Time passed slow, back on the Borealis; Iosif had found it to be quite peaceful, yet at the same time there was something strange... it was one thing to be sitting within the tight, confined spaces of a shuttle or a gunship that he knew every inch of, but a whole different matter in a ship of this size, on some frontier world with no civilization for light years in all directions. 

Well, unless you counted the presence of pirates and slavers to be "civilization". Iosif hadn't forgotten that last fact and had made a point of keeping an eye on the ship's external cameras, just in case some of the aforementioned scumbags stumbled upon the ship and decided to try and take a peak inside. Otherwise, he had little else to do beyond keeping minimal power levels to ensure its concealment, which gave him plenty of time to start fishing through the navigation data he'd obtained from the quarian, back on Omega.

That is, until he picked up on a couple of familiar faces returning home and went down to meet them.

[color=cyan]"Knock knock, any wanker home?"[/color] Tanya called out into the hold as they entered, holding Vellios' arm over her shoulders as she helped him walk the distance.  If he was hurting before heading back to the Borealis, he was probably ready to collapse after the hard jungle hike. Finding him her painter stool to sit on, Tanya found Iosif waiting for them at the shuttle, apparently rearing to go. [color=cyan]"So, our feisty turian friend needs his medicine. Keep an eye on him and keep him from moving around too much, will you? I'm pretty sure he'd still insist on going it alone even if he were missing both his arms and legs."[/color] she said, rolling her eyes before stepping back to address Vellios. [color=cyan]"What am I looking for, exactly? I don't want to mix up your life saving shit with estrogen pills or whatever."[/color]

Vellios was in terrible shape. He thought the trek to the observation point was bad but going back was worse and it took a lot to convience Tanya he wasn't just copping a feel. His arm reached to cup where the pain was harsh enough he could barely breath then pressed in, relieving some pressure from his thin frame. He leaned back when his ass touched the seat as he leaned to the side, easing his pain before he perked up at what Tanya said. 

His head turned toward her. [color=rosybrown] "In my quarters, there's a suitcase with a lock. Pressed 15-24-01-31. When it hisses open, you should spy a case under a small and slightly beaten up model starship, and a few quarian toy soldiers. It's pure black with a red strip down the length of it. It's not hard to miss, hun."[/color] 

[color=steelblue]"That why you brought him back?"[/color] Iosif asked, raising an eyebrow.

[color=cyan]"No, I forgot my trailmix and I was feeling peckish."[/color] Tanya replied drly.

The slavic pilot snorted at the remark. [color=steelblue]"I trust the others haven't forgotten theirs?"[/color]

[color=rosybrown] "Not to break up your flirting, but please hurry."[/color] Vellios insisted as he let the cool of the metal press against his carapace. 

Tanya was taken aback by how forthcoming Vellios' was with giving access to his personal belongings, he was one of the most secretive people she knew. While she understood he was in agony, nothing drove home the point that he was in dire need of his medication more than that. [color=cyan]"I'll be back as fast as possible, I promise."[/color], she said softly, turning to run up the ladder and to the crew quarters, leaving Vellios and Iosif in each other's company.

Iosif folded his arms and looked on at the turian with a quizical expression. [Color=steelblue]"Personal supply?"[/color] There was something familiar that struck him about Vellios' condition. 

[color=rosybrown] "Long story that would require a lot of personal story to explain."[/color] Vellios admitted, his body starting to shake. His eyes closed as he inhaled, trying to stop his body from crumbling from the withdrawl. He regretted not taking a larger dose earlier before they left as he leaned against the metal harder. 

Iosif shrugged, then frowned as he picked up on the turian's shaking. [color=steelblue]"Your business, I guess. Hold up a second."[/color] He glanced over his shoulder, back towards the shuttle and headed over to it for a moment, digging through the open cockpit for something before finally returning with an open canteen, which he held close to Vellios' mouth. [color=steelblue]"Drink."[/color] 

Vellios didn't argue and instead, sipped whatever was offered to him. His head tilted back while he coughed from drinking a bit too fast. The turian smirked in gratitude back while he tried to stop the shaking, his muscles twitching uncontrollably causing him some concern. 

Within a few short minutes, which must have been agonizingly long for Vellios, Tanya was back with the container in hand. With well-practiced agility, she threw herself on the otherside of the ladder, smalls of her boots and hand on the outer rim of the ladder as she slid down with a squeak. Touching the deck of the cargo bay, she hurried over to Vellios, taking a knee. [color=cyan]"Direct me."[/color] she stated.

[color=rosybrown] "Inside is several vials filled with it and an injector,"[/color] Vellios said though gritting his teeth. The substance was a common street drug called Zofloxi, one both Tanya and Iosif should be able to recogonize right off the bat because it was pale green and gave off a slight illumination within three glass vials. It numbed pain and commonly used as calming agent, at the cost of being addictive. There was a gun like device strapped to the inside, nestled beside the vials. 

