The Rise of Alpha Gal by Rich Larson (Asimov’s SF, September-October 2022) sees the narrator, Heli, meet her ex-girlfriend Nea in an all-night McDonalds. When Nea questions the choice of meeting place, Heli tells her it is ironic before launching into an explanation that involves (a) her reminding Nea of a cousin who got tick bites and developed an allergy to red meat (“The allergy’s unusual because it’s triggered by the Alpha Gal carbohydrate instead of by a protein”) and (b) that Heli has developed an Alpha Gal analog that can induce a permanent meat allergy with one dose. Heli then adds that she can make it contagious. . . .
After this revelation they debate the rights and wrongs of this type of eco-terrorism, before Heli eventually realises that her ex-girlfriend isn’t as enthusiastic about the prospect as she expected. They finally agree that the analog should be made available as a voluntary injection for those that want to give up eating meat (“Saving the world in slow motion”). After Nea leaves, however (spoiler), Heli inserts the contents of a vial into a sanitizer spray and starts spreading the agent.
This is a conversation about an idea, not a story—the novelette or novella that telescopes out from Heli’s final action would have been much more interesting.
** (Average). 2,300 words.