[ voice ]

[hostage]

[No video. Getting to be a habit with him these days, but really... who wants to see him looking like he does right now? Thank him later. If he sounded bad before, he sounds much worse now. The way someone would sound when they've spent a week vomiting. That's why he keeps the message relatively short and sweet.]

I tested the, um... the verstatsi. The U.E.'s drug.

In case the obvious needed stating: don't try it.

Full report coming once I can get my ass outta bed, but I can tell you it's about half-opiate, half-synthetic. The comedown's a total bitch and I ain't just talking like regular use. I mean like one shot and you're gonna need another fix in a few hours unless you like spending the next few days worshiping the porcelain god. Seriously, I'm a professional and this stuff... is bad. I don't think we got a lotta samples around here but take my word for it and don't mess around with it. I done H. This is worse than H. Way worse.

So that's your little P.S.A. and don't roll your eyes 'cause this ain't some D.A.R.E. bullshit, yo. I'm serious.

Comments

[hostage]

The one they give their people. To control 'em.

[highfrequency]

That's...exactly what I was hoping not to hear....

[He blows out a rattling sigh as he thinks to himself.]

...Shit.

[hostage]

Number one cause of death for Exiles is withdrawal so yeah, it's bad. But the whole point of this is getting 'em something that'll help 'em recover.

[highfrequency]

[Rustling as he scratches his claws through his hair. Then, a bit sheepishly....]

Where I come from we've used buprenorphine therapy for opioid withdrawal but...I don't really know much about it.

[hostage]

Yeah, we tried that. The problem with verstatsi is we're dealing with a super pure opioid and synthetic cocktail that's like... It's like water on a sponge, you know? It's this perfect mix that soaks right up into your brain. Buprenorphine ain't even as strong as methadone, and methadone ain't as good as heroin, and heroin don't come close to what's in this stuff. It ain't enough. Like giving somebody Tylenol when they break their foot. Just ain't enough.

[highfrequency]

Well, what does the United Earth use to fight the withdrawals? They must have something, right?

[hostage]

They don't. Their people are addicted for life. That's the point.

[highfrequency]

I'm talking about the people who get everyone addicted. They can't all be good little soldiers. Someone's gotta be giving the orders. And if the drug is that strong that someone might have a treatment. You know, as a fail-safe procedure or something. People like that? They're always thinking several steps ahead.

[hostage]

People calling the shots don't usually get high off their own supply to begin with. If something like that exists, it's secret enough the Exiles don't know about it. Which means it ain't likely we'll get our hands on it anytime soon.

[highfrequency]

Which means we have to make our own treatment here, on Exsilium.

[Another sigh.]

I don't really know anything about pharmaceuticals, but... If there's any other way I can help, let me know. Nobody should have to live like that...drugs dulling their senses, turning them into slaves to some military's will......

It's not right.

[hostage]

When it comes to the chemistry, I can probably figure something out. It's the supply I'm worried about. I haven't checked our stock yet. Might be we'll need some people running missions to get precursor.

[highfrequency]

Missions into the past, right?

I'm still finding that part kinda tricky to wrap my head around.

[hostage]

I can't say it'll ever make a whole lotta sense, but yeah. The past is where we'll find stuff that don't exist anymore.

[highfrequency]

Guess so.

[In a soft, rusty growl]

Still can't say I'm really comfortable with the idea, though. Going through time... What if we make things worse?

[hostage]

Then we fix it. Whatever we do, it don't affect us. So if we come back and everything's suddenly messed up, we can go back and fix it the way it was.

[highfrequency]

Guess that's the perk of being a proxy army. It's not our world so it's not our timeline.

[His voice has some venom in it.]

[hostage]

[A fact which Jesse was devastated to discover months ago.]

Yeah.

[highfrequency]

Mind if I ask you something?

[hostage]

Go ahead.

[highfrequency]

If you knew so much about this drug, what made you decide to go and use it yourself?

[hostage]

There's a difference between knowing something and knowing something. I wanted to understand it. All of it.

[highfrequency]

Even if it killed you, huh?

[His voice is dark but non-judgmental.]

[hostage]

Wouldn't be such a big deal if it did.

[highfrequency]

Come on.

Don't say that.

[hostage]

It's just the truth. I'd be right back the next day or whatever.