The turian continued in a breathless voice, his figure's temors getting worse by the moment. [color=rosybrown] "Push the first vial into the back, there's a little opening for it then press it to my arm and pull the trigger. Hold it there until the liquid is half way gone then place it back into the case. It will take a few moments to fully take effect."[/color]   

Tanya followed the directions, pausing only for a moment to take in what exactly Vellios was taking. It sure as shit wasn't medication; Vellios was an addict. Still, she didn't dwell on it, long ago accepting that her team would have more than a few sketchy details about them, and drug use was hardly as bad as she feared. Handling the vial with care, Tanya loaded the injector, pressed it against what looked like a soft spot between carapace plates, and injected it half way, removing the device and setting it down into its case. She shook her head. [color=cyan]"How long, and why?"[/color] she asked. 

[color=rosybrown] "Well, after what I told you... I'm surprised you would ask that."[/color] Vellios let a bitter chuckle escape his mandibles, then continued. His tremors starting to cease, the sweat still clinging to his carapace and making him slightly cold.  

[color=rosybrown] "I've had nightmares since I was ten thanks to that pirate ship. I wasn't the only that hated the Haides, but I was one of the luckier ones to come out still sane. I had to learn to deal with it, even when my counselor disapproved of it." 

"I tried to get off them when my children were born with some success... then after they were murdered, I naturally went downhill and gave up.[/color] His talons scratched at his neck, digging at his scars. [color=rosybrown] "I've been slowly trying to get off them again when I met Serena, she's not a fan of me being on them. However, being hurt isn't something I want to tolerate right now. So it's primarily to numb the pain."[/color] 

It explained a few things; why the turian had seemed as careless as he did, getting into that fight back on Omega, why he'd come across with a lack of concern for self-preservation. Iosif saw something in Vellios. Pity, maybe? He'd almost been down that road before, with only a certain [i]hatred[/i], stubbornness and spite keeping him from fully passing the threshhold that led to alcoholism and substance abuse. Only the turian had arguably been broken far more than him. Iosif's childhood memories were bitter, but they were far from nightmarish.. and losing children? 

Iosif had never been a father, but he recognised the pain of it all too well. Even an addict deserved [i]some[/i] measure of sympathy.

[color=steelblue]"It's difficult to understand,"[/color] Iosif finally said, [color=steelblue]"Not unless you've been under those circumstances."[/color]

[color=rosybrown] "The understatement of the year really."[/color] Vellios tried to joke, feebly, as he looked at Tanya's moving figure. 

Tanya slumped down into a sitting position, resting her wrists on her knees. [color=cyan]"You misunderstand. I know [I]why[/I] you're using a mind-altering and body numbing substance to cope, hell, I pound back enough whiskey to keep Sampson Distillery in business on my own, but it's more..."[/color] she didn't really have the words to say it tactfully, so she simply gestured towards the case. 

Vellios' brow raised, indicating he didn't fully understand. It wasn't a surprise as Turians, even himself, were far more straighter in their meaning when it came to a few subjects. His mind was lost at what she was meaning and thought he just answered her, but she didn't hear. However, he didn't unterrupt her while he let the drugs seep into his system and numb his pain. 

[color=cyan]"That shit. Steet drugs are not what you want in your system. You get an impure dose, or something that was cut with some other shit, and it could really fuck you up."[/color] her eyes darted to Iosif before returning back to Vellios. She was distinctly uncomfortable with the conversation at hand, and did not want to be having this conversation, dragging up people's skeletons like this. 

[color=rosybrown] "I'm not too worried. I'm not looking to die, but it if it happens... I won't exactly stop it."[/color] Vellios stated clearly, trying to brush off the statement casually. 

[color=cyan]"Look, all I'm trying to say is, well... I've lost enough friends. We've all been through shit, Vellios, I get it, Iosif gets it. He was a fucking slave. I watched a young girl get gutted by a batarian and I was helpless to do anything about it, and shortly after had my best friend's brains blown across my face. That's not exactly something you sleep off. I feel like an asshole for even talking about this, and I hate throwing shit when I can barely take my own, but this ship and the idiots that live on it are all I have, alright? We'll find something that can help you, but... let's fucking stop with this crap."[/color]

Vellios sighed, feeling a bit like shit for causing the issue. [color=rosybrown] "It's not as easy as it-"[/color] 

Tip tapping suddenly erupted and interrupted him, the sounds of something scurrying within the copit with the three of them. Vellios' eyes looked at Tanya with confusing as he mouthed a few words: [color=rosybrown]"Did you hear that?"[/color] It was close. Suddenly, it darted from just under Iosif's seat then scrambled across the floor deeper into the ship and was gone into the darkness, running over the pilot's feet in the process. Whatever it was, the thing was fast.  

[color=steelblue]"I heard somethin-.. cyka!"[/color] Iosif's hand quickly snapped for his holstered pistol as he jolted forward, caught off guard by the creature's sudden presence.. [color=steelblue]"Where'd it go?"[/color] He asked, with a certain urgency in his tone, stepping forth with his weapon at the ready. [color=steelblue]"Quick, before we lose it!"[/color]