"First let's be clear about what we are actually discussing. Ethanol, produced by the fermentation and distillation of grain primarily. It can be consumed by humans.
"Two propanol, commonly referred to as isopropyl alcohol. A poison made from combining the byproducts of oil refining or natural gas processing and sulfuric acid. Mixed at a seventy percent concentration with water it is the best disinfectant we currently know of. It is not used for wound debridement or disinfection. It can be used to disinfect injection sites, normally however ethanol is used for that purpose as it may be pushed into the body with the injection.
"Methanol is a poison manufactured by hydrogenating carbon monoxide, used a precursor to the manufacture of other commodity chemicals and as a fuel.
"Ethanol, the only alcohol you can drink, can be used as a disinfectant. It is not as good a disinfectant as two propanol as already discussed. It is commonly used in liquid medications as a fungicide, bactericide, and it kills some viruses. It is also present in some tablets and powders, in tiny amounts as remnants of the manufacturing process. In all these cases the amounts are so small they will generally not trigger the reaction. It is present in some over the counter 'medications' and mouthwashes, in sometimes surprisingly high percentages. Which should probably be looked at.
"The human body normally produces and metabolizes up to three grams of ethanol a day.
"The virus causes nausea and vomiting as the blood alcohol level approaches point five percent. It also produces the same effect as concentrations of acetaldehyde, the degradation product of ethanol, rise, essentially giving the incipient hangover a kick start. It is not reacting to the presence of ethanol.
"Rubbing ethanol on your skin, as in the case of medical wipes used at injection sites, won't trigger the reaction, which has been called an 'allergic' reaction by myself and others. It actually isn't. That is just the easiest way to explain the effect.
"If you go to the church of 'let me drink the blood of Jesus like a vampire', imbibing enough ethanol to trigger the reaction, perhaps you need to discuss it with your priest in the confessional, provided he isn't puking his guts up from being a raging alcoholic as well. It would generally take more than an ounce of ethanol in an hour to trigger it in most people. So Holy Communion, for those Abrahamic religions which practice communion using wine, should not trigger the reaction.
"A glass of wine, a shot of whiskey or a beer per hour, depending on your mass, along with your liver and kidney function, isn't going to trigger the reaction. Unless you are drinking that much constantly or every day. A habit most reputable physicians and government's health services already recommend against by the way. A 'buzz' might. Impairment to the level of a DWI or DUI certainly will. Binge drinking certainly will.
"Ethanol is a CNS depressant and a psychoactive drug. In moderation there is nothing wrong with it. In moderation! The Centers for Disease Control has done extensive research and published guidelines that clearly define moderate drinking. If you adhere to those you should never have a problem. The sad fact is most people in this country don't do moderation and therefore ethanol cost this country three hundred billion dollars a year in associated cost. Health care cost that would not otherwise be incurred, injuries, exacerbated medical conditions, injuries caused by impaired people operating vehicles, things like that. This isn't even calculating lost productivity. Moderation meaning one beer, one shot, or one small glass of wine a day. This should not in fact trigger the reaction as it is caused by high blood alcohol levels and the break down products of alcohol in large amounts. Exactly the type of thing that would occur in binge drinking, the most problematic behavior involving ethanol.
"I am not an advocate of the prohibition of wines, beer, and spirits, I am an advocate of not paying my tax money, or exorbitant insurance rates, for, or because of, people being idiots. History has amply demonstrated they will be idiots. I am also an advocate of reducing the human carnage associated with ethanol abuse, as I see the results of it. I simply provided a method to reduce the problems associated with it by having people's bodies expel the excess alcohol before it is processed and can cause harm.
"In fact, put a health care tax of two dollars a drink or fifty dollars per fifth of a gallon on wine, beer, and spirits that adjust for inflation, and can only be spent on the care of drinkers, along with those they injure, and I will happily work on a cure for the virus. It can't mutate after all. If it does it dies. We should be able to kill it off fairly easily.
