that again, this time with a better explanation,”
Carol said, putting a little Arm predator into her voice. Hank smiled. This
topic even made Focus Professor Rizzari’s eyes glaze over. This bit of science
was his baby, even if his discovery wasn’t world-shaking.
“The Shakes is a variety of listeriosis, a bacterial
disease spread by contaminated food. In particular, the Shakes is transmitted
by what we call the Listeria B and C bacteria strains, to differentiate them from
what we call Listeria A, which causes ‘common listeriosis’. Listeria A effects
resemble the effects of a Transformation coma…without the coma…and occurs about
5 in one million each year, striking people whose immune systems are
compromised, as well as pregnant women. Listeria B and C are different,
thriving in low oxygen environments where plant decay is occurring. Save for the
induced transformations that accompany a Major Transform’s transformation, this
form of listeriosis can’t be spread from person to person. I have never been
able to pin down the exact origin point of the Shakes, but as best as I can
figure, Listeria B and C got picked up somewhere in Asia by US servicemen early
in WWII, and got spread world-wide by modern transportation systems long before
the Shakes was identified.”
“So quarantines could have worked?” Carol asked.
“By the time the Shakes was identified it was already
too late,” Hank said. “But, yes, if the authorities quarantined the leaf
litter or mud the original bacterial spores came from before they spread out of
their origin area, quarantine would have worked.” He paused to think. “There
are several other viable theories about the origin point, including Alaska, New
Guinea and Antarctica, but the origin point isn’t what’s most important. What
matters is the fact Listeria B and C got carried world-wide by the WWII
allies.”
“Okay, then, why do the Shakes continue to spread? Why
isn’t it scurvy?”
Hank turned away for a moment. “Listeria B and C alone
are one trigger, causing about 5 in a million infections a year, a constant and
non-growing rate. However, Listeria B and C, interacting with juice
byproducts, are another trigger, causing about 75 in a million infections a
year at the present time.”
“Oh, shit,” Carol said. “You could control the disease
by killing all the Transforms, couldn’t you?”
“Yes, if you did so world-wide, within a few weeks of
each Transform’s transformation,” Hank said. “You would need to kill off all
the Monsters as well; my evidence shows it’s primarily Monster juice byproducts
which are the trigger, evidence that will likely remain unpublished…”
“Bah and bah again,” Carol said. “On that cheery note,
I think I’m going to try and get some more rest.” In a moment she fell asleep
again.
Hank couldn’t rest, his mind filled with the ever
growing number of induced transformations, those transformations caused directly
by the byproducts of juice, without any interactions with the Listeria B and C
bacteria. Within a decade the number of induced transformations would pass the
number of Listeria caused and triggered transformations, and then they were all
severely and royally screwed.
Keaton’s Office
(Carol Hancock’s POV)
I must have gone through a thousand different scenarios
for my graduation. Most I discarded, but my desperation grew with each failed
attempt at Transform transportation. Today, I thought up one a little less
unlikely than my other recent desperate ideas: buying an untagged Transform
from whatever Focus provided Keaton with those, on occasion.
Unfortunately, I didn’t have this Focus’s name, location,
or how to contact her. I needed Keaton’s contact information, which wasn’t in
any place accessible. That left just one place it might be, her office, the
one place Keaton forbade me to go.
This wouldn’t be easy.
From my first day here,
Carol said, putting a little Arm predator into her voice. Hank smiled. This
topic even made Focus Professor Rizzari’s eyes glaze over. This bit of science
was his baby, even if his discovery wasn’t world-shaking.
“The Shakes is a variety of listeriosis, a bacterial
disease spread by contaminated food. In particular, the Shakes is transmitted
by what we call the Listeria B and C bacteria strains, to differentiate them from
what we call Listeria A, which causes ‘common listeriosis’. Listeria A effects
resemble the effects of a Transformation coma…without the coma…and occurs about
5 in one million each year, striking people whose immune systems are
compromised, as well as pregnant women. Listeria B and C are different,
thriving in low oxygen environments where plant decay is occurring. Save for the
induced transformations that accompany a Major Transform’s transformation, this
form of listeriosis can’t be spread from person to person. I have never been
able to pin down the exact origin point of the Shakes, but as best as I can
figure, Listeria B and C got picked up somewhere in Asia by US servicemen early
in WWII, and got spread world-wide by modern transportation systems long before
the Shakes was identified.”
“So quarantines could have worked?” Carol asked.
“By the time the Shakes was identified it was already
too late,” Hank said. “But, yes, if the authorities quarantined the leaf
litter or mud the original bacterial spores came from before they spread out of
their origin area, quarantine would have worked.” He paused to think. “There
are several other viable theories about the origin point, including Alaska, New
Guinea and Antarctica, but the origin point isn’t what’s most important. What
matters is the fact Listeria B and C got carried world-wide by the WWII
allies.”
“Okay, then, why do the Shakes continue to spread? Why
isn’t it scurvy?”
Hank turned away for a moment. “Listeria B and C alone
are one trigger, causing about 5 in a million infections a year, a constant and
non-growing rate. However, Listeria B and C, interacting with juice
byproducts, are another trigger, causing about 75 in a million infections a
year at the present time.”
“Oh, shit,” Carol said. “You could control the disease
by killing all the Transforms, couldn’t you?”
“Yes, if you did so world-wide, within a few weeks of
each Transform’s transformation,” Hank said. “You would need to kill off all
the Monsters as well; my evidence shows it’s primarily Monster juice byproducts
which are the trigger, evidence that will likely remain unpublished…”
“Bah and bah again,” Carol said. “On that cheery note,
I think I’m going to try and get some more rest.” In a moment she fell asleep
again.
Hank couldn’t rest, his mind filled with the ever
growing number of induced transformations, those transformations caused directly
by the byproducts of juice, without any interactions with the Listeria B and C
bacteria. Within a decade the number of induced transformations would pass the
number of Listeria caused and triggered transformations, and then they were all
severely and royally screwed.
Keaton’s Office
(Carol Hancock’s POV)
I must have gone through a thousand different scenarios
for my graduation. Most I discarded, but my desperation grew with each failed
attempt at Transform transportation. Today, I thought up one a little less
unlikely than my other recent desperate ideas: buying an untagged Transform
from whatever Focus provided Keaton with those, on occasion.
Unfortunately, I didn’t have this Focus’s name, location,
or how to contact her. I needed Keaton’s contact information, which wasn’t in
any place accessible. That left just one place it might be, her office, the
one place Keaton forbade me to go.
This wouldn’t be easy.
From my first day here,
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