I was kind of worried about the infodump too, and there's one more, but after that I think the story will roll along pretty well. As for "sardonic", that slipped past me -- I'll go back and take a look at it. I do that sometimes, use a word twice very close together and miss it in post-write editing.

And goddammit, I knew I should have ditched the drug-induced line! That's the Pratchett in me :D