"As for opioids, the legal ones are pain medications, there are definitive studies that show using acetaminophen and ibuprofen in combination is more effective. These studies were prompted by the shortage of legal opioids and the hazard of synthetic and natural opioids. While opioids have been used for thousands of years, the natural opioids anyway, they have always been a problem with their addictive nature. Why else would it be illegal to grow opium poppies in the United States starting in nineteen forty two, and remaining illegal, even though mired in legal wrangling, since. Natural opioids are somewhat limited due to availability and cost. Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, removed those obstacles.
"We now know there are more effective safer treatments for pain. So again, why not help ourselves and our wallets?
"So what do you think?" Amy asked looking at her sister and cousin standing on the rooftop watching Taylor and BT patrol, or talk to people, or whatever it was they were doing. Her court cases were coming up and with her implant and connection to BT she had done a lot of research and studies. Both on the facts and on the ways juries behaved. Frank Columbo was happy to advise her.
Crystal asked "You sure about that church thing? I mean do you really want to give the pedophiles a distraction to use?" thoughtfully. Then continued "You and the lawyers ready for all the questions that will prompt? I mean I know the insurance companies already got their ducks in a row to support you. Maybe that line about fifty dollars of tax on a fifth of beer needs to be adjusted as well? I know that's not what you meant but… don't want the guys who can't afford razors and fancy themselves aficionados in their skinny jeans up in arms."
"Or all of you are going to bury the court house in paper. They have phone books in New York City smaller than those reports." Vicky commented.
"Yes. Irrefutable evidence, from multiple sources." Amy nodded.
Vicky shrugged "Push comes to shove you can cure it already, this is a bit you tilting at windmills. With the insurance companies, medical community, and law enforcement, coming down in support of you since the testing, you can win it though. Especially with that crack about their wallets. That will get them asking questions. The answers are in those reports. Highlighted, in green. Nice touch."
Crystal laughed "You have never seen so many sad faces when they stopped the study so quick. I mean, paying University kids to get drunk? Plus you already made those funky jelly fish things that make the antidote out of seawater.
"Now important stuff! Taylor knocked the top off the placement test and matriculated to MIT but is attending Arcadia for socialization in that test program they set up for your two genius girlfriends? Hey wait a minute, two normal geniuses and a super powered genius! You have a brain fetish!" Vicky pointed at Amy.
Amy face palmed. "First it was for kids already at school, Lucy, Amanda, and I, were just tested because of our scores on the standardized test coming out of eighth grade. They are geniuses, I am a bit of a fraud because my power smokes biology like a cheap cigar, which means it gets organic chemistry as well. Some math is involved along with some physics, and bam, there I was. We paid the matriculation fees to BBU. Only because of my power though. They were legit normal human geniuses, IQ's in the one sixty range, like Taylor, I'm not helping my case am I?" She asked looking at Crystal and Vicky's grinning faces. A thumping bass beat interrupted them.
Mmmmmmmm
Let me talk to 'em
Let me talk to 'em
Let it rain
Mmmmmmm
Let me talk to 'em
C'mon!
Amy froze when the alleged music and rap? Urban? Anyway whatever it was came from her phone. Along with every other speaker in town, then her head dropped "Why Taylor, why?"
Shawty had them apple bottom jeans (jeans)
Boots with the fur (with the fur)
The whole club was looking at her
She hit the floor (she hit the floor)
Next thing you know
Shawty got low, low, low, low, low, low, low, low
Them baggy sweat pants
And the Reebok's with the straps (with the straps)
She turned around and gave that big booty a smack (hey)
Amy gaped as BT turned his, well, his butt, or where his legs connected to the armored carapace, to the Merchants, who had appeared from nowhere? Reached behind himself smacking himself on the ass, or the3 armor plate covering his ass. Vicky exclaimed "Damn I think I saw one of those shockwave things."
She hit the floor (she hit the floor)
Next thing you know
Shawty got low, low, low, low, low, low, low, low
"Bwahahaha Your girlfriend dances like a white girl even doing that Amy." Crystal pointed.
