5th Observation [audio // English]

[fred_cassidy]

Remy, Wall, the vanilla pods are ready.

[Fred's voice takes on a musing quality.A chemical called piperonal is a minor component of vanilla extract. It's fragrant on its own, is used as a perfume base and flavoring, and in the majority of humans, has a calming effect when its vapors are inhaled

Comments

[4nschik]

[Science-babble... Abby could be in love.]

Ahh... This is so comforting... But as a responsible grown-up, I have to ask what you intend to do with this piperonal. I mean, would you really talk so much about it just for vanilla?

Well, I guess you might, if you really love vanilla, but that just seems kind of unlikely. Sorry.

Anyway, having anxiety problems? I can understand that here.

[fred_cassidy]

What do you mean? Rendering down vanilla pods to extract piperonal would be like grinding up a limestone fossil bed to make mortar.

[Fred lights a cigarette, and his Zippo clicks over the comm.]

Anxious? Not particularly.

[He just likes to hear himself talk.]

[4nschik]

I've seen people do more senseless things.

In any case, you can't get to MDMA from vanilla, but you can from a series of processes using piperonal. Not easy in the least, I mean there's a lot of steps to get to it, but like I said. I've seen people do more senseless things.

Well, just checking in. Of course, you could just be a big fan of talking about things used in making sass oil. Whatever, I'm really not one to judge.

[fred_cassidy]

If I were going to be cooking E, I'd start with safrole, myself. Isomerize to isosafrole with a hydroxide--probably sodium hydroxide, since I can make that myself--and then oxidize it into MDP2P.

Lots of paths from there, but I'm thinking aluminum amalgam would be the easiest. I don't know that I'd be able to get my hands on Prussic acid to be able to make myself some sodium cyanoborohydride and do it the easy way.

[Fred's organic chemistry. Let him show you it.]

threadjack lol

[shenghuanzhe]

What's E for?

[fred_cassidy]

Hi, Kage.

It's 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine. People who aren't showing off call it MDMA, street name Ecstasy. It's a psychoactive that decreases anxiety and fosters a sense of openness and intimacy. Illegal where I'm from, not that it stops anybody. Very common party drug.

[shenghuanzhe]

Hey, man.

[Uh-huh, that was a lot of long words with many syllables.]

Sounds like a good time. What's the come-down like? Side effects?

[fred_cassidy]

Dry mouth, jaw clenching. You might get dizzy or nauseous. You won't notice yourself dehydrating if you're dancing.

If you didn't dry out, comedown's not too bad. It's a hangover, basically, unless you hit the adverse effects jackpot.

[shenghuanzhe]

Inject, inhale, ingest?

[fred_cassidy]

Ingest. It's a long, slow high.

[shenghuanzhe]

Nice. Look, you're smart enough t'know when it's not in your best interest t'fuck with a good thing. You got food, freedom, that kinda thing, and if this shit works like you say it does, I would be most fuckin' interested in tryin'.

[Kage rubs his eye.]

I also know that you can make some pretty wicked shit with those chemicals--so if I pull a bit and see what I can rustle up, I'm kinda expectin' not to have this bite me in the ass, know what I'm sayin'?

[fred_cassidy]

[Official sanction!

...Take all the fun out of it, why don't you, Kage?]

I wasn't planning on whipping up a 55-gallon drum of sarin or anything. I'm certain that's against the Geneva Convention and I'd get my pay docked.

Chemistry is both easier and safer when working from pure chemicals with good equipment. It's when people are trying to do an oxidization reaction over their kitchen stoves to keep the police from finding them that you get faces burned off and exploded houses.

[shenghuanzhe]

No shit. Boil up some petrol and you're more likely t'blow your own head off than blow some minds, yeah?

[Kage grins.]

Make me a list, I'll bring what y'need.

[fred_cassidy]

Oh, if it's that easy, anything else I can get you? I've wanted to try cooking acid since that semester at Berkeley.

[shenghuanzhe]

You know how t'make LSD?

[fred_cassidy]

I know the reactions and I've performed all the lab procedures involved before. I've never done it start to finish, on account of this irrational preference of mine for the amenities available outside jail. But it's the Holy Grail of designer drug chemistry, so you're damn right I'm going to do it.