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[H2]Chapter Two: Gold![/h2][/center]

"It looks abandoned," Arkadios commented as the ship approached the fortress just after dawn.  There was an inner medieval keep that had been gutted by fire a few hundred years earlier and Custospada had been rebuilt into a layered star fort that still would have been a complicated and costly place to attack, though as they got closer to ground level it was clear the main gate was open and there were no signs of any people or vehicles in the interior.  There was a mast for an airship, but without ground crew, getting the ship down would be... complicated, "Well that explains why you didn't get a message.  See if you can raise HQ in Grendell, let them know what we are up to out here," he nodded to Yuri before turning his attention back to the civilian group who seemed to be necessary to landing the vessel.

"Well," Zoe gave Yuri a cheeky wink as Arkadios finished his observations, "Guess that story I was going to tell you can wait a bit longer... so, anyone want me to do anything... other than make a cup of coffee?" she offered.

"Think you can put some people down in the field to the East?" Arkadios suggested uncertainly.  In truth he didn't have the faintest idea how you were meant to land an airship, "Perhaps they can get get the ship secured to the mast?  I don't see any Communalists," he said, turning back to a topic he understand better, "but I'm assuming they can't be far away.  Whatever we do will need to be done quickly and we'll need to be ready to leave quickly as well."