Taylor and BT had them, and the Merchants, staring. What the hell was that? "What the hell is that?" Amy hid her face with her hand peeking through her fingers. BT and Taylor were dancing, or doing some kind of approximation of it, down the middle of a four lane avenue. Which, at one point, in the past, had probably been pretty grand. Crystal was right too, Taylor did dance like a white girl. BT was much smoother. She would have to work on that with Taylor. Taylor did look like she was having fun though and she was very fluid dodging the, admittedly poorly aimed, but massively powerful, shots from Skidmarks layered bands of light and Squealers cannon thing. She moved with grace and elan when she wasn't trying some scripted move. Wait? What the fuck was she thinking?
Apple bottom jeans (jeans)
Boots with the fur (with the fur)
The whole club was looking at her
She hit the floor (she hit the floor)
Next thing you know
Shawty got low, low, low, low, low, low, low, low
Them baggy sweat pants
And the Reebok's with the straps (with the straps)
She turned around and gave that big booty a smack (hey)
Oh god now Taylor was pointing her butt at the Merchants and slapping it. "Are the Merchants stunned or something?"
Vicky shrugged "I think she gave Skidmark an aneurism with that slap, it is a nice ass. What, don't glare at me."
"That or the cultural appropriation is making him foam at the mouth. Could be whatever designer shit they came up with." Crystal shrugged.
"Phhtttt! They all want to bag a white girl, its like the ultimate trophy." Amy and Crystal looked at Vicky. Who shrugged "True."
Amy scoffed "Does that make it not racist?"
"I didn't say it was wrong or anything, you just did with that question though." Vicky grinned. Amy pinched the bridge of her nose.
She hit the floor (she hit the floor)
Next thing you know
Shawty got low, low, low, low, low, low, low, low
Hey shawty what I gotta do to get you home
My jeans full of guap and they're ready for shones
"This fucking song. I mean you can dance to it but it is so fucking Urban it doesn't even make sense." Crystal said as she was dancing on the rooftop.
Cadillacs Maybachs for the sexy groan
Patron on the rocks that'll make you moan
One stack (come on), two stacks (come on), three stacks (come on)
Now that's three grand
What you think I'm playing, baby girl, I'm the man
Taylor spun, dropped, not quite a slut drop, and drew as she rose. BT unlimbered a giant rifle.
I'll bend the rubber bands
That's what I told her
Her legs on my shoulder
I knew it was over
It was for that hillbilly tank too. Invisible or not. Not for certain now as Taylors first shot had taken care of that. And a foot diameter circle of whatever that armor was subliming to plasma didn't help.
That Henny and Cola got me like a soldier
She ready for Rover, I couldn't control her
So lucky on me I was just like a clover
Yep lucky, all three girls winced and shielded their eyes at the bright white lance of whatever that was from BT's rifle that took out the platform Skidmark was layering his shields on. Not him though.
Shawty was hot like a toaster
Sorry but I had to fold her
Like a pornography poster
She showed her
Vicky nodded completing a squat with a hop and maybe a twerk thrown in "I know right. Its rap though so do the words even count besides being sound? Like opera, some of those libreto's make no sense. They just have words that sing good."
Apple bottom jeans (jeans)
Boots with the fur (with the fur)
The whole club was looking at her
She hit the floor (she hit the floor)
Next thing you know
Shawty got low, low, low, low, low, low, low, low
Them baggy sweat pants
And the Reebok's with the straps (with the straps)
"Operator! Do not smack your ass at the Merchants!" Amy yelled.
She turned around and gave that big booty a smack (hey)
"Yep shockwave, knocked a bunch of them over that time." Vicky nodded.
Crystal nodded "From Taylor and BT, how is she doing that?"
"How does it not hurt her butt? I mean you could bounce a quarter off that thing, but damn!"
"Hey! Eyes off my girlfriends butt!" Amy barked. Vicky and Crystal grinned at each other.
She hit the floor (she hit the floor)
Next thing you know
Shawty got low, low, low, low, low, low, low, low
Whoa, shawty, yeah, she was worth the money
Little mama took my cash
And I ain't want it back
The way she bent that back
Got her them paper stacks
Tattoo above her crack
"Did Taylor get a tramp stamp? Wow how did she do that back bend? Skidmark missed by inches."
