Fragments of a Broken World: The Lost City [Complete]

Episode 22 - The Labs

After having my shoe soles cleaned, we continued walking through the laboratories.

"I don't know if you mind me asking, but how do you manage to keep the facilities so clean?" I asked.

"It's very simple. We're not many, and hardly anyone comes in, so that's why is so clean." The scientist replied.

"How many scientists are there?"

"Ninety-five."

"That doesn't seem like a small number."

"It's not if you don't divide it between engineers, biologists, virologists, psychologists, doctors, and their teachers or students, it's not really that many."

"I see. So, this place is more like an academy. But, is there a connection with the library?"

"Other than the occasional book we might need; No. We have everything we need for our research here."

"Right. So, what do you do here?"

"I used to be an obstetrician. I helped with childbirth. I used to work for the Ministry of Health, but I was more interested in furthering my knowledge. I want to write notes that can be useful for future nurses. With the lack of demanding primary education, we have to lower the standards that the old world had." He reasoning.

"That's quite interesting. But, don't you perform deliveries here?"

"No, no. This is more for research than putting theory into practice."

On the one hand, the whole thing still seemed stupid to me since Sali told me about it. But, I can understand his reasoning.

But, is it 'his' reasoning?

"Do you receive orders from the king?" I asked

"Of course, yes. But we have a reciprocal relationship. We inform him, he asks us, and we advise him."

"And does he want these laboratories to remain private?"

"In what sense?"

"In the only sense that matters. Can you research childbirth while you practice it?" I clarified.

"Without a doubt, but there are already people working on that. Sometimes, I even go out to teach. In fact, that's why I received you. I'm one of the few who has more contact with people from the central plaza."

"But, getting back to the topic at hand. What do you do?

"I'm a math expert." I answer

"In what area? There are many branches of math. Can you measure things without any problem?"

"Yes."

"That doesn't tell me much. Okay, how about Pythagoras? Tell me what comes to your mind."

"The Pythagorean theorem? Explain it to me."

"To calculate the hypotenuse, which is the longest part, you take the root, square them, add them together, and there's the result."

"And what's the use of that?"

"It's used to measure the hypotenuse. It works for all right triangles, regardless of their size, and always works even if you modify their values."

"I see. Look, I'll be honest with you. I don't remember exactly what I just asked to you. My specialty is more in medicine, but from what I know, it was something like what you said. I don't know why they made me see it if I never used."