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((The Mon/Wen/Fri Double -- page 1 of 2))
"Your goal is to end war?" said Emiliana.

"Not exactly," said Gohvis. "However, my goal would theoretically make war unnecessary."

"...You're saying war IS necessary now?"

"Of course. The eternal struggles for resources, security, and power make it so."

She thought about that for a moment. "But, I mean, if we are still speaking theoretically, then... cooperation could resolve those issues, too, could it not?"

"Mm. A nice thought, perhaps, but mistaken nonetheless."

"How?"

"Because betrayal is simply too tempting for some. It is an action that can take its motivation from both emotional thinking and from stone cold reason. The only counters to it are based on either morality or the fear that one might not be able to get away with it."

Emiliana was beginning to understand. "...You're saying that you think people are too corrupt."

"By their very nature, yes."

"Which is why your goal is to change said nature."

"Yes."

They arrived in a large room that was most certainly not the refectory. Emiliana didn't even recognize this place. Much like the main areas of the Library, this room also had several tall bookshelves lining the walls, but they were far fewer in number here. Three long, black tables sat in the center of the room, each one filled with beakers, flasks, microscopes, graduated cylinders, test tubes, and so on.

It wasn't exactly... impressive. The equipment here looked about as sophisticated as what she'd seen in her high school chemistry lab. She did see a couple computers here, at least, which answered an earlier question she'd had, but somehow, she doubted they would have internet access. They looked a bit old, as well.

There was one piece of equipment that caught her attention, though: a cylindrical chamber at the far end of the room, large enough for a person to fit inside. For two people, even.