"What? No! Oh god, there are people with phones!" Amy hid her face again.
I had to handle that
I was on it, sexy woman
Let me showing and made me want it
Two in the morning I'm zoning
And them Rosé bottles foaming
She wouldn't stop
Made it drop
Shawty did that pop and lock
Had to break her off that guaping
"Plus Natalie and her camera crew. Ouch, well that that thing of Squealers just took fifteen feet of sword, in the gaup." Vicky's comment made Amy drop her hand.
Gal was fly just like my Glock
"Which is empty now, though not a Glock. Militia maser pistol thing. Oh she transitioned to that rifle thing."
Crystal waved at the scene below them, with the split in half vehicle having smoking craters with red hot edges blasted into it "Yeah, well that wasn't a nine millimeter."
Vicky nodded "Let me go get Squealer while BT is grinding on Mush. Is he electrocuting him? Back in a flash."
Apple bottom jeans (jeans)
Boots with the fur (with the fur)
The whole club was looking at her
She hit the floor (she hit the floor)
Next thing you know
Shawty got low, low, low, low, low, low, low, low
Them baggy sweat pants
And the Reebok's with the straps (with the straps)
She turned around and gave that big booty a smack (hey)
Amy grinned "Taylor smacked Skidmark in the ass that time."
Crystal nodded "With a particle beam cannon. You are going to have to fix him, how is he even still alive? Can you burst into flame from air friction and live?"
"Give me a ride down there. I'll make him live, and then I need to talk to my girlfriend. No Operator! No twerking! What is that even? Are you doing the Bump with BT? Stop that! Go help Vicky get Squealer out of that wreck. Bring her over her to Skidmark and I will fix her next. Or BT you do it. Bring her leg and arm too. Taylor clean up the rest of these, try not to light any more on fire!"
She hit the floor (she hit the floor)
Next thing you know
Shawty got low, low, low, low, low, low, low, low
"And BT play some real music." Trocata and Fugue in D Minor drifted from the speakers and Amy nodded. "Thank you."
"Boo! Macarena!" Vicky yelled and then ducked at the glare she got.
"BT check and see if Mush is dead. No do not play that stupid song! It was much better when you and Operator were fighting alone all the time."
Crystal rolled her eyes as the guitars came in. "Two heroes ride weapons flexed."
Titanfall
Emily Piggot looked at the speakers "Fuck me not again. Ops, what the fuck is going on?"
The operations officer grinned and pointed at the screen. An image of a reporter came up with one of, what the hell was that, and who had used a cannon on it? "What the hell is Operator doing?"
"The kids call it flossing ma'am. She tea bagged Skidmark and Squealer. That's where yo-"
"I know what it is. Operator is female though. Don't try to confuse the issue!"
"Yes Ma'am. Apparently the Merchants got well enough to try to dislodge BT and Operator from their territory. Or they thought they were well enough."
Emily barked a laugh "Yeah, nobody is that well. Probably whatever they cooked up in one of their meth houses. Did she kill anyone?"
"Not from what we can see ma'am. Operator pretty much ran through the Merchant first line Capes and is on their normal now. Who are now apparently sobered up and busy trying to live. Tough to do with Operator and BT hunting you. Apparently some fresh triggers in the mix as well. I can see where watching people get beaten like that might trigger you. Let alone Skidmark getting briefly accelerated to fractional C and bursting into flames. That rainbow effect was interesting. Like one of those scifi going to warp, or hypedrive, images. Miss Militia and the wards are closing on the scene. PRT is establishing a cordon still."
"Enter Sandman? Not sure I don't prefer the Titan drop song." Emily looked around at the operations room full of nodding heads. She snorted.
Her Titan group leader chimed in "At least she didn't call another one. They did use directed shockwaves like Ogre class titans though. Ogre's are like the main battle tanks of the Titans Ma'am."
"Well, if all that is live, she will certainly be in some people's heads, and the monster under their beds, now."
