The armed airship Clover, surrounded by four merchant ships, lay on the sea surface like a giant cocoon.
The buoyancy from the mostly intact airbags kept the ship from sinking, though the gondola was completely submerged.
However, the cooling effect of the seawater would quickly lower the airbag pressure, and the airship would soon sink into the sea.
Lucas ordered his men to board the airship and use materials and glue from the repair ship to seal the airbag's ruptures to prevent water ingress.
He also sent sailors to dive into the submerged gondola to check if the Imperial gold was still there.
If these guys had thrown the Imperial gold into the sea, it would be a very tricky situation. The sailors soon returned with good news.
Everything that should be there was there, and everything that shouldn't be there wasn't.
Very good! In the distance, two naval warships were swiftly approaching.
