There’s a small flicker of a bleak smile at the corner of Strange’s mouth as he feels that deja vu again. This is such familiar ground. He had this conversation with Vanya’s doppelganger; still hates that for him; and decides, once again, not to mention that part. They’re just doing the do-over.

“That’s the exact reasoning I’ve been trying with one of your colleagues.” He doesn’t name specific names; there’s still that lingering instinct for a physician’s privacy. “It just seems— a tremendous risk. Even if someone never goes into the field, there’s still continual trade disruptions, and lyrium can’t be that easy to get a hold of. And the chance of being incapacitated and going into unplanned withdrawal is perpetually there, considering the nature of our regular fieldwork.”

A beat. “Or, say, if someone’s captured and in captivity for an extended period of time, unable to reach their supply.”