Captain Jorgensen shrugged "I think she already is in most peoples. The board is green Ma'am. Miss Militia on site. Vista compressed the space and they used their jump packs."
Emily nodded, smiling. Panacea was handling Operator. At least when she wasn't healing someone, she was doing the foot tapping fist on hips thing. Glory Girl and Laser Dream were onsite as well. She would wait for the reports. Fucking Merchants. How stupid could you be? Addiction was a mental defect. Obviously not the only one these idiots had.
One of the screens on the wall came alive. Director Costa Brown arched a brow on it. Emily chuckled "Got the music from your drone then? OK, we are currently conducting operations to cordon off the Lordsport area of Brockton Bay in cooperation with the Brockton Bay emergency services as Operator deals with some territory issues. The Merchants decided they could push her out. Skidmark, Squealer and Mush are down. Operator and BT are continuing to mop up the non-parahuman elements of the Merchants along with some fresh triggers, or recent triggers we don't know anything about. Vista and Miss Militia are attempting to gain and maintain contact with Operator. The rest of the East North East Protectorate is in route."
"Rebecca' nodded "Alexandria and Legend are enroute. Legend should be, ah I see from my live feed he has arrived onsite."
Emily winced as the major networks feeds were put up on a monitor in splitscreen. Were they using the same camera crews? No different angles. Emily froze when the speakers said 'Stand by for Titanfall' "Air?" Emily shouted.
"Orbital insertion detected! Objects on a ballistic trajectory. Impact Lordsport!"
Rebecca looked at one of her screens and informed her "NORAD is tracking an object departing local space after intercepting Earth's Orbit."
The Titan Section Leader spoke up "Twenty seconds. Multiple inbound Titans. Decoys deployed as well, its full drop. Squad to platoon strength at least."
Emily looked around at pale faces "Settle down! What don't we know? Why is Operator threatened enough to do this?" She pushed a button on her console "Miss Militia, Fury, multiple inbound Titans. We need to know what is going on. Find Operator."
In the field, on a roof, Miss Militia looked at Vista who pointed, shrugged, and bent space around the multiple blue beams pointing up. They stepped to the street. "Oh! Hey Miss Militia! Hi Vista!" Operator called as she moved through a crowd of Merchants leaving them unconscious behind her.
Vista snorted "You need help? I mean it's going to be raining men here in a minute."
Operator gave her a thumbs up "Nice one. Uh, no, I got this. BT is a bit upset. He thinks people are going to move on Amy so he wanted some reinforcements. Eleven Legion class. She can have guards and her own ride."
Vista stared for a moment "Uh, how do you feel about a harem?"
Amy had walked up "Hey! No jumping my girlfriend! Maybe later though. You are pretty cute. Lots of potential, lots of jail time right now though."
"Goddamnit!"
"Vista!"
"Sorry Miss Militia."
"No you aren't, your mike is live though."
Vista face palmed. Miss Militia eye crinkled at her. Then looked at Operator "So you thought now was the time?"
Legend had landed as the Titans arrived. He rose from the squat the eleven Titans crashing to earth induced. "Yes, that is a good question?"
Operator scratched at the chin area of her mask "Uh, I should have informed you guys before I called them? I didn't do it for this fight. I've been thinking about it a while, and reviewing the Specs. Legion Class are probably the best all round Titans. Especially upgraded like they have been over the years. BT is a Vanguard/Monarch uprated chassis. Sort of specialized. Legion Mark fives are generalist. Line troops of the Titan world? I mean I didn't think we needed Ogre mark twelves. I mean we are fighting on just the one planet. Don't want to blow chunks out of it into orbit."
Amy had walked up to the closest landed Titan "Hey! Who are you? Open up let's check out my new ride!"
"BT 7274, you may call me BT." The Titan scooped her up and deposited her in the cockpit, then slammed its hatches closed as the others formed up around it.
Miss Militia blinked "Uh, they aren't all AI's?"
"What? Oh no, no need for that. BT has it, he can run them all. They are fully networked to him. They come with processor augments and memory. He can download a copy of himself into them if he has to." Everyone looked at her. She sighed "PRT building or BT's building?"