to quiver and his heartbeat began to quicken as he was hit with the frightening, abrupt realization that he was not at home. He wanted to scream, to call for help, but something told him that wouldn't be a smart move. He subconsciously felt his headphones resting on his neck. His eyes followed the wires to his pocket, and pulled out his iPhone. No service, no WiFi -

Dakota grumbled under his breath as the battery icon gave way and the screen turned black. No battery.

 Slowly, he brought the shattered pieces of his resolve together, taking a clearer note of his surroundings. The faint rolling and bobbing of the floor indicated that they were at sea. The wood looked like it had aged quite a bit, but it seemed... [i]living[/i], uncomfortably reminscient of the belly of a great beast. Looking around, Dakota noticed the brass telescope and the domed ceiling were clues that the room was an observatory of a sort. He involuntarily made the sign of the cross. He wasn't Catholic, but it helped still the nerves.
 
Suddenly, his observations were interrupted by the sudden outburst of noise. A quivering middle-aged man, a girl in Egyptian garb speaking in a foreign Arab-ish language, and a burly tattooed Caucasian man with a considerable amount of facial hair. Dakota took a deep breath as he tied his thick winter hoodie around his waist - were these people his captors, or fellow prisoners?

"...Uh.. h-hello? Who are you?"