IRRK Freelance: Illicit narcotic "Stardust" spreading to nearby star systems
November 18, 29488 - Jude Fawley

The first confirmed case of Stardust abuse off of Rubi-Ka was observed a week ago, according to a new ICC Health and Safety report.

Rubi-Ka is likely the "epicenter" of the drug's spread, according to a story published on Saturday by The Daily Suns. However, cases off-planet remained unconfirmed until recently.

In early November, at least two possible cases of the drug were reported by the Sol Banking Poison Control Center on Ceti Kulpa IV, an SBC planet.

Other potential cases have appeared in the Corvid, Eridani, and Signus systems, though, as The Daily Suns note, confirmed cases are much harder to come by.

Physicians who spoke with IRRK said the most likely culprit for the altered state of mind that the victims are found in is Stardust, although autopsy testing is ongoing to rule out possible interactions between multiple drugs.

"When these patients come to us, we see that they are in a euphoric state, and many seem to experience manic bursts of creativity or accelerated higher brain activity before falling into coma and death, which our colleagues on Rubi-Ka have confirmed does fit the effects of Stardust," Doctor Danien Thikkimariyal said. "Our case is the first case that’s been confirmed since it was first isolated and identified on Rubi